The biblical story of Ruth and Boaz, often read as a tale of romance and redemption, also reveals a powerful symbolic interplay between the subconscious (Ruth) and the conscious (Boaz) within the creative process described by Neville Goddard’s Law of Assumption. In this law, the conscious impresses the subconscious through feeling and belief, and the subconscious responds with manifestation.
Ruth: The Subconscious, Receptive and Faithful
Ruth, the Moabite widow, chooses to leave behind her former life and follow Naomi to Bethlehem. This act is deeply symbolic—Ruth represents the subconscious mind devoid of conscious direction. Her decision to cling to Naomi and her words, "Your God shall be my God," indicate a willingness to be reprogrammed, to take on a new identity. She becomes the fertile soil, open to the conscious direction that will shape her experience.
This faithfulness and devotion in Ruth resonate with the Shulamite bride in the Song of Solomon, whose love and longing represent the subconscious yearning to unite with the conscious mind. Just as the bride declares, “My beloved is mine, and I am his” (Song 2:16), Ruth’s quiet alignment is an intimate acceptance of the conscious assumption.
Ruth does not dictate or declare; instead, she quietly aligns herself with a new environment and waits. Her gleaning in the fields symbolises how the subconscious receives impressions through repetition, humility, and trust. Though she does not control the harvest, she believes she will find favour—and this belief sets the tone for what unfolds.
Boaz: The Conscious Mind, Strong and Directive
Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer, symbolises the conscious mind—the active, directive force that chooses and assumes. He observes Ruth, becomes aware of her qualities, and acts with favour. He represents the part of us that assumes the state of the wish fulfilled and impresses that assumption upon the subconscious.
Boaz’s role as protector and redeemer echoes the beloved in Song of Solomon, who pursues and cherishes the bride with strength and tenderness. Boaz, like the beloved, embodies the conscious mind’s loving and unwavering assumption—strong enough to hold the desired state steady until the subconscious accepts it fully.
When Boaz speaks kindly to Ruth, offers her protection, and later agrees to redeem her, he is acting in accordance with the assumption already being nurtured within Ruth. The conscious mind must act as though the desire is fulfilled—it must believe, feel, and assume—so that the subconscious can accept it as fact and outpicture it.
Note: Boaz is also the name of one of the two symbolic pillars in Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 7:21), representing strength. This reinforces his symbolic role in the story as the conscious mind, which must be unwavering and strong in assumption in order to impress the subconscious (Ruth). In temple symbolism, Boaz marks the entrance into the sacred inner space—just as conscious assumption initiates the process of manifestation.
The Gleaning Field: The Realm of Inner Cultivation
The field in which Ruth gleans represents the inner world, the space where consciousness meets receptivity. Ruth's presence there shows that the subconscious is always at work, gathering from what has been sown by the conscious. Her request to glean is an inner motion of faith, and Boaz’s permission is the conscious affirmation: yes, this is yours.
“Glimmers” — modern speak for those little sparks of insight, hope, or subtle signs of positive change.
The Threshing Floor: Surrender and Conception
The moment Ruth lies at Boaz’s feet on the threshing floor is highly symbolic. This is the union of the conscious and subconscious, where the assumed state is fully accepted. Ruth’s request—“Spread your garment over me, for you are a redeemer”—is the subconscious yielding to the conscious assumption. It is a symbolic conception: the state has been impressed, and manifestation is now inevitable.
This sacred union is echoed in the imagery of Song of Solomon, where the garden becomes a place of blossoming love and transformation. Just as the beloved and bride come together in intimacy, the threshing floor is the secret space where conscious and subconscious unite to birth new reality.
Boaz’s agreement and prompt action represent the fixed idea now moving into the external world. The conscious has done its work; the subconscious has received; creation begins.
Manifestation: From Assumption to Reality
Once Boaz redeems Ruth, their union leads to the birth of Obed—an image of the manifested desire. It is the natural offspring of the conscious assumption (Boaz) and the subconscious acceptance (Ruth). Obed’s place in the lineage of David and eventually Jesus symbolises how a single assumption, faithfully accepted, can set in motion an entirely new destiny.
Conclusion: The Marriage of Conscious and Subconscious
In Neville Goddard’s terms, Ruth is the subconscious, impressionable, faithful, and fertile. Boaz is the conscious mind, deliberate and strong, assuming the wish fulfilled. When the two are in harmony—when the subconscious accepts the assumption of the conscious as fact—creation is inevitable.
By weaving in the passionate symbolism of Song of Solomon, we see that this story is also one of sacred love: the conscious mind as the beloved who cherishes, and the subconscious as the faithful bride who responds in trust. This eternal love story within us is the very engine of manifestation. When the subconscious receives the feeling of the wish fulfilled with trust, life responds with form, favour, and fulfilment.
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