Awakened Imagination

Neville Goddard| Summary | The gateway to reality

The book "Awakened Imagination," by Neville Goddard, is a spiritual guide focusing on the power of the human imagination. It emphasizes the concept that imagination is the gateway to reality, Christ, and God. Goddard argues that by consciously controlling our imagination, we can shape our lives and create the world we desire. The book provides a framework for achieving this through practices like revision, inner speech, and the belief that all things are possible through our imagination. The text encourages readers to embrace the idea that the Kingdom of Heaven is within, and that by aligning our inner world with our ideal, we can achieve a state of being that is free from limitations and filled with abundance.

Main Themes

1. Human Imagination as Christ: Goddard equates human imagination with the figure of Christ Jesus, arguing it holds the power of creation, redemption, and the realization of desires. He states, "I identify the central figure of the Gospels with human imagination, the power which makes the forgiveness of sins, the achievement of our goals, inevitable."

2. Primacy of Inner Reality: The book emphasizes the supremacy of the inner world over the outer. Our states of consciousness, shaped by imagination, dictate our experiences in the external world. "The world is a revelation of the states with which imagination is fused."

3. Thinking From the End: Goddard advocates for "thinking from the end," meaning vividly imagining and feeling the desired outcome as already achieved. This, he argues, aligns our inner reality with our goals, attracting the desired circumstances into our lives. "Thinking from the end is an intense perception of the world of fulfilled desire."

4. Revision and Forgiveness: The practice of mentally revising past events to align with desired outcomes is presented as a key technique. This "revision" is linked to forgiveness, which Goddard sees as essential for personal transformation. "Forgiveness is, in fact, experiencing in imagination the revised version of the day, experiencing in imagination what you wish you had experienced in the flesh."

5. Power of Inner Speech: Goddard highlights the importance of controlling our inner dialogue, as it reveals and shapes our beliefs and state of being. He urges readers to cultivate positive and constructive inner speech aligned with their desires. "Inner talking is the beginning, the sowing of the seeds of future action."

Important Ideas and Facts

Imagination Creates Reality: The book underscores the creative power of imagination, claiming that persistent and vivid imagining leads to the materialization of desires. "Experience has convinced me that an assumption, though false, if persisted in will harden into fact."

States of Consciousness: Different states of consciousness, determined by our beliefs and acceptance of ideas, shape how we perceive and experience the world. Changing our state by shifting our focus and beliefs can alter our reality. "No idea presented to the mind can realize itself unless the mind accepts it."

Inner Movement as Catalyst: Goddard advocates for initiating mental actions, such as visualizing oneself performing desired actions, as a catalyst for attracting corresponding outer changes. "The movement of every visible object is caused not by things outside the body but by things within it which operate from within outward."

Duality within Man: The text explores the duality of human nature, the "natural man" focused on sensory experience and the "spiritual man" guided by imagination. Awakening to the imaginative life involves recognizing and cultivating the "spiritual man" within. "Man begins to awake to the imaginative life the moment he feels the presence of another being in himself."

Key Quotes

• "Imagination is the very gateway of reality."
• "The world is a revelation of the states with which imagination is fused."
• "Construct all ends according to the pattern of fulfilled desire."
• "Thinking from the end is creative living."
• "Put off the former conversation, the old man, who is corrupt . . . and be renewed in the spirit of your mind . . . put on the new man, who is created in righteousness."
• "Inner talking matures in the dark. From the dark it issues into the light."
• "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you."
• "The creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God."
• "He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of God's eye."

Overall 

"Awakened Imagination" presents a mystical and empowering perspective on the nature of reality and the transformative power of human imagination. It urges readers to cultivate a deep awareness of their inner world, harness the creative force of their imagination, and take responsibility for shaping their own experiences.

Glossary of Key Terms

Imagination: The central creative force within each individual, equated with Christ Jesus, capable of shaping reality.

States: The totality of beliefs and accepted truths that an individual holds, shaping their experience of the world.

Thinking from the end: A mental technique where one vividly imagines and feels the desired outcome as if it has already occurred.

Revision: The practice of reliving past events in imagination, correcting mistakes and revising outcomes to align with desired experiences.

Inner Speech: The mental conversations and self-talk that occur within an individual, often unconsciously, but powerful in shaping reality.

Spending: Wasting mental energy on negative thoughts, fears, and worries, leading to undesirable outcomes.

Investing: Consciously directing mental energy towards positive affirmations, visualization, and belief in desired outcomes, leading to manifestation.

Mystical Death: The conscious act of detaching from an undesirable state of consciousness and embracing a new, desired state.

Los's Sculptures: Pre-existing possibilities and potentialities within the inner world waiting to be activated by human imagination.

Apple of God's Eye: The symbol of the sacredness and power of individual consciousness, capable of manifesting desires.