The Mask and Mirror

One of the hardest and most important lessons to learn on any pagan
path is the one of self-study. There is an odd and often difficult
phenomenon that happens in the realm of metaphysics that begins at
the start of almost any path and often reoccurs through the growth
process and awakenings that come with the journey. It is an all to
common mistake that leads to many downfalls sooner or later. That
mistake happens when we get into a situation or state of mind where
we no longer want to be who we really are. So we rename ourselves,
put on a fancy mask, and march off into the pagan world disguised as
what we want to be rather that what we are.
With the mask all of our faults and insecurities are hidden from the
rest of the world. The longer we wear the mask the more we start to
believe what we are asking the rest of the world to believe, until
we begin to loose our true identity completely. With the mask we
appear strong, wise, powerful, and every other characteristic we
want to be is often highlighted in the mask. We wear the mask to
make up for the areas we lack in rather than trying to take up the
slack through self-improvement. This is one of the side effects to
life in a push button just add water society. We are programmed to
want everything right now with as little effort as possible. That
includes identity.
One of the first lessons I learned in the study of witchcraft was to
always keep a clear line between who you are as a person and who you
are as a witch. That the mortal side of you and the immortal spirit
side should be two different personifications and the magical side
should be hidden from all other mortals and witches alike. Wiccan
rumor has it that if another witch knows your magical name they can
use it against you in spell work and curses. They often warn you to
be secretive about such things. It's all one of the biggest loads of
crap I have ever heard. Thank the Gods that I have been cultured
since those early lessons or I would be in the broom closet with all
the other frightened people.
There should not, under any circumstances, be a line between who you
are as a witch and who you are as a person. Your metaphysical side
should be a direct spin off of your true personality and spirit. In
order to achieve that you have to know exactly who you are, what
your about, and where you came from. That includes all of your
strengths and weaknesses. The latter being the hardest to accept
even in a world where our weaknesses are so highlighted as topics
for discussion and sympathy. It would seem that people will wear the
mask of strength and wisdom until they are in need of a bit of
attention. Then the mask changes and the new illusion is allowed
play out in order to gain what we seek. And even the quest for
sympathy is often a self-centered and self-gain tactic. The question
is: exactly what are we gaining by it? There is a huge difference
between needing a friendly ear to listen and playing the victim of
some circumstance. It's the very same difference between the mask
and our face.
All too often people start their journey with a bag full of masks.
But sooner or later they run out of them or get into a situation
where there is no mask in the bag that will work to cover up what
they are trying to hide. They run into someone or something and
their true nature is called out. Just like the magic mirror gate.
Confronted by their true nature they run away screaming because they
are afraid and ashamed of themselves. And if they are a mask wearer
they should be. Those are both emotions that come with the
realization that you're doing something wrong. They should fix it
rather than running away from it. But for the most part that comes
to what is in your true nature. Your primal fight or flight
instincts and which one rules over you. Are you a fighter or a
runner? Neither is necessarily better or worse than the other. It's
simply about self-preservation. Which happens to be a very powerful
detail of mortality.
Sooner or later everyone will come to the magic mirror gate. Every
path leads to this same place because this is where we learn the
most important lessons of any spiritual journey. And those lessons
are based on fundamental and undeniable truths. Which is what nearly
everyone claims to be seeking but few actually put into practice for
a number of reasons. One of the strongest being fear. But the mirror
knows that where there is fear there is power. That is why we only
see ourselves in it rather than the masks we wear. People are often
afraid of who they really are. They should be, because people who
discover that about themselves unlock tremendous energy and
potential, enough energy to change the entire world for better or
worse. No matter where they go or what they touch, their identity
and power cannot be denied or stopped by anyone. These are the souls
who offer the world nothing but truth. And because of that they can
never be called out for being a fool or a liar. Anyone with that
kind of power should no longer fear himself or herself but they
should fear what their power can do. Having that kind of fear is the
very first sign of true, unmasked wisdom.

Angel Snowden -2006