Neville Goddard Quotes
This is where I will collect quotes that NG has said which provide greater context about what he really taught. Each lecture will be listed below the series of quotes where the new one will start.
"The being that you really are, descended to the weakness of the flesh, causing you to experience the state you are now in. Contemplate another state, and the same being who brought your present form into being will restore and make alive the other state, the state desired. This he will continue to do until his purpose is fulfilled. That purpose is to follow a certain pattern back into the unity of being. You see, in the beginning we were drafted. We did not volunteer to fall into these states. We were made subject into futility, not willingly but by the will of him who sent us. But when we return we will discover that we are the very being who subjected us. We are now the sons, destined to return as God the Father!"
"When you see this being in the depth of your soul you are seeing the one who descended into these states, meditating himself. You are his emanation, his reflection playing the parts he dreams. And when he awakes from his descent and begins to ascend, you are He! No two seeds of contemplative thought in the depths of the soul are identical. We are all brothers, and having been subjected, when we return to unity we are God the Father. Now you see who the word ‘David’ means . . ‘the father’s brother’. God the Father is my brother, who one day will rise and, taking me back to the unity of being, he will call me Father. That is David! That is the play! That is the mystery of life!"
"There are infinite states and combinations of states into which God, your own wonderful human imagination, falls. Fortunately there is a limit, which comes when infinite mercy (who is within you) steps beyond and awakens himself; and as he does, you . . the one he put through the torment . . awaken, enhanced by the descent into these states. And as one you return, bringing your gifts which are the result of your experiences traveling through these states. You bring your talents, of which the greatest is the art of forgiveness, the ability to enter into and partake of the opposite. When you see someone in despair can you represent him to yourself as he would like to be seen? And can you persuade yourself that what you see is real? To the degree that you are self-persuaded he will become that man. Then you will have conquered by forgiveness! You will have taken him out of one state and placed him in another."
Infinite states - Neville Goddard lecture - 1968
"“Whatever you desire, believe you have received it and you will.” Knowing what you want, assume you have it and let no one divert you. Do your father’s will, believing in the feeling of your wish fulfilled. Try it, for this simple principle will not fail you. But remember: you are its power, as it does not operate itself. I can tell you how to move into another state, but you must move into it. No one can do it for you. You see, states are permanent and it is up to you to get out of the state you are now in if it is undesirable to you."
"I urge you to dream nobly. Although your dream may seem impossible, invite it into your consciousness by feeling it is real. Wear this feeling as you would a suit of clothes, and persist until the feeling takes on the tones of reality. Do that, and in a way no one knows, your desire will appear as an eruption of your continuous thought.
Your desire started in motion when you wore it. Its appearance is simply a hidden continuity which came to the surface. Dwell upon a thought, and you will realize that it is not original. That the thought itself is complete and therefore every thought is Divine plagiarism!"
"Let me now tell you of a vision the lady had, who shared the dream of the screaming girl. One night as she was mentally reviewing her day, a long table appeared before her inner eye. A judge, robed in black and wearing a white wig, was sitting at one end holding a gavel. Looking directly at her, the judge raised his gavel, lowered it to the table and proclaimed: “The incurrent eyewitness.”
The word incurrent means giving passage to a current that flows inward, such as a sponge when placed in water. This lady has been conditioned by Divine Providence to receive spiritual communion. Whether she likes it or not she will be compelled to receive it, for she is already awake! She will bring back vision after vision paralleling scripture, for scripture only records finished history."
"“That night . . while reviewing my day . . I thought of these people, and wondered how anyone could give such love, devotion, sincerity, time, energy, and money, to what I called `reverent baloney.’
“Dwelling upon that thought, I fell asleep and dreamed I was in a very strange and barren land, with craters everywhere. Hundreds of people were walking down a long roadway, leaving behind a girl, who was possessed by a screaming voice. Curious there, as I am here, I wanted to see the girl. When I saw her pity poured forth from me. I sat beside her, put my arms around her to offer sympathy, when suddenly the voice began to scream from within me. Then the girl arose, and walked away completely cured as I awoke.”
My friend was shown how discriminating one must become. The moment you contemplate something you become the very thing you behold. Entertaining a state in sympathy, my friend entered it. That night her heavenly Father taught her a great lesson. That no matter how awake one may be in this world, no one is exempt from falling into a state."
"How do you occupy a state? By asking yourself how you would feel, what you would see, hear, touch, taste, and smell if your dream were real. Take time to set the stage. Being the star of your production, place yourself center stage, then allow a friend to enter and see you in your new state. Write the script . . the words he would say when he sees you. Feel his touch."
"Every fact is a dream made visible, so I invite you to live as though your dream were already a fact! I am convinced that every dream (desire) I have dared to live in the now has gradually and unnoticed blossomed into fact in my life."
"Step out of this garment and you will instantly step into another. Ninety per cent of those who leave are totally unaware of what has happened. Observing their passage, we think they have died, but they do not die to themselves. They do not even recognize the change, any more than you do when you are asleep. The moment you become aware that you are dreaming, you wake up. But if you do not awaken it is because you have passed through the gate we call death, to continue your dream.
In your night dream you take everything for granted . . until you begin to become aware that you are dreaming. If you find yourself waking, try to grab a solid object, like a post . . but not an animal, no matter how tame he appears to be. Hold the object and will yourself to wake up, and you will awaken in your dream to find yourself in a world which is just as real as this one."
"When this happens don’t get panicky, as you will come back. Instead, if you have any red blood in you investigate the world you find yourself in, and you will discover the people there are just as stupid, just as ambitious, and just as sound asleep as they are here. I have been shut out of this world many times, to return to find this body cataleptic for maybe twenty or twenty-five seconds before I could animate it again. If sometime I do not get back, the doctors will cut up the body to see why I died. They will come to some conclusion; but if they are honest with themselves, they will know that there was no physical reason for my death. I simply left and did not return."
"You can sit quietly and enter a glorious dream. If it’s shadowy, you are not in it. Persist until you enter it, and it will become the only reality. Live in the state of your fulfilled desire now, knowing that in a way unknown and unnoticed by you it will erupt to become an objective fact."
Live the answer - Neville Goddard lecture - 1968
"At times I discover that I take too much for granted. Just because I read scripture all day, I’m inclined to believe most people do . . and they don’t. Yesterday a doctor who has been coming here for quite a while came to see me, and I realized that I had not made myself clear; so tonight I shall try to make this a very practical lecture, yet you will find it profoundly spiritual.
In the 25th chapter of the Book of Matthew, you will read the words: “Come O blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Now, this entire chapter is made up of one parable after the other. It begins with the ten wise and foolish virgins. Then the story is told of the talents and their use or misuse, followed by this statement: “I was hungry and you gave me food, thirsty and you gave me drink. I was naked and you clothed me, a stranger and you received me. I was in prison and sick and you visited me.” Surprised that they are invited to inherit the kingdom prepared for them before the foundation of the world, they said to him: “When did we find you hungry and give you food, thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothed you? And when did we see you sick and imprisoned and visited you?” And he replied: “As you did it to the least of one of these, you did it unto me.”
"Now, just before I took the platform a couple came back to tell me that in a dream our friend Jan said to him: “I will not return anymore.” She hasn’t brought it back, but he did. In the depth, Jan told him she was not returning, and that means resurrection. In the 20th chapter of Luke, the question is asked: “Whose wife will she be in the resurrection?” and he answered: “You do not understand the scriptures. In this age they marry and are given in marriage, but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age neither marry nor are they given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore. They are sons of God being sons of resurrection.” In the depth of her soul she told that one who heard it and he brought it to the surface to share with his wife. So I saw: the inner man is awakening, therefore it does not matter what the outer world looks like or what it does. The outer man goes on forever, for he is a part of this age of death."
Well there he is basically admitting that those who partake in the resurrection or what I'll assume is the integration of primary components which "resurrects" or brings out what's already there then they become a son of God. Not the other way around as NG seems to say at times assuming we're all sons of God all the time, when that's simply a capacity or as the alchemist calls it an attainment.
"But as I said earlier, who would not give their right arm to serve Jesus Christ? Don’t you think that if our cardinal knew that Jesus was in the city, that he would want to entertain him? And he would put Jesus at the head of the table saying: “The Lord is here” yet he would pass by one in need! You don’t give money to those you see in need unless you want them to remain there, needing money. Instead give them riches in your imagination! My friend didn’t give the man one penny . . he inherited his wealth; but he did give his friend the gift of his talent, thereby multiplying it. He is among those called O blessed of my Father, come inherit the Kingdom of God. Why?
Because he gave of the one talent God gave him and fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, and clothed the naked. When his friend was financially in prison and sick at heart because of his limitation, he didn’t give him one nickel, but by exercising his God given talent, he multiplied it. This is what I am talking about. Use the talent that God gave you. Don’t bury it, afraid to test its power. Exercise each talent, and as you do, your five will make ten. If you can only use two, use them to the best of your ability and they will increase. Then you will be highly commended, for you are not called upon to share physically with others, but to use your imagination and see them as you would like to be seen, were you in their position. If you were in need, would you not appreciate someone imagining you are affluent? That’s what my friend did and that’s what I am asking you to do."
Come, O blessed - Neville Goddard lecture - 1967
"In this simple way God revealed his power to create, his power to remember when! Having nothing, you can become aware of being surrounded by wealth, and feeling wealthy you can say: ‘I remember when I had nothing.” Does that statement not imply that the state of poverty no longer exists for you? I remember when I was unknown. I remember when I couldn’t sell a book. I remember when I couldn’t sell anything I wrote. I remember when. Now you fill in the events, the desires and the fulfillments. I remember when. Do not those words imply memory?"
"In the first vision I heard of memory, but in the second vision I experienced it. As I stood on a vacant lot I remembered, and as I did a fabulous structure took form. And the dream was doubled, affirming that it was fixed, that the law was established by the Lord as told us in the 41st chapter of the Book of Genesis. I tell it to you now in the hope that you will put yourself in an I-remember-when mood and trust your memory, because memory is your own wonderful human imagination, the one and only creative power of God scripture calls Jesus Christ."
"Last night I visited many of my friends, not only those who are here but those such, as my brother, who have gone through that little gate the world calls death. You see, to me this world is no more real than the world I visited last night. My friends, although gone from this sphere, are having the same experiences they had while they were here: hating, liking, loving, disliking. They are the same people, only young, with the same problems they had here. This I know, for being fully aware that I have already died, I can close my eyes to this world and enter that world instantly. I spent my entire night in a world, which is not real to this one, yet so solid and real to those who inhabit it."
"May I urge you to always use your power in a loving way, for it can be used unlovingly with the same results. It is possible to take a business that belongs to another and tear it down. This is done many times unwittingly, but the effect is the same. A few years ago while in Barbados I asked my brother about the business and he replied quite innocently: ‘It is doing remarkably well. The man who owns two-thirds of it is a good manager, but his hours are long and I think he is getting tired.” Six months ago the man asked my brother to buy him out, stating that the hours were too long and the responsibility too great. My brother set that whole thing in motion, and because the man wanted out, my brother got the business at his price. Victor has done this many times before, but not from revelation unless my father told him. One day the two of them were standing on fifty acres of undeveloped land, which opened to the beach, when my father said: ‘You know Vic, this would be a good place to build homes and hotels.” The property was then owned by three sisters who were not interested in selling, but one day when they were ready to sell, the man who had really wanted the property was in Brazil so my father bought it."
"The thought expressed by my father seemed to be an idle one, but it wasn’t, for thought only takes a moment of intensity to be made alive. A kettle of water placed on a low flame is slow to boil, but when the flame is increased the boil is assured. I was so intense in my vision of being the grandfather, that I built a word picture so clear that those who heard it saw the building as something objective to them. The key is this: While in a state you no longer desire to express, you must move inwardly by claiming: ‘I remember when I was in a state I did not like.” If you can remember it you are no longer in it. Instead you are becoming aware of your new state as a present objective fact. And if you will remain faithful to your new awareness, it will crystallize. You will find yourself moving across a series of events which will lead you to the fulfillment of your desired state. How it will come about I do not know. I only know it will unfold."
"Start now to remember when your friend wasn’t well by imagining he is healthy. Remember when your daughter was single by imagining she is married. Go through life remembering when. Haven’t you heard people say: ‘Who does he think he is? I remember when he had nothing and was a nobody!” Now, you may have heard a little jealousy in their tone and that is good because envy adds fire to the statement, which causes the one spoken of to have more! He may never know who caused his success, but it was done by an act of remembrance with intensity."
"My vision . . although experienced many years ago . . was doubled, thereby affirmed and made a principle for all to prove, so I ask you to try it. Compare what you want with what you have. If they differ you must make the effort to move. You must learn the secret of motion. Many years ago my friend Bob discovered this. In his vision he questioned me, saying: ‘How long have I been here?” and when I replied: ‘Two years” he asked: ‘Did I learn anything?” to which I answered: ‘Yes, you learned how to move.”"
"Now, some of you are having physical and emotional problems. As I told a friend tonight, no one ever promised you that it was going to be easy to bring forth the greatest gift in the world, so don’t expect it. There will be problems, horrible problems; but be of good cheer, for we are told in the 16th chapter of John: ‘When a woman is in travail she suffers, but when the child is born she forgets everything because of the joy that the child is born.” You are destined to know such joy, for the child to be born in you is Christ Jesus, the creative power of God.
I am not promising you complete relief from all physical problems, but I have given you a law which will cushion the blows of life. Things are going to happen and you will find all kinds of challenges, but you now have a law which states: ‘Whatsoever you desire believe you have received it and you will.” That’s a law, which will never fail you and there is no limit to your power of belief. It’s entirely up to you as to how and when these revealed laws of God are used, but I do know that you are going to conceive and bring forth the greatest thing in this world which is the birth of God, the birth of joy, as Blake said in his poem, ‘The Mental Traveler”
‘I traveled thro’ a Land of Men A Land of Men and Women too And heard and saw such dreadful things As cold Earth wanderers never knew
For there the Babe is born in joy That was begotten in dire woe Just as we Reap in joy the fruit Which we in bitter tears did sow.’"
I remember when - Neville Goddard lecture - 1968
"The true knowledge of God is recorded in scripture, but told in a strange and wonderful manner. Jesus said: “Go and say unto them, I AM the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.” Here you discover that “I AM” is the root, the origin, the Father; yet “I AM” the offspring of David. In other words, “I AM” is the Father of David and David’s offspring. Then we read: “I will bring up out of you, O David, a son that will come forth from your body. I will be his father and he shall be my son. And then you will say: ‘I and my Father are one.” God the Father created the universe (his son), then buried himself there, that he may . . in the fullness of time . . draw himself out of humanity (which is David) to know himself to be the root and the offspring . . the grandfather and the grandson."
The true knowledge of God - Neville Goddard lecture - 1969