Synopsis
We all have been there: the sudden argument sparked by “You said this? and that?” leading to the inevitable, defensive plea, “I did not mean it that way!” This gap between our words and our intent has been played out throughout history. Our words can create harmony or rupture. Every time we abuse language, whether through carelessness or calculated deceit, we are repeating the original temptation. This book begins by examining Part I: The Serpent Speaks, exposing how the ancient question, “Did God really say?” still echoes in our daily, personal, and profoundly broken relationship with truth and the power of words.
When we look at ourselves, do we stand on the outside looking around and saying, “This is who I am?” Or does one dare to enter inside where the good, bad, and ugly self truly hides? This is the core dilemma of Part II: Eyes on the Fruit—the agonizing choice between the true self and the made-up self we hold onto for security. The journey of finding true self is not for the strong or the swift, for all will fail. But failure is not the end. The School of Thought provides the actionable framework needed to endure and embrace this internal battle, offering a look through the stained-glass window of self to dismantle the false self and guide the painful process of self-encounter.
Once the false structure is exposed, the moment of decision arrives. Many, tragically, attempt to put the new self in the old wrapping, leaving a bitter taste, while others, paralyzed by fear and the instinct to cling to what is familiar, choose to turn back and risk becoming a pillar of salt—a monument to the failure of integrity. But for those who choose the difficult forward path, Part III: Then Their Eyes Were Open is the reward. This book guides the reader past the shame and rejection of the split self, revealing the secure foundation of the Interior Self. This is the ultimate self-encounter, enabling you to live in radical honesty, moving definitively from shame to grace and finding the connection you were made for.
- Part I: The Serpent Speaks
- Did God Really Say
- Misuse of Words
- Knowledge as Gift and Temptation
- Part II: Eyes on the Fruit
- You Will Be Like God
- The Act of Reaching
- The Split Self
- Part III: Then Their Eyes Were Open
- The Birth of the Interior Self
- The False Self
- From Shame to Grace