Which Mask Are You Wearing?

For some people it’s Christmas that just does it for them. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved Christmas, but for me Halloween has some really terrific memories. I was blessed with a wonderful and creative mother. Each year we would decorate our porch for Halloween with a different theme and dress the part. I actually grew to love putting on our little haunted houses more than actually trick or treating myself.

When I think back to those times, I am reminded about how much time and thought I put into deciding which mask to wear. It was a process I took very seriously and contemplated for weeks. Halloween has always been fun for me because we get to be someone else for a night. The focus of this article though, isn’t about what mask you’ll wear for Halloween. It’s about which masks you wear in your life. You see we all have our personalities, but there are undercurrent themes we wear.

These themes are archetypal patterns that run as subroutines underneath our personalities. Yes, not all the decisions you make come from your head or heart. Some of our behaviors are inspired by these archetypal patterns. Here is where it gets interesting. Perhaps you’ve been working toward significant goals for some time however, you don’t seem to be able to ever achieve them. Can you relate to this? Why do you think these goals are so elusive? Is it something reserved for the privileged few? Were you born in the wrong family?

My suggestion to you is that falling short of these goals has nothing to do with your heritage or your financial status. It’s not really about whom you know. Yes, these things can influence the ease with which you manifest your goals, but there are more subtle influences at work.

The archetypal patterns are said to rise up from our subconscious. It is widely believed they are brought to us through ancestral memories as well as the conditioning of our fairy tales and literature. Yes, you’ve certainly seen them in the plots of many movies you’ve watched. They’ve likely appeared many times in your dreams as well. These patterns permeate our culture and our lives. They shape our perceptions of the world and of our own unique journey through life. Sometimes this can be a beautiful thing as they help us to tap into a sense of meaning and depth of experience. Other times, they seem to conflict with our intentions and stifle our efforts.