Neville Lancelot Goddard

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Neville Lancelot Goddard
Goddard c. 1939
Goddard c. 1939
Born(1905-02-19)February 19, 1905
Barbados, British West Indies
DiedOctober 1, 1972(1972-10-01) (aged 67)
West Hollywood, California, US
Resting placeSaint Michael, Barbados
SubjectSelf-help, Bible exegesis

Neville Lancelot Goddard (February 19, 1905 – October 1, 1972), generally known as Neville Goddard,[1] was a Barbadian New Thought author and mystic who wrote on the Bible, esotericism and is considered to be one of the pioneers of the law of assumption.

Early life

Goddard was born in Barbados on February 19, 1905, to Joseph Nathaniel and Wilhelmina Goddard. He immigrated to New York City c. 1922, where he initially worked as a ballet and ballroom dancer.[2][3]

In 1931, he began to study under an Ethiopian rabbi named Abdullah, who introduced him to Kabbalah.[2] He was not naturalized until around the time of World War II, when he served in the United States Army.[3]

Career

He was a dancer and to some extent, actor. He states in Consciousness is the Only Reality: "For ten years I was a dancer, dancing in Broadway shows, in vaudeville, night clubs, and in Europe." In early 1950s, Goddard lectured at The Town Hall on religious topics.[3] In 1954, he was reportedly planning a "metaphysical telefilm show", though it is unclear if the project came to fruition.[4]

Views

Goddard viewed the Bible as a parable of the human psyche as opposed to a record of historical events and it has to be interpreted as guidebook to enlightenment and personal power. Therefore, Goddard did not believe in an external God who answers prayers, but rather that "[y]ou are the creator".[5]

Neville's thought is often considered to be akin to solipsism, nondualism and Advaita Vedanta, especially considering that he stated different times that "everyone is yourself pushed out", alluding at the fact that only God exists and everything else is an extension of said God. Goddard thought that through this "truth", people could create their own reality by assuming the "feeling of the wish fulfilled", hence, the term "law of assumption".

The author also believed that death is an illusion and thought that, once "dead", people would be "restored" in the same life they lived again, in a similar way to the Nietzschean version of the concept of the eternal return, until they experienced enlightenment and became one with God, a concept that he referred to as "God's Promise".

Legacy

Jonathan L. Walton argues that Frederick Eikerenkoetter, in particular, adopted theories on people's ability to change their situation through "feeling" that are rooted in Goddard's ideas.[6] Rhonda Byrne and Wayne Dyer have noted that Goddard shaped their views.[1] Margaret Runyan Castaneda, ex-wife and later biographer of Carlos Castaneda, was interested in Goddard's work and introduced Carlos to Goddard's ideas.[7][8]

Goddard was influenced by writer William Blake and early self-help theorists Émile Coué and Thomson Jay Hudson.[9]

Death

Goddard died on October 1, 1972, aged 67, from a brain aneurism. He had been a resident of Los Angeles for roughly 20 years.[10]

He is buried in Westbury Cemetery, Saint Michael, Barbados.[11]

Works

  • At Your Command (1939)[12]
  • Your Faith Is Your Fortune (1941)[13]
  • Freedom for All—A Practical Application of the Bible (1942)[14]
  • Feeling Is the Secret (1944)[15]
  • Prayer—The Art of Believing (1946)[16]
  • Out of This World (1949)[17]
  • The Creative Use of Imagination (1952)[18]
  • The Power of Awareness (1952)[5]
  • Awakened Imagination (1954)[19]
  • Seedtime and Harvest (1956)[20]
  • I Know My Father (1960)[21]
  • The Law and the Promise (1961)[22]

References

  1. ^ a b Horowitz 2019, p. 198.
  2. ^ a b Walton 2011, p. 186.
  3. ^ a b c Beronius, George L. (July 7, 1951). "Neville Goddard; Religious Topics Author-Speaker". Los Angeles Times. p. A2. ProQuest 166277786.
  4. ^ "Neville Plans Series". The Hollywood Reporter. 130 (30): 4. July 30, 1954. ProQuest 2338193103.
  5. ^ a b Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1952). The Power of Awareness. New York City: G. & J. Publishing Co.
  6. ^ Walton 2011, p. 188.
  7. ^ Woo, Elaine (January 30, 2012). "Margaret Runyan Castaneda dies at 90; ex-wife of mystic author". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  8. ^ Ewen, Alexander; Wollock, Jeffrey, eds. (2015). "Castañeda, Carlos". Encyclopedia of the American Indian in the Twentieth Century. New York: Infobase Publishing. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-78785-270-9. OCLC 1108099625.
  9. ^ Horowitz 2019, pp. 200–201.
  10. ^ "Neville Goddard; Religious Topics Author-Speaker". Los Angeles Times. November 4, 1972. p. C3. ProQuest 157086265.
  11. ^ "Neville Lancelot Goddard (1905–1972)". Find a Grave. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  12. ^ Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1939). At Your Command. New York City: Goddard Publications.
  13. ^ Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1941). Your Faith Is Your Fortune. New York City: Goddard Publications.
  14. ^ Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1942). Freedom for All—A Practical Application of the Bible. New York City: Goddard Publications.
  15. ^ Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1944). Feeling Is the Secret. New York City: Goddard Publications.
  16. ^ Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1945). Prayer—The Art of Believing. New York City: Goddard Publications.
  17. ^ Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1949). Out of This World. New York City: Goddard Publications.
  18. ^ Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1952). The Creative Use of Imagination. New York City: Goddard Publications.
  19. ^ Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1954). Awakened Imagination. New York City: G. & J. Publishing Co.
  20. ^ Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1956). Seedtime and Harvest. New York City: G. & J. Publishing Co.
  21. ^ Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1960). I Know My Father. New York City: G. & J. Publishing Co.
  22. ^ Goddard, Neville Lancelot (1961). The Law and the Promise. New York City: G. & J. Publishing Co.

Sources

Further reading

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