I first encountered the original Mindfold mask during a shamanic session in Tampa, Florida, in early 2015 – and immediately loved the concept. The idea is simple but remarkably effective: complete darkness, even with your eyes wide open. That makes it particularly useful for deep meditation, shamanic journeying, relaxation work and sleep. I have offered the original Mindfold through my practice since 2015.

The Mindfold is a clever and proven design that has been around since the 1990s and has served me and many of my clients well. After working with it for more than a decade, however, I also know its few minor weaknesses. The rigid front shell blocks normal ambient light very well, but when facing a strong light source, tiny points of light can sometimes become visible through the material. Depending on the shape and size of the nose, achieving a completely dark seal around the nose can also require tightening the strap more than is comfortable, and the strap itself was never the most comfortable part of the design.

After all these years, I have finally found a modern alternative that takes the same excellent basic idea and improves on these details. Soft materials make it remarkably light and comfortable – you can almost forget you are wearing it. The deep 3D eye recesses allow you to open and blink your eyes freely without touching the mask, while the contoured nose area provides a much better light seal. Most importantly, it remains completely dark even when facing very bright light.