Eden’s Secret Rite of Passage
When the elders don’t prepare you, prepare yourself
Introduction
I have written about Eden's Rite of Passage before, but re-reading it after a few months, I realized it was not good and have since deleted it. My ideas have now become more defined. The concept of a rite of passage in the Garden of Eden story stems from the clear transition from a naked man to a clothed man. There is an elevation from an individual who is dependent and reliant on a caretaker to one whose eyes are opened, elevating to the level where he becomes his own caretaker.
The story of Adam and Eve is extremely detailed and can be examined from many different angles. In this essay that focuses on the rite of passage, I propose that the passage occurs in the pursuit and acquisition of the forbidden fruit. That is, the archetypal passage from childhood to adulthood, from dependence to autonomy, and from needing to follow instruction to creating instruction is found in the pursuit and attainment of wisdom.
Traditional Rites of Passage
Defining Coming-of-Age Transitions
Coming-of-age marks the transition of a child into an adult. Across cultures and throughout history, these milestones have varied significantly. Many traditional societies considered this transition to occur when a child reached puberty. In contemporary societies, milestones include reaching driving age, enlisting age, drinking age, or voting age.
Rites of passage are the rituals that celebrate or commemorate this transition. These ceremonies welcome the child into their new stage of life, symbolically transferring responsibility from one generation to the next—as though handing over the baton of responsibility from one generation of leaders to the next.
Examples of Traditional Rites
Many traditional rites of passage involve enduring pain or facing the threat of death:
The Fulani Whip (Western Africa): Young boys take turns striking each other three times. The one who flinches least is declared the winner, with both celebrated for reaching manhood. This teaches them to remain composed during painful or stressful situations.
Maasai Lion Hunt (Kenya): Until 2012, boys were initiated into manhood by hunting a lion armed with only a spear—a life-threatening challenge in which a young man goes off to face death and returns as victor over it and therefore a qualified protector against such threats to the village.
Pelazon Ritual (Ticuna tribe, Amazon): After her first menstruation, a girl's hair is plucked out one by one, her body painted black, and she dons an eagle costume—symbolizing the death and rebirth of a mighty woman.
Although extreme, each of these traditional coming-of-age rituals is based on the truth that life is suffering. Hence, it is imperative to develop resilience to overcome and pass through those challenges to survive the game of life, which is what their design surrounds.
Components of Traditional Rites
Traditional rites of passage typically include:
Tests designed by the elders to train mental fortitude
An element of pain or threat of death
Compulsory participation
A symbolic death and rebirth (the child "dies" and is "reborn" as an adult)
Garden is kept (traditions and customs are maintained)
Purpose and Limitations
The rites exemplified include an element of pain or the threat of death (even symbolically), and then the overcoming of it to develop mental fortitude within the child. While valuable, they have significant limitations:
Participation in a ritual doesn't automatically confer maturity, as children may not fully comprehend the significance of the ritual until much later
The rituals emphasize being able to pass through problems rather than being able to solve them
Adam and Eve's Rite of Passage
The Traditional Rite?
God gave man work to do and man took on the responsibility of doing it.
And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
Genesis 2:19-20, KJV
This contains within it the components of obedience and responsibility which coincide with traditional rites that are present in the obedience to such a command.
Provided by the adults to train mental fortitude (God provides tasks of responsibility which involves garden maintenance)
Compulsory participation (Adam had no choice)
A symbolic death and rebirth (the child dies as they bear the responsibilities of an adult)
The garden is "kept" - preserving what exists
These points seem to maintain the components of the traditional rite, but they do not completely make the cut, for there is no mental fortitude cultivated in the obedience to commands. Obedience is easy. Not only is obedience easy, but obedience implies continued reliance and dependence on the elders, as opposed to coming to join the elders.
The Secret Rite of Passage
A successful transference of the baton of responsibility from the elders to the younger generation is not seen in passing of the old norms and customs, but in the transfer of the ability to renew old norms and customs. In other words, the responsibility of the sustenance of life in the garden is not in teaching man what to think, but in teaching man how to think.
Unfortunately, the transference of this skill is not always offered by the elders. Hence, the emergence of the secret rite of passage.
The secret rite of passage is that which the child takes on the responsibility to teach themselves how to think. Be it due to an unquenched thirst for curiosity to understand why the rules are as they are, or in seeing that the current order still has too many unbearable trade-offs, this individual determines that being capable of making a change, even an incremental one, is more important than mere obedience. This is the path that Eve embarks upon.
Components of the Secret Passage:
God provides an instruction (do not eat the fruit)
Threat of death (or else you shall die)
Voluntary participation (willing to face death)
A symbolic death and rebirth (the child "dies" and is "reborn" as an adult)
Garden is dressed (involves creation and renewal)
How does this secret passage replicate Real-Life?
This story reflects our own journeys. We are born into existing cultures with established instructions, such as our family home. Questioning or disobeying is frowned upon. It carries risks—social rejection, ostracization, or other forms of symbolic "death." However, for those who are curious and cannot set aside their curiosity, they volunteer themselves to investigate how things may be done differently, to improve upon the status quo. As they discover a great truth, they are transformed as well as the garden. [See crucifixion and resurrection model]
Comparing the Two Passages
There are many similarities between the two passages. However, the primary distinction is that sometimes elders guide your growth and improvement, while other times they do not. When they don't, you must elevate yourself. That willingness to elevate oneself or to take on the challenge of seeking the missing piece of information is a voluntary, self-sacrificing act. It requires courage to seek the truth, as well as courage to speak it when it is found. [See examples of Ignaz Semmelweis and Nelson Mandela]
What lessons can we adopt from both approaches?
Both approaches to rites are essential for complete human development. Life demands resilience - the ability to endure suffering and persevere through challenges. Traditional rites that test our limits and build mental fortitude prepare us for life's inevitable hardships. These can be self-imposed through personal disciplines or community-designed experiences that push us beyond our comfort zones.
Yet, better than passively enduring suffering is to actively work to alleviate it. The true mark of maturity may not be in our capacity to bear pain, but in our courage to question, seek wisdom, and transform our garden. This is the deeper lesson of Eden: sometimes the most profound growth comes not from following the path laid before us, but from daring to reach for the forbidden fruit of innovation.
What forbidden fruit might you need to reach for? Where in your life have you accepted the traditional rite when perhaps the secret rite is calling? As inheritors of both Adam's obedience and Eve's curiosity, we must ask ourselves: which parts of the garden will we keep, and which parts are we brave enough to dress and renew?