Mask is a great subject to reflect upon in present day context.
A mask is a disguise to ‘Hide the Reality’. it therefore is always an illusion rather than the reality. Masks are either physical or emotional.
There are three primary functions of physical masks: to protect, to conceal or to mimic.
Out of these three, only the first one is honest, genuine, and sincere. Here, the mask is used as a cover to protect against external forces that can harm the sensory apparatus, the skin, eyes, nose and mouth, and through them the rest of the bodily systems.
The purpose of the other two functions is just the opposite of the first one, that is to hide the reality by creating an illusion. The purpose may be constructive like to entertain or destructive like to terrorize.
To wear a mask is an acquired necessity in life. It starts from the moment after birth when one is able to respond. I recall the face of a baby who was smiling at my gestures and started pouting and crying as soon another face appeared. It was a sight to see, the same face trying to smile and cry at the same time, just like when bright sunshine and sudden rainfall occur together. These essential sensual masks are made up of our expressions and are influenced by our emotions. These are spontaneous and sincere to start with, but as we grow, artificiality enters, and we learn to use them for our advantage. This is a natural and universal development and there is nothing wrong about it. Many put up faces as needed while others carry a masked face all their lives.
As is rightly said in the quote, everybody wears a mask of some kind or the other. It is neither desirable nor essential to bare one’s soul. As a matter of fact, your soul should be bared to the Creator, the deity of your worship, or paradoxically only to yourself. As the saying goes, one should always be true to oneself. It is indeed a privilege to be able to see one’s own soul. It is better to look within rather than to attempt to peep in other’s souls. Leave others with their masks, it is their privilege. Let us take them on their face value, whatever mask they may be wearing.
To answer the question of the prompt therefore, the mask I wear varies with the time, place, people, and the context. It can change from moment to moment as per necessity. Most of the time it is the subconscious expression of my emotions that appear like masks. At times I have to wear masks deliberately to suppress or hide my emotions as per the needs of the occasion. Everyone knows how at times one is required to control one’s emotions; keep smiling when the heart is crying. It requires a strong willpower not to let the tears flow publicly and once alone, to let go of the mask and cry uncontrollably. It has happened to me.
Like the emotional masks, belonging also is the necessity of life. The reality is that I am what I am, but my identity is because of my belonging. I need this to be part of the world, to live my life in this world. Belonging starts from the moment of birth and lasts all the way in the journey of life. We are born alive to belong.
Belonging gives meaning to life. It provides the path to follow with duties and responsibilities, I.e. the path to practice Karma Yoga in life. Belonging provides the attachments so that we may experience them, enjoy them, and eventually appreciate their futility as mere illusions or Maya. Finally, with the practice of detachment from worldly attachments, one can focus on the real Reality to which one shall finally belong.
This is the inevitable circle of life, with emotions, masks, illusions, attachments, detachment, and eventual enlightenment for the blessed ones.
One comes in this world without mask and leaves the world with no masks. In between, life is a series of belongings, offering as well as receiving them.
Mask is a great subject to reflect upon in present day context.
A mask is a disguise to ‘Hide the Reality’. it therefore is always an illusion rather than the reality. Masks are either physical or emotional.
There are three primary functions of physical masks: to protect, to conceal or to mimic.
Out of these three, only the first one is honest, genuine, and sincere. Here, the mask is used as a cover to protect against external forces that can harm the sensory apparatus, the skin, eyes, nose and mouth, and through them the rest of the bodily systems.
The purpose of the other two functions is just the opposite of the first one, that is to hide the reality by creating an illusion. The purpose may be constructive like to entertain or destructive like to terrorize.
To wear a mask is an acquired necessity in life. It starts from the moment after birth when one is able to respond. I recall the face of a baby who was smiling at my gestures and started pouting and crying as soon another face appeared. It was a sight to see, the same face trying to smile and cry at the same time, just like when bright sunshine and sudden rainfall occur together. These essential sensual masks are made up of our expressions and are influenced by our emotions. These are spontaneous and sincere to start with, but as we grow, artificiality enters, and we learn to use them for our advantage. This is a natural and universal development and there is nothing wrong about it. Many put up faces as needed while others carry a masked face all their lives.
As is rightly said in the quote, everybody wears a mask of some kind or the other. It is neither desirable nor essential to bare one’s soul. As a matter of fact, your soul should be bared to the Creator, the deity of your worship, or paradoxically only to yourself. As the saying goes, one should always be true to oneself. It is indeed a privilege to be able to see one’s own soul. It is better to look within rather than to attempt to peep in other’s souls. Leave others with their masks, it is their privilege. Let us take them on their face value, whatever mask they may be wearing.
To answer the question of the prompt therefore, the mask I wear varies with the time, place, people, and the context. It can change from moment to moment as per necessity. Most of the time it is the subconscious expression of my emotions that appear like masks. At times I have to wear masks deliberately to suppress or hide my emotions as per the needs of the occasion. Everyone knows how at times one is required to control one’s emotions; keep smiling when the heart is crying. It requires a strong willpower not to let the tears flow publicly and once alone, to let go of the mask and cry uncontrollably. It has happened to me.
Like the emotional masks, belonging also is the necessity of life. The reality is that I am what I am, but my identity is because of my belonging. I need this to be part of the world, to live my life in this world. Belonging starts from the moment of birth and lasts all the way in the journey of life. We are born alive to belong.
Belonging gives meaning to life. It provides the path to follow with duties and responsibilities, I.e. the path to practice Karma Yoga in life. Belonging provides the attachments so that we may experience them, enjoy them, and eventually appreciate their futility as mere illusions or Maya. Finally, with the practice of detachment from worldly attachments, one can focus on the real Reality to which one shall finally belong.
This is the inevitable circle of life, with emotions, masks, illusions, attachments, detachment, and eventual enlightenment for the blessed ones.
One comes in this world without mask and leaves the world with no masks. In between, life is a series of belongings, offering as well as receiving them.
To mask or not to mask .....
The illusion or the reality ......