The Architecture of Reality, Imagination over Fact

The Architecture of Reality: Imagination over Fact

Let man disregard use of imagination can man accept “Nothing stands between man and the fulfillment of his dreams but facts (the evidence of the senses). And facts are the creations of imagining. If man changes his imagining, he will change the facts.

Neville Goddard

At the heart of Neville’s philosophy is the belief that imagination is the ultimate reality. Most people operate under the "evidence of the senses," believing that what they see, touch, and hear dictates what is possible. If your bank account is empty, you believe you are poor; if you are alone, you believe you are unloved. Neville calls these "facts," but he argues they are not permanent truths—they are merely the solidified results of past imaginings.

The Illusion of "Facts"

The essay suggests that "facts" are not obstacles but mirrors. When Neville says "facts are the creations of imagining," he is suggesting that our dominant thoughts, feelings, and mental images eventually "harden into fact" in the physical world. Therefore, looking at a current "fact" and feeling defeated by it is like looking at a photograph you don't like and blaming the paper. The "negative" was created in the darkroom of the mind long before it appeared in the physical world.

The Power of Revision

The most empowering—and perhaps most difficult—part of this quote is the bridge to fulfillment: "If man changes his imagining, he will change the facts." This implies that we are not victims of circumstance, but architects of it. By consciously withdrawing our attention from the "evidence of the senses" (the current problem) and focusing entirely on the "fulfillment of the dream" (the desired end), we initiate a change in our external reality.

In this view, the only thing "standing between" a person and their dream is their own insistence on believing that the current physical facts are more real than their internal vision.

Reflective Questions

These questions are designed to help you examine where your "facts" might be limiting your potential:

If you were to completely ignore your current physical circumstances for five minutes, what would your "ideal" life look feel like right now?

Can you identify a "fact" in your life today that you once believed was impossible to chang but somehow did? What changed first: the situation or your attitude toward it?

Neville suggests that the senses "lie" about what is possible. In what area of your life are your eyes and ears telling you "No," while your heart or intuition is saying "Yes"?

Practical Exercises

Exercise 1: The "Pruning Shears" of Revision

At the end of your day, before you go to sleep, sit quietly and review the events of the day.

Identify one "fact" or interaction that went poorly or felt like a setback.

In your imagination, rewrite the scene. See it happening exactly as you wished it had.

Feel the relief and joy of that successful version. According to Neville, this "changes the seeds" for your future facts.

Exercise 2: The "State of the Wish Fulfilled"

Choose one dream you currently feel is "blocked" by facts (money, time, or health).

Close your eyes and ignore the room around you.

Ask yourself: "How would I feel right now if my dream were already a fact?"

Do not think of the dream; think from the dream. Dwell in that feeling for 60 seconds, willfully disregarding any "factual" reasons why it isn't true yet.

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