Introduction: The Secret Hidden in Plain Sight

“Feeling is the secret.” With these four words, Neville Goddard revealed a metaphysical truth so potent, so revolutionary, and yet so beautifully simple that it continues to echo across generations of spiritual seekers, manifestation coaches, and subconscious explorers.

In a world obsessed with action, hustle, and external validation, Goddard’s philosophy returns us to the inner sanctum of creation: feeling. Not thought alone. Not blind faith. But the embodied, emotional state of the wish fulfilled.

This blog is not just a summary of his book—it’s a portal into the lived frequency of "feeling as the secret," supported by spiritual wisdom, psychological studies, neuroscience, and modern success stories.

Let us journey into the realm where imagination marries emotion, and emotion shapes reality.

Part I: Who Was Neville Goddard?

Neville Goddard (1905–1972) was a mystic, lecturer, and writer who taught that imagination is God and that consciousness creates reality. His work blends metaphysics, Biblical mysticism, and psychological insight to offer one clear message: your imagination, when felt as real, becomes real.

Though he wrote several powerful books, Feeling is the Secret remains his most distilled and impactful work—a concise blueprint of manifestation that has influenced generations, including modern teachers like Wayne Dyer, Joe Dispenza, and Rhonda Byrne.

Part II: What Does “Feeling Is the Secret” Actually Mean?

Neville teaches that every creation begins in the imagination, but it is feeling—the emotional acceptance of a thing as real—that impresses the subconscious mind and sets manifestation into motion.

"It is not what you want that you attract; you attract what you believe to be true." — Neville Goddard

This distinction between mere wanting and felt belief is crucial. The subconscious does not respond to begging, effort, or even positive thinking. It responds to emotionally charged conviction.

Feeling, in Neville’s system, is the bridge between your inner state and the quantum field. Once you feel something as already done—already yours—it begins to take form in the outer world.

This is not wishful thinking. It’s emotional embodiment.

Part III: The Subconscious as the Womb of Creation

Neville compares the conscious and subconscious minds to the male and female principles. The conscious mind is the seed-planter; the subconscious is the fertile ground where ideas gestate.

When you impress a feeling of the wish fulfilled upon your subconscious—through imagination infused with belief—it must bring it forth.

“The subconscious does not originate ideas, but accepts as true those which the conscious mind feels to be true.” — Neville Goddard

This aligns with modern psychological understandings of belief systems, neuroplasticity, and cognitive priming. Once a belief takes root in the subconscious, your perceptions, decisions, and behaviors start to align with it.

Part IV: Scientific Evidence Supporting Neville’s Claim

While Neville’s teachings are spiritual, modern science echoes many of his insights:

Neuroplasticity and Emotional Rewiring

Dr. Joe Dispenza often refers to studies showing that emotionally charged thoughts create new neural pathways. The stronger the emotion, the deeper the pathway. This reflects Neville’s idea that feeling impresses the subconscious.

The Placebo Effect

The placebo effect proves that belief—especially when accompanied by emotional conviction—can create real physiological changes. Feeling better often precedes actually getting better.

Somatic Experiencing

Peter Levine’s work shows how the body stores emotional memory. This supports Neville’s idea that your emotional state is more powerful than intellectual understanding in shaping your reality.

Heart-Brain Coherence

The HeartMath Institute has demonstrated that elevated emotions like gratitude, love, and joy increase heart-brain coherence, leading to greater harmony in the nervous system and clearer intuitive signals.

All of this suggests that feeling is not just spiritual—it is biological alchemy.

Part V: How to Apply “Feeling Is the Secret” in Your Daily Life

1. Create a Scene That Implies Fulfillment

As Neville instructs, craft a short, vivid imaginal scene that implies your desire has already come true. See it in your mind’s eye. But more importantly—feel it.

2. Enter the State Akin to Sleep (SATS)

Neville taught that just before sleep, the conscious mind is relaxed and the subconscious is wide open. This is the ideal time to visualize your desired scene while feeling the joy, relief, and gratitude of its fulfillment.

3. Live from the End

Throughout your day, carry the emotional signature of your desired reality. This doesn’t mean fake positivity. It means embodying the feeling of already having what you seek.

4. Revise the Past

Neville encouraged mentally rewriting painful past events to change their emotional tone. By feeling a new version of the past, you alter its subconscious influence over your present.

5. Persist in the Feeling

Doubt, fear, and old beliefs will try to pull you back. Neville reminds us: persistence is the key. The longer you dwell in the new feeling, the faster it manifests.

"A change of feeling is a change of destiny." — Neville Goddard

Part VI: Real-Life Stories of Feeling-Based Manifestation

My Story: From Rock Bottom to $1,000,000

I began this journey with $682 and a dream. What changed my life wasn’t a new job or lucky break—it was a shift in emotional state. By embodying the frequency of abundance, before the evidence showed up, I became a magnet for wealth. I remember being in my living room and imagining that was shopping at the most expensive store in town and feeling the feeling of what it was like to buy whatever I wanted.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah has openly shared that she always felt destined for greatness. She would sit on her porch as a child and visualize her future, not just with thought—but with deep emotion.

Jim Carrey

He wrote himself a $10 million check for acting services and dated it for Thanksgiving 1995. He carried it in his wallet and felt the joy of already receiving it. In 1994, he received that exact amount for Dumb and Dumber.

Florence Scovel Shinn’s Clients

Even before Neville, Shinn shared stories of clients who manifested health, love, and wealth through affirmative prayer and emotional conviction.

Neville’s Lectures: The Pearl of Great Price

Neville shared stories of individuals manifesting homes, relationships, and even miracles by assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled. One woman imagined climbing a staircase in her dream apartment—weeks later, she found the exact unit she envisioned.

Reader Submissions

We receive emails daily at The Universe Unveiled from people whose lives were changed by this principle—from manifesting healed relationships to discovering their life purpose. All through the feeling.

Part VII: Common Blocks to Feeling and How to Transcend Them

1. Emotional Numbness

If you’ve been through trauma or are in survival mode, it can be hard to feel anything at all. In these cases, begin gently—with breathwork, movement, or even just naming emotions.

2. Overthinking

Trying to "do it right" intellectually will block the process. Let go of the mental gymnastics. Go into the body. What does it feel like to be loved? Safe? Free?

3. Old Programming

Your subconscious may have years of counter-programming. Use revision, mirror work, and repetition to rewire it.

4. Impatience

The need for immediate results comes from fear. Trust that once the feeling is fully accepted, reality must catch up.

5. Unworthiness

This is the root of many blocks. Practice self-concept work. Remind yourself that you are worthy—not because of doing, but because of being.

Part VIII: Advanced Neville — Beyond the Basics

Neville didn’t stop at basic visualization. His deeper teachings show how:

• The Bible is psychological allegory — Characters and stories represent states of consciousness.
• God is your imagination — The divine dwells within your ability to create and feel.
• The Law and the Promise — The Law is imagination plus feeling; the Promise is the mystical awakening to your divine nature.

Ultimately, "Feeling is the Secret" is just the doorway. Walk through it, and you begin to realize: you are the operant power.

Part IX: Quotes to Embody

"Assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled and continue feeling that it is fulfilled until that which you feel objectifies itself."

"You rise to a higher level of being by imagining yourself there."

"Change your conception of yourself and you will automatically change the world in which you live."

Let these become mantras, not just ideas.

Part X: FAQ — Feeling Is the Secret

What does Neville Goddard mean by "feeling is the secret"?

He means that emotional embodiment of your desire fulfilled is the true catalyst for manifestation—not thought alone. The subconscious responds to feeling, and that’s what transforms your outer world.

Can you manifest without feeling?

Not effectively. Without emotion, your desire remains intellectual and fails to imprint the subconscious. Feeling is what makes the seed grow.

What’s the difference between thinking and feeling in manifestation?

Thinking is mental. Feeling is emotional. Neville teaches that feeling carries the belief—the conviction—that your desire is already yours. That conviction is what manifests.

How do I feel something that hasn’t happened yet?

Use imagination. Enter the state akin to sleep (SATS) and live from the end. Feel the joy, relief, or gratitude as if your manifestation were already true.

What if I can’t feel anything?

Start small. Breathe. Relax. Focus on sensations. Use gratitude to stir emotion. The more you practice, the more accessible your feeling state becomes.

How long should I stay in the feeling?

Neville says to persist until the feeling becomes dominant. Repetition solidifies the subconscious impression. Even short but deep emotional sessions are powerful.

Can negative feelings ruin my manifestation?

Only if you dwell in them. The key is to catch the emotion, revise the feeling, and return to the state of the wish fulfilled. Feeling is fluid—redirect it.

Does feeling override logic?

Yes. The subconscious does not operate on logic or reason. It obeys feeling as fact. Even if your outer world contradicts your inner emotion, hold the feeling.

Part XI: Neville vs. Other Masters — What Sets Him Apart?

Neville Goddard’s work is often compared to other spiritual and success teachers, but what truly distinguishes him is his unwavering focus on feeling as the operative power. Let’s explore how his teachings contrast with a few well-known contemporaries:

Neville Goddard vs. Joseph Murphy

Both men emphasized the subconscious, but while Murphy taught about suggestion, affirmations, and mental repetition, Neville went deeper into embodiment. Where Murphy might instruct you to repeat “I am prosperous,” Neville would say: Feel the reality of already being wealthy in your bones. Walk differently. Think differently. Love differently.

Neville Goddard vs. Abraham Hicks

Abraham Hicks teaches about emotional guidance, vibrational alignment, and the Law of Attraction. Neville agrees with the importance of alignment, but he teaches that you don’t need to wait to raise your vibration through action—you can do it instantly through imaginal acts. While Abraham says “feel good now,” Neville says: “Feel it real now—as if your dream is already here.”

Neville Goddard vs. Bob Proctor

Bob Proctor built his empire on the power of paradigms and repetition, helping people shift beliefs by studying and autosuggestion. Neville, while agreeing with this, focuses on assumption. He doesn’t just want you to tell yourself a new truth—he wants you to assume it as reality. In Neville’s world, identity is the axis: become the version of you who already has it.

Neville Goddard vs. Florence Scovel Shinn

Florence and Neville are spiritual cousins. Both emphasize divine law, but Florence often speaks of God as a separate, guiding intelligence, while Neville insists that God is your own wonderful human imagination. To him, manifestation is not granted—it’s activated by your inner feeling.

Final Words

Neville Goddard was not just a man ahead of his time—he was a mapmaker for the metaphysical landscape of creation. And Feeling is the Secret is not just a book. It’s a spiritual technology. A vibrational formula. A golden law of cause and effect.

You are the cause.

Feeling is the switch.

And the entire Universe is already responding to your frequency.

So breathe into the end.
See it.
Feel it.

And dare to live as though it is already done.

Because, beloved:

It is.

If you're ready to start manifesting check out our Manifestation 101 Guide.