goddard - law of assumption lecture notes :
“tonight will be on the law. i think you will find it a very practical evening.”
some notes i took on a lecture straight from the source himself! this is lengthy but worth reading if you want to learn more about loa directly from Neville Goddard, the man who widely taught and coined the term.
please keep in mind that you do not have to read this entire post to shift. in the end, it all boils down to one point -
*what you believe wholeheartedly, without question, is what your reality becomes.*
that is all you need to know in order to shift.
this lecture is just an expansion on the idea for those who want to learn more about the details of the Law of Assumption. i’m posting this because i find the study of the loa fascinating, and i think these quotes and takes from Goddard are worth sharing with the community and shifters like me who appreciate an academic breakdown of these concepts.
i’ve tried my best to simplify the language i use to make this easier to digest. it’s a lot of info that i think is all important, but i’ve highlighted the key takeaways if you’re in a tldr mood :))
this lecture directly challenges Christianity. if you are a Christian, these ideas may seem like they go against your belief system. however, it is important to understand that by the nature of the Law of Assumption, if you believe in God, God exists.
the point is that you have the God-like ability to decide and therefore create objective reality through your beliefs, and if that is in Christianity, that is your decision (the same is true for those who practice Buddhism, Hinduism, atheism, agnosticism, general spirituality, etc.)
it is also important to remember that shifting does not go against any religion, and that the ideas surrounding reality shifting are prominent within certain religions.
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✦ you have the power of a god :
answering the question of “the cause of the phenomenon of life.”
uses Christianity as a reference / comparison point
- likely due to the fact that the audience he was speaking to was predominantly Christian, as the lecture took place in America around the 1950’s in which Protestant Christianity was the most prominent religion at the time, practiced by nearly half of all Americans
- provides various lines of scripture from the Bible and breaks down religious language as evidence to his claims (i’m not going to type out every quote, it’s all spoken in the linked video)
asks who is the "one God" that scripture speaks of?
- when a Christian is posed with this question, the answer from them would have to do with someone/thing that is external to themself
when posed with the question of who imagination is tied to, the answer has to do with the internal self
- “. . .if i spoke of your imagination, i am certain you will think of no one but yourself. could it be that your imagination is the God of scripture?”
- cites a particular scripture from the Bible as proof, “‘. . .That I, even I, am He. . .I kill, I make alive. I wound, I heal. And there is none that can deliver out of my hand.’”
references accessing the mental plane (4d) to manifest desires
- “Shut your eyes, close your senses completely, and you can reproduce it [your desires] in fancy.”
so, through these points, Goddard is basically stating that you are God. i recognize the magnitude of that statement, it’s lot to take in haha-
- but it makes sense! especially in regard to the Law of Assumption. we are the creators of our reality, the “gods” that decide how things go through what we assume about ourselves and the world.
- Goddard is very adamant on the idea that you are God, but for those who believe in a higher power, it would make more sense to believe that you are God-like; the concept can change slightly depending on religious beliefs
- ultimately, Goddard is making us realize just how much power we wield as shifters / followers of the loa, it is akin to that of a god’s.
✦ your imagination is your reality :
the (mental, 4d) image proceeds the objective fact (the physical, 3d)
- “. . .objective reality is purely produced through imagining. . .It is all within us. Our own wonderful human imaginations. . .”
the individual is the cause of the phenomenon of their own life, and possibly the lives of others around them
- “You could be, if you are vivid in your imagination, the influence in the imaginations of unnumbered people. . .If they are passive, they fall under your influence. . .those who are not in control of their imagination. . .simply sway from side to side as you in control move them.”
this take reminds me of how anything, from how false narratives created by the media to cult leaders, can literally construct new realities for people who trust in their words. people who are not willing to question the sources they get their information from live in a distorted reality created by a person who tells them what to perceive and believe in.
- Goddard goes on to reference dictators as an example of this, “If you can’t do it, and some dictators have tried to do it, they’ll bring in their propaganda machines, and then they try to force Man into a certain shell, into a certain state. And quite often they succeed, up to a point. But you, without the aid of any machine in this world, you can change the structure of your world by the control of your own wonderful human imagination.”
once again, this is a loaded and frankly frightening realization, but it all leads back to the fact that we have access to a power that is incredibly far-reaching and influential. our ability is limitless.
✦ how to use this ability :
Goddard explains how “reason” (the 3d) can initially interfere with one’s assumptions and becoming aware of a desired reality. but as long as one is persistent in their belief, the 3d will change into objective reality.
- “You can sit down in this very moment and begin to dream the most glorious dream in the world, concerning yourself. At the moment of the dream, reason denies it, your senses deny it. But if you dare to assume that assumption. . .and persist in that assumption, it will harden into fact.”
defines the Law of Assumption as: If I dare to believe that what I have said will come to pass, and not question it. . .it will come to pass.
- “. . .if you really believe it, you can start now—this night—and change the world in which you live. . .What would it be like if it were true? If I am now the man I would like to be, or the woman I’d like to be?”
brings up the importance of once again ignoring the 3d until you have reached your desired reality.
- “‘I resolve to be…’ and you name it. Not based upon the evidence of your senses, or what reason dictates, but a wish on your part.”
- references Shakespeare quote: “. . .he which is one who wished, until he were. . .I am the man I wanted to be, it began as a wish."
- “Your imaginal activity is actually producing objective reality.”
Goddard literally explains that shifting to a different locational desired reality is possible with the following quote:
- “Man must be wherever he is in imagination. . .so I will simply imagine myself to be elsewhere, if that’s where I want to be.”
persistence in the belief of the new assumption is key to making it manifest in reality
“It is entirely up to us, what are we going to do with this creative power of the world, when we ourselves are that power?”
✦ conclusion (my additions) :
honestly, it feels a bit egotistical at first when realizing the fact that you have always had a god-like ability, and you’ve never had to work to access it, because the power literally is *you* (well, technically your mind, but ykwim).
- the Law of Assumption literally places yourself on the same level as a divine being- it’s insane to try to comprehend that.
but it is true, because you have the power to create- you’ve always had the power to create, and now that you’ve become aware of that, the options on what to create are limitless.
- i think that humility is an extremely important trait to maintain regarding the use of loa. it is an honor to be able to know about this ability and the endless possibilities that come with it, and it should be used in a responsible manner.
as long as you are persistent in your assumptions, believing in them no matter what your physical surroundings show, you will find yourself in your desired reality. it really is that simple. again, there are no limits to what you can create.
i feel like this lecture has a “with great power comes great responsibility” vibe to it lol- like especially at the end Goddard is really trusting that we will do good with this information.
- i think if he knew that the majority of those on shiftblr are using this knowledge to pursue their passions, experience magic, cuddle with their s/o, and engage in generally positive and fulfilling activities, he’d be proud.
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this lecture was great to listen to! the loa is something that i’ve only recently become aware of, and it’s already helped me so much in terms of how i look at and go about the process of shifting. it’s made me realize that it really is that easy.
if you have any questions about these notes / the actual lecture (which i've linked as a content source- lmk if you have trouble accessing it), feel free to ask via the comments or "ask me anything!"