Neville Goddard

Neville Goddard (1905-1972) was an influential Metaphysics teacher.

Life and work

Neville Lancelot Goddard was born on 19 February 1905 in St. Michael, Barbados in the British West Indies, to [Joseph Nathaniel Goddard][1][2] (a merchant) and [Wilhelmina Nee Hinkinson][3][4]; Neville was their fourth child in a family of nine boys and one girl.

He came to the United States on board the S.S. Vasari to study drama at the age of seventeen (September 1922) and whilst touring with his dance company in England he developed an interest in metaphysics, after striking up a conversation with a Scotsman who lent him a series of books on the powers of the mind. On his return he gave up the entertainment industry to devote his full attention to the study of spiritual and mystical matters.

His interest deepened after he met Abdullah, who lectured on Esoteric Christianity.

Neville went to hear Abdullah, somewhat under protest to satisfy the constant urging of a friend. Neville said,[5][6] 'I recall the first night I met Abdullah. I had purposely delayed going to one of his meetings because a man whose judgment I did not trust had insisted on my attendance. At the end of the meeting, Ab approached me and said: "Neville, you are six months late." Startled, I questioned how he knew my name, when he said: "The brothers told me you would be here six months ago." Then he added: "I will remain until you have received all that I must give you. Then I will depart." He, too, may have longed to go, but he had to wait for me.'

From this introduction, Neville studied with [7]Abdullah learning Hebrew, the Kabbalah, and the hidden symbolic meaning of Scripture.

After travelling extensively throughout the United States, Neville eventually made his home in Los Angeles where, in the 1950s, he gave a series of talks on television and radio, and for many years lectured regularly to capacity audiences at the Wilshire Ebell Theater[8]. In the 1960s and early 1970s, he confined most of his lectures to Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.

In his early lectures [9], [10], [11] and books [12], [13], Neville dealt solely with what he called The Law, the technique of creating one's physical reality through imagining. It is this portion of his expression that most closely accords with the teachings of the 'so called' New Thought movement.

In describing The Law, Neville related how he made a [sea voyage from New York to see his family in Barbados][14] during the Depression, without any money of his own.

[He related how, by the use of imaginal power, he was honorably discharged from military service to continue his lectures during World War II][15]. He gave his audiences in San Francisco in the 1950s and 1960s accounts of how others had made use of The Law.[16] He discussed it on television in the Los Angeles area, saying, "Learn how to use your imaginal power, lovingly, on behalf of others, for Man is moving into a world where everything is subject to his imaginal power."

In the year 1959, he began to experience what he called "The Promise." He later wrote, "I did not know of The Promise until I began to experience it and have it unfold within me beginning that summer and continuing during the next three-and-one-half years. And this is Scriptural; read it in the Book of Daniel where it is referred to as ‘a time, times, and a half.' It comes to 1260 days in your experience of it."

In the latter part of the 1960s and early 1970s Neville gave more emphasis to The Promise than to The Law. One could use imaginal power to change one's circumstances, he said, but it would be temporary, “...and will vanish like smoke.” He went on to explain that The Promise superseded The Law, claiming "Oh, you can use it [The Law] to make a fortune, to become known in the world, all these things are done, but, your true purpose here is to fulfill Scripture." After subordinating The Law to The Promise, he became as eager to hear accounts by those who had experienced The Promise, and sharing such accounts, as he had earlier of those with The Law.

In the last years of his life he said,[17] "I know my time is short. I have finished the work I have been sent to do and I am now eager to depart. I know I will not appear in this three-dimensional world again for The Promise has been fulfilled in me. As for where I go, I will know you there as I have known you here, for we are all brothers, infinitely in love with each other."

Neville's theological view of The Promise includes both the cosmology of union with the Godhead after death, and future restoration for those who do not accept The Promise during their lives. Of The Promise, he said he said "You do not earn it; it is a gift, it is all grace. God's promise is unconditional; God's law is conditional."[18] and comes in its own good time. If you do not experience it in this life, he said, "You pass through a door, that's all that death is, and -- you are restored to life instantly in a world like this, just this world" [and] you go on there with the same problems you had here with no loss of identity – not old, not blind, not crippled, if you depart this life that way, but young." In this restorationist afterlife, he said of people there, "They grow, and they marry, and they die there, too, with all the fear of death that we have here. And if they die there without experiencing The Promise, they are restored to life again and again in a place best suited to the work yet to be done in them. And it continues until 'Christ be formed in You' and as 'Sons of The Resurrection' you leave this world of death never to enter it again."

In response to questions about the fear of eternal hell and damnation that many have, Neville replied with a quote *[19] from Scripture, "’Not one shall be lost in all my holy mountain.’ You are God and how could God eternally condemn Himself?" Until we awaken and make this discovery, he said, we are privileged to use a Law, given by God, to "cushion the blows of life.”[20] The Law, stated succinctly is this, In Neville's words: "[Imagining creates reality][21],[22],"

Neville Goddard died at the age of 67 on October 1, 1972, in Los Angeles. His work is being preserved on the Internet. [23],[24]

Neville Lancelot Goddard was born on February 19, 1905 in St. Louis. Michael, Barbados, in the West Indies, the son of Joseph Nathaniel Goddard, a merchant, and Wilhelmine Née Hinkinson [2]; Neville was the fourth child in their family of nine boys and a girl.

He came to the United States to study theatrical art at the age of seventeen (in September 1922), and while on tour with his dance troupe across England, he caught the taste for metaphysics after a casual conversation with a a Scotch who borrowed a series of books on "the power of the mind". On his return, he gave up the entertainment industry to devote his whole attention to the study of spiritual and mystical issues.

His interest intensified after he met Abdullah, who preached esoteric Christianity.

Neville went to hear Abdullah somewhat of the need to have a friend. The Story [3] "I remember the first night when I met Abdullah. I have been postponing all the time to go to one of his meetings because a man in whose judgment I did not trust still insist on attending. At the end of the meeting, Ab approached me and said, 'Neville, you're six months late.' Surprised, I asked him how he knew how he was calling me, and he said, "My brothers told me six months ago that you were coming." Then he added, "I'll stay here until you've got all I have to give you. Only then will I leave. ' And he had longed to leave, but he had to wait for me. "

After this meeting, Neville studied with Abdullah, teaching Hebrew, the Kabbalah and the hidden meanings of Holy Scripture.

After traveling along the United States, Neville eventually settled in Los Angeles where, since the 1950s, he has lectured on radio and television, as well as regular public conferences . Themes and approaches

    His entire work revolves around the mystical interpretations of the passages in the Bible, of bringing the esoteric into exoterics: "Instead of looking at the Bible as a historical record of an ancient civilization or as a biography of the unusual life of Jesus, see it as a great the psychological drama that takes place in the consciousness of man. Assume the drama as yours, and you will suddenly transform your world from the deserted deserts of Egypt into the Promised Land of Canaan. "(" At Your Command ", an unofficial translation of" At Your Command "in 1939).     In the lectures [4] [5] [6] and his early books, Neville mainly addressed what he called the "Law," the technique of creating your physical reality through imagination, being correlated with the teachings of the so-called movement "New Thought".

Describing the Law, Neville evokes personal episodes, telling how he traveled from New York to Barbados [7] during the [Great Economic Crisis] without any ban, how, using the power of imagination, he was honored at the fireplace, and continues the lectures during the Second World War, as well as confessions collected from his listeners over time. Speaking to Los Angeles television, he said, "Learn to use your power of imagination with love for the benefit of others, because Man is heading for a world where everything is an effect of his imagination."

One of the repeated suggestions in the preaching of the "Law" is that of "revision." The review aims to change reality by imagining the events that we would have liked to do otherwise. This type of meditation consists of imagining a scenario based on the circumstances of the undesirable event but with a favorable ending.

    In 1959, he began to experience what he later called "Promise". He wrote later, "I did not know of the Promise until I began to live it, revealing myself in me."

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Neville accentuated the "Promise" rather than "the Law". You can use your power of imagination to change your circumstances, he said, but it will only be temporary, "... and it will be lost as smoke." Continue, explaining that "Promise" takes precedence over "the Law," as, "Oh, you can use it (" the Law ") to make wealth, become famous in the world; all this is possible, but your real purpose is to fulfill the Scriptures. "

In the last years of life he said, "I know my time is short. I have finished the work that I have been sent to do, and now I am anxious to go. I know I will not appear in this three-dimensional world any more, for the 'Promise' is fulfilled in me. And where I go, I will know you there as I know you here, because we are all brothers, loving us infinitely with each other. "

Neville's theological vision of "Promise" evokes a cosmogony of union with the Father (self-consciousness, the higher self) after death, that union being the very purpose of each of us, a purpose whose path is described in the Bible - a psychological drama is common to every human being. He said about "Promise" that "It is not winning; is a gift, it is grace and blessing in its entirety. The divine promise is unconditional; The divine law is conditional "[9] and comes at the right time.

Neville Goddard died at the age of 67, on October 1, 1972, in Los Angeles.

Published books

    1939 - At Your Command - "Can a man decide one thing and this one to happen? In the most categorical way, yes! Man has always decided what has appeared in his world and today decides what appears in his world and will continue to do so as long as man is aware of being human. No one ever appeared in his world without the man having decided that he should appear. "     1941 - Your Faith Is Your Fortune - "Everyone automatically expresses what he is conscious of being. Without effort or use of words, in every moment of life, man decides to be and to have what is conscious of being and having. This unchangeable principle of expression is dramatized in all the bibles of the world. The writers of our sacred texts were enlightened mystics, former masters in the art of psychology. Saying the story of the soul, they personified this impersonal principle in the form of historical documents both to keep it and to keep it from the eyes of the uninitiated. "     1945 - Prayer: The Art of Believing (Prayer: The Art of Belief, unofficial translation)     1946 - The Search - "Once, traveling by sea, we meditated on the" perfect state "and I wondered what I would be, if I had eyes too pure to perceive sin. While I was lost in the fury of this thought, I found myself high above the darkness of the senses ... "     1948 - Out of this World (unofficial translation)     1951 - Feeling Is The Secret (Inner life is the secret, unofficial translation)     1952 - The Power of Awareness - "The whole creation exists in you, and it is your destiny to become more and more aware of its infinite miracles and to experience ever greater and greater aspects of it ..."     1954 - Awakened Imagination - "The hidden mystery of the Gentiles", "Christ the One of You, the hope of glory", "here, now discovered, is your imagination. This is the secret that I forever struggle to do in myself and to exhort others ... "     1956 - Seedtime and Harvest (Seedtime and Harvest, unofficial translation)     1961 - The Law and the Promise - "My mystical experiences have led me to literally accept that" the whole world is a scene. " And believe God plays all the roles. Purpose of the play? To transform man, creation into God, the Creator. God loved man, His creation, and became man in the belief that this gesture of self-realization will transform man-creation into God-the Creator. "     1966 - Resurrection, "Freedom for All", "Feeling Is The Secret," "Prayer, the Art of Believing," "Out of the World", "Resurrection"