In a world obsessed with doing, Neville Goddard reminds us of the power of being.
Of imagining, feeling, becoming—within. The Art of Meditation, as he teaches it, is not an escape, but a discipline of the soul.
What Is Meditation, Really?
Neville Goddard begins his 1951 radio talk with a challenge: many say they cannot meditate. But that, he argues, is like saying you can’t play the piano after one try. Like music, The Art of Meditation is a learned discipline, a daily practice. And when approached with joy, it becomes an art that transforms both imagination and will.
If you wait until you’re in crisis to meditate, it’s like only practicing piano the night before a concert. The real power lies in consistency.
“Meditation is the education of the will, for when will and imagination are in conflict, imagination invariably wins.” — Neville Goddard
Controlled Imagination + Sustained Attention = Meditation
Meditation, according to Neville, is simple:
“All that meditation amounts to is a controlled imagination and a well sustained attention.”
It’s not about effort. It’s about focus. Fix your attention on the idea you wish to realize. Let it crowd out all other thoughts. Should your attention drift (and it will), bring it back—gently, repeatedly, faithfully.
The magic lies in your attention. If it wanders, guide it back again and again until your mind becomes quiet, and your chosen vision begins to take shape.
The Path Within: A Daily Appointment With the Soul
Neville compares the practice of The Art of Meditation to meeting a lover. Not out of duty, but delight:
“He will set out day after day for the hour of meditation as if to keep an appointment with a lover.”
This inner discipline is not easy. Distractions will come—beautiful faces, fears, regrets. But if you persist, the fog lifts. You begin to walk a path within, one lit not by logic, but by inner light.
“A controlled imagination and steadied attention… is the beginning of all magical operations.”
Meditation Is the Gateway to Becoming
Neville insists that true knowing happens through being, not thinking. We can know love only by becoming loving. We can know God only by becoming God-like. And we access this transformation through meditation.
“We must be the thing itself and not merely talk about it or look at it.”
You become what you imagine. Not by might or power, but by stillness and spirit.
A State Between Wakefulness and Sleep
Meditation, like prayer, begins with entering “your closet”—that inner quiet. Neville describes this meditative state as something between waking and sleeping. Keats called it “a drowsy numbness.”
“The mind in meditation is in a state of relaxation akin to the feeling attained just before dropping off to sleep.”
In this state, your subconscious becomes most receptive. The tide of imagination rises, and you plant the seed of your desire—not through force, but by feeling.
Meditation Is Not Passive
It’s not about emptying your mind—it’s about filling it with the right vision. Not about hoping—but about assuming. Assuming the feeling of your wish fulfilled. Neville puts it beautifully:
“Call your high ideal into being by imagining and feeling you are it now.”
It’s not fantasy—it’s faith in action. Not escape—but conscious creation.
🛋️ Real Life Tip: Build a Comfortable Meditation Setup
Creating a peaceful corner for meditation enhances the experience. Here are some Amazon finds to make your practice even more inviting:
- Floor Meditation Cushion Set – Soft, supportive, and beautifully made
- Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser – Add a touch of lavender or sandalwood
- Soft Ambient Meditation Lamp – Gentle lighting for your sacred space
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🧘♀️ FAQs – The Art of Meditation (Neville Goddard)
Q: What does Neville Goddard mean by “controlled imagination”?
A: It’s the ability to focus your mind deliberately on what you wish to experience — holding that vision until it feels real. For Neville, imagination is the creative force behind everything we manifest.
Q: How is Neville’s meditation different from traditional mindfulness?
A: Traditional meditation often emphasizes clearing the mind. Neville’s approach focuses on filling the mind — imagining your desired reality with feeling and attention until it becomes natural.
Q: How long should I meditate this way each day?
A: Neville suggested a short, daily practice done with sincerity and joy — even 10–15 minutes of vivid inner focus can transform your mindset over time.
Q: What’s the best time to meditate according to Neville?
A: Just before sleep, or when you’re deeply relaxed — the state between wakefulness and sleep is when your imagination most powerfully impresses the subconscious.
Q: Can this practice really change my outer world?
A: Yes. Neville taught that imagination creates reality. As your inner state changes, your external life aligns with it — not by struggle, but by natural correspondence.
Final Thoughts: A Center of Light
“Through meditation, we awaken within ourselves a center of light, which will be to us a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.”
Meditation is not about withdrawing from life. It’s about becoming more alive. It sharpens attention, strengthens imagination, and awakens your inner creative power. It is the sacred act of choosing your reality—again and again—until the world without reflects the truth you’ve accepted within.
Practice daily. Not because it’s easy—but because it’s powerful.
That is the art of meditation.
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Prefer watch than reading? Here is the video of the same content:
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