--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A soul is a troublesome possession, and…" description: "\"A soul is a troublesome possession, and when man developed it he lost the Garden of Eden.\" — W. Somerset Maugham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/602/w-somerset-maugham-237_eden_a-soul-is-a-troublesome-possession-and-w_1346019.jpg" --- # A soul is a troublesome possession, and when man developed… ![“A soul is a troublesome possession, and when man developed it he lost the Garden of Eden.” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/602/w-somerset-maugham-237_eden_a-soul-is-a-troublesome-possession-and-w_1346019.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/602/w-somerset-maugham-237_eden_a-soul-is-a-troublesome-possession-and-w_1346019.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/602/w-somerset-maugham-237_eden_a-soul-is-a-troublesome-possession-and-w_1346019.jpg) > “A soul is a troublesome possession, and when man developed it he lost the Garden of Eden.” [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human consciousness creates desire, leading to loss of innocence and original purity. **In simple terms:** Awareness brings loss of innocence. Key Takeaway Balance desire with humility. Themes desire innocence human nature Mood contemplative melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career ambition - spiritual quests - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts philosophy psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What does “Garden of Eden” symbolize for you? - Can desire be channeled positively? A Different Perspective Desire can be justified as progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eden/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Garden of eden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden-of-eden/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Man Developed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-developed-385276/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Possession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possession/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Soul Troublesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-troublesome-4561697/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Troublesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troublesome/) [Troublesome Possession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troublesome-possession-4561698/) ## Related quotes > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [Give me the storm and tempest of thought and action, rather than the dead calm of ignorance and faith! Banish me from Eden when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-the-storm-and-tempest-of-thought-and-action-rather-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Zen opens a man's eyes to the greatest mystery as it is daily and hourly performed; it enlarges the heart to embrace eternity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-t-suzuki/zen-opens-a-man-s-eyes-to-the-greatest-mystery-as-it-is-daily-and/) [D.T. Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-t-suzuki/) > [The essence of Christianity is told us in the Garden of Eden history. The fruit that was forbidden was on the tree of knowledge.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/the-essence-of-christianity-is-told-us-in-the-garden-of-eden-history/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“Hey, can you do me a favor?" "Anything." "Will you... Will you call me by my name?" She beams, her face brighter than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kwan/hey-can-you-do-me-a-favor-anything-will-you-will-you-call-me-by-my/) [Katrina Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kwan/) > [Who can stop climate change? We can. You and you and you, and me. And it is not just that we can stop it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/who-can-stop-climate-change-we-can-you-and-you-and-you-and-me-and-it/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Christ managed to boil down an awful lot of commandments to a few very simple rules for living. It's when you go backwards through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/christ-managed-to-boil-down-an-awful-lot-of-commandments-to-a-few/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Do Re Mi California is a garden of Eden, a paradise to live in or see, But believe it or not, you won't find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-guthrie/do-re-mi-california-is-a-garden-of-eden-a-paradise-to-live-in-or-see/) [Woody Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-guthrie/) > [The camera has its own kind of consciousness; in the lens the Garden of Eden itself would become ever so slightly too perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/the-camera-has-its-own-kind-of-consciousness-in-the-lens-the-garden/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [Put an Englishman into the garden of Eden, and he would find fault with the whole blasted concern; put a Yankee in, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/put-an-englishman-into-the-garden-of-eden-and-he-would-find-fault/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Whenever you see confusion, you can be sure that something is wrong. Disorder in the world implies that something is out of place. Usually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whenever-you-see-confusion-you-can-be-sure-that-something-is-wrong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To try to convey literally what the Garden of Eden was like is meaningless. What matters is its symbolic function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-farr/to-try-to-convey-literally-what-the-garden-of-eden-was-like-is/) [David Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-farr/) > [Adam, who said to our Lord in the Garden of Eden, I got more ribs - you got more broads? Never got a dinner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-buttons/adam-who-said-to-our-lord-in-the-garden-of-eden-i-got-more-ribs-you/) [Red Buttons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-buttons/) > [“Ô, Wanderess, Wanderess When did you feel your most euphoric kiss? Was I the source of your greatest bliss?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/wanderess-wanderess-when-did-you-feel-your-most-euphoric-kiss-was-i/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [God created man for fellowship... The fall of man ruined that and Paradise that is, the garden of Eden was lost, but on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-p-enns/god-created-man-for-fellowship-the-fall-of-man-ruined-that-and/) [Paul P. Enns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-p-enns/) ## More by W. Somerset Maugham > [“A man thinks it quite natural that he should fall out of love with a woman, but it never strikes him for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-thinks-it-quite-natural-that-he-should-fall-out-of-love-with-a/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A man's work reveals him. In social intercourse he gives you the surface that he wishes the world to accept, but in his book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-s-work-reveals-him-in-social-intercourse-he-gives-you-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/love-is-only-a-dirty-trick-played-on-us-to-achieve-continuation-of/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The world is hard and cruel. We are here none knows why, and we go none knows whither. We must be very humble. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-world-is-hard-and-cruel-we-are-here-none-knows-why-and-we-go-none/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“There is no more merit in having read a thousand books than in having ploughed a thousand fields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/there-is-no-more-merit-in-having-read-a-thousand-books-than-in-having/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“I wanted to live again and again. I was willing to accept every sort of life, no matter what its pain and sorrow; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-wanted-to-live-again-and-again-i-was-willing-to-accept-every-sort/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/in-hollywood-the-women-are-all-peaches-it-makes-one-long-for-an-apple/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Follow your inclinations with due regard to the policeman round the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/follow-your-inclinations-with-due-regard-to-the-policeman-round-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“His love became a prison from which he longed to escape, but he had not the strength merely to open the door-that was all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/his-love-became-a-prison-from-which-he-longed-to-escape-but-he-had/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I did not believe him capable of love. That is an emotion in which tenderness is an essential part, but Strickland had no tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-did-not-believe-him-capable-of-love-that-is-an-emotion-in-which/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [If only the good were a little less heavy-footed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/if-only-the-good-were-a-little-less-heavy-footed/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/perfection-has-one-grave-defect-it-is-apt-to-be-dull/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A God that can be understood is no God. Who can explain the Infinite in words?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-god-that-can-be-understood-is-no-god-who-can-explain-the-infinite/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“My dear, you used to be quite a dish; now you're quite a tureen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/my-dear-you-used-to-be-quite-a-dish-now-you-re-quite-a-tureen/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“When people say they do not care what others thing of them, for the most part they deceive themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-thing-of-them-for-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) [Explore all 840 W. Somerset Maugham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## More Eden quotes > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [No bird has ever uttered note That was not in some first bird's throat; Since Eden's freshness and man's fall No rose has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/no-bird-has-ever-uttered-note-that-was-not-in-some-first-bird-s/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [“Ô, Wanderess, Wanderess When did you feel your most euphoric kiss? Was I the source of your greatest bliss?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/wanderess-wanderess-when-did-you-feel-your-most-euphoric-kiss-was-i/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“Adam and Eve used to walk with Me in the garden, before their expulsion from Eden. I want you to walk with Me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-young/adam-and-eve-used-to-walk-with-me-in-the-garden-before-their/) [Sarah Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-young/) > [Hayatın birliğini tecrübe eden kişi bütün canlıları kendinde, kendini de bütün canlılarda görür ve herşeye tarafsız bir gözle bakar. / He who experiences the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/hayat-n-birli-ini-tecr-be-eden-ki-i-b-t-n-canl-lar-kendinde-kendini/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [O thou beautiful And unimaginable ether! and Ye multiplying masses of increased And still increasing lights! what are ye? what Is this blue wilderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/o-thou-beautiful-and-unimaginable-ether-and-ye-multiplying-masses-of/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [“What brings you to our gorgeous, God-given paradise, our Eden of monsters and half-men?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-yocum/what-brings-you-to-our-gorgeous-god-given-paradise-our-eden-of/) [Nathan Yocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-yocum/) > [My parents preferred me not to be at the same club as Eden to avoid comparisons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/my-parents-preferred-me-not-to-be-at-the-same-club-as-eden-to-avoid/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [“I do love you Eden, with all that I am. I don't believe there has been a more perfect love to ever exist in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-higginson/i-do-love-you-eden-with-all-that-i-am-i-don-t-believe-there-has-been/) [Rachel Higginson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-higginson/) > [Eden is the type of player who can make a big difference when he comes on, even for 20 minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianfranco-zola/eden-is-the-type-of-player-who-can-make-a-big-difference-when-he/) [Gianfranco Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianfranco-zola/) > [“I stood like Adam in his lonely garden On that first morning, shaken out of sleep, Rubbing his eyes, listening, parting the leaves, Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/i-stood-like-adam-in-his-lonely-garden-on-that-first-morning-shaken/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [The plough of Time breaks up our Eden-land, And tramples down its fruitful flowery prime. Yet thro' the dust of ages living shoots O'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/the-plough-of-time-breaks-up-our-eden-land-and-tramples-down-its/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [Be patient, my friends; time rolls rapidly away; our longing has its end. The hour will strike, who knows how soon?- when the maternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-wilhelm-krummacher/be-patient-my-friends-time-rolls-rapidly-away-our-longing-has-its-end/) [Friedrich Wilhelm Krummacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-wilhelm-krummacher/) > [“She picked up a handheld grenade launcher, cradling it like a baby.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-derting/she-picked-up-a-handheld-grenade-launcher-cradling-it-like-a-baby/) [Kimberly Derting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-derting/) [Browse all 434 Eden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eden/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A soul is a troublesome possession, and when man developed it he lost the Garden of Eden.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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