I’ve had the honour of walking beside Josh Piterman for many years now, not only as a friend, but as a long-time member of The Fifth Direction community and fellow traveller on the path of soul. Ours is a camaraderie forged in shared vulnerability, mutual reverence for the inner life—and the kind of conversations that linger long after we part.
When Josh suggested I write the foreword to his recently-launched book, Behind the Mask, I didn’t hesitate. The book is more than just the memoir of an internationally-acclaimed entertainer and performer—it is an invitation imbued with the same kind of heart that Josh brings into every room he enters and every note he sings.
The foreword (which follows) is a blessing and a witnessing, not just for the work itself, but for a dear brother.
Far from expressions of dishonesty, the masks we wear are sacred and essential mediums in our human journey, present from our very first breath. They serve as delicate outlines of who we might become—the artist’s first brushstroke on the canvas of our being. Yet, as we take on the weight of responsibility, expectation, and the stories imposed upon us, they can begin to rust in place. The challenge, then, is not to reject the mask but to bring it into conscious awareness. Too often, we forget that we are not the mask itself but the pure essence of the Self, waiting patiently behind it.
Josh Piterman’s Behind the Mask is an invitation to step into the sacred fire of unmasking, to dance with vulnerability and burn away the illusions that keep us tethered to who we think we should be. His words echo an ancient yearning, a call from the depths of the soul to awaken from the dream of pretence and return to the raw truth of who we really are.
In the world of mythology, the mask often represents transformation. The shaman wears it to bridge worlds; the warrior dons it to confront the shadow. The mask represents the power of the human spirit, yet it is behind the mask where the true source of that power resides.
Josh reminds us that life itself is a ritual, a theatre of becoming where we are both performer and audience. Through his personal journey—from the grandeur of the West End to the quiet recesses of inner work—he leads us to an old understanding: the mask is not a prison but a portal.
There is something of the Phantom in all of us, hiding our wounds behind the half-mask of achievement or aesthetics. We cling to it as if our very survival depends on it, fearing that what lies beneath might be too broken, too unworthy, to be seen. However, as Josh so openly shares, it is in these dark and tender places that we find our true humanity—and our innate genius.
We are each being called to ride out and meet our own life on the back of a wounded, gammy-legged donkey, with a rip in our pants and our head held high. If we can find the courage to drop the reins it will deliver us right into the centre of our own being.
Josh never pretends the process is easy. As he descends into his own wounds, he illuminates the muddy, messy and painful work of self-discovery. His voice is a companion, a torchbearer for those willing to walk this pathless path. His honesty, humour and wisdom shine through, offering practical tools not just for reflection but for transformation.
As you read this book, may you feel the stirrings of your own courage. May you find solace in the recognition that you are enough, just as you are, unmasked and unadorned. And may you, like Josh, begin the sacred work of reclaiming the song in your heart.
The world asks nothing more of you than the truth of your unmasked face.
Behind the Mask is available at these book stores.
You can also find conversations with Josh, me, and renowned mindset coach Ben Crowe, here and here. This two-part episode appears on Josh’s podcast (also titled Behind the Mask) which is now in its third season and features some incredible guests.
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As stunning and emotionally provocative as the first time I read it. It feels new again to hear you speak your beautifully poetic words to life brother. Thank you so much for this. Forever grateful my dear friend 🙏🏼💙 xx