Decaying Imagination and the Rotting Lord of the Flies

The story of Lazarus, dead and entombed for four days before Jesus called him forth, holds a profound teaching about the creative power within us—the power to bring forth new realities from apparent lifelessness.

Lazarus: The Creative Power in Dormancy

Lazarus represents the imaginative faculty within us—the sacred “I Am” that shapes our world. When Lazarus lies dead in the tomb, it symbolizes that this creative power has fallen into a state of deep dormancy, hidden beneath old beliefs, doubts, and fears.

Four Days of Stillness and the Smell of Decay

The detail of Lazarus lying dead for four days signifies the establishment of a cycle in which the creative idea or desire has been buried long enough to begin to decay. Neville teaches that when an idea has been “dead” in the subconscious mind, it begins to emit a subtle odour—a “smell” that can be sensed as discouragement, hopelessness, or the sense that manifestation is impossible.

Beelzebub: The Lord of the Flies

Beelzebub, or the “lord of the flies,” symbolises the swarm of restless thoughts and negative beliefs that feast upon this decaying idea. These mental “flies” buzz relentlessly, distracting and weakening the dormant creative power, feeding on its inertia and feeding doubt.

Jesus: The Voice of Faith and Imagination

Jesus calling Lazarus forth is the awakening power of faith and imagination. It is the inner voice that calls the buried creative power out of the tomb, renewing life and stirring the hidden potential into action.

The World as the Echo of Past Imaginations

Neville also reveals that the world we perceive is a reflection of past imaginal acts. From the awakened imagination’s perspective, the manifested world can feel stale, tired, and “stinking” because it is the outcome of old beliefs and assumptions that have grown stale in the mind. Yet, this world is always ready to be renewed by the resurrection of fresh imagination.

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The Path to Resurrection

Neville’s teaching through Lazarus is a roadmap for manifesting the impossible:

• Recognise when your creative power lies dormant, surrounded by the “smell” of old, dead ideas.

• Understand the role of the “flies”—the doubts and distractions that keep your power trapped.

• Hear the voice of faith and imagination calling your power back to life.

• Resurrect the inner creative faculty to transform your world from the inside out.

In this sacred process, what once seemed dead rises anew, bringing the promise of transformation and fresh creation.