The Way

In the rich symbolic fabric of the Bible, the story of Joseph in Genesis and the life of Jesus in the Gospels mirror one another with startling precision. These two figures — separated by centuries in narrative time — form a spiritual parallel, not in literal lineage alone, but in the function they serve within the evolving human psyche. They are both givers of bread, not in a physical sense, but as nourishers of consciousness through imagination, assumption, and identity . Neville Goddard taught that the Bible is not secular history, but psychological drama , wherein every character represents a state of consciousness. Within this reading, Joseph and Jesus are more than saviours of Israel — they are saviours of the fragmented self. Betrayed by Brethren, Yet Chosen to Rule Both Joseph and Jesus are introduced as beloved sons: “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children...” (Genesis 37:3) “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) An...

In the unfolding story of the reader's self-perception, we arrive at Joseph, the dreamer. Having explored Praise through Judah, Faith through Abraham, and Persistence through Jacob, we now meet the work-horse (or rather yoked ox ) that shapes all desire into form: Imagination. Joseph’s Hebrew name, Yosef , meaning God will increase , perfectly mirrors this principle. Just as imagination expands and enriches our reality, Joseph’s journey symbolises the imagination’s growth and its power to transform self-perception and experience. From betrayal and isolation to inner vision and ultimate elevation, Joseph embodies imagination—not as idle fantasy, but as the aspect of mind that rises and decidedly and deliberately assumes destiny as true. You'll notice that Joseph's actions are similar to those of Jesus's ministry when he interacts with non-believers such as the Pharisees ( Pharoah ) and Sadducees. The Brothers — Aspects of the Divided Self Before exploring Joseph’s jo...

In Neville Goddard’s teachings, the Bible is not a historical record but a psychological pattern that teaches the individual to raise their assumptions about themselves , by using characters to personify aspects of the mind. Every key represents a quality of mind necessary for bringing the unseen into form.   Abraham , Jacob , Joseph , and Judah —are the founding fathers of the Law of Assumption, illustrating how to use cultivate the self and imagination to bring the unseen into reality. Each figure demonstrates a key aspect of imagining and embodying your desired state. They reveal the process of manifestation through qualities of Faith, Persistence, Imagination, and Praise. Symbolically aligned with the four Gospels, these figures teach the practical and spiritual steps necessary to assume, sustain, and realise your vision. Faith ( Abraham ) – Matthew Abraham is the father of faith—an inner conviction in the unseen promise. He sets out on a journey based purely o...

Genesis 39:7-12 describes a defining moment in Joseph’s story: the persistent seduction attempts by Potiphar’s wife and Joseph’s firm refusal. Neville Goddard’s Law of Assumption provides a transformative way to understand this scene—not as a moral test but as a spiritual allegory about holding to an assumed state of being amidst temptation. The Scene: Potiphar’s Wife Tempts Joseph Egypt is repeatedly used in the Bible to represent slavery, limitation, and the subconscious bondage of the mind. So, Potiphar’s Egyptian wife represents the bondage of the outer senses and the temptations that keep the individual “in slavery” to limited thinking and external appearances. Potiphar’s wife repeatedly tries to lure Joseph into sin — that is, away from his wonderful vision. She uses her position and allure to break his integrity. Yet Joseph refuses, saying: “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ?” Joseph’s refusal is not just about moral uprightness but about...

Consider : "Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.." There is a striking moment in the Genesis 37:5 where Joseph dreams a dream—and the very act of sharing this inner vision causes his brothers to hate him even more. In the literal telling, Joseph is simply a young man who shares a dream of symbolic dominion. But if we read this as Neville Goddard would have, the entire scene is an inward experience: Joseph is not just a person; he is the embodiment of imagination itself. Neville often described Joseph as “the dreamer,” the state in us that dares to imagine a greater life and accept it as already true. In his lectures, Neville said, “Dare to believe in the reality of your assumption and watch the world play its part relative to its fulfilment.” Yet, the moment we dare to assume a new state, we feel a curious backlash. That opposition is not from others per se—but from the aspects within ourselves that feel threatened by change...

In Neville Goddard’s symbolic reading, biblical characters are not historical figures but living symbols of states of consciousness and inner processes. Joseph, the husband of Mary in the New Testament, represents a stage in the spiritual journey — the moment when the rational mind beholds the mysterious working of imagination and assumption. Joseph as the Rational Mind Joseph is described as “a just man” — a symbol of moral integrity, reason, and inner discipline. He stands for that part of us which wishes to do the right thing, protect appearances, and maintain order according to outer law. When Joseph discovers that Mary is with child before they have come together, he is shocked. In the literal story, he considers divorcing her quietly to avoid public shame. “And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” — Matthew 1:19 The Symbolism of Mary’s Conception In Neville's teaching, Mary represents the subcons...

So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.- Genesis 50:26 ESV The Bible’s narrative unfolds with profound symbolism, especially when viewed through Neville Goddard’s understanding of consciousness and manifestation. One of the most compelling transitions is the movement from the end of Genesis — where Joseph is laid in a coffin in Egypt — to the beginning of Exodus , which tells the story of liberation from bondage. Joseph’s Coffin in Egypt: The Fulfilment of Desire At the close of Genesis, Joseph dies at the age of 110 and is embalmed in Egypt. For Neville Goddard, Joseph represents imagination , the inner creative power responsible for manifesting our desires. His coffin in Egypt symbolises a state where the fulfilled desire rests peacefully within the material world. This “coffin” is not a symbol of death but of completion and assurance . It marks the moment when a desire has been fully realised and integrated into reality. The te...

The story of Joseph and Benjamin in Genesis, often told through drama and intrigue, unfolds as a profound allegory for the creative power within us. When interpreted through Neville Goddard’s framework of imagination and the Law of Assumption, every detail—from dreams and betrayals to cups and garments—reveals the mechanics of manifestation. Joseph and Benjamin: Sons of Rachel, Children of Promise Joseph and Benjamin were born to Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife. In symbolic terms, Rachel represents the soul’s deepest desire: the cradle of true creation. Her struggle with barrenness (Genesis 30:1–2) mirrors the soul’s initial resistance to manifesting its desires. The births of Joseph (Genesis 30:22–24) and Benjamin (Genesis 35:16–18) symbolise the breakthrough of imagination into reality. Joseph : Born first, he embodies the awakened imagination—the visionary power that plants assumptions of the future. His dreams (Genesis 37:5–11), where his brothers and even his parents bow to him,...

In Genesis 44:1-34 , we find a captivating narrative where Joseph, now second in command in Egypt, tests his brothers. As he accuses them of stealing his silver cup, which he claims to use for divination , the story takes a dramatic turn. On the surface, it seems like a simple tale of betrayal and accusation, but through the lens of Neville Goddard’s teachings, it holds insight into the power of imagination, guilt, and transformation. Let’s break down this passage, exploring the symbolic meanings that emerge when we interpret it through Neville Goddard’s framework of manifestation and consciousness. The Silver Cup: A Symbol of Imagination At the heart of the drama is the silver cup, which Joseph accuses his brothers of stealing. He says: "Is not this the cup from which my lord drinks and with which he indeed practices divination?" (Genesis 44:5) On first glance, this may seem like an odd mention of divination, but when interpreted symbolically, the cup represents som...

In Genesis 41:38-57, Joseph’s symbolic journey, his union with Asenath marks a pivotal moment. As the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (a centre of solar worship), Asenath represents the subconscious mind —receptive, fertile, and capable of manifesting what is consciously assumed. According to Neville Goddard, it is only through this union of conscious assumption and subconscious acceptance that manifestation becomes possible. Potiphera, whose name relates to “he whom Ra (the sun god) gave,” symbolises the disciplined, illumined conscious mind —the priest or guide who directs awareness. His city, On, denotes illumination. This positions Potiphera as a symbol of the directed conscious thought that must precede subconscious impression. Asenath, his daughter, thus signifies the fertile subconscious mind belonging to the awareness that guides it . Joseph’s marriage to Asenath is more than narrative detail—it is a mystical marriage of assumption and receptivity . In Neville’s terms, J...

In the rich tapestry of biblical symbolism, Genesis 40 offers a quietly powerful chapters—quiet because it unfolds within a prison, yet powerful because it speaks directly to the hidden processes of imagination and belief. For Neville Goddard, the 20th-century mystic who saw the Bible not as a literal record but as a psychological pattern, this chapter is a inner parable on manifestation. At its centre stands Joseph , a man who in Neville’s interpretation represents the newly disciplined imagination—the dreamer who starts to move beyond idle longing to active, living assumption. Joseph in Prison: The Ripening of Imagination Joseph’s imprisonment is no mere punishment; it symbolises a state of consciousness where imagination seems confined or delayed. You have sown the seed—assumed the feeling of the wish fulfilled—but the outer world shows no sign of change. Like a seed germinating unseen beneath the soil, imagination does its quietest and most faithful work in this inner darkness. Jo...

In the book of Genesis, Joseph is introduced as a dreamer—and in Neville Goddard's interpretation, that title isn't incidental. Joseph doesn’t just have dreams; he is the dreamer within us all . He symbolises the imaginative faculty —the power of awareness that receives impressions and shapes the world accordingly. He is the inward cause from which all outer events unfold. The Sheaves Bowing: A Vision of Inner Dominion Joseph’s first dream is one of sheaves in a field. His sheaf rises and stands upright, while the sheaves of his brothers gather around and bow before it: “Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” — Genesis 37:7 (ESV) This might seem like youthful arrogance. But symbolically, it reveals a profound truth: the outer world is a harvest of inward assumptions . The sheaves represent states—manifested conditions, identities, outer facts. Each br...

At first glance, it may seem odd that Joseph—the man entrusted with the protection of the infant Jesus —receives his divine instructions only in the Gospel of Matthew , not in Luke. Especially considering that Luke’s Gospel gives us all the imagery we associate with the nativity: the manger, the shepherds, the angelic proclamation. But the Bible, as Neville Goddard teaches, is not history. It is psychological symbolism . Every character represents a state of consciousness . Every event is a movement within the imagination . So when a detail like this stands out, it’s not a narrative oversight—it’s a revelation of spiritual law. Joseph: The Silent Obedience to Inner Vision In Matthew, Joseph receives four separate visions in dreams: To take Mary as his wife. To flee to Egypt with the child. To return to Israel after Herod’s death. To avoid Judea and dwell in Galilee. Neville would point out that dreams in Scripture symbolise the depth of the subconscious , the place w...

Try and forget the school nativity play here. The story of Jesus’ birth in Matthew 1:18–25, often understood as a literal event, unfolds into a transformative drama when seen through Neville Goddard’s symbolic insight. For Neville, the Bible is not a record of external history but a psychological enactment happening within each of us. In this passage, the virgin conception is not about biology; it is about the birth of awakened imagination within the individual. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way..." (Matthew 1:18) In Neville’s interpretation, Mary symbolises the subconscious mind — that fertile ground where ideas planted by imagination take root and grow into reality. She is found to be “with child by the Holy Spirit,” showing that her pregnancy arises from a psychological shift. This represents the seed of imagination taking root within. The Holy Spirit is the active power of God : the imagination itself. When an idea is deeply felt and accepted as true, it i...

In the rich tapestry of the Bible, Genesis 37 stands out as a profound allegory, shedding light on the relationship between imagination, resistance, and manifestation. Through the story of Joseph and his brothers, we gain a deeper understanding of the role of imagination in shaping reality. Interpreted through the lens of Neville Goddard’s teachings, this chapter becomes a powerful narrative about how imagination, often met with opposition, eventually transforms our external world. Joseph: The Symbol of Imagination Joseph, the son of Jacob and Rachel, represents the imagination in its highest form. He is the beloved son, favoured above all his brothers, much as imagination is the most powerful and treasured aspect of consciousness. In Neville’s framework, Joseph’s status as Jacob’s favoured son mirrors how imagination is the "favoured" tool of creation within us. The coat of many colours that Joseph wears is not merely a garment, but a symbol of the limitless potential of...

Ezekiel’s vision in Ezekiel 1:4-14, of the four living creatures can be understood, through Neville Goddard’s interpretation, as a kind of imaginal intercession—a symbolic condensation of the journey of consciousness . In the creation story, that is the first assumption , the appearance and movement of water, land and animals represent the imagination in action. Ezekiel's creatures is the same vision, but now featuring the concepts learned through the stories of the four fathers . It gathers the inner development of spiritual states represented by the patriarchs ( the foundational teachings of manifestation ) —faith in Abraham, persistence in Jacob, imagination in Joseph, and praise in Judah—and presents them as a single, living image. These creatures are not external beings but facets of the one divine imagination, the I AM , preparing to express itself more fully. What was once hidden within these early figures is now ready to take form as the four Gospels, each one revealing a d...

According to Neville Goddard , the two sons of Joseph — Ephraim and Manasseh —symbolize different aspects of the creative process and the mental states involved in manifestation. Manasseh : The Symbol of Forgetting the Past Manasseh, whose name means "forgetting," represents the ability to release and forget past failures, mistakes, or limitations . Neville teaches that in order to manifest new desires and experiences, one must let go of the past and focus on the present and future . Manasseh symbolizes the mental state of letting go of old beliefs or past experiences that could hinder the creative process. By forgetting the old, you make space for new possibilities. Ephraim : The Symbol of Fruitfulness and New Beginnings Ephraim, whose name means "fruitful," represents prosperity, growth, and the manifestation of desires . After letting go of the past (Manasseh), Ephraim symbolizes the fruit of new creations —the result of aligning with your desires and bel...