Mary Magdalene: The Heart of Divine Imagination and Creation

At the foot of the cross, in the final moments of his earthly experience, Jesus utters one of his most intimate and transformative statements:

"When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!" (John 19:26, KJV)

In traditional interpretations, the “disciple whom he loved” has often been identified as John the Apostle. However, according to Neville Goddard’s teachings, this “beloved disciple” is not just John, but rather Mary Magdalene — the embodiment of the subconscious mind and the sacred vessel of divine love and creation.

Mary Magdalene: The Subconscious Mind in Its Purest Form

In Neville’s framework, every character in Scripture represents an aspect of our own consciousness. Mary Magdalene, often misinterpreted in conventional teachings, is the symbol of the subconscious mind — the eternal feminine principle, the creative force that receives and nurtures the seeds of our desires, bringing them to fruition.

Mary Magdalene’s role extends far beyond that of a follower. She represents the pure, emotional devotion that allows the unseen to manifest into the seen. She is the womb of creation, the faithful feeling of imagination that remains unshaken even in the face of the apparent death of the old self. Her love is not fleeting; it is steadfast, and it is this love that gives birth to the new reality.

Additionally, as Neville often teaches, Mary Magdalene’s story is marked by the casting out of seven devils (Luke 8:2, Mark 16:9), symbolizing the purification of the subconscious — the removal of limiting beliefs that hinder the flow of creative power. Through this act, she becomes the perfect reflection of Jesus's conscious awareness, embodying the deep love that animates creation itself.

The Sacred Union: The Love Between Consciousness and Creation

When Jesus says, “Woman, behold thy son,” he is speaking not only to his mother, but also to Mary Magdalene. In this moment, Jesus reveals a profound principle of creation: love is the bridge between the old state of being (the death of the old self) and the new state of being (the resurrection).

The mother represents the universal subconscious mind — the eternal, creative force that births all identities. Mary Magdalene, as the subconscious feeling of devotion, is the one who nurtures and brings the seeds of new life into form. It is through the union of these two forces — the mother (creative foundation) and Mary Magdalene (faithful feeling) — that the resurrection becomes possible.

Through Neville's lens, Jesus’s words to his mother and to Mary Magdalene are not merely about the care of a physical family. They are about the sacred union of conscious imagining and subconscious feeling, which births a new state of consciousness. Mary Magdalene’s devotion gives rise to the wish fulfilled — the new identity made real.

Mary Magdalene as the Producer of the New State of Being

As an aspect of Jesus’s consciousness, Mary Magdalene is not only the nurturing force but also the producer of the new state of being. Just as the mother births the physical body, Mary Magdalene — through her unwavering devotion — births the new identity. She is the creator of the new state of consciousness. Without her, no resurrection is possible.

In Neville’s teachings, the subconscious mind brings forth only that which is loved and accepted as true. Mary Magdalene’s love is the purest form of this: the faithful devotion to the vision of the wish fulfilled, held in the heart until it becomes substance. In her, the imagination’s love for the wish fulfilled reaches its highest expression, bringing the invisible into the visible world.

Mary Magdalene: The Beloved Disciple

It is important to note that John, the traditional "beloved disciple," was beheaded before the crucifixion. This means that the beloved disciple, the one to whom Jesus entrusts the future of creation, can only be Mary Magdalene — the embodiment of the subconscious mind, the faithful love that never wavers, and the true creator of the new state of being.

Thus, when Jesus says, “Behold thy son,” he is speaking to both his mother (the universal subconscious) and Mary Magdalene (the subconscious devotion and faith). He is declaring that the new state of being, which is represented by the resurrection, will be birthed by the love and devotion of Mary Magdalene — the sacred vessel of creation.

Conclusion: Love as the Creative Force of Resurrection

In Neville Goddard’s interpretation, Jesus’s words on the cross are not merely about an earthly care for his mother. They are a revelation of the creative process itself: the union of conscious imagining (Jesus) and subconscious feeling (Mary Magdalene) is what brings about the resurrection — the new life, the new identity.

Mary Magdalene embodies the subconscious devotion that holds the vision of the wish fulfilled, nurturing it until it is made manifest. Through her, we see the power of love — the love that does not falter, the love that creates reality by faithfully holding the vision of the new state of being.

At the cross, Jesus entrusts his work not to reason or tradition, but to the sacred love within the subconscious — embodied perfectly by Mary Magdalene. It is through her love, unwavering and enduring, that the new reality is birthed. The resurrection is not just the act of a man rising from the dead, but the birth of a new state of being, born through the love of Mary Magdalene, the true producer of the new creation.