Neville Goddard was a popular manifestation teacher back in the mid-1900s. Ever since then, his popularity has only increased within the manifestation community.
In this article, I have compiled all of Neville Goddard’s teachings (both from his books and lectures) on manifestation and spirituality into one easy-to-read format.
It is basically a list of the most important things Neville Goddard talked about, and is meant to give you a broad overview of his teachings and help you understand how the law of manifestation works. After reading this article, you will have the necessary knowledge to start putting manifestation into practice immediately, but if you want more of a step-by-step guide on how to manifest using Neville Goddard’s methods, I highly recommend you take a look at this article (after you’ve read this one). Many end up in a loop of constant information-gathering but never actually do anything with it. Consequently, they never get any results.
I have also included a glossary that briefly explains all the terms Neville most commonly used.
Who Was Neville Goddard
Neville Goddard (1905-1972) was a very popular and influential spiritual teacher known for his teachings on manifestation and spirituality. He believed the Bible to be psychological dramas that were meant to detail man’s inner nature rather than accurate historical records. He believed in the power of the human imagination and that it is the “creative power and wisdom of God” manifested in man.
Born in Barbados in 1905, Neville’s journey began with a dramatic shift at the age of 17 when he moved to the United States to study drama. His early career in theater was successful, featuring in six Broadway plays and earning a substantial income. However, his growing interest in the mystical and the occult ultimately led him to take a shift in his career path.
In 1925, he traveled to England with a dancing partner. It was here he was introduced to the world of psychical research and spiritualistic séances. These experiences, while not entirely satisfying, further fueled his interest in the occult. On returning to America, he became involved with a Rosicrucian group, taking up a strict lifestyle that included a vegetarian diet and strict moral discipline. At the time, he had a number of psychic experiences, including astral projection and clairvoyance.
The turning point in Neville’s spiritual journey came when he encountered an old Ethiopian rabbi named Abdullah. Under Abdullah’s mentorship, he studied the Kabalah and got new insight into the Bible, which led to a significant shift in his spiritual perspective. He developed a unique understanding of the relationship between God and man, emphasizing that they are one.
By 1938, Neville had started his career as a spiritual teacher in New York City. His lectures at the Old Actor’s Church on 49th Street attracted large audiences (According to the book cited below, there would often be 400-500 people in attendance), drawn by both his charismatic presence and the depth of his teachings. Neville and his practical approach to spirituality and manifestation, along with his charismatic character, continue to be a big influence on the teachings of manifestation today.
You can read more about Neville Goddard in “The Romance of Metaphysics”
How Manifestation Works According To Neville
According to Neville Goddard, the true nature of reality is unconditioned consciousness or awareness. There is only ONE unified consciousness, and it is the underlying cause of all reality. Normally we think reality is physical, but in truth, the physical world is the manifestation of consciousness.
Imagination is the creative power of consciousness. A person’s imagination is, therefore, the creative power; it is the “power and wisdom of God in man.” A person can use his imagination to create/manifest anything he or she desires. I talk more about Neville’s view of “Imagination” in this article.
Neville put forth a specific method of doing this. To manifest something, one is to go into a “state akin to sleep” in which he imagines a mental scene that would take place AFTER the desire has been accomplished.
For example, if a person wants to go to a certain country but doesn’t have the means to do it, he should imagine a scene in which he is in that country. In the “real world,” a series of events will then occur that gradually lead the person actually to end up going to that country.
The imagining of a scene should closely mimic the actual experience of it happening; you need to “assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled.” This is the so-called “SATS technique.”
Imagination is the “redeemer,” and correctly using your imagination is the only way to attain a higher level of being.
A Practical Approach To Manifesting
One of the main reasons why Neville Goddard has become so popular is because of his practical approach to manifesting. A lot of authors on manifestation and spirituality never really talk about manifestation in a way that makes it easy for the reader to do it.
They never talk about how to do it. They often kept it strictly theoretical while giving little to no guidance on the practical aspect. This has its benefits, of course, but it can be very confusing if you want to learn how actually to manifest.
Neville had the opposite approach. He also delved into theory, but the most important thing for him seemed to be the practical results. He often encouraged people to practice manifestation in order to experience the results first-hand.
The Law of Assumption
Neville Goddard’s teachings on manifestation are often referred to as the Law of Assumption. It is similar to the Law of Attraction only that it is a branch of manifesting based on Neville Goddard’s teachings.
According to Neville, assumptions “harden into fact.” They manifest themselves as tangible results, hence the name.
Related articles:
- Article on The Law of Assumption. It is very similar to this one, but I still recommend you read it.
- I also have an article comparing the Law of Attraction and the Law of Assumption.
The “I AM” and The Law
According to Neville, Awareness, or Consciousness, is the fundamental reality. Consciousness is what Neville thought of as “God.” “God” is not a being but beingness. It is “the awareness of being,” the “I Am” without any conditions. Most of us think of space, time, and objects as the ultimate reality, but according to Neville, the physical world is also nothing but a projection of Consciousness.
The ever-present fact that the external or outer world is manifested from the inner consciousness is “The Law.” We work with “The Law” when we manifest something.
Consciousness is infinite power and intelligence. It’s the power we seek to use when manifesting.
Consciousness has the power to project itself by becoming it. It goes from “I Am” to “I Am this” while still retaining the “I Am.”
Consciousness cannot be divided. It is always one. There is only one “I Am” manifesting itself in multiplicity. Even though none of us are aware of being the same thing, we all are the same awareness.
According to Neville, since we are Awareness, it means that our very own self is the infinite power. This doesn’t mean that we are individuals are the power, but that awareness or beingness is the infinite power. By changing what we impress upon awareness, we can change the results we manifest in our lives.
Imagination
The thing Neville Goddard perhaps talked most about was imagination.
“Imagination is the very gateway of reality” (Book: Awakened Imagination, 1954).
According to Neville, imagination creates reality. It is the creative power manifested in the individual. It is the “God-in-man” as he called it.
“Your own wonderful human imagination is the actual creative power of God within you” (Lecture: Imagination Creates Reality)
It is by imagination we move from one state of consciousness to another. Through the proper use of our imagination, we have the ability to manifest any desire we may have.
He also characterized imagination as the “true self of man.” Since man is imagination, he must become what he imagines himself to be.
He uses imagination almost synonymously with consciousness. The difference is that imagination is mostly used to denote the creative power inherent in consciousness.
The most effective method to manifest something is to “experience in imagination what you would like to be in reality,” as Neville put it. A bit more on how to do this later.
Creation Is Finished
Neville Goddard often emphasized how “creation is finished” and how we never create something new; we only move into an already existing state.
What manifest in our lives corresponds to our state of consciousness. Your life is what it is because your state of consciousness is what it is. Since everything is an expression of consciousness, different states of consciousness produce different manifestations. To get new results in life, you need to change your state of consciousness.
“Creations is finished” means that all the states of consciousness already exist. When you cause something new to manifest, you have not moved into a new state of consciousness, but the state of consciousness is always there. It is only something new from your perspective.
Fusing with a new state of consciousness automatically causes the state of consciousness to “be projected to the screen of space.”
Related articles:
- I talk more about the concept of “creation is finished” in this article.
Neville Goddard’s Method For Manifesting
This is the doing part of the article. After reading this, you will have a method for putting manifestation into practice, no matter what your desire may be.
Our state of consciousness dictates what manifests in our lives. All the dramas, events, things, etc., are nothing but an expression of the state of consciousness.
To manifest a desire, you need to fuse with the corresponding state of consciousness. We can choose a new state of consciousness by controlling our imagination.
Neville had a technique for doing this.
In a nutshell, This is how to do it:
(I also recommend you read my detailed guide on Neville Goddard’s manifesting technique)
Step 1: Choose a definite goal
Know definitely what you want. It can be anything. You can go as broad or as specific as you want.
Step 2: Construct a Scene
Construct a scene you believe you would experience AFTER the accomplishment of your desire. The scene should also imply the accomplishment of the desire. For example, if you want to live in a new country, imagine a scene where you already live in that country and maybe also that you’ve been living there for a while.
Step 3: Go Within
This is where the actual technique begins. Sit or lay down, close your eyes, and turn your attention away from the outside world.
This has two benefits. It impresses the desire more strongly on the subconscious mind, and it makes it easier to give your attention to the imaginary scene.
Step 4: Imagine The Scene
Now Imagine the scene. It’s important that you are a participant and not an onlooker. See the world from your eyes. Be in the scene. Permeate your mind with the reality of the scene as if you were actually there. You become it. Assume the feeling that would be yours were it actually happing.
The scene must be held without any sensible effort on your part. In real life, you don’t need to put effort into being in your environment. Likewise, it should not be an effort for you to be in your mental scene.
By concentrating on this state, you begin to fuse with it.
Step 5: Waking Up
When waking up from this state, you will be reminded that your desire is not manifested. But if your imaginary action made a strong enough impression on consciousness, the desire will gradually begin to manifest.
Neville often told his audience to repeat this exercise every night right before sleep.
Mental Diet
An essential step for getting control of the manifestations in your world is to keep a Mental Diet. A mental diet consists of keeping an eye on the things you think, your self-talk, what you imagine, what you think about, etc., and not letting them run loose.
According to “The Law,” our inner actions affect our outer circumstances. Hence, we must control what goes on within – what we do in Imagination. Having overall negative mental activity causes negative circumstances.
A good mental diet is both important for manifesting general improvement in life and for the manifestation of specific desires. If we let ourselves fall into doubt and discouragement regarding our specific desire, we, consequently, work against it.
Related article:
- Article on how to do a “Mental Diet” when manifesting.
Everyone Is You Pushed Out (EIYPO)
This is the short version of “Everyone is You Pushed Out” (in short, EIYPO):
EIYPO means that everyone is a projection of Imagination.
Since everything is consciousness and you are nothing but consciousness, all people are the same ONE beingness manifested in different forms.
Everyone, including yourself, will therefore act according to The Law. The inner states of consciousness dictate the outer manifestations. The actions of you and everyone else are also outer manifestations. When an idea is planted within by you will manifest itself in some form through everyone and everything.
Related articles:
- Read my full article on EIYPO, which includes how you can actually TEST it yourself.
Why The Controversy?
EIYPO is the most controversial and most triggering concept in the Neville Goddard community.
Neville Goddard found that other people behave according to how he used his imagination.
He stated that “all the people in the world are only yourself pushed out.” A lot of his followers in the community around him today have taken this as a solipsistic approach. They basically believe that they are the only being in the world and that other people are merely puppets.
This is, however, far from what Neville meant. It’s important to remember that the “true self” was, according to Neville, the ONE unconditioned awareness. Therefore everyone is “you,” what you truly are, pushed out.
Tracing it to the bottom, EIYPO really means that there is no other than self.
It is, therefore, true that your imagination affects everything. Just remember that your only object is to imagine the accomplishment of your desire. The means will be taken care of beyond you. As long as you simply just imagine your desire, you do not need to worry about anything else.
Do We Have Free Will?
A lot of people seem to question the idea of Free Will in Neville Goddard’s teachings, especially when the topic of “everyone is you pushed out” (EIYPO) is mentioned.
Since we seemingly have influence over the actions of other people, do they have free will? The answer is both yes and no. According to Neville, everyone, including yourself, can only act corresponding to their state of consciousness.
A thief, for example, is only a thief because of his state of consciousness. Until he changes his state of consciousness, he cannot be other than a thief. This way we are all “slaves to our assumptions.” We only have free will in choosing new states of consciousness, but we must act in accord to the occupied state of consciousness.
Self-Concept
Self-concept is the view you have of yourself.
Our concept of self also follows the law and therefore produces corresponding manifestations.
If you have a self-concept of being poor (“I am poor”), you manifest poverty. If you have a self-concept of being rich (“I am rich”), you will manifest richness.
As we gradually begin to see that our own awareness is the “I Am,” we gradually develop a greater and greater self-concept. The more we realize we are the power, the more we attain the ability to use the power.
Bridge of Incidents
The Bridge of Incidents refers to the series of events that will take place between imagining the desire, and the desire manifesting in the physical world.
For example, let’s say your desire is to become financially free.
Your current circumstances may seem unfavorable. You may have nothing and no seeming way of getting out of your current situation. By imagining the fulfillment of your desire, you implant the idea in the infinite consciousness.
Your circumstances will then gradually begin to change until they match your desire.
For example, you may get an unexpected pay raise; then you receive 100K from an uncle you didn’t know you had; then, you may receive an opportunity to start your own business.
Events of this nature will occur until your desire has been accomplished. You have become financially free.
The bridge of incidents is not to be determined by you. All you can do is imagine the accomplishment of your idea. There is an intelligence inherent in consciousness itself that chooses how things will change.
Other people will also be influenced. Consciousness will move the pieces as it sees fit until the desire is accomplished.
If you want to learn more, check out my article on how to navigate the “Bridge of Incidents.”
Neville Goddard’s Books
Neville wrote many books. The book, The Creative Use Of Imagination, although based on notes from a series of Neville’s lectures, is not written by him and is therefore not included.
This is the full list of Neville Goddard’s books in chronological order:
- At Your Command (1939)
- Your Faith Is Your Fortune (1941)
- Freedom for All (1942)
- Feeling Is The Secret (1944)
- The Search (1946)
- Prayer – The Art of Believing (1946)
- Out of This World (1949)
- The Power of Awareness (1952)
- Awakened Imagination (1954)
- Seedtime and Harvest (1956)
- The Law and The Promise (1961)
They are all in the public domain. You can therefore read them free at various places online.
You can find a quick summary of each of these books in this article.
Glossary of Terms Used By Neville Goddard
Consciousness/awareness: The fundamental reality from which all things are manifested.
Imagination: The creative power of god manifested in man.
Assuming the wish fulfilled/Assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled: Adopting the feeling/mental state that you have your desire (relevant article). Also, sometimes used to explain a feeling of certainty that your manifestation will come.
Living in the end: Thinking of your desire as an already existing fact. It is done but not perceptible to you.
3-Dimensional world: The physical or manifested world. The 3D world is a manifestation of the 4D world.
4-dimensional world: the 4-dimensional world is a broader view of reality where imagination can operate. The “4th-dimensional self” can therefore predetermine events that will occur in the 3D world.
Creation is finished: all states of consciousness already exist. Therefore nothing new is “created” other than from the perspective individual.
