Neville Goddard on the Law of Assumption: A Neville Goddard Study Guide

Executive Summary

This study path is designed for students focused on Neville Goddard's central teaching: the Law of Assumption. The core principle is that the phenomena of life are the result of an individual's state of consciousness. To change your world, you must first change your concept of yourself. This is achieved by assuming, in imagination, that you are already the person you want to be and that your desire is an accomplished fact. This inner, imaginal change is the sole cause of outer change; your awareness of being, or "I AM," is the power that objectifies your assumptions into reality.

Key Concepts

• Consciousness is the Only Reality: The explanation for all life's phenomena is found in the individual's state of consciousness. Your concept of yourself determines your world.
• Imagination Creates Events: All outer change must be preceded by an imaginal change. The act of imagining creates the events and circumstances of your life.
• Assumption Hardens Into Fact: To change your circumstances, you must assume the feeling of your wish fulfilled. If you persist in this assumption, it will harden into fact.
• The Power of "I AM": Your unconditioned awareness of being, which Neville calls "I AM," is the only reality and the creative power. This power fashions itself in the likeness of your conception of yourself.
• Freedom from External Causes: By understanding that your own mind is the only cause, you are freed from the belief that external people or circumstances can affect your life.

Detailed Explanation

The foundation of this teaching is that consciousness is the one and only reality. The circumstances of your life are not caused by external events, but are a direct manifestation of your own state of consciousness. If your concept of yourself were different, everything in your world would be different. Therefore, to change your life, you must begin by changing your concept of yourself.

The mechanism for this change is the creative use of imagination. An outer change can only occur after there has been an inner, imaginal change. The technique is to assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled. This means you must experience in your imagination what you would experience in the flesh if your goal were already realized. This is not wishful thinking for a future event, but a psychological drama where you accept your desire as a present fact.

This act of assumption is a union with the desired state. The creative power that makes this possible is your own awareness of being—the "I AM." This unconditioned consciousness is the only reality and is what Neville identifies as God. It is this power that fashions itself in the likeness of whatever you assume yourself to be. By affirming "I am strong" or "I am wealthy," you admit that state into your consciousness. If you persist in this assumption, deafening your ears and blinding your eyes to all that denies it, your assumption will inevitably harden into fact.

Important Quotes

you really want in this world, then experience in imagination what you would experience in the flesh were you to realize your goal, and then deafen your ears, and blind your eyes to all that denies the reality of your assumption.”

— How To Manifest Your Desires

There can be no outer change until there is first an imaginal change. Everything you do, unaccompanied by an imaginal change, is but futile readjustment of surfaces.

— The Law And The Promise

Let the weak man say, ‘I am strong’.” Don’t wait until you become strong before saying this. If you feel weak in any sense, affirm “I am strong,” and if you persist in that assumption it will harden into fact.

— The Creative Use Of Imagination

The drama of life is a psychological one which we bring to pass by our attitudes rather than by our acts.

— Radio Lectures

Related Concepts

• States: The Law of Assumption is the method for consciously choosing and entering a desired state. A state is a specific concept of self, such as being rich or poor, strong or weak. By assuming you are already in the desired state, you occupy it, and it becomes your reality.
• The Wish Fulfilled: This is the core technique for applying the Law of Assumption. It means to feel and experience in imagination that your desire is an accomplished fact, rather than something you hope for. You rise to a higher level of consciousness by assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled.

Common Misunderstandings

• Action Creates Results: A common misunderstanding is that physical acts are the primary cause of change. Neville teaches that the drama of life is psychological and that actions unaccompanied by a change in imagination are merely a "futile readjustment of surfaces."
• God is an External Power: Neville corrects the belief in a God separate from oneself. He identifies your own awareness of being—your "I AM"—as God, the one and only creative power that fashions reality according to your conception of yourself.

Practical Applications

• To change any condition, you must first rise to a higher level of consciousness by affirming that you are already what you want to be.
• Decide what you want to experience, then enter a state of imagination where you feel what you would feel if it were already true.
• Persist in this assumption. You must ignore the evidence of your senses and all that denies the reality of your assumption.
• Use affirmations to claim your desired state. For example, if you feel weak, you should affirm, "I am strong." Persisting in this assumption will make it a fact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to take physical action to make my desire happen?

According to the source material, life is a psychological drama brought to pass by your attitudes, not your acts. Any action taken without a corresponding imaginal change is described as a 'futile readjustment of surfaces'.

What if my current reality contradicts my assumption?

You are instructed to 'deafen your ears, and blind your eyes to all that denies the reality of your assumption.' The key is to persist in the inner feeling of the wish fulfilled until it becomes your outer reality.

What is the creative power that makes assumptions real?

The creative power is your own unconditioned consciousness, your awareness of being, which is identified as 'I AM' or God. This awareness fashions itself in the likeness of your conception of yourself.