Neville Goddard, in his own words

Who was Abdullah, Neville Goddard’s teacher?

Abdullah was Neville’s teacher in New York. Neville describes him as a black man, born in Ethiopia as he was told, raised in the Jewish faith, who lived on West 72nd Street, and says he studied Hebrew with him for five years. He credits Abdullah with first making him conscious of the power of imagination, and tells how Abdullah answered his wish to go to Barbados: “You are in Barbados.”

What he said

Verbatim from his books and the restored lecture transcripts, in reading order. A lecture link plays only the quoted words.

“Then from the boat I went to my old friend Abdullah. He was born, so I am told, in Ethiopia. He was a black man, raised in the Jewish faith, but really understood Christianity as few men that I ever met understood it. He understood the law, not the promise.”

All Imagination lecture, at 3:35 Play 26 s

“I'm standing in his place on 72nd street off Central Park West. That's where he lived. He lived at 30 West 72nd Street.”

I Am All Imagination lecture, at 4:39 Play 11 s

“It was back in 1933 in the city of New York, and my old friend Abdullah, with whom I studied Hebrew for five years, was really the beginning of the eating of all my superstitions.”

Five Lessons 1948, ch. 3, Thinking Fourth-Dimensionally

“I WAS FIRST made conscious of the power, nature, and redemptive function of imagination through the teachings of my friend Abdullah”

Awakened Imagination 1954, ch. 2, Sealed Instructions

“I came through the door and sat, took the first chair, and the meeting had just begun. And Abdullah broke the meeting as he started to talk to those who were present. He broke the meeting and he came over to me and called me by name. He said, Neville, you are late. You are six months late.”

Blessed Are the Pure in Heart lecture, at 15:46 Play 19 s

“I said to my friend Abdullah, Ab, I would love to go to Barbados. He said to me, you are in Barbados. I said, I am in Barbados? He said, yes, you are now in Barbados. I didn't quite understand what he was telling me. I learned it afterwards. He was telling me that if I want something, thing, I must have at that moment that I want it assumed that I have it. I want to go to Barbados, I am in Barbados. So this night when I sleep, I sleep in Barbados.”

God's Law and His Promise lecture, at 14:54 Play 33 s

“My old friend Abdullah simply said to me, “You are in Barbados, Neville. You want to be there; wherever you want to be, there you are. Live as though you are and that you shall be.””

Five Lessons 1948, ch. 3, Thinking Fourth-Dimensionally

“Then overnight, my friend Abdullah told me, you're going to come back from Barbados and you will have died, you know. I said, I will die? He said, I don't mean that you're going to die and be buried in Barbados or buried at sea, but you will have died.”

Justified States lecture, at 40:03 Play 12 s

“Now, about a week ago, I suggested a certain technique that I learned from my old friend Abdullah. Sitting physically in one place and assuming that I am physically seated in another place. And go from place to place.”

Secret of the Sperm Q&A lecture, at 30:36 Play 17 s

What he said

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