Neville Goddard on Mark 11:20

Executive Summary

Neville teaches that the story of the fig tree in Mark 11 is not about a literal, external tree. Instead, it is a psychological drama where the tree symbolizes your own consciousness. The act of seeing the tree withered from its roots represents a profound and deliberate change within your own being, specifically a rejection of any state of barrenness or waiting.

Key Concepts

• The fig tree is a symbol for your own consciousness, your I AMness.
• The story is not about destroying something external, but about transforming your inner state.
• A barren tree represents a consciousness of lack, emptiness, or the habit of waiting for a future good.
• To see the tree "dried up from the roots" is to fundamentally alter your consciousness, refusing to accept suggestions of limitation or delay.

Detailed Explanation

In his interpretation of Mark 11:20, Neville Goddard explains that the story of the fig tree is entirely symbolic. The tree that is seen "dried up from the roots" is not a physical tree in the world but is a metaphor for one's own consciousness.

He identifies this inner tree with the core of your being: your "I AMness." This consciousness is the great vine or tree of your life. When this tree is barren, it signifies a state of mind conditioned by habit to expect emptiness or lack. It is the consciousness that suggests one must wait, perhaps for months, before a desire can be fulfilled and one can "feast."

The act of cursing the tree, causing it to wither, is a psychological action. It represents the decision to no longer accept a state of barrenness. It is a refusal to wait for a future time to experience fulfillment. By changing your consciousness from its very roots, you are destroying the old state of lack and replacing it with the assumption of the wish fulfilled.

Important Quotes

What tree am I blasting? Not a tree on the outside. It is my own consciousness.

— Remain Faithful To Your Idea

My consciousness, my I AMness is the great tree, and habit once more suggests emptiness, it suggests barrenness, it suggests four months before I can feast.

— How To Manifest Your Desires

Related Concepts

This interpretation is fundamentally about the power of Consciousness and I AM. Neville teaches that your consciousness is the only reality, and your sense of self, or I AMness, is the great tree upon which all states (or 'fruits') grow. The story illustrates that you have the power to change your state of consciousness directly, rather than waiting for external conditions to change. It is a direct application of altering your state of being from one of lack to one of fulfillment.

Common Misunderstandings

The primary misunderstanding is to interpret the story literally, as an act of destroying a physical tree. The source material explicitly corrects this by stating, "Not a tree on the outside. It is my own consciousness." The teaching is not about external power over nature, but about the internal power to change one's own state of being.

Practical Applications

To apply this teaching, you must first identify the 'barren fig tree' within your own consciousness. This is any habitual state of mind that suggests lack, emptiness, or delay in the fulfillment of your desire. The application is to consciously refuse to entertain this state any longer. You 'blast' this tree by changing your consciousness from its root, ceasing to believe in the reality of the problem or the necessity of waiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

According to Neville, what does the fig tree in Mark 11:20 represent?

The fig tree represents your own consciousness, your 'I AMness'.

What does it mean to see the tree 'dried up from the roots'?

It symbolizes a fundamental change in your own consciousness, where you reject and destroy a habitual state of emptiness, lack, or waiting.

Is the story about a literal, physical tree?

No. The source material is clear that it is not an external tree, but a symbol for one's own inner state of being.