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locus_ofcontroJanuary 15, 2007
Uncover Your True Face
Underneath the Mask
Many of us know the feeling of being stuck in a particular role within our
families, as if we are wearing masks whenever we see the people we love. Maybe
we are the good daughters, expected to always please others, or perhaps we are
the family clowns, expected to be jovial and make everyone laugh. This same
scenario can play out within a work situation or a group of friends. We may be
so good at our role that we hardly even notice that we are wearing a mask, and
yet, deep down, we know that we are not free to simply be who we really are.
This can leave us feeling unseen and uneasy.
There is nothing inherently wrong with wearing a mask or playing a role. It is a
natural part of any social dynamic and it can even be creative and fun. It only
becomes a problem when you feel that you have no other choice than to wear that
mask, and this is especially challenging if you realize you are never without
one. Perhaps you have forgotten who you really are—a vast and unrestricted being
of light—and have identified yourself completely with a role. You may be the
dutiful, caring son who keeps his parents’ dysfunctional marriage intact. You
may be the angelic wife who enables your husband to continue on a destructive
path. You may be the cheerful daughter to a deeply depressed mother. Whatever
the case, knowing the motivation behind your performance—the function of your
mask—can help to uncover your true face.
Anytime we find ourselves stuck behind a mask, it is an indication that we are
entangled in a dysfunctional dynamic in which our true self cannot be seen. We
have been placed in this situation for the purpose of our own healing and, in
some cases, the healing of others. From this perspective, life can be seen as a
series of situations that call us to remove our masks—gently, and with great
compassion for all concerned—to reveal the beauty underneath.
Uncover Your True Face
Underneath the Mask
Many of us know the feeling of being stuck in a particular role within our
families, as if we are wearing masks whenever we see the people we love. Maybe
we are the good daughters, expected to always please others, or perhaps we are
the family clowns, expected to be jovial and make everyone laugh. This same
scenario can play out within a work situation or a group of friends. We may be
so good at our role that we hardly even notice that we are wearing a mask, and
yet, deep down, we know that we are not free to simply be who we really are.
This can leave us feeling unseen and uneasy.
There is nothing inherently wrong with wearing a mask or playing a role. It is a
natural part of any social dynamic and it can even be creative and fun. It only
becomes a problem when you feel that you have no other choice than to wear that
mask, and this is especially challenging if you realize you are never without
one. Perhaps you have forgotten who you really are—a vast and unrestricted being
of light—and have identified yourself completely with a role. You may be the
dutiful, caring son who keeps his parents’ dysfunctional marriage intact. You
may be the angelic wife who enables your husband to continue on a destructive
path. You may be the cheerful daughter to a deeply depressed mother. Whatever
the case, knowing the motivation behind your performance—the function of your
mask—can help to uncover your true face.
Anytime we find ourselves stuck behind a mask, it is an indication that we are
entangled in a dysfunctional dynamic in which our true self cannot be seen. We
have been placed in this situation for the purpose of our own healing and, in
some cases, the healing of others. From this perspective, life can be seen as a
series of situations that call us to remove our masks—gently, and with great
compassion for all concerned—to reveal the beauty underneath.
