THE MASKS WE WEAR
Who Do You Think You Are?
Who Do Others Think You Are?
There are those of us who seem to journey through life unaware of the tendency to disown the negative facets of the personality. In truth, and if we are truly honest, at some stage in our lives, haven’t we all been guilty of having the urge and the inclination to criticise others far too readily? If we observe these negative parts in others, how do we react? In some instances the criticism isn’t always obvious to the recipient because it isn’t verbalised or directed openly, but shared within a circle of likeminded people. Nonetheless a seed is planted.
We can chose to ignore or deny these disagreeable parts, but unless we become aware and initiate making the right moves to change and to make the essential adjustments that is an integral requirement of finding the true understanding of the inner self. Early conditioning and adopted survival instincts are difficult to break. The unconscious retains memories, memories that need to surface into the conscious mind. The voices of the past that still dictate, judge and criticise the way we speak, our social background, the way we look, dress or our behaviour, and this is then projected on to others. It isn’t a pleasant experience to recognise, accept or acknowledge the existence of the negative parts in ourselves, although we know full well in reality that none of us perfect, otherwise what is the point of us being here?
We might very well chose to ignore the disagreeable parts of our personality; but they will not simply fade away and die, but remain like neglected weeds flourishing in the shadow of our unconscious.
Gilly Lewis April 2016
