{"id":660,"date":"2013-03-22T15:07:21","date_gmt":"2013-03-22T22:07:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/?p=660"},"modified":"2013-03-22T15:11:18","modified_gmt":"2013-03-22T22:11:18","slug":"do-you-wear-a-spiritual-disguise-losing-the-mask-finding-your-truth-a-guest-blog-post-by-tania-marie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/?p=660","title":{"rendered":"Do You Wear a Spiritual Disguise? Losing the Mask &#038; Finding Your Truth \u2013 A Guest Blog Post by Tania Marie"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Tanias-photo-for-mask.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-661\" alt=\"Tania's photo for mask\" src=\"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Tanias-photo-for-mask.jpg\" width=\"1632\" height=\"1224\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Tanias-photo-for-mask.jpg 1632w, http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Tanias-photo-for-mask-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Tanias-photo-for-mask-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1632px) 100vw, 1632px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Today we have another guest blog post from Tania Marie, whom you may remember from a former post\u00a0on \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/?p=377\" target=\"_blank\">Mirror Reflections: Integrating Spirit and Form<\/a>.\u201d Tania is a truly gifted artist, channeling beautiful paintings, portraits, murals, tattoos, jewelry and more. We also studied Reiki together and have enjoyed a beautiful friendship ever since, even though we rarely see each other. Our spirits are joined as sisters-of-the-heart and sharing a meal and conversation with Tania truly delights my spirit. Before I add Tania\u2019s post, I want to let you know about her <a href=\"http:\/\/taniamarieartist.wordpress.com\/2013\/03\/04\/2013summersolsticebiminiretreat\/\" target=\"_blank\">2013 Summer Solstice Rhythm of Renewal Retreat in Bimini, Bahamas<\/a>, Those who attended her winter solstice journey enjoyed transformations on many levels, along with the life-long friendships they will enjoy into eternity. Spirit has other plans for me, but I would go in a heartbeat.<\/p>\n<p>For more information about Tania Marie, visit:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.taniamarie.com\" target=\"_blank\">www.taniamarie.com<\/a> (web site)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.spiritualskin.com\" target=\"_blank\">www.spiritualskin.com<\/a> (information on Spiritual Skin, her book that\u2019s creating a transformative new paradigm for the exploration of sacred tattoos)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/taniamarieartist.wordpress.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/taniamarieartist.wordpress.com\/<\/a> (Tania\u2019s blog ~ please do subscribe! You will be happy you did!)<\/p>\n<p>And now for Tania\u2019s post:<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_663\" style=\"width: 391px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Tanias-mask-post-photo.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-663\" class=\"size-full wp-image-663\" alt=\"image from: http:\/\/karing4u.blogspot.com\/2010\/08\/social-and-spiritual-masks.html\" src=\"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Tanias-mask-post-photo.jpg\" width=\"381\" height=\"381\" srcset=\"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Tanias-mask-post-photo.jpg 381w, http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Tanias-mask-post-photo-150x150.jpg 150w, http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Tanias-mask-post-photo-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-663\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">image from: <a href=\"http:\/\/karing4u.blogspot.com\/2010\/08\/social-and-spiritual-masks.html\">http:\/\/karing4u.blogspot.com\/2010\/08\/social-and-spiritual-masks.html<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Truth allows you to live with integrity. Everything you do and say shows the world who you really are. Let it be the Truth.<\/em> ~ Oprah Winfrey<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>The Truth needs no rehearsal.<\/em> ~ Barbara Kingsolver<\/p>\n<p>It can be easy at times to think of ourselves as two entirely different individuals \u2013 our old and our new self. This becomes easier to do, the more we journey along our spiritual path. This \u201cnew\u201d self feels to us to be much more enlightened, and in many cases it is, however, sometimes even the spiritually evolved version of ourselves can still be wearing a mask that it hides behind \u2013 a spiritual disguise.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Energetic themes seem to flow in cycles and the last couple of weeks have made poignant a recurring one that feels of importance to share on. I have been picking up on the themes of integrity, authenticity, truth, and how that interrelates with the purity, innocence, and playfulness of our inner child \u2013 all leading back to that \u201creturn to natural harmony within and without\u201d and \u201cwalking the walk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These aren\u2019t just themes of importance for people who are just beginning to become more aware and conscious of things, or even for people who are operating with a majority of unconsciousness, but also for all of us who are already on a path of conscious evolution for quite some time. This feels to be coming through in order to support us in how we can take things to another experience of depth that will have profound effects.<\/p>\n<p>What comes hand-in-hand with this theme is not just about speaking truth to others, but in being completely honest with ourselves \u2013 and this can be done with humor and gentleness, so as to make the process one of fun rather than punishment.<\/p>\n<p>I juggled with how I wanted to share on these topics, finding there was a lot wanting to come through about them, but in the end had been guided, rather, to share a couple of specific, brief writings from others I was led to that I felt would provide not only insightful perspective, but in one case, some humor \u2013 something I feel to be of extra importance these days in approaching ourselves and our experiences.<\/p>\n<p>The topics within these themes that I keep feeling strongly abound are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Using spirituality to avoid things like our shadow aspects, fears, and pains \u2013 something author and psychotherapist Robert Augustus Masters calls \u201cspiritual bypassing\u201d<\/li>\n<li>How we lose ourselves behind \u201cspiritual fluff\u201d or are over-dosing on positivity without integrative grounding, as a means of avoiding and repressing our inner truth and, ultimately, our inclusive Divinity being revealed<\/li>\n<li>How we convince ourselves we are beyond something and yet perhaps all we have done was run the other way or are just regurgitating what we \u201cthink\u201d we should say or do spiritually, but without having fully embodied the essence of what that truly means<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I really resonate with what Masters shares in this particular excerpt from his book, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.northatlanticbooks.com\/catalog\/display.pperl?isbn=9781583942925\" target=\"_blank\">Spiritual Bypassing: When Spirituality Disconnects Us from What Really Matters<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>True spirituality is not a high, not a rush, not an altered state. It has been fine to romance it for a while, but our times call for something far more real, grounded, and responsible; something radically alive and naturally integral; something that shakes us to our very core until we stop treating spiritual deepening as something to dabble in here and there. Authentic spirituality is not some little flicker or buzz of knowingness, not a psychedelic blast-through or a mellow hanging-out on some exalted plane of consciousness, not a bubble of immunity, but a vast fire of liberation, an exquisitely fitting crucible and sanctuary, providing both heat and light for the healing and awakening we need. Most of the time when we\u2019re immersed in spiritual bypassing, we like the light but not the heat. And when we\u2019re caught up in the grosser forms of spiritual bypassing, we\u2019d usually much rather theorize about the frontiers of consciousness than actually go there, suppressing the fire rather than breathing it even more alive, espousing the ideal of unconditional love but not permitting love to show up in its more challenging, personal dimensions. To do so would be too hot, too scary, and too out-of-control, bringing things to the surface that we have long disowned or suppressed. But if we really want the light, we cannot afford to flee the heat. As Victor Frankl said, \u201cWhat gives light must endure burning.\u201d And being with the fire\u2019s heat doesn\u2019t just mean sitting with the difficult stuff in meditation, but also going into it, trekking to its core, facing and entering and getting intimate with whatever is there, however scary or traumatic or sad or raw.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>I then came across a post by the light-hearted and humanistic Aalif Surti who shares, as he puts it, \u201ca colorful mandala of spirituality, creativity and humor\u201d through his blog. In his post, <a href=\"http:\/\/superaalifragilistic.wordpress.com\/2013\/02\/19\/the-buddha-mask-and-other-spiritual-facades\/#comments\" target=\"_blank\">The Buddha Mask (And Other Spiritual Facades),\u00a0<\/a>he explores masks we wear as protection, elimination, and escapism, but as he says, \u201cAnd while masks appear to prevent Life from hurting us, sadly they also prevent us from truly experiencing Life \u2013 except through narrow eyeholes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I hope you enjoy his humorous take on how even therapists, healers, and seekers put on a spiritual display and a way we can playfully take our power back in the realization of this.<\/p>\n<p>Here is Aalif Surti\u2019s post, which you can see also at the link above: As seekers, we may believe we have become aware now and dropped our false personas, but sometimes we have only traded it in for a new mask \u2013 a spiritual persona. In a hilarious group session a few months ago, my mentor GD helped us dissect and laugh at the masks we may wear as seekers, healers and therapists. Here\u2019s my light-hearted summation of the key spiritual \u201cdisplays.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Buddha Mask:<\/strong> You\u2019ve seen the statue, now meet the person. Unaffected by others, far removed from worldly emotions, this mask says: \u201cYou can\u2019t touch me\u2026 I am beyond it all.\u201d Behind it hides sensitivity, fear and confusion. During my early Vipassana days, some people called me \u2018aloof\u2019 instead of \u2018aalif\u2019!<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Positivity Mask:<\/strong> Those who practice affirmations and positive thinking sometimes feel compelled to uphold an abnormally high frequency of ecstasy. Ask them how they are, and an automated voice reply comes: \u201cAMAZING! Life is full of miracles!!\u201d But when it is a mask, their eyes, their energy, and their aura tell a different story.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The \u2018Superior-Seeker\u2019 Mask:<\/strong> They enter a room, and the whole room suddenly feels unworthy. They carry a subtle air of superiority. They are on the high road to heaven and they smile beatifically upon all the creepy crawlies with an air of cultivated compassion. Proving superiority all the time is a dead giveaway for a sense of inferiority inside.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Messiah Mask:<\/strong> They are out to change the world \u2013 one flailing, resisting human at a time. These are the givers of support and nurturance and advice\u2026 whether anyone asks for it or not! But give they must, because they need to avoid the confusion and emptiness within. A beautiful, socially approved mask and hence more difficult to let go of\u2026<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Pundit Mask:<\/strong> References obscure texts and uses big Sanskrit words. Will disrupt a conversation to quote a 16th century Indian mystic or a little-known modern non-dual teacher. It\u2019s a mask when they talk the talk, but don\u2019t walk the walk.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Lost-in-Space Mask:<\/strong> They find a way to bring Pleaedians, Archangels and Entities into every normal conversation. They would interrupt you to whisper conspiratorially that there\u2019s a 6th dimensional entity behind you right now! They take name-dropping to a whole new dimension.<\/p>\n<p>While the masks may be twisted and rigid, the people underneath these masks are not foolish or nasty. They are you and me, GD said, innocently trying to cover up a wound of not-being-enough by putting on a show. Masks are a way of saying, \u201cI am special,\u201d but ironically, each mask ends up proving the opposite: each mask reveals a lack of self-love and self-acceptance-as-I-am.<\/p>\n<p>All of us play a variety of roles in life. When we are conscious of the role playing, there is no problem. Masks are problematic because they are compulsive and unconscious, and the behavior comes from ego not insight.<\/p>\n<p>And whenever the ego creates a mask, it has to suppress the opposite in oneself \u2013 a compulsive giver finds it hard to ask for help; the intellectual ceases to listen and ask questions; Buddha-face cannot show vulnerability or intimacy when needed.<\/p>\n<p>When someone asked GD at the end of the workshop how she could prevent the mask from coming back on later, GD replied, \u201cMake a joke of it, phone us all up and say: \u2018Hey look, my mask is back!\u2019\u201d The moment you become aware, it loses its power. And once you make it a joke, it disappears.<\/p>\n<p>And in the absence of masks, he reminded us, we can become like the beautiful little children we all are inside \u2013 who can be all of the above when required \u2013 and their exact opposite when required \u2013 without holding onto any particular face.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today we have another guest blog post from Tania Marie, whom you may remember from a former post\u00a0on \u201cMirror Reflections: Integrating Spirit and Form.\u201d Tania is a truly gifted artist, channeling beautiful paintings, portraits, murals, tattoos, jewelry and more. We &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/?p=660\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[108,103,106,104],"tags":[34,196,72],"class_list":["post-660","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-conscious-evolution-2","category-healing","category-relating","category-spirituality-2","tag-authenticity","tag-spiritual-masks","tag-spirituality"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/660","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=660"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/660\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":668,"href":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/660\/revisions\/668"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sagespiritcoaching.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}