Neville Goddard's Mystical Teachings and Their Lasting Impact

Summary

Sources

en.wikipedia.orgb3wonder.com

Born on the nineteenth of February in the year nineteen hundred and five, Neville Lancelot Goddard emerged into the world in Fontabelle, Saint Michael, Barbados. His parents, Joseph Nathaniel and Wilhelmina Goddard, welcomed him as the fourth child in a family that would grow to include ten siblings. Among them was his brother, John Goddard, who would find his own fame as a cricketer and businessman. At the tender age of seventeen, Goddard left the shores of his native Barbados, setting sail for the bustling metropolis of New York City in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-two. It was in this city of dreams where he would begin to etch his path, first treading the boards as a dancer at the New York City Hippodrome in nineteen hundred and twenty-five. Yet, the rhythm of Goddard's life would sway to a different beat when he crossed paths with an Ethiopian rabbi by the name of Abdullah in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-nine. This meeting marked the beginning of a transformative seven-year mentorship during which Goddard was introduced to the mystical traditions of Kabbalah and the intricacies of the Hebrew language. The impact of Abdullah's teachings was profound, leaving an indelible mark on Goddard's spiritual journey. Notably, Joseph Murphy, another luminary in the world of New Thought, would also recognize Abdullah as a pivotal guide in his own development. In the year nineteen hundred and forty-two, Goddard's life took a brief but significant detour when, at the age of thirty-seven, he was drafted into the United States Army and stationed in Camp Polk, Louisiana. Assigned to the Eleventh Armored Division, his military service was short-lived, lasting only nine months before he received an honorable discharge from Colonel Theodore Bilbough Junior. It was following this juncture, and his subsequent naturalization as a United States citizen, that Goddard's spiritual teachings began to crystallize, marking the inception of his career as a lecturer on the metaphysical powers of imagination and the law of assumption. Goddard's initial foray into the world of metaphysics was sparked by an encounter with a Scotsman named Arthur Begbie while touring England with his dance company. Begbie introduced him to psychical research and the enigmatic realm of spiritualistic seances. Upon his return to New York, Goddard delved further into his spiritual exploration, aligning himself with a Rosicrucian group. By February of nineteen hundred and thirty-eight, Goddard had embarked on a journey of public speaking, addressing eager listeners at the Old Actor’s Church in New York. His travels would eventually lead him to Los Angeles, where he made his home in nineteen hundred and fifty-two. Throughout the early nineteen fifties, Goddard shared his insights from the stage of The Town Hall and even ventured into the realm of television. His eloquent oratory garnered attention, drawing audiences upward of three hundred thousand viewers weekly. Despite the success, his television series faced cancellation due to a lack of compatible advertisers. Goddard's legacy, however, transcends the constraints of television studios and the temporal bounds of his physical life. Influential figures such as Frederick Eikerenkoetter, more commonly known as Reverend Ike, along with teachers and authors like Rhonda Byrne and Wayne Dyer, have all cited Goddard as an instrumental influence in their work. Margaret Runyan Castaneda, once married to Carlos Castaneda, found Goddard's teachings compelling enough to introduce them to her husband. Goddard's personal life was marked by significant relationships, including his marriage to Mildred Mary Hughes in nineteen hundred and twenty-three, with whom he had a son, Joseph Neville Goddard. Following the end of his first marriage, Goddard found love again with Catherine Willa Van Schmus, tying the knot in nineteen hundred and forty-two. The couple welcomed a daughter named Victoria in June of nineteen hundred and forty-two. As the chapter of his life came to a close, Goddard passed away on the first of October in nineteen hundred and seventy-two, at the age of sixty-seven. His departure from this world was due to an esophageal rupture, a condition that has since been linked to complications from alcohol-related liver damage. Goddard's death, initially misattributed to a heart attack, was clarified by historian Mitch Horowitz in the year two thousand and twenty-two. The works of Neville Goddard, such as "At Your Command," "Your Faith Is Your Fortune," and "Feeling Is the Secret," remain as testaments to his profound understanding of the human psyche and the spiritual world. His philosophical offerings, including the Law of Assumption and the bold declaration that "everyone is God," continue to resonate with individuals seeking to harness the creative force of their own imagination. As an inspirational guide to countless individuals, Goddard's teachings underscore the significance of our inner world in shaping our external reality. His assertion that our assumptions and beliefs directly influence the manifestation of our desires offers a compelling invitation to reflect on the power of our own consciousness. It is this recognition of the divine potential within each person that stands as the cornerstone of Neville Goddard's enduring impact on the spiritual landscape.