Neville Goddard vs Joseph Murphy: Comparing Two Subconscious Mind Teachers

Neville Goddard vs Joseph Murphy

Neville Goddard and Joseph Murphy were contemporaries who both taught that the subconscious mind is the key to manifesting your desires. They studied under the same teacher, Abdullah, and their core principles overlap significantly. Yet their approaches, framing, and techniques differ in important ways.

Understanding both teachers gives you a richer toolkit for working with your subconscious mind.

Their Shared Foundation

Both Neville and Murphy studied with Abdullah, an Ethiopian rabbi and mystic, in New York City. From Abdullah, they learned that the subconscious mind accepts what is impressed upon it with feeling and conviction, and then works to manifest it in the outer world.

This shared foundation means their teachings agree on the essentials: your inner state determines your outer reality, the subconscious does not distinguish between imagined and real experience, and impressing a new belief on the subconscious is the mechanism of all manifestation.

Key Differences

Philosophical Framework

Neville Goddard taught from a mystical perspective. His central claim is radical: you are God. Your imagination is the creative power of the universe, and there is no external deity to petition. Biblical stories are psychological allegories about the power of assumption and imagination. This framework is empowering but can be challenging for those with traditional religious beliefs.

Joseph Murphy taught from a more conventional spiritual framework. He frequently referenced God, the infinite intelligence, and divine power. His approach feels more like a bridge between traditional religion and metaphysical practice. He framed the subconscious mind as a channel for divine power rather than as the source of creative power itself.

Technique Approach

Neville's techniques are specific and imaginative. SATS requires entering the hypnagogic state and visualizing a specific scene. Revision requires reimagining past events. Living in the end requires assuming a specific state throughout the day. These techniques are precise and target the subconscious through controlled imagination.

Murphy's techniques are broader and more varied. He taught affirmative prayer, where you speak your desire as if it is already true while in a prayerful state. He also used visualization, repetition of affirmations before sleep, and what he called "the sleep technique"—falling asleep while repeating a simple phrase related to your desire. His techniques are more accessible to beginners but less precisely targeted.

View of the Subconscious

Neville viewed the subconscious as the creative medium that takes your assumptions and manifests them as reality. It is impersonal and will create whatever you impress upon it—positive or negative. You are entirely responsible for what you create.

Murphy viewed the subconscious as connected to a universal intelligence that is inherently good. He often spoke of the subconscious as having wisdom and benevolence, and he believed that working with it would naturally lead to good outcomes. He was more optimistic about the subconscious as a helpful force.

Writing Style and Accessibility

Neville's lectures and books are poetic, mystical, and sometimes challenging. He uses extensive biblical references as metaphors, which can be confusing for those unfamiliar with scripture. However, his ideas are profound, and many readers find deeper meaning with each re-reading.

Murphy's writing is practical, clear, and filled with real-world examples. His bestselling book, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, is written in accessible language with case studies and step-by-step instructions. It reads more like a self-help book than a mystical text.

Scope of Teaching

Neville's teachings cover manifestation, spiritual awakening, and the nature of reality. His later lectures moved beyond manifestation into mystical experiences, the nature of God, and the "promise" (spiritual awakening). He saw manifestation as a stepping stone to spiritual realization.

Murphy focused primarily on practical application—health, wealth, relationships, and career success. His teachings are goal-oriented and results-focused. He spent less time on abstract metaphysics and more time on how to use the subconscious mind to solve everyday problems.

View on Prayer

Neville redefined prayer as the feeling of the wish fulfilled. Prayer is not petitioning an external God—it is assuming that your desire is already a reality. "To pray is to assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled."

Murphy used a more traditional concept of prayer, though he redefined it in terms of subconscious programming. He taught "scientific prayer"—affirmations and visualizations directed to the subconscious mind in a prayerful state. His approach would feel more familiar to anyone from a religious background.

Technique Comparison

Neville Goddard's Core Techniques

• SATS (State Akin To Sleep) - the hypnagogic visualization method
• Revision - rewriting past events in imagination
• Living in the end - assuming the wish fulfilled as present reality
• Mental diet - monitoring and directing inner conversations
• "I AM" meditation - dwelling in pure awareness

Joseph Murphy's Core Techniques

• Sleep technique - repeating a phrase as you fall asleep
• Affirmative prayer - stating desires as already true in prayer
• Visualization during relaxation
• The mirror technique - affirming to yourself in a mirror
• Writing affirmations - writing your desire as a statement of fact
• Thankful prayer - giving thanks for desires as if already received

Which Teacher Should You Study?

Study Neville Goddard if you want the deepest understanding of how consciousness creates reality, if you are comfortable with mystical language, and if you want complete ownership of your creative power.

Study Joseph Murphy if you want practical, accessible techniques, if you prefer a more traditional spiritual framework, and if you want a gentle entry point into subconscious programming.

Study both if you want a complete education. Murphy provides excellent foundational understanding and practical techniques. Neville provides the deeper philosophical framework and the more targeted imagination-based methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Neville Goddard and Joseph Murphy know each other?

Yes. They both studied under Abdullah in New York City, likely in the 1930s. While they were aware of each other's work, they developed distinct teaching styles and philosophies from their shared foundation.

Which teacher's techniques are more effective?

Both are effective because they target the same mechanism—impressing the subconscious mind. Neville's SATS technique is often considered more powerful for specific desires because it uses the hypnagogic state. Murphy's sleep technique is simpler and more accessible. Effectiveness depends more on your commitment and belief than on which teacher you follow.

Can I read both teachers without confusion?

Absolutely. Their teachings complement each other. Many practitioners find that Murphy provides the practical foundation and Neville provides the mystical depth. Reading both gives you a more complete understanding of how the subconscious mind creates reality.

Is The Power of Your Subconscious Mind still relevant today?

Yes. Murphy's book remains one of the bestselling self-help books of all time because its principles are timeless. The subconscious mind works the same way today as it did when Murphy wrote about it. The techniques are simple, practical, and still produce results.