The ancient text continues the story of Eve and the Serpent. Eve has been redirected from seeing her existence as freedom toward perceiving her choices to be limited. Eve stands explaining what the god had instructed her and Adam, “If we do not follow these instructions, we will die.” The serpent says to Eve in effect, “You will not die. You will be free.” The serpent did not lie to her. He told her a truth that matched with her current understanding of the question at hand. Eve was already in an erroneous thought pattern, seeking a freedom she already possessed. Her current thought pattern meant that she would discount the genuine article of freedom even as she was presented with it. Eve could no longer distinguish between freedom and bondage. The instructions given by the god ensured a life of freedom. Eve was already experiencing its death.
You naturally want to be self-actualized. According to Maslow (1993), the self-actualized individual exhibits concentration, growth choice, self-awareness, honesty, judgment, self-development, peak experiences, and lack of ego defenses (1993, the Farther Reaches of Human Nature). Even if you have learned to exhibit the above toward role development and investment, a central question remains. Do you know genuine freedom when you experience it?
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