“This mask self is created in the following way. When a person recognizes that he may get in conflict with his surroundings by giving in to his lower self, he may nevertheless not be ready to take the consequences by paying the price in eliminating the lower self, which means, first of all, to face the lower self as it really is, with all its motives and drives. For you can only conquer something of which you are fully aware. This means taking the narrow path, the spiritual path. Many people do not want to think that far. They react emotionally without even thinking about it. And the so-called subconscious feels it is necessary to present a different picture of that lower self in order to avoid certain difficulties, unpleasantness, or disadvantages of all sorts. Thus they create this other layer of self that has nothing to do with reality, neither with the reality of the higher self, nor with the temporary reality of the lower self. It is what you might call ‘phoney’; it is false, it is unreal.”

“When people are emotionally sick, it is always in one way or another that a mask self has been created. They do not realize that they are living a lie. They have built this layer of unreality that has nothing to do with their real being. Thus they are not true to their real personality. As I said before, being true to oneself does not mean that you should give in to your lower self. But be aware of it. Do not fool yourself if you still act according to “necessity” and not out of enlightened vision and inner conviction. Be aware that your feelings are still unpurified in this or that respect. Then you have a good basis from which to start. It will be easier for you to face yourself in this manner when you realize that underneath the layers of your lower self lives your higher self, your ultimate and absolute reality which you must eventually reach. And in order to reach it, you must face first your lower self, your temporary reality, instead of covering it up, because that puts an even greater distance between you and absolute reality or your own higher self. And in order to face the lower self, you must at all costs tear down the mask self.” (PL #14)