The Way

The stories of Reuben going up to his father’s bed (Genesis 35:22) and Judah unknowingly conceiving with Tamar (imagination) (Genesis 38) are more than moral failures—they are profound symbolic moments in the Bible. When interpreted through the framework of spiritual awakening, both episodes represent misalignments or breakthroughs in the process revealed in Genesis 2:24: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” This command is not about social marriage—it is psychological. It is the first whisper of the transition from the old man (outer, inherited self) to the new man (inner, awakened self). It is the path of union that leads to transformation. Reuben: The Firstborn Who Clung to the Past Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, is the obvious heir in outward terms. But the firstborn in scripture often symbolises the old state—the natural man bound by inherited patterns. When Reuben “went up to his father's bed,” he ...

“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” — Leviticus 18:22 (KJV) “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination…” — Leviticus 20:13 (KJV) These two verses from Leviticus are among the most often cited in discussions of biblical law. Traditionally interpreted as prohibitions against homosexual relations, they have sparked intense cultural debate. But if, as Neville Goddard taught, the Bible is a psychological document—a spiritual guide describing inner processes rather than outer conduct—then these verses contain far deeper and more transformative meaning. Neville Goddard and the Symbolic Scripture Neville Goddard repeatedly emphasised that the Bible is not literal history, but a symbolic revelation of how the mind creates reality . He insisted that its true meaning unfolds only when one recognises that its language is the language of the soul. “The Bible is addressed to the imagination—which is...

Explored Through Amnon and Tamar, the Song of Solomon, and the Symbolism of Cakes The Bible is filled with stories that symbolise inner states of consciousness and spiritual processes. Viewing these narratives as psychological symbolism helps us uncover deeper insights about imagination, desire, ego, and transformation, making the teachings relevant to our personal growth. The Literal Verse and Its Inner Meaning “You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination.” —Leviticus 18:22 At first glance, this forbids physical same-sex relations. But spiritually and psychologically, it points to a fundamental error in inner union: When the masculine egoic self (man) attempts to unite with itself (man) instead of entering a genuine creative relationship with imagination (woman). This is the spiritual “abomination” — a forced, sterile, and self-consuming relationship that bypasses the receptive feminine creative power. Amnon and Tamar: A Spiritual Example of This Err...

The story of Reuben going up to his father’s bed (Genesis 35:22) has long been seen as scandalous — a shocking family drama that cost Reuben his birthright. But when you look deeper, this event reveals a profound lesson about the earliest mistake we all make when trying to manifest change in our lives. Reuben’s Act as a Symbol of Falling Back Reuben, the firstborn son of Jacob, was meant to hold the highest position of responsibility and blessing in the family. Yet, instead of stepping into this role fully, he “went up to his father’s concubine.” Symbolically, this represents Reuben falling back into old behaviours and patterns instead of embracing a new identity or state of consciousness. He didn’t truly “leave the father’s house” in imagination — he reverted to an old way of being, violating the spiritual law of separation described in Genesis 2:24, which calls for leaving the old to cleave to the new. Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, ...

The story of King David’s sin with Bathsheba, the death of Uriah, and the loss of David’s child (2 Samuel 11–12) offers a profound lesson in the creative power of assumption—the very foundation of Neville Goddard’s teaching. This narrative reveals how our inner states of consciousness shape outer reality, and how awareness and revision can transform our lives. David’s Misaligned Assumption: Desire, Control, and Its Consequences David’s journey begins with a moment of weakness: seeing Bathsheba bathing, he desires her and acts impulsively. “One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful.” (2 Samuel 11:2) Instead of living from a state of fulfilled desire and faith, David acts from a state of lack and impatience. He summons Bathsheba, sleeps with her, and she becomes pregnant. To cover this, David arranges the death of her husband Uriah by sending him into battle. “Then David...

Reuben and the Refusal to Cleave to Desire In Neville Goddard’s teaching, Scripture is a psychological drama. It isn’t history—it’s the unfolding of consciousness within you. Genesis 35:22— “Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine” —symbolises the refusal to separate from old mental patterns and spiritually unite with a new, living desire. This is not merely a moral transgression. It is a metaphysical mistake. Reuben: The First Glimpse of Creative Power Name meaning: רְאוּבֵן ( Re’uven ) means “Behold, a son!” —from ra’ah (to see) and ben (son). Symbolism: The initial awareness that imagination has creative power—the spark of I see . But: As Neville often warned, seeing isn’t enough. Without discipline and direction, awareness becomes unstable. Reuben represents that early stage in spiritual awakening—when we become aware of imagination’s power but haven’t yet learned how to align it with a single, generative aim. The Father’s Bed: A Return to the Old Identity In...

In Scripture, each character symbolises a state of consciousness. According to Neville Goddard, the Bible is not secular history but a psychological drama playing out within the individual. The “I AM”—our fundamental awareness—is constantly moving through states. When a state is assumed correctly, with love and faith, imagination blossoms. When it is seized by force, consciousness fractures. The tragic story of Tamar, Amnon, and Absalom (2 Samuel 13), contrasted with the longing call of the bride in Song of Solomon, reveals how assumption either becomes divine union or desecration —depending on whether imagination is honoured or violated. Tamar: The Receptive Imaginative State Awaiting Union Tamar (meaning palm tree ) represents the receptive, fertile ground of imagination—the feminine aspect of “I AM” waiting for a true assumption . She is not an outer figure but an inner condition of spiritual readiness. This is the state within us that says, “I AM ready to receive; I AM willing to b...

The story of David and Bathsheba is often viewed simply as a moral lesson on lust, deceit, and repentance. Yet, through the teachings of Neville Goddard, it emerges as a profound allegory of consciousness, imagination, and the vital process of inner transformation necessary for true manifestation. A Story of Desire, Deception, and Divine Order King David, Israel’s beloved ruler, experiences a moment that forever changes his life. One evening, as he walks on the roof of his palace, he sees a woman bathing. The woman is Bathsheba, “very beautiful to look upon”: “And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.” — 2 Samuel 11:2 (KJV) Struck by desire, David sends for her and sleeps with her, despite knowing she is the wife of Uriah, one of his most loyal soldiers. When Bathsheba becomes pregnant, David attempts to co...