Have you ever considered the identities you have created for yourself? ‘The Good Son’, ‘The Doting Father’, ‘The Loving Mother’, ‘The Supporting Wife’, ‘The Rescuing Hero’ or the ‘Stupid Clown’. You get the idea, there are hundreds of these mythic, archetypal thought forms, (masks) out there. Which ones are imprisoning you? How many different manifestations of yourself do you have to don each day like a cheap suit, to keep up with your social interactions – how many masks? When we identify with one of these mind created beliefs, we trap ourselves there; critical, yet defensive of the roles we play. They aren’t even really us, they belong to the mind, they are projections, thought forms, dreamed up by society. These are the masks we wear, some proudly, some not so much; the dark shadow masks, the ones that have those characteristics that we fear, hide and repress.
Have you ever noticed yourself when putting on one of these thought forms or masks? Does your voice change an octave or two, perhaps take on a little twang, drawl or faint accent? Do you talk too much? Does it make you happy? Does it make you sad? Does it feel like an old cheap suit or a King’s robe? It’s baffling, once we understand how the mind works; it can change roles at a moments notice, and project perfectly the character we have chosen and effortlessly switch back and forth, throughout the day – a true magician.
If the mind is that powerful and we can become whoever we want, why do we choose the roles we choose? If we could choose to be anything we want, why do we choose ‘doting father’ or ‘good son’ but just as often play the role ‘bad dad’ or ‘black sheep of the family’, when we don’t measure up with the limiting beliefs, we have built up around these roles? Why do we let the mind trap us, instead of using the mind to transform into something much more powerful and true, than these tired old beliefs that have been littering the halls of our evolution for eons?
We use the magician everyday as we shuffle through our roles. However, like breathing, we don’t pay much attention. Breathing is one of the magicians most powerful tools, it creates intent. Have you ever noticed what you do before attempting to move something very heavy, you start taking deeper breaths, fortifying yourself for the coming exertion and then you hold the breath and apply your energy in a powerful burst. What happens to your breathing when fear creeps in? Breath work is part of the magicians practice and should be performed with attention and intention, each day. It’s not just for moving heavy physical objects. All the spiritual traditions call on breath work for prayer and meditation. We are capable of so much more, with our focused breath and intent.
The magician is perhaps my favorite archetype and one of the most useful mind allies. With him we can change reality, create a beautiful space all around us. We can leave the tired, old beliefs and masks behind and create whatever role we want. We can try it on, become it for awhile, frolic about like an otter at play and after a time, if it starts losing it’s appeal, we can call on the magician and choose the next role we need to try on, one that will get us closer to the path of destiny. The problem arises when we hold too tightly or cling to one limiting belief, or another, when it doesn’t fit. Hold it up in the mirror, like a dress, study it closely, perhaps even try it on briefly, if it doesn’t fit, get rid of it. You won’t need it, it’s just clutter.
Be playful, try a mask on for awhile that is not the one you normally wear, around a group of people. Study the impact on the group. Be awake. If we fall asleep and leave the magician in charge, it will manifest the same way our breathing does, with no attention and intention, just a shallow, weak, in and out. The magician needs to be utilized just like our breath, with intent. Left to it’s own devices the magician will just take the easy way out and rotate around the sad triangle of – Victim, Bully, Savior. These are the cheap suits we don most of the time. We create our story around some role that we don’t even belong to, breath getting more shallow and weak as we identify with something we are not.
Every profound spirit needs a mask: even more, around every profound spirit a mask is continually growing. -Nietzsche
Let’s wake up, breathe and dream with intention. Focus our energy in the present moment, not waste it on the sorrow and guilt of the victim, bully or savior. Find a more appealing role and don it like tight jeans and a new sweater on a Friday night. Create a new adventure!