Un~Masking The Mask

Masks or the art of mask making had never called to me~

From my experience they had signified a sense of hiding, deceit, an attempt at confusion.
~the Masked Man
~Mask of Zorro
~Master of the Masque

None of these concepts appealed to me as I had spent my life attempting to see through, see behind the invisible to the eye masks, worn by people everyday. I understand now that I had been longing to see truly, soul to soul with another; not something society in general longs for in most areas of the ‘civilized’ world.

Why would one be drawn to masking I often queried ~ I later learned that therapeutically  people may feel safer when ‘masked’ to explore, to bring into awareness, to show to the world more of their inner self, both the light and the darker aspects of their deeper nature. And of course for many they may be fun.

Still this didn’t call to me.  Curious, I went to Wikipedia:

A mask is an article normally worn on the face, typically for protection, concealment, performance, or amusement. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes. They are usually worn on the face, although they may also be positioned for effect elsewhere on the wearer’s body, so in parts of Australia giant totem masks cover the body, whilst Inuit women use finger masks during storytelling and dancing.

Then one Saturday morning, having completed  2 weeks in the Expressive Arts Therapy course I walked into the soothing quiet of the light filled studio at the Haliburton School of the Arts. My classmate friends and teachers were gone and the familiar creative haven of ‘becomingness’ beckoned me forth. 

Materials for sculpting, painting, beading, wire work, moulding, mixed media, mobiles, sound making all lay before me in a wondrous pattern of possibilities.

I had come to paint.

Intuitive art was my ‘thing’~ my returned passion, my source form of expression.

I had come to paint.

Perusing the artistic array with assured gait, I walked over and chose beads, feathers, paints, brushes, a form, other additives and moved to my workspace. 

Shortly thereafter, all the while working and listening deeply within, I stared down as

my SPIRITUAL WARRIOR gazed up at me.

I had made a MASK~!

It was then I understood. I had spent my life imploring, questing, calling out for answers, the energy, the grace to UNMASK myself, layer after layer after layer~ 

I had had no desire to add yet another MASK of any kind ~

In yet,  from the depths of my inner knowing my SoulPower Mask emerged before me.

‘Linda, I AM your truth.
I have been waiting all your life for you to come home.
I am your integrated, aligned essence: Now, let the gift of your truth shine, so that it may invite others to do the same.

A few months later, a new restlessness began to stir within me. I had to find a certain piece of prose kept for years. Lying in my filing cabinet, I finally uncovered the writing below.

Its message had been subconsciously guiding me, calling me back home to my authentic self, all along.

DAILY AFFIRMATION FOR YOUR PATH OF EMPOWERMENT

I am a new warrior of spirit
I exist in a world of sacred balance
I balance with one foot in the physical world of material substance
And one foot in the dimensions of spirit and sacred life
My course is set by my ally~ the winds of time.

Mother Earth gives me life force~
The life blood of my sacred body
The plants give me nourishment and healing
As I ride the wind horse of my intent
My sacred warrior’s transport of buoyant joy~
Into a new and unknown world of harmony

I am truly a new warrior
An androgynous spirit being of light
My weapons are the shield of awareness
The symbols of ancient truth and the sacred giveaway
Like the angels that surround me
Few see me for who I really am

I do commerce in the world
I raise my family. I live a life dedicated to freedom
I immerse myself in the physical world
So that one day I can give it up
Because I can give up only something that I truly have

People learn from me through example
Because of the integrity of my own life and spirit
I move into the world with confidence and wisdom
I am always open and learning tools of knowledge
And I share these tools with my sisters and my brothers

I am a warrior of the light
And I live the integrity of that truth with great care
From a center within myself that is pure goodness~
The embodiment of the peaceful soul

I walk with confidence
The path of heart and personal power~

Anonymous

What mask might be loosening for you?

If you lifted this mask off how would your world change ?

How would revealing more of your true self gift our world?

Blessings and gentle strength to you~

Linda

Would It Be That Simple?

Kindness seems a simple word: ordinary, short, an every day type of word, easy to toss into any conversation. It’s unlike seemingly loaded words, such as ‘success’ ‘forgiveness’ ‘abundance’ ‘emotion’ ‘commitment’.

I investigated the WEBSTER’S NEW WORLD dictionary:
Kind (kind) n (OE cynd) 1. natural group or division 2. essential character 3. sort; variety; class. —adj. sympathetic, gentle, benevolent

Fascinating I pondered, that the ‘being kind’ concept, the emotion of ‘kind’ was listed last; that it seems to be most often observable in others; that it appears to be more powerful, through action. Hummmmm, (this is me musing on paper).

Canada, as true Canadians know, is a land where one may need both a bathing suit and a parka in the same day. We thrive, it seems on variety! And so, several days ago in April. I awakened to a beautiful artistic display of deep mid-winter landscape once again~! Some blessings come too often~!

I was delighted to hear Vince’s snowplough outside, as he’s been most obliging this winter, waiting as I search for my car hiding under mounds of sparkling white. He then quickly cleans my spot and I drive back in, saving me much time and labour. This day, rather than returning to work, I drove to the local coffee shop, purchased a coffee for me and a Gift Card for Vince. As I offered it to him with thanks you, he smiled and said:” You don’t have to do that!” “I know”, I smiled. “But, I wanted to!”

Arriving at my lakeside coffee spot, I intended to watch the beauty of the ice breaking into shattering crystal shards. My soul breathes differently when the lake is free once more to visibly flow and sparkle, to rest and reflect, much like me. Water watching in all forms is one of my favourite meditations.

In only a moment I realized this viewpoint was not a good choice at the bottom of a medium hill. I was now sliding on the icy surface beneath the snow, stranded. On the hilltop, I noticed someone in a car and thought they may have remembered to bring a cell phone, unlike me. Walking up the hill, I watched them turn and drive away. Well I thought they must have been afraid I would ask them to push me out. ‘Wow’, my Observer self said: ‘I’m certainly moving to less reactivity in my situations and this is a good thing’!

Okay, ‘all that is’, I vocalized. (my prayers come in all shapes, sounds and forms.) ‘I know it. I have made a not so great choice and I can begin the long cold walk home, but is there another possibility?’

No kidding! In 5 more steps a van pulled up! Really! Approaching, I sensed I was safe, waved to the man, rolling down his window and said: “Hi’, you don’t know me, I’m Linda and I can’t get my car up the hill, would you have a cell phone I could use?”

“Linda”, he said “hop in the van”.

You would have to know me, to realize that it is very unlike me ordinarily to concur, but this time I chose to listen deeply to the intuitive message of my gut. ‘Go ahead’, I sensed, ‘you are very safe here.’ So into his van, I stepped.

In short, I called CAA for roadside assistance, thanked the man and reached for the door handle. I heard him say: “What if you give me the keys and I will give it a try. What have you got to lose, Linda ?” 

I laughed into his gentle eyes and handed over the keys. Shortly thereafter, my Freedomobile nudged to hilltop; me high five-ing and him, one of those seasoned people who have innate driving skills within, grinning widely.

Calling CAA back, the representative laughed when I told her I had gone to get a gift card to thank someone, gotten stranded having my coffee, had met a complete stranger who ‘rescued’ me and so I no longer needed assistance. My new stranger, friend was laughing listening to how I had ended up in my predicament, I was laughing in the telling of my story, my new CAA friend was laughing, saying, “There really are great people in the world, aren’t there!”

There are, for certain.

Finally asking his name I shook hands with Nick, who was only on that very hill because he had gotten lost on his way to help someone else! I told him I was a writer and asked his permission to tell our story. His nod and smile were my affirmation. “Nick”, I said, “I would like to pay you”.

He reached out and patted my shoulder, saying “Linda, HAPPY EASTER.”

Some people are only in our lives for a short time. We never truly know when or how come they appear. Often they are there when we most need them. Sometimes they are the bringers of quiet miracles: most always in a form of kindness. Kindness, I have observed, goes round and round in circles, blessing both the giver and the receiver  in mystical, magical moments.

And me? This incident brought to me the gift of deeper awareness. The gift of being present for self kindness: in this case, by remembering my cell phone.  By being lovingly responsible for myself.

Kindness after all, must begin from within. We cannot give to others, that which we have not first given to our self, kindly.

It’s really is that simple.

Smiles and blessings
Linda

“If it makes your heart sing, it’s a soul thing.”

 One day bubbling with happiness these words spilled on to the card I was making. There before me, lay puzzle piece answers to the most elemental questions of life: the very questions I had been asking of my self since my earliest years.

“Who am I?”

“What am I here for?”

“How come the adults don’t seem to know how to do this thing called Life?”

I now know that my pondering, a prayer some might say, was a need within me, beckoning me, soul calling me toward my purpose for being. Even at 4 years of age, in essence I was asking the universe, the source within me, how to gain insight into the care and nurturing of my own soul.

For many years I forgot my soul song. I wandered, living an outward everyday life, doing many of the things society told me would bring happiness, yet knowing something was deeply crying within me. Always seeking, I functioned in the world of family, relationships, education and the professional world the best way I knew how. I survived. And, I also accomplished some wonderful things.

Yet inside, I often felt hurting, hollow, in hiding. I now realize I was not alone in this way of functioning in the world; however, I didn’t yet know that much of the world also existed in this same manner.

But that day, in the magic of simple prose, answers to my inner questing challenged me boldly, with profound simplicity.

“Linda, Linda love,” my soul spoke, “go search out that which makes your heart happy. Then, I will join you in creating your new soul song~!”

My wish is that here you may find inspiration, musings and aspects that stir your soul, inviting you to consider new ways of questioning, seeing and being in your life.

Today, I invite ‘You’ to come join me in creating Your New Soul Song; in finding those things that make your heart sing, your belly fill with laughter, and your gifts to flow out into the world.

In Peace, Love, and Joy

Expect Miracles!