This page was inspired by a recent dialogue with a visitor to this site who asked about the difference between true identity and the roles we play in personal life..
I first refered her to the "p.s." at the end of the "Who Cares " page, as follows:

P.S. These are all personae we "play."  "Who Plays?" is the same question as "Who Dies?" (a book of wisdom about the "Who?" of it.)
When the question, "Who Am I?" is answered by the One Self in All... this is Gnosis. No one "has" gnosis. Gnosis "happens" when the illusory bubble of "self" pops!!

So this page too "plays a persona" with "guided intent" to teach the value of a real spiritual Path in a world filled with "self importance" and flooded with "products" for sale, a whole lot of greed, hatred, fear and general ignorant egocentricity. ("Say it ain't so!"  It's too true!)

So, Who plays this role, speaking now? It is an "identity game" as a teaching and loving "instrument" in each context in "my play."  In Hawaii, my Spirit given name was "white coyote," a trickster placed in "my play" as the character who tries to outwit or "lose the ego" in the "magical forest." And this actually happened! (I enjoyed the whole journey, of course, except for the very real life- threatening situations. Maybe I'll make the whole story more available, depending on "who cares?")

Likewise, "mik I el" is the "holy man" persona, but still and always a "transparent" persona, known AS a persona AND "played" for "real" (in consensus/ relative "reality"). I know this as a God- given gift, a persona to play for the transpersonal purpose of Spirit- living-"me."  "white coyote" was the perfect guide toward "my" transformation.
But mik I el is the One transformed. (The ID "game" here was the Initiation in which The One  was "seated at the throne" of "my consciousness" in the midst of "this one". More simply put,  it is my Spirit name given when the ego bubble popped.)
But the "holy man" is also the "fool" (one without the encumbrance of ego baggage.)  "I" do not suppose that either is a "real self." The Fool has a more playful "script" ("Mike-ee likes it!"), while mik I el naturally teaches the Truth of the One in All.
We "play" the Many. We Are the One.
Let's celebrate!!
Love
m

My further dialogue with her included the following clarification, the inspiration for this page:

I found that the urge to tell my story was part of my attachment to the illusion of "my personal identity," and when that "bubble popped"...
(the "me in here; not me out there" bubble)
the "urge to tell my story" disappeared. I do get guidance on when to tell certain  stories or incidents as they are directly relevant to another's spiritual progress.

I notice that most conversation is a polite agreement to listen to each others personal stories, but the "payoff" for each is getting to tell one's own story as others listen. Kind of like kids playing, saying, "look at me!" and taking turns being the center of attention. This of course is all egocentric consciousness, which has it place in each person's evolution of consciousness.
But as we experience the "I AM ONE" unity of consciousness, which you describe, the "i" coalesces into the ONE I AM and our stories are the just anecdotes which may help others to surrender into this Unity.
The whole question of feeling permission to "be who I am" is transformed in Unity when "I AM" this Omnipresent Consciousness. From individual perspective, who "i am" is merely which persona i am playing at this moment, as guided to help another in some way or just celebrate life in the ongoing eternal NOW or do the work that is in front of you to do.

Namaste'
mik I el