In the Movie, Memoirs of a Geisha, Sayuri is trained in the beautiful art of Geisha (Geisha means Artist).

Sayuri is bidded on based by what the audience see’s watching her perform and judged as a moving work of art.

Many years ago women did what they had to do to survive and using these talents is a survival mechanism used when necessary. Also those who turn their noses up by what I am saying should know that many women in the past and future will have no choice but to do things they never thought they would do to survive.

This survival mechanism is usually seen in harsh times such as war and many women had no choice but to use these hidden talents in order to live. I will not say that I will never use it, as one can’t possibly know what the future will bring and when it may be necessary to use these skills for survival.

The good news is we still have these talents and one only has to reach inside an make them accessible when needed.

I think that many women today are losing the art of mystery as today almost everyone wants to be famous.

To me mystery is an art form that keeps many interested in you, a way to hold on to your expression, creativity, a way to hold you in the minds and hearts of others, an almost lost art form of an artist.

Some women may be losing the art of mystery but fortunately for me one trick I have learned over the years watching Mother is whenever she went to a party, she secretly placed a few drops of her perfume on the lamp bulb at the party.

After she has long left the party, people at the party still thought she was around there somewhere, she fooled a lot of people and kept all interested in her.

What are some reasons why we would want to be mysterious?

#1. The need to be protective of your place in society as in social status
#2. A defense mechanism and/or protection
#3. Friendships/ Popularity…holding interest of friends
#4. Something to hide but not necessarily
#5. Naturally reserved or introvert
#6. Keeping the power, one who holds and keeps their true self away from the world, a place of rest, a separate place to stand, higher ground
#7. Memory or to be remembered and held in the minds and hearts of others

MASKS & VEILS: Why Do We Wear Them?

In some instances protection seems to be a central theme for those who wear a veil or mask.

There has to be solid ground somewhere for that person wearing a mask or veil to have enough time to dwell or think on any subject without interruptions or breaks in concentration, a place to separate oneself off from everyone else while observing those around you and your surroundings and I find it to be necessary for the right reasons.

With masks and veils also comes a negative stigma of “she is up to something evil” and that’s not necessarily the case.

We individually choose what roles we play and whether they are good or evil is an individual choice but will be revealed in time and there is nothing wrong with wanting to be temporarily incognito.

Also a woman who wears a veil can be mysterious and truthful at the same time.
Just because she is not fully revealed, doesn’t mean that she is insecure, manipulative, evil or a liar, she is simply reserved.

This is part of the stigma placed on something veiled that I flat out disagree with.

There are those who have a fear that she is all these things simply because they can’t see what’s up ahead.

Sometimes when you can’t see something you become fearful of it and then you add all kinds of invisible fears to it.

The unseen thing becomes the feared thing.

Is it possible to share parts of yourself with others and remain a little mysterious?

Yes by sharing only little bit of the story that leaves them begging for more, but alas a smile can go a long way, the eyes can speak volumes too, wearing sunglasses can also created a sense of mystery in a subtle way.

Should everything be unmasked? I think not

Silence is the mother of truth and a person knows why they are wearing the veil/mask, until she/he exposes the truth and reveals themselves to others.

The veiled individual holds the cards and chooses how to play or what to reveal and when.

Profound mysteries obviously are not all revealed, even ISIS is veiled.
In fact the Gods themselves are veiled and reveal themselves only to the worthy.

So why do we become afraid of what we cannot see?

This is nothing but an invisible fear in the minds of those who cannot see beyond the veil. A fear of the unseen.

A veiled woman can be reserved, hidden and innocent and not up to manipulation.

Shame was later attached, where Adam & Eve covered their private parts with leaves when they discovered their nakedness in shame but there is no shame necessarily in not wanting to be known by being veiled or cloaked.

That is a simple choice we make, as simple as the clothing we choose to wear to distinguish us during the day.

The art of invisibility has no shame attached to it and the art of being veiled is the same in my view and should hold no shame, it’s only when someone purposely insists on adding shame to it then it becomes a problem.

One thing is certain, if you cannot unmask her, she remains pretty much an enigma, untouched, unscathed and mysterious.