Masks have been  around  throughout  history;  they  are  often  used  as  a  type  of  muse  to hide one’s identity.  At  a  masquerade party, the mask  is something  we can  physically see and touch and remove in an instant.   A mask gives the perception we are someone other than ourselves.

In  our  daily  lives,  we  may  not  wear  physical  masks  but  symbolically  we  wear  masks  of illusion all the time.   They change depending  on the situation we are in. The big questions are: Why do we wear them? What do they cover up? Where do they come from?

From conception forward we are imprinted with patterns, controls, thoughts and agendas of  parents, siblings, religions, race,  teachers etc.   We  are  programmed  how  to  think, act, speak  and   respond  based   on  our  surroundings.    Words  and  feelings   of  endearment make us feel good and critical comments and  abuse evoke fear, shame  and  a  need  to go underground.  We begin to hide behind  masks very early in life to hide our true feelings.  It is a place to feel safe.  

This  programming  continues  through  school,  TV,  technologies,  media,  social  media, work,  relationships,  parenting  and  much  more.    We  become  burdened  with  imprints,  masks  and  facades  and  have  no  idea  of  the  genuine  essence of  who  we  truly  are.    We sleep walk through life covered with a veil of illusion. 

The following poem (Author unknown)  has been around  for  decades.  It  has a  total of  16 stanzas so I am only including the first and last but they are very significant. 

 

Please Hear What I’m Not Saying

Don’t be fooled by me.  Don’t be fooled by the face I wear.
For I wear a mask, I wear thousands of masks,
Masks that I’m afraid to take off,
And none of them are me.

..............................................

Who am I, you may wonder.
I am someone you know very well.
I am every man you meet, and I am every women you meet.

 

Pay  attention  to   the  profound  meaning  of  these  words  and  take  action  to  change  this picture.   It  is TIME  for this  world and its people  to  AWAKEN  to  the  reality of  who we  are truly  meant  to  be.   The  only  person  we can change is  ourselves and  as  we  do  so  others around us will  learn  and benefit.   The  fear of  change and  being ‘found  out’ is  great  but the risk of doing nothing is worse. 

The first step in creating a new belief  system for yourself  is ‘awareness’  that the masks you wear are not  you.   Search out  where  and  how  imprints, patterns  and controls in your life originated and be  willing  to  release and  shed  old  baggage that  is ‘not  you.’   The  masks created for protection  and  camouflage will  fall  away allowing your heart  the  opportunity to make friends with the genuine you, your soul.

Alma info from Sibyl magazine