For well over a thousand years, mainstream Christianity has taught that the creation of Adam and Eve and their subsequent expulsion from the Garden of Eden is literal history. While I will say it is a fantastic picture of how man came to this earth, I will also say that this story was never meant to be literal. In fact, to teach it in this way greatly diminishes the spiritual truth the author originally intended. But when this story is understood correctly, it unlocks the key to helping us live a full, abundant life, which is the way life was intended to be!
Getting right to the point, the story of Adam and Eve is about the human mind. More specifically, it is about a mind that has become fractured and is therefore no longer whole. Before explaining this, I want you to make a mental note of something which will become relevant at the end of this discussion. Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, which means “place of the skull”. In an esoteric sense, this is about the mind, and the battle is between the ears! Liberation and salvation come when we crucify the ego (through the waking conscious) and heal the mind.
In the literal story, God placed Adam in the Garden. In the beginning, Adam was alone; Eve had not been separated from him. Adam was therefore whole. This is representative of the conscious and subconscious working in perfect unity and harmony, which is also reflected by the paradise (Garden of Eden) in which Adam dwelled. In this state of unity consciousness, Adam was ONE with God. As the story continues, we learn that God placed Adam in a deep sleep (the realm of forgetfulness and consciousness fracture) and Eve was created. In this new state of being, Adam represents the waking conscious of mankind and Eve represents the subconscious. When the conscious and subconscious are no longer in unity, the state of Paradise (inner joy and peace) can no longer be maintained because the ego will take control. Thus the fall! And of course the literal story presents us with this in the form of expulsion from the Garden. As the story goes, Eve is tempted by the serpent or Satan (ego), and because the ego took over the driver’s seat of man’s soul, Paradise lost becomes man’s reality. This is also spiritual death. And spiritual death = separation from God.
As we stated earlier, Adam represents man’s waking conscious and ego, and Eve represents the subconscious. Ordinary consciousness is represented by the male aspect (Adam) because consciousness has the power to impregnate the subconscious (Eve) to produce the physical reality we experience. The subconscious, or female aspect (Eve), is the power of birthing and creating on the physical plane. This is where the concept of “Mother Earth” comes from. It has nothing to do with a literal female deity in its original understanding. It is only an explanation of consciousness, just like the story of Adam and Eve. Remember, Eve is the “mother of all living”. In other words, our subconscious is the mother that births our reality. This is also why the Bible states that man will RULE over the woman after the expulsion from the Garden. This is not to be taken literally. As it now stands, your conscious self rules over the subconscious. In other words, your conscious thought (male aspect) impregnates the subconscious (female aspect) with the seed of your waking consciousness. If your conscious self dwells on negativity, your subconscious, which is the real birthing/creation powerhouse, will produce that effect for you. And negativity becomes your reality! Remember, the battle is between the ears! It’s all about the mind.
To be whole again, we need to be renew our minds in Christ consciousness, like the Apostle Paul tells us. This is the born again experience. As Paul states in Galatians, “…and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Gal. 2:20).
So how was this accomplished in Paul? Notice how he stated, “…it is no longer I who lives…” What is the I Paul is referring to? It was his waking conscious and ego.
The ego wants to stay alive. That’s its job. The ego fears its own dissolution. In fact, ALL fear is rooted in ego.
As stated many places elsewhere on this blog, meditation helps to dissolve the ego, and, over time, the conscious and the subconscious began to work in unity. This is what Christ consciousness is. Some call it the “super consciousness”. The name doesn’t matter. It’s the outcome that matters.
Now that we have discussed the true understanding of the Adam and Eve story, I feel it is important state that man was never meant to RULE over or to dominate a woman. That’s just pure ego! But when the story of Adam and Eve is taken literally, people are taught that this is God’s will. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We must be careful to interpret the Bible correctly or the world becomes dysfunctional. To interpret Bible stories such as Adam and Eve literally creates religion. This is what Jesus was trying to combat.
For those of you who may be struggling with my take on the whether or not the scriptures are literal, I completely understand. I was taught since I was a little boy that the Bible was the inerrant word of God. I used to read up on the latest creation science news to prove to others that man was created six thousand years ago and placed in a literal Garden of Eden. It was as if I had to PROVE the Bible because deep down inside I knew there was something missing from the big picture, and if I could prove the Bible was inerrant to my own self, I could cover up the missing component. So proving the Bible to be the inerrant word of God was sort of my mission. But through that mission I realized that is was nothing more than a big ego trip, and I was only fooling myself. Now I don’t have to struggle with questions like where Cain got his wife in the land of Nod unless it was his sister—yuck! That’s not what the scripture is about. The scripture is about spirit, not history. If we all realized this, wars would stop. People could live in peace. I also truly believe people would then be able to see the unity that truly runs like a current beneath all the major world religions.
I hope this article has helped you see the true spirit of the scripture where Adam and Eve are concerned. If so, and you think this could help someone else, spread the love with social media!
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Okay – I’m hooked. This work (to interpret the Bible through Love instead of fear and ego) is so needed in our world today. Unfortunately most of us don’t know the bible well enough to do this work (and, not to “hook” thy ego, but requires more courage than most of us have). So now you know why it was necessary for you to have the “religious” experience
I have never made the conscious/subconscious connection with Adam and Eve, but it makes perfect sense. What I took from it was God created Adam and gave him everything and he was in paradise. God decided Adam needed a partner, and created Eve (from him). God had only one rule – do not eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (judgement). Eve listened to “the serpent” (ego) who said God would deny them and they ate from the tree. Adam and Eve now judged what was good and what was evil and bad and in thinking apart from God, created the separation. I only mention this because I feel it’s important to really understand what “original thought” took place to create the ego and the separation. Eve wanted wisdom, but got judgement instead. (Before they were naked and happy, now they were ashamed of their nakedness). So Author … did God truly banish them and hand out all those “punishments”? Another interesting point is that Adam very quickly threw Eve (a part of him) under the bus and blamed her for his “mistake.” The devil made him do it.
God also said (paraphrased) now that you know the difference between good and evil (like us), you cannot eat from the Tree of Life (and live forever). What does that mean? Any thoughts on the figurative meaning of the flaming sword that God put up to bar mankind from the Tree of Life? Two trees from which to choose? Keep writing and I’ll keep reading!
Tamara…
Your comment on the necessity of having a religious experience is so true. And your insight on the Adam and Eve story adds to this post. You pose some great questions which I will address on this blog in the near future, because they are so important for everyone on the spiritual path to understand.
You asked if God really banished Adam and Eve from the Garden and then handed out punishments. I think we can both agree that this was an automatic expulsion (allegorically)based on the condition of man’s present state and disconnect from God.
Thanks again for taking the time to think about this so deeply.
If you can permit me I would like to reply to your post .
This story is indeed a myth but profoundly true to me. God created only one tree to put both good and evil. It is not that Adam and Eve ate the fruit from a tree full of evil or bad or with full of Sins ! That would have been easier to tell man really became sinful. He also tasted good part and clearly as God mentioned he became one of God! All knowing God must have known when he created all these. Let us not blame it on free will. What is the point of free will any way ? This whole thing is a fantastic drama. Only in freedom we will know the good and the bad and only in that knowledge we can love another. I do not think Adam and Eve knew about love when they were in paradise. God made sure they would not return by putting cherubs and flaming swords at the gate and make them aware of freedom and to learn love . Love does not exist without freedom. In Exodus God says I am The Lord your God (the conscious and subconscious as explained by Joshua Tilgham ) brought you out of slavery and bondage. It is clear the message in the Bible is Love and that needs to be realized only in full freedom which is the product of Christ consciousness.
Great article … I’ve had questions which allign with some of what you’re writing. Just trying to find the right people to ask them of : http://pastebin.com/07mHhr6a
Thanks, Mike. I had the same questions as you many years ago when I started my spiritual journey, oftentimes staying up until 2 or 3 in the morning (and then getting up at 6 for work) because I had to have some answers. If you are diligent, answers will come. So will more questions. But the journey is what life is about. As you probably already know, the important thing is that you educate yourself enough to rule out false religious concepts that make life burdensome instead of a joy. Understanding the intention of the original Biblical authors is one of the keys that unlocks so many of life’s hard questions. These authors were mystics which knew that your state of consciousness is more important than outside influences. In fact, your state of consciousness is the center of your world that has the power to affect your surroundings.
Do you ever dream what it was like before “The Fall”? All the animals were friends and didn’t eat each other and man lived in peace. If it wasn’t for Eve and her weak mind, we would all still be living in the Garden of Eden!
You’re joking right Eric? You’re not suggesting that men cannot think for themselves or incapable of resisting temptation? Yikes!
I too have come to a similar conclusion regarding Adam and Eve being aspects of the mind. I think one has to go further though. The scripture is written on multi-levels, and we’re now talking about a high level of understanding. One must also be aware, that this is written with great intelligence and understanding. Things aren’t there ‘just cos’, or to flesh out the story, they all have significance.
So you should go into more depth in your posts. The story of creation has so many more details in it. One questioner talks about the Tree of Life, I think literally it is the Tree of Lives, which may put a new slant on what you thought it was.
What do I mean by more in depth? Well…What is God in this story? Do you automatically assume what this represents, or does it too represent a part of the mind. The word used for the serpent actually means whispering/hissing. Is this really ego? We have Cain and Abel, derived from Adam and Eve, Cain means acquire and Abel means breath literally, but what are they exactly? We have all of these clues of the original meanings, but it still takes great work to get the full picture of what is being said. Why does Cain kill Abel, what does this represent? Why do Adam and Eve cover themselves with fig leaves? Why fig? Don’t overlook these details. They are important.
Jack,
Thanks for you comment and your insight. You bring up a lot of good points. The Bible is packed so full of information, and everything does have significance. It would take a great deal of time to cover it all, especially a book like Genesis, but I am going to address some of the points you bring up in future blog posts. Thanks again.
That’s good. You’re right it will take a great deal of time, but it is worthwhile, and this is a good blog. The aim is to eventually have a full understanding of all of these allegories
FIRST OFF I’M SO GLAD THAT I RAN ACROSS YOUR BLOG, THIS IS NOT BY ACCIDENT ,AS YOU SEE I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH A LOT OF ISSUES MENTIONED HERE TODAY, AND AFTER SEEKING ANSWERS FROM THE LORD I FELT THAT IN THE SPIRIT HE ANSWERED AND SAID HE NEEDED ME TO DIE OUT TO ALL THAT HAS MADE ME ME IN OTHER WORDS ALL THE THINGS CARNALLY I HAVE BEEN TAUGHT OR INTERPRETED, BELIEFS ETC. AND TAKE ON THE MINDSET OF CHRIST AND THAT ONCE I ALLOWEDTHIS TO HAPPEN THAT I COULD THEN HAVE PEACE MOVE WITH ASSURITY THROUGH LIFE NOT HAVE FEAR BE ABLE TO TRUST AND BE ABLE TO LOVE EVEN MY ENEMIES, NOW THE OTHER THING THAT I HEARD GOD SPEAK OF IS THIS STORY HE SPOKE OF ME COMING BACK TO (THE PLACE) AND AS I LISTENED IN THE SPIRIT IT MADE SENSE WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT ADAM BEING IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN A PLACE WHERE GOD HIMSELF PLACED HIM WHY A GARDEN THIS IS A PLACE OF PEACE AND BEAUTY A PLACE THAT HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED A PLACE OF REST THERE WAS NO FEAR NO DOUBT JUST OBEDIENCE AND ONENESS WITH GOD FOR THIS WAS A PLACE THAT GOD WOULD COME AND WALK AND TALK WITH ADAM IN THE COOL OF THE DAY HENCE THE PLACE A PLACE TO MEET TO DWELL TO CONNECT A PLACE TO GIVE AND RECIEVE THIS PLACE WAS A PLACE OF COMPLETENESS EVERYTHING THAT ADAM AND EVE NEEDED WAS IN THIS PLACE I THEN UNDERSTOOD THAT THATS ALL GOD WANTS IS THAT WE GET BACK TO THE PLACE OUR INDIVIDUAL PLACE WHERE HE PUT US SO THAT WE CAN RECIEVE AND BE IN THE RIGHT MINDSET MEANING THAT HE IS THE GIVER AND WE THE RECIEVER THIS PLACE OF COMMUNICATION AND CONNECTION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF HE DOES’NT HAVE OUR ATTENTION THEN OUR EGO WILL TAKE OVER WHEN IN OUR PLACE HE KNOWS THAT NOTHING WILL INTERFERE WITH HIS COMMUNICATION WITH US THE BELIEF IS IN TACK THE OBEDIENCE IS IN TACK RESPECT,ADORATION ETC. WE ARE IN POSITION TO RECEIVE THEREFORE TODAY WE CAN HAVE PARADISE ON THE INSIDE WHICH MANIFEST TO THE OUTSIDE IF WE LIKE ADAM IN THE BEGINNING WERE IN OUR PLACE PLEASE TELL ME DO YOU THINK THAT THE STORY OF ADAM AND EVE REPRESENTS ALSO THAT THERE IS A PLACE THAT WE ARE TO BE IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE THE FULLNESS OF WHAT GOD INTENDED FOR US
Natassia,
Thanks for your heartfelt comment. It’s good to have you hear. I think you have gotten it when you say, “WE ARE IN POSITION TO RECEIVE THEREFORE TODAY WE CAN HAVE PARADISE ON THE INSIDE WHICH MANIFEST TO THE OUTSIDE.”
Remember, events happen to us in the way that we interpret them. If we judge them badly, they are truly bad. This issue lies with us. We create paradise or we create hell.
About your question: Yes, I do. But that “place” is really a state of BEING, at least for me.
Thanks so much for your post.
hi joshua, you are exactly right it is a state of being, i just tried to make the comparison with the actual physical place back then in adam and eve’s time ( the garden of eden ) to now thanks to our lord and savior jesus christ having made access to this spiritual place of abundance,a place of right standing, where if we believe and we keep our heavenly father jehovah first in our lives we are in position then to connect, communicate and recieve hence the scripture: seek ye first the kingdom of christ and his righteousness all these things shall be added unto you, matt6:33
Joshua…this is wonderful!
“As it now stands, your conscious self rules over the subconscious. In other words, your conscious thought (male aspect) impregnates the subconscious (female aspect) with the seed of your waking consciousness. If your conscious self dwells on negativity, your subconscious, which is the real birthing/creation powerhouse, will produce that effect for you. And negativity becomes your reality! Remember, the battle is between the ears! It’s all about the mind.
To be whole again, we need to be renew our minds in Christ consciousness, like the Apostle Paul tells us. This is the born again experience. As Paul states in Galatians, “…and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Gal. 2:20).”
We are truly birthing a new HU-man…one of the marriage of the conscious with the subconscious producing the Divine Christ Consciousness.
We must be grateful for our Intellect for it is what has brought us to this point of awakening to this Grand Truth and without it we would not have developed the Desire for Perfect LOVE to manifest.
It is the Desire of the Intellect married to the Knowing of the Intuition that produces the Cosmically Conscious Man! That Desire springs from all the experiences we have had that the Intellect has cataloged…finally bringing us to the point of Desire for more.
You truly cannot have one without the other! Together they become ONE in service, desire and JOY….creating ONE MIND…the MIND of CHRIST.
I love your blog and will be back many times.
Thank you Joshua for your contribution to the Grand Awakening!
Kathy
Kathy recently posted..Service to SELF
Kathy,
I like how you pointed out that we must be grateful for our intellect. I have always said that even though the intellect cannot get us through the door of awakening, it can get us TO that door. The intellect is one of our greatest assets and we must use it to weed out that which isn’t true.
You stated: “It is the Desire of the Intellect married to the Knowing of the Intuition that produces the Cosmically Conscious Man!”
I love that quote. Thanks for pointing it so perfectly! Many blessings!
Listen to this. The Tree of Knowledge is made up of the brain, brain stem and spinal cord. The “fruit” of the tree in which the subconscious bites from, is the pineal gland. The “serpent” is the kundalini energy/spinal fluid which travels up the spine (tree trunk) to the brain and splashes on the pineal gland, causing it to release large amounts of DMT (allows you to dream/same effect from psychedelics/increases consciousness). Eve’s subconscious was given new knowledge and insight about good and evil due to the psychedelic effect of the meditation or the shrooms or other hallucinogenic plant she might have eaten.
Really enjoyed reading that, Travis, thank you!
Joshua Tilghman recently posted..The Message of the Bible in Two Radical Verses
Your posts are fascinating. Thank you for taking the time to research and share your perspective. The Bible has been used to foster hatred and divisiveness for far too long. By realizing its meaning is not literal, each of us can take responsibility for our own relationship with God and not blame others.
Kathleen,
You’re so right. When I finally saw this for myself, I knew I had to go back through the Bible and learn some esoteric knowledge if I were ever going to understand it correctly. Thanks for commenting.
Joshua Tilghman recently posted..Jacob’s Ladder
Hey Josh,
Lots of new information forever ascension of knowledge. Not long ago I read some info relating to the trees in the garden, there was more then one. It also mentioned other trees thorughout the bible, figs, dates e.t.c. about 7 relating to the 7 points of chakra in the body, also could be why in the old testament it says all that we will need to feed from would be found in the trees. Once one understands the symbolism it will lead them to the journey of ascension of their spirit, the masses is looking for something they can see, feel, touch. Something of interest from a man who was spiritual and left the spiritual world for science and his research brought him back to the spiritual world again, blow your mind with Bruce Lipton; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEuGlndt1yc
Thanks motla. Good stuff.
I went through a spiritual awakening April 4, 2013. Prior to that I wouldn’t of even bothered to entertain the idea that the bible wasn’t a literal story. After my awakening I read this and many other of your articles and I can’t believe how clearly I see it now. I can’t believe I believed any other way. It makes complete sense. I had my fall from paradise April 4th. Thank you for writing this!!!
Dineia,
Great to hear from you. I am so glad you see the Bible for what it is now. Many blessings.