This text comprises excerpts from Neville Goddard’s 1948 lectures, “Five Lessons,” focusing on the power of imagination to reshape reality. Goddard uses biblical stories as psychological parables illustrating techniques for manifesting desires. He emphasizes assuming the feeling of a wish fulfilled, even if it contradicts sensory evidence, to alter one’s future. The core method involves inducing a drowsy state and vividly experiencing the desired outcome as already real. This process, Goddard argues, allows one’s subconscious to orchestrate the necessary events for manifestation.

1. What is the significance of the name of God, JOD HE VAU HE, and how does it relate to human consciousness?

The name JOD HE VAU HE represents the process of creation and the nature of human consciousness. JOD symbolizes awareness or “I AMness,” the foundation of all states of being. HE, the second letter, represents imagination, or the capacity to perceive something other than the self. VAU is the ability to feel and embody that which is imagined, taking desire out of the realm of the imaginary. The final HE signifies the objective world that reflects what one is conscious of being. Essentially, the name describes the process of becoming aware, imagining, feeling the reality of the imagination and seeing the manifestation in the world.

2. How does the concept of the Son, JOD HE VAU SHIN AYIN, differ from the concept of the Father, JOD HE VAU HE, and what does the SHIN symbolize?

The Son’s name includes the first three letters of the Father’s name, JOD HE VAU, signifying the shared awareness, imagination, and ability to feel. The addition of SHIN and AYIN is what distinguishes it. SHIN is represented by a tooth or a flame, which symbolizes the power to consume and detach from unwanted states and mistakes previously expressed in the world, a power the Father, in His infinite nature does not possess. The Father encompasses all, whereas the Son has the capacity to detach and move on.

3. How can one use the power of imagination to change their reality, and what role does the feeling of being what you desire play in this process?

To change one’s reality, one must first define what they want and then embody the feeling of already being it. This is achieved by focusing on a single act or sensation that implies the fulfillment of the desire. This feeling is the key to moving the desire from the imaginary world into the real one. It means experiencing the wish fulfilled in the mind’s eye, giving it a sense of reality, and letting it grow from there. It’s about assuming that you are already what you want to be, and this assumption, when sustained, will manifest.

4. What is the importance of sleep and meditative states in manifesting desires, and how should one use this time to their advantage?

Sleep and meditative states, especially the drowsy period before falling asleep, provide an environment where assumptions can be made effectively. During this time, the cloud of consciousness ascends into the fourth-dimensional realm and we can influence reality. By assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled and going to sleep in that mood, the sensation will harden into fact. You’re essentially entering a state where you are the actor, and the mental experience will later play out in your objective reality.

5. What is the significance of stories in the Bible, like the story of Tamar, and how do they relate to the process of manifestation?

Bible stories, like that of Tamar, are not historical facts but psychological dramas. The characters symbolize aspects of human consciousness and its power to create reality. In the Tamar story, Judah must give of himself (symbolized by his ring, bracelets, and staff) to know Tamar. This means to create your desired reality, you must give yourself fully to the feeling of being the desired state. This represents the act of making your desire real within the mind, and giving it substance through your belief, which then bears its “child” into your objective world.

6. What is the role of “Rahab” in the story of Joshua and the fall of Jericho, and how does it relate to the practice of manifestation?

Rahab, the harlot and spy, symbolizes the spirit of the father, or man’s capacity to feel and his consciousness itself. She is the ability to dwell mentally in any state and the power to satisfy the man who seeks her. Her role as a spy illustrates the silent journey of the mind when dwelling in an imaginary place until it feels real. As a harlot, she represents the power to grant any state sought without questioning the right of the individual to seek it. She teaches that through conscious assumption, you can take possession of what you want and have the ability to become what you want to be.

7. What is the “law of reverse effort” and how does it impact the process of manifestation?

The law of reverse effort suggests that when trying to assume a new state of being, it should be done with minimal effort. If there’s forceful compulsion or struggle in trying to control the mind, it will lead to the opposite results. The process of manifestation is most effective when it flows effortlessly. It’s about directing your attention with a light hand, like you’re slipping into a dream rather than forcing a state of being, like Adam in his deep sleep in the creation story.

8. What is meant by the idea that “consciousness is the only reality,” and how does that shift our perspective on responsibility for our life experiences?

The idea that “consciousness is the only reality” means that one’s individual awareness or “I AMness” is the fundamental reality that creates all experiences. Everything you encounter in the external world is a reflection of the state of your consciousness. This shifts responsibility directly to each individual because they are creating their life through their self-concept. It also highlights that to change the world, you have to change the self because the world, both physically and mentally is merely a reflection of that inner self. This means changing your inner thoughts and feelings in turn changes your outer experiences.

A Study Guide on the Teachings of Neville Goddard

Quiz

1. According to the text, how did the ancients understand the Hebraic language? They understood it not as a spoken language for everyday conversation, but as a mystical language akin to mathematical symbols, used for profound, non-verbal understanding. It was not a language of breath but of symbolic meaning.
2. Explain the symbolic meaning of the letters JOD HE VAU HE in relation to human consciousness. JOD represents the “I AMness,” your awareness; HE signifies imagination, your capacity to perceive something other than self; VAU embodies the ability to feel as though you are that which you desire; the final HE represents the visible objective world reflecting your consciousness.
3. What does the letter SHIN in the name JOD HE VAU SHIN AYIN symbolize? The SHIN, symbolized as a tooth or a flame, represents the power within the Son to consume and detach from undesirable past states and mistakes, allowing for a transition to new and improved states of being.
4. In the story of Judah and Tamar, what do the ring, bracelets, and staff symbolize? These items represent Judah’s kingship, symbolizing himself and his essence, which he must give to Tamar, (his desire) in order to bring his desire to fruition. It represents the necessity of offering oneself in order to realize a desired state.
5. What is the significance of the “deep sleep” described in the story of Adam? The “deep sleep” represents a state akin to sleep that aids the conscious mind in making assumptions by facilitating the acceptance of a desired state, even if it’s denied by the senses. This state is ideal for creation.
6. What is the meaning of wrestling with the “angel” in the context of the text? Wrestling with the “angel” refers to the internal struggle when one desires to transform and become that which is contrary to present reality and sensory experience. It’s the process of feeling that you already are what you want to be despite present contradictions.
7. How does the story of Rahab, the harlot and spy, relate to the law of assumption? Rahab, the spirit of the father and one’s capacity to feel, represents the ability to mentally occupy a desired state (the spy) and the power to satisfy your desires by assuming the feeling that you already are that which you desire (the harlot).
8. According to the text, what does the story of Moses on Mount Nebo represent? It illustrates how to attain one’s desires by understanding that consciousness is the source of all things, identifying one’s objective, contemplating it with satisfaction, and allowing the objective world to bear witness to one’s assumption.
9. How does the text describe the “controlled waking dream” technique? The controlled waking dream is a method of preceding sleep by assuming the feeling of a desired state and entering it fully, as an actor would in a dream, controlling thoughts and attention, rather than allowing the mind to wander and drift into reverie.
10. What is the main idea behind the story of the dried up fig tree? It’s about denying the suggestion of lack and barrenness within your own consciousness, recognizing that you have the power to change your reality by no longer accepting a limited or deficient state of being.

Answer Key

1. The ancients understood it not as a spoken language for everyday conversation, but as a mystical language akin to mathematical symbols, used for profound, non-verbal understanding. It was not a language of breath but of symbolic meaning.
2. JOD represents the “I AMness,” your awareness; HE signifies imagination, your capacity to perceive something other than self; VAU embodies the ability to feel as though you are that which you desire; the final HE represents the visible objective world reflecting your consciousness.
3. The SHIN, symbolized as a tooth or a flame, represents the power within the Son to consume and detach from undesirable past states and mistakes, allowing for a transition to new and improved states of being.
4. These items represent Judah’s kingship, symbolizing himself and his essence, which he must give to Tamar, (his desire) in order to bring his desire to fruition. It represents the necessity of offering oneself in order to realize a desired state.
5. The “deep sleep” represents a state akin to sleep that aids the conscious mind in making assumptions by facilitating the acceptance of a desired state, even if it’s denied by the senses. This state is ideal for creation.
6. Wrestling with the “angel” refers to the internal struggle when one desires to transform and become that which is contrary to present reality and sensory experience. It’s the process of feeling that you already are what you want to be despite present contradictions.
7. Rahab, the spirit of the father and one’s capacity to feel, represents the ability to mentally occupy a desired state (the spy) and the power to satisfy your desires by assuming the feeling that you already are that which you desire (the harlot).
8. It illustrates how to attain one’s desires by understanding that consciousness is the source of all things, identifying one’s objective, contemplating it with satisfaction, and allowing the objective world to bear witness to one’s assumption.
9. The controlled waking dream is a method of preceding sleep by assuming the feeling of a desired state and entering it fully, as an actor would in a dream, controlling thoughts and attention, rather than allowing the mind to wander and drift into reverie.
10. It’s about denying the suggestion of lack and barrenness within your own consciousness, recognizing that you have the power to change your reality by no longer accepting a limited or deficient state of being.

Essay Questions

1. Discuss the significance of the biblical narratives presented in the text as metaphors for internal psychological processes rather than historical events. How does understanding these stories in this way alter their meaning and application to personal transformation?
2. Explain the “Law of Assumption” as it is presented in the text. How does it differ from traditional approaches to achieving goals, and what are the key steps one must take to effectively apply it?
3. Analyze the concept of “consciousness” as the sole creative force as described in the text, and how understanding this concept transforms one’s relationship to reality and personal power.
4. Contrast the “natural man” and the “spiritual man” as presented in the text. How do these perspectives differ, and what does this difference mean for how one experiences and shapes reality?
5. Explore the concept of the “dimensionally larger world” as described in the text, and its role in manifesting desires through the use of imagination and feeling. How does this concept relate to time, and how does it impact one’s ability to create desired outcomes?

Glossary of Key Terms

JOD HE VAU HE: The four letters of the Hebrew name for God, symbolizing different aspects of consciousness: JOD (awareness), HE (imagination), VAU (feeling), and HE (objective reality).

JOD HE VAU SHIN AYIN: The name of the Son, combining the Father’s name with SHIN (the power to consume the undesirable) and AYIN (eye/seeing), showing his role in transforming man and granting him mercy.

I AMness: The core of one’s being, pure awareness and consciousness, and the foundation of all creation.

Assumption: The act of accepting a state as true, even if it is not yet visible in the objective world, and living as if that state is already a reality.

The Law of Assumption: The principle that one’s reality is shaped by their assumptions and the consciousness they embody. It teaches that adopting the feeling of your wish fulfilled is how one brings that wish into reality.

Controlled Waking Dream: The technique of preceding sleep by controlling and focusing one’s attention on the sensation of the fulfilled desire, as though one is an actor in a dream, which aids in manifesting the desired state.

Rahab: The biblical character symbolizing the spirit of the father, man’s capacity to feel, used to explain how to internally occupy a desired state and satisfy desires by assuming a new self.

Moab: The term symbolizing the “mother-father”, representing consciousness as the source of all creation.

Nebo: Symbolizes a “prophecy” or a desire that seems difficult to realize.

Pisgah: Represents the act of contemplating your objective or desire.

Jericho: Represents a “fragrant odor,” or the feeling of satisfaction that comes with fulfilling a desire.

Gilead: The “hills of witnesses,” or the objective world bearing witness to your assumption.

The Garden of Gethsemane: A state of prepared mind in which one can control their attention and remain faithful to a desired state of being.

The Cloud: Symbolizes the garment of consciousness, the focus and direction of one’s awareness.

Son of Perdition: Symbolizes the belief in loss; that one could lose that which already exists.

Ishmael: Symbolizes the child born into bondage or limitations, representing one’s conditioned or sensory-based identity.

Isaac: Symbolizes the child born of faith and promise, outside of the limitations of man, representing the self that is not limited by any external conditions.

Three Days: Symbolizes the time period of dedicated focus needed for an assumption to solidify and manifest in reality; representing action as energy multiplied by time.