Joseph Murphy: Unlocking the Power of Your Subconscious Mind in an Inspiring Journey

Early Life – A Spiritual Seeker Is Born

Joseph Murphy (1898–1981) was born into a devout Catholic family in County Cork, Ireland. From a young age, he was immersed in religion and even entered a seminary to train for the priesthood. However, Murphy’s inquisitive spirit hungered for a broader understanding of truth beyond the confines of orthodox dogma. In his late teens, after a remarkable experience with healing prayer, he began to question traditional doctrines and left the Jesuit seminary in search of deeper spiritual insights. In 1922, carrying a pharmacist’s diploma and an unquenchable desire for wisdom, the 24-year-old Murphy emigrated to the United States to start a new chapter of discovery This courageous step set the stage for his evolution into one of the most influential New Thought ministers of the 20th century.

Once in New York, Murphy worked as a pharmacist by day. By night, he indulged his passion for metaphysics and positive spirituality. He attended lectures by inspirational figures like Emmet Fox, a Divine Science minister who taught the power of positive thinking and metaphysical interpretations of the Bible. Murphy voraciously read New Thought literature and Eastern philosophy, seeking to bridge the gap between science, psychology, and spirit. This period of exploration primed him for a life-changing encounter that would soon occur.

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From County Cork to 1930s New York—meet Abdullah, the mentor behind Neville Goddard, and discover why your subconscious is the divine workshop of creation

A Fateful Meeting with Abdullah – The Mentor Behind Murphy’s Message

In the early 1930s, whispers in New York’s spiritual circles spoke of a mysterious teacher known simply as Abdullah. Abdullah was a black Ethiopian rabbi and mystic renowned for his mastery of Hebrew scripture and the hidden, esoteric meanings of Biblical texts. He had already been mentoring a young man named Neville Goddard, teaching Neville profound lessons about imagination and the “law of assumption” – the idea that imagining a desire as fulfilled can make it reality. Eager to learn from this wise mentor, Joseph Murphy sought out Abdullah’s gatherings in Harlem.

Murphy’s first meeting with Abdullah proved to be a pivotal moment in his spiritual evolution. In Abdullah, he found a teacher who opened his eyes to the latent powers within his own mind. Under Abdullah’s guidance, Murphy delved into the Kabbalistic and mystical interpretation of the Bible, discovering symbols and allegories that revealed the power of God within the individual. Abdullah’s teachings illuminated the idea that the subconscious mind is intimately connected with the Divine – a repository of wisdom and power that, when properly harnessed, can bring forth health, happiness, and prosperity. This revelation resonated deeply with Murphy, reinforcing concepts he would later spread worldwide.

One fascinating anecdote demonstrates Abdullah’s uncanny insight during these mentorship years. Upon meeting Murphy, Abdullah casually remarked that Joseph came from a family of six children. Murphy was perplexed – he believed he was one of five siblings. Only later did he learn that his mother had indeed lost a child at birth, a fact long forgotten, confirming Abdullah’s almost mystical perception. This encounter greatly impressed Murphy and cemented his trust in Abdullah’s wisdom.

For several years, Abdullah became Murphy’s mentor, schooling him in spiritual principles and techniques that transcended conventional religion. It was Abdullah who introduced Joseph Murphy to the core New Thought idea that “your mind – especially the subconscious – shapes your reality.” Under Abdullah’s tutelage, Murphy learned about affirmations, visualization, the symbolic language of the Bible, and the boundless “God-power” within every person. Notably, Abdullah was the very same mentor who had taught Neville Goddard a few years prior, placing Murphy in the same lineage of mystical teaching as Nevillet. This shared mentor links Murphy and Goddard in the annals of New Thought history, though each would go on to articulate the ideas in their own unique voice. (While Neville Goddard’s success and teachings deserve their own story, we mention him here to highlight Abdullah’s influential role. The focus of this journey, however, remains on Joseph Murphy and his inspiring message.)

Embracing New Thought and Spiritual Truth

Empowered by Abdullah’s guidance, Joseph Murphy fully embraced the New Thought movement – a spiritual philosophy that emphasizes positive thinking, the creative power of the mind, and an infinite intelligence pervading all life. He came to realize that mind and faith could be harnessed to improve every aspect of life. In the ensuing years, Murphy continued his spiritual education globally. He traveled to India to learn from Hindu sages and absorb Eastern wisdom, broadening his perspective on the mind’s potential. He also befriended leading New Thought luminaries. For example, he formed a friendship with Ernest Holmes, founder of Religious Science, and was ordained as a minister of Religious Science by Holmes in 1946. Not long after, Murphy was also ordained into Divine Science (another New Thought denomination) and became minister of the Los Angeles Divine Science Church in 1949.

On the West Coast, Dr. Joseph Murphy’s ministry blossomed. He drew ever-growing crowds to hear his uplifting sermons in Los Angeles – often filling the 1,300-seat Wilshire Ebell Theater with people eager for his message of hope and inner transformation. Unlike fire-and-brimstone preachers, Murphy’s style was warm, optimistic, and inclusive. He taught that spiritual truth is universal and welcomes all, famously saying “Truth never changes.” He respected all religions and believed that anyone – Catholic, Protestant, atheist or otherwise – could use the mental and spiritual laws that govern life His ecumenical approach and tangible results (including stories of healing and personal success) attracted thousands to his services.

Murphy even applied these principles in his own life with astounding effect. In one instance during the 1940s, he was faced with a life-threatening skin cancer, yet he credited his recovery to spiritual mind treatment – essentially using prayer and subconscious reprogramming to heal himself. This personal miracle reinforced his conviction that “the power of God within” – accessed through one’s subconscious mind and faith – can truly work wonders.

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind – Summary of the Classic Book

In 1963, Joseph Murphy published what would become his magnum opus: ** The Power of Your Subconscious Mind . This book distilled Murphy’s teachings into a practical guide on how to tap the limitless potential of the subconscious to improve every area of life. It quickly became an international bestseller, touching millions with its uplifting message. Below is a summary of the book’s core ideas and how they can inspire positive change:

• Two Levels of Mind – Murphy explains that each person possesses a dual mind: the conscious mind (the logical, thinking mind) and the subconscious mind (the deeper, non-analytical mind). The conscious mind acts as the “gatekeeper,” choosing thoughts and making decisions, while the subconscious is like fertile soil that unquestioningly accepts whatever thoughts the conscious mind repeatedly plants. In other words, your conscious thoughts are the seeds, and your subconscious mind is the garden in which those seeds grow.
• The Subconscious Manifests What You Consistently Believe – A key principle in the book is that whatever the conscious mind believes and impresses upon the subconscious will eventually manifest in one’s life. “As you sow in your subconscious mind, so shall you reap in your body and environment,” Murphy wrote, underscoring that our habitual thoughts shape our reality. If you repeatedly think and affirm positive ideas (“I am healthy, I am successful, I am loved”), your subconscious will accept them as truth and work tirelessly to bring those conditions about in your experience. Conversely, dwelling on negative thoughts or doubts (“I can’t do it… I’ll never get well”) can program the subconscious with fear or limitation, often leading to those undesired outcomes. Murphy called this the Law of Belief: the belief you hold in your mind (good or bad) directly influences what you eventually experience.
• Techniques to Reprogram the Mind – The Power of Your Subconscious Mind is filled with practical methods to harness this inner power. Murphy teaches that we can sow new, positive seeds in the subconscious through techniques such as affirmations, visualization, prayer, and repeated suggestion. For example, he might suggest visualizing a desired goal vividly each night, or affirming healing and prosperity as if they were already achieved. The subconscious responds to emotion and repetition – ideas that are conveyed with feeling and confidence sink in deeper. By consciously guarding your speech and thoughts, and immediately replacing any negative self-talk with positive statements, you effectively “water” the mental garden with optimism. Murphy even warns readers to be careful with casual remarks or wishes, sharing dramatic case studies – such as a father who joked about giving his right arm for his daughter’s healing only to later lose his arm in an accident as the daughter recovered – to illustrate how literally the subconscious can fulfill our words. The overarching message is to focus only on what you truly desire, never on what you fear. By doing so, you unleash the subconscious to make seemingly miraculous outcomes happen.
• Health, Wealth, and Happiness through the Subconscious – Throughout the book, Joseph Murphy provides inspiring examples of ordinary people who transformed their lives by applying these mental techniques. He recounts cases of healing – where incurable illnesses were cured after patients changed their mental patterns and prayers. He shares stories of individuals who went from poverty to prosperity by visualizing abundance and believing that “wealth is their right.” Every chapter drives home the empowering notion that the subconscious mind is our faithful servant, capable of solving problems, healing our bodies, and attracting opportunities when we align with it properly. Murphy’s writing style is warm and reassuring, often referencing spiritual truths (from the Bible to Hindu philosophy) to show that this “infinite intelligence” of the subconscious is part of God’s universal law, available to all who learn to trust and use it.

In essence, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind is both a spiritual manifesto and a practical handbook. Its core promise is that by changing your inner beliefs, you can change your external life. The book remains a motivational classic that continues to inspire new generations of readers to this day. It has never gone out of print since 1963, a testament to the timelessness of its uplifting message.

Joseph Murphy’s Uplifting Spiritual Philosophy

Dr. Joseph Murphy’s teachings can be described as a marriage of inspirational faith and practical psychology. He taught that the same Divine Power spoken of in scriptures around the world also resides in the depths of our own minds. By looking within – rather than seeking power from external sources – we can tap into guidance and strength for every challenge. Murphy’s philosophy is notably inclusive and encouraging:

• God is Within You: Murphy emphasized that “The Spirit of God is within each of us,” and therefore we are all capable of creative miracles. He refuted the notion of an external evil force holding us back. In Murphy’s view, concepts like “the Devil” simply represent our own negative thoughts and false beliefs – and we have the power to cast them out by changing our thinking. What others call “sin” or misfortune, Murphy reframed as the result of misdirected thought, always urging individuals to return to thoughts of love, faith, and harmony.
• Affirmative Prayer: Coming from both a religious and New Thought background, Murphy taught a form of prayer that was positive and affirming, rather than beseeching. Instead of praying in despair, he encouraged people to pray with confidence – effectively imagining and declaring the good outcome as if it were already done. This method, often called affirmative prayer or scientific prayer, is meant to implant a powerful belief in the subconscious that draws the answer or healing to you. Murphy often reminded his followers that faith is a mental attitude that “activates” the subconscious power. Even a mustard seed of genuine faith, held consistently, can move the mountains of difficulty in one’s life.
• Mind as Creator of Circumstance: Decades before “positive psychology” became popular, Joseph Murphy was teaching that “we become what we think about all day long.” He believed thoughts are real forces that shape our character and environment. By keeping our minds aligned with love, peace, joy, and goodwill, we naturally attract more of those blessings into our daily experience. Murphy echoed the age-old wisdom that we are co-creators with God – in other words, our mental choices (the use of that one Supreme Power) determine whether we experience good or ill. This empowering viewpoint lifted many people from feeling like victims of fate to realizing they had agency and a divine ally in their subconscious.

Throughout his lectures and writings, Joseph Murphy maintained a gentle, uplifting tone. He had an uncanny ability to make complex metaphysical ideas simple and practical for anyone. Whether quoting the Bible, alluding to the Vedas, or citing the latest psychological research, he always brought the message back to hope and possibility. To Murphy, every person is essentially good and deserving of a life of abundance and joy, because we are all expressions of the one loving Divine Spirit. This optimistic spirituality is a big reason his work continues to resonate: readers feel empowered and inspired, rather than judged.

Legacy and Influence

Joseph Murphy’s impact on the self-help and spiritual landscape is profound. His book The Power of Your Subconscious Mind alone has sold millions of copies worldwide and remains one of the best-known self-help books of all time. It has influenced countless other teachers, authors, and ordinary people seeking to improve their lives. Many later works on the Law of Attraction, positive thinking, and mind-body healing draw upon the same principles Murphy so eloquently taught in the 1950s and 60s. In fact, Murphy can be seen as a pioneer of today’s “mindset” and “affirmation” techniques – a forerunner to popular figures like Dr. Wayne Dyer (who often cited New Thought influences) and various motivational speakers who stress believing in yourself and visualizing success.

Within the New Thought movement, Dr. Murphy is revered as one of the great luminaries alongside names like Napoleon Hill, Emmet Fox, and Neville Goddard. Interestingly, Murphy and Neville Goddard shared not just a philosophy but also a mentor – the wise Abdullah who had nurtured them both in New York. Each took Abdullah’s foundational teachings in slightly different directions: Neville became famous for emphasizing imagination and biblical allegory, while Murphy gained renown for emphasizing the subconscious mind and practical prayer. Yet both conveyed the empowering message that we shape our reality from within. This shared lineage highlights how significant Abdullah’s role was in seeding ideas that would eventually spread to millions through his students’ writings. (It also offers a reminder that behind many great teachers, there may stand an unsung mentor like Abdullah, quietly lighting the way.)

Beyond his writings, Joseph Murphy’s personal ministry and outreach touched lives on a more direct level. He was a beloved pastor to his congregants in Los Angeles and a popular guest speaker worldwide. By the 1970s, he had lectured across the United States, Europe, Asia, and South Africa, bringing his inclusive message to diverse audiences. Even after his passing in 1981, his wife Dr. Jean Murphy continued their ministry for some years, ensuring that the flame of his teachings kept burning. Today, Joseph Murphy’s recorded lectures and numerous books are readily accessible, and his teachings flourish in quotes and motivational content across the internet – inspiring new spiritual seekers as powerfully as they did mid-century churchgoers.

Conclusion – Living the Legacy of Joseph Murphy

Joseph Murphy’s life is a testament to the transformational power of faith and the untapped potential within the human mind. From a humble Irish upbringing to becoming a world-renowned spiritual author, Murphy never stopped seeking deeper truth – and in doing so, he found a universal message of hope to share with humanity. His journey shows that when we follow our inner guidance, even against the grain of convention, we open ourselves to remarkable mentors, experiences, and wisdom. In Murphy’s case, leaving Ireland led him to Abdullah – a meeting that ignited the insights which would later be distilled into The Power of Your Subconscious Mind.

For anyone searching for inspiration and spiritual upliftment, Joseph Murphy’s story and teachings offer a guiding light. His voice echoes through time with gentle assurance: we do not walk through life alone or powerless. The same divine intelligence that keeps the stars shining and our hearts beating also lies within our subconscious, ready to help us create a life of love, abundance, and joy. By applying Murphy’s principles – nurturing only the thoughts we want to see realized and trusting in the God-given power of our minds – we honor his legacy in the best way possible: by proving these truths in our own lives. In the words of Joseph Murphy, “Infinite riches are all around you if you will open your mental eyes and behold the treasure house of infinity within.” Embracing that infinity within is the first step to transforming our world from the inside out – a lesson we can all take to heart from the inspiring life of Dr. Joseph Murphy.

Sources:

• Divine Science Ministers Association – Biography of Joseph Murphy (1898–1981)divinescienceministersassociation.orgdivinescienceministersassociation.org
• Joseph Murphy se raconte à Bernard Cantin – interview excerpts (Cool Wisdom Books)coolwisdombooks.comcoolwisdombooks.com
• When Joseph Murphy Met Abdullah (The Universe Unveiled, 2025)theuniverseunveiled.comtheuniverseunveiled.com
• Neville Goddard & Abdullah – Law of Attraction Havenlaw-of-attraction-haven.com
• Joseph Murphy – Wikipedia (New Thought minister and author)en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org
• The Power of Your Subconscious Mind – Readingraphics Summary of Key Ideasreadingraphics.comreadingraphics.com
• Penguin/Random House Author Profile – Joseph Murphypenguinrandomhouse.compenguinrandomhouse.com
• Goodreads – Quotes from The Power of Your Subconscious Mind (Joseph Murphy)goodreads.com