Neville Goddard Word Study: Inner Conversation

Executive Summary

Neville Goddard teaches that inner conversation, or inner speech, is the fundamental creative power that shapes our lives. He asserts that the entire external world is simply our collective inner speech made solid, or "frozen." By observing our habitual inner talking, we can discover the state of consciousness we occupy and understand why our life is as it is. More importantly, by consciously controlling and directing our inner conversations to align with our fulfilled desires, we can actively create a new reality.

Key Concepts

• The outer world is "frozen" inner speech; it is a direct reflection of our internal dialogue.
• God perceives the inner man and hears the inner conversation, not necessarily the outer words.
• Observing your inner speech reveals the state of consciousness you currently occupy.
• Your inner conversations lay down the tracks that your life's energy flows upon, creating its pattern.
• You can determine your future by consciously controlling and directing your inner talking.
• The technique involves carrying on conversations from the premise of your wish already being fulfilled.

Detailed Explanation

According to Neville, inner conversation is the continuous, often unnoticed, internal dialogue we have with ourselves at every moment. This inner speech is what God truly hears, not our outward expressions, which may not conform to what we are really thinking. Neville asserts that this inner activity is the fundamental creative substance of reality; the entire vast world is simply our collective inner speech made solid or "frozen."

This principle serves as both a diagnostic and a creative tool. By uncritically listening to what we are saying inwardly, we can discover the "state" we are in. Our inner conversations reveal the assumptions and beliefs that are shaping our life, explaining why things are as they are. If a person were to monitor these conversations throughout the day, they would know precisely what kind of world they are creating for themselves.

Because inner speech creates reality, it is the primary means for changing it. To alter the conditions and circumstances of your life, you must first change your inner conversations, for speech mirrors your mind. This is described as the "greatest of the arts." The method involves consciously constructing and participating in an inner dialogue that implies your desire is already a fact. You must then remain faithful to this new conversation, carrying it on from the premise of the wish fulfilled until the outer world conforms to it.

Important Quotes

It’s the inner speech that is frozen in the world round about us. This whole vast world is but “frozen” inner speech.

— Control Your Inner Conversations

This energy, I call it now mind, follows the tracks laid down in a man's own inner talking.

— The Coin Of Heaven

...we can determine where we will go by controlling and directing our inner talking.

— Seedtime And Harvest

If man would listen to what he is inwardly saying, he would know what he is setting in motion.

— The Only Christianity

Related Concepts

• States: Inner speech is the direct expression of the state of consciousness you are occupying. By listening to your inner conversations, you can identify your current state, which is always "singing its own song" within you.
• Imagination: Inner conversations are a function of imagination. One controls inner speech by using imagination to construct conversations from a desired premise, such as imagining a friend confirming your success or reading imaginary letters that state your goal has been reached.
• Desire: The practical application of this teaching is to formulate inner conversations based on the premise that your desire has been fulfilled. You carry on an inner dialogue from the point of view of your dream already being a fact.
• Consciousness/God: Inner speech mirrors the mind, which in turn mirrors God. It is the inner man and the true content of one's inner speech that God perceives, not the outer performance.

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: Outer words and actions are what matter most.
• Correction: The source material emphasizes that God sees the "inner Man" and that reality is formed by inner speech, not necessarily the words spoken aloud. What you are saying inwardly can be completely different from your outer expression, and it is the inner reality that creates.
• Misunderstanding: Creating your reality is a passive or confusing process.
• Correction: The source presents inner conversation as a deliberate and controllable technique. It is an active process of fashioning your world through speech and mind, which can be done consciously rather than in a state of "sleep" or confusion.

Practical Applications

• Stop periodically throughout the day and ask, "What am I inwardly saying right now?" to become aware of the conversations creating your reality.
• To change a situation, define your goal and construct an inner conversation from the premise that it is already accomplished. For example, imagine a friend congratulating you or confirming your success.
• Persist in this new inner dialogue. You must remain faithful to the conversation that implies the fulfillment of your dream.
• In your imagination, construct and experience evidence that supports your fulfilled desire, such as reading imaginary letters that confirm your goal has been reached.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Neville mean by 'inner conversation'?

He means the constant stream of inner speech or talking that occurs within your mind. He teaches that this internal dialogue is the creative substance that forms the conditions and circumstances of your life.

How does inner conversation create my reality?

According to Neville, your inner talking lays down the 'tracks' which your life follows. The world you experience is your inner speech made visible, or 'frozen' into fact.

How can I use this teaching to change my life?

You must first become aware of your current inner conversations and then consciously change them to match what you would be saying if your desire were already fulfilled. By remaining faithful to this new inner dialogue, you change the outer world.