Where Are You

“And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, “Where are thou”? Genesis 3:9

Perhaps one of the most famous passages in the Bible, and the shortest question that G_d asks. The Hebrew word “ayeka” (“Where are you”?) is often taken to be a question of where the First Couple was physically, as they had tried to hide themselves in the Garden of Eden. This was immediately after they had eaten the “forbidden fruit”, and realized they were “naked”, and had “sinned”. This is a misunderstanding of the true meaning of what the First Question was truly about. It is also part of what I have come to believe as a complete misunderstanding of the entire purpose of the Genesis narrative, and has led to millennia of needless guilt and shame in the pursuit of being human. These may be strong words but let me lay a foundation for a New Understanding.

First, as to “ayeka”, how could an all-seeing, all-knowing Divinity not know the physical location of one of Its Creations? “Whoops, I am having a Senior moment…where are my “keys”? Further, how could such an Intelligence not anticipate that having such a “tempting” tree and its fruit would be impossible, over time, to attempt to eat it? As a parent/grandparent, I would never do that for of course, the very forbidding element would make it even more attractive. God not only knew we would eat that fruit, but by making it so attractive, actually encouraged it. Consider this alternative approach…the Universe wants us to leave the “Edenic” undifferentiated at-onement of things in order to understand it. We need to develop the analytic aspect of mind (and ourselves) in order to get a perspective. This very distance is essential to understanding. It is one of the cornerstones of developing Divine Mind. Animals to a very great degree are so at one with their environment that choice and discernment and self-consciousness are rudimentary, at best. Humans, by being able to separate themselves from their environment have the opportunity to appreciate it and come to understand its complexity, as well as its interconnectivity. Of course God wanted this…how else could we grow into the Divinely appointed job of “Caretaker”?

To make this First Bite a “sin” sets us up for Adam to blame Eve, and for Eve to blame the serpent. This a psychological nightmare, from which there seems to be no relief- unless you posit an outside Savior that will rescue us from ourselves. But even with this old interpretation, we still have this seemingly undeniable thirst to “know”. More than that, we wish to become at-one with this understanding. The challenge is that if the basic attempt at understanding involves the “eating the Forbidden fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil then we are philosophically screwed. So, how can we escape this biblical Catch-22?

It starts from a different assumption…that Divinity wants us to begin our Journey with developing our rational faculties. Just as only by leaving home as young adults can we become fully ourselves, so only by studying the Universe, AND our place in it, can we truly become fulfilled. This brings us back to that word “ayeka”. Once we have begun to realize we are on a Journey, the Universe asks us to consider our place in the scheme of things, and most importantly, what have we learned? The real question becomes finding your place in yourself…feeling at home in your inner Garden of Eden. It becomes a quest for Meaning, a journey to wholeness and connectivity. Finding that involves returning again to one’s inner Garden of Eden and the eating of the fruit of the Tree of Life.

This past weekend a group of us had the pleasure of exploring these questions of “Place and our Journey” through participating in an experiential workshop called “EarthWalk”., led by Jim Cole (see this week’s post). He began with an acknowledgement of the Stockbridge-Munsee tribe that had lived here before they were removed to Wisconsin. It is an essential step to finding one’s
place” in the world, to give thanks to those who came before us. Through a process of meditation and outdoor exploration we each found deeper connections to the Earth, our selves, and each other. Ultimately, we all have an “Indigenous” nature, and we can reclaim it and rediscover it, if we have the right guidance and we take the time.

One of our fellow participants shared that when we “hug a tree” we impart some of our energy and love to it, and when we lay with our backs against its bark, we can be in harmony with it and receive its blessings. This was, for me a very simple, yet very profound Truth, and an easy practice.

Another tool that I have found useful is to find a quiet spot in a forest and meditate, often with a background question. When I open my eyes, I let my eyes fall upon some tree, some rock, some piece of sky, and ask for an answer to my question or concern. It is part of my journey to find meaning, and to find meaning in the context of deepening my relationship with the Earth. She has answers, just try listening.