Can we learn to be our authentic selves, to drop the masks that we wear to function in society and discover who we really are underneath all of the nonsense of society and culture? It’s important to learn to do precisely that, and eventually on a full-time basis. This is what’s meant by dismantling the ego and allowing the true self to come forth. Unfortunately, we all learn from early on to wear masks so that we fit in different social situations. The older we get, the more masks we accumulate – and the less familiar we are with our real selves. Both Buddhism and Christianity affirm our basic goodness – Buddhism in the concept of Buddha Nature and Christianity in the Doctrine of the Incarnation. This means that we really don’t need all those masks, that we are perfect just the way we are! In many ways, the spiritual life is about taking our masks off permanently and becoming our authentic selves. It can be frightening at times, but it’s well worth it!