From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Neville Lancelot Goddard | |
|---|---|
| Goddard c. 1939 | |
| Born | February 19, 1905 Barbados |
| Died | October 1, 1972 (aged 67) West Hollywood, California, US |
| Resting place | Saint Michael, Barbados |
| Subject | Self-help, Bible exegesis |
Neville Lancelot Goddard (February 19, 1905 – October 1, 1972), generally known as Neville,[1] was a Barbadian author who wrote on the Bible, mysticism, and self-help.
Early life
Goddard was born in Barbados on February 19, 1905, to Joseph Nathaniel and Wilhelmina Goddard. He immigrated to New York City c. 1922, where he initially worked as a ballet and ballroom dancer.[2][3]
In 1931, he began to study under an Ethiopian rabbi who introduced him to Kabbalah.[2] He was not naturalized until around the time of World War II, when he served in the United States Army.[3]
Career
In early 1950s, Goddard lectured at The Town Hall on religious topics.[3] In 1954, he was reportedly planning a “metaphysical telefilm show”, though it is unclear if the project came to fruition.[4]
Views
Goddard viewed the Bible as a parable of the human psyche as opposed to a record of historical events. Therefore, Goddard did not believe in an external God who answers prayers, but rather that “[y]ou are the creator”.[5]
Legacy
Jonathan L. Walton argues that Frederick Eikerenkoetter, in particular, adopted theories on people’s ability to change their situation through “feeling” that are rooted in Goddard’s ideas.[6] Rhonda Byrne and Wayne Dyer have noted that Goddard shaped their views.[1] Margaret Runyan Castaneda, ex-wife and later biographer of Carlos Castaneda, was interested in Goddard’s work and introduced Carlos to Goddard’s ideas.[7][8]
Mitch Horowitz contended that Goddard was influenced by writer William Blake and early self-help theorists Émile Coué and Thomson Jay Hudson.[9]
Death
As of his death in 1972 in West Hollywood, Goddard had been resident in Los Angeles for roughly 20 years.[10]
He is buried in Westbury Cemetery, Saint Michael, Barbados.[11]
Works
- At Your Command (1939)[12]
- Your Faith Is Your Fortune (1941)[13]
- Freedom for All—A Practical Application of the Bible (1942)[14]
- Feeling Is the Secret (1944)[15]
- Prayer—The Art of Believing (1946)[16]
- Out of This World (1949)[17]
- The Creative Use of Imagination (1952)[18]
- The Power of Awareness (1952)[5]
- Awakened Imagination (1954)[19]
- Seedtime and Harvest (1956)[20]
- The Law and the Promise (1961)[21]