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Neville Goddard 1954 - The Pruning Shears Of Revision

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NevilleGoddard1954
THEPRUNINGSHEARSOFREVISION

Thismorning'ssubjectis"ThePruningShearsofRevision".Ifirmlybelievethatifyouwillwisely
anddailyusethepruningshearsofrevisionthatyouwillfindthereisnoobjectivebeyondyourability
torealize.AndImeanthatseriously,noobjectivebeyondyourabilitytorealize.
WhenIwasaboyofseven,aladysaidtome,"Ihavehadavisionconcerningyou.I'llmakeitnow
very,verycleartoyouIdonotknowwhatitisyouaregoingtodo,butI'vebeenshownyouwilldo
somethingthatthroughthecenturiesafteryouaregonemanwillnotundoit.Icanseeitandthrough
thecenturiesyouwillgrowinstaturelongafteryouhavegone.Andthenthreemenwillbementioned
inhundredsofyearstocomeandyouwillbeoneofthethreewhensomethingisdiscussedthatwas
doneforman."
Ifeelthatthismorning'ssubjectthatthiscouldbeit,thatifIneversaidanotherword,andyouheardit
and believed it, and really used it, this would be the planting that would spread from us here that
tomorrow could not undo. For it is magic, this pruning shears of revision. It really is not only the
achievementof objectives, but if you do itdaily, it will awakenin you thespiritofJesus,whichis
continualforgivenessofsin.
Inthisteachingthesinnershouldalwaysgofreeyouwillnevercondemnhim,forwhenthespiritis
awakeinyouyouwillrealizeinhimthereisnocondemnation,onlyforgiveness,andforgivenessis
notasmanoftheworldthinkswhenheomitstheactualexecutionofhisrevenge.Whatwemeanby
forgiveness the identification of the other that we would forgive with the ideal that other wants to
embodyintheworld.Andsowedotohimwhatweexpectorwouldliketheworldtodotous.So
whateverImyselfwouldliketoembodythatisthevisionthatImustholdofeverymanthatImeetin
my world that nomanis to be discarded, every man is to be redeemed, and my life is the process
wherebythatredemptionisbroughtabout.AndIdoitbysimplyidentifyingtheotherwiththeidealI
wanttoexternalizeinmyworld.
Nowwewillgobacktothe2ndofGenesis.Itissaid"AndGodplacedmaninthegardenofEdento
dressitandtokeepit."Nowwhenyoureadthestoryyouthinkithappenedthousandsofyearsago.I
havecometotellyouitisnow.YouarenowinthegardenofEdenandyouthinkyouareshutoutor
banished.Youare in it, and the garden is your mind, but you needlike every gardeneryou need
pruningshears.Foryouhaveslept,asyouaretoldinthatsecondchapterhavingslept,weedshave
appeared in the garden and the weeds are revealing themselves by the conditions and the
circumstancesoflife.Foryourgardenisalwaysprojectingitselfonthescreenofspace,andyoucan
seebylookingcarefullyatyourworldwhatyouallowtogrowinthegardenofGod.Butyouhavea
mission,youhaveapurpose,itisnottoamassafortuneyoucandoitifyouwanttoit'snottobe
famous,itisnottobesomemightypower,butsimplytotendthegardenofGod.That'syourpurpose.
Youareplacedinthegardentodressitandtokeepit,thatonlythelovelythingsgrowinthegarden
ofGod.
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Neville Goddard 1954 - The Pruning Shears Of Revision

Noweverymanintheworldisrootedinyouwholookoutandseethatworld.Everymanisrootedin
meheendsinmeasIamrootedinandendinGod.Becauseheisrootedinmehecannotbearother
than the nature the root allows. So he is in me and any changes desired in the outer world can be
broughtaboutonlyifIchangethesourceofthethingIseegrowinginmyworld.
"Youseeyonderfields?
Don'tbesurprisedwhenyouseesesamum:
Thesesamumwassesamum,
Thecornwascorn,
Thesilenceandthedarknessknew
Soisaman'sfateborn"
Sodon'tjudgeit,becauseyouarethesourceofthethingthatyouarebeholding.Nowturnwithinand
pruneitbyusingthesepruningshearsofrevision.
Nowthisishowwedoit.Attheendofmyday,IreviewthedayIdon'tjudgeit,Isimplyreviewit.I
lookovertheentireday,alltheepisodes,alltheevents,alltheconversations,allthemeetings,and
thenasIseeitclearlyinmymind'seye,Irewriteit.IrewriteitandmakeitconformtotheidealdayI
wishIhadexperienced.Itakesceneaftersceneandrewriteit,reviseit,andhavingrevisedmyday,
theninmyimaginationIrelivethatday,therevisedday,andIdoitoverandoverinmyimagination
untilthisseemingimaginedstatebeginstotakeontomethetonesofreality.Itseemsthatit'sreal,
that I actually did experience it and I have found from experience that these revised days, if really
lived, will change my tomorrows. When I meet people tomorrow that today disappointed me, they
willnottomorrow,forinmeIhavechangedtheverynatureofthatbeing,andhavingchangedhim,he
bearswitnesstomorrowofthechangethattookplacewithinme.Itismydutytotakethisgardenand
reallymakeitagardenbydailyusingthepruningshearsofrevision.
Iknowfromexperienceitwillnotonlybringabouttheseobjectives,andbringaboutthesechanges,
butthegloriousthingis,itawakensinyou,whouseit,thespiritofJesus,andyoufindyourselfthen
notjustifyingbutforgiving,andyouwillrealizethatfreedomandforgivenessareindissolublylinked.
Youcannotbefreeandnotforgive,fortheonethatyouwouldbindandjudgeandcondemnanchors
you by your own judgment of himfor he is in you. And so by identifying him with theideal you
wanttoreallyrealizeyoufreeyourself.
Youaretold"Forgiveandyoushallbeforgiven.Forgivenotandthenyoushallnotbeforgiven".It's
automaticitcan'tbeotherwiseforthewholespringsfromyouwhobeholdit.Andasyoubeginto
practice it the very spirit arouses itself within you and you know that you are he that others spoke
aboutandthoughtlived2000yearsago.
So,whenyourealizeit,yourealizeitthroughactualknowledge,youknowitnoargument,youdon't
tellothers,youknowthatyouarehe.AndthenyouwillreadthewordsintheninthofHebrews,"He
appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself". And you will know you are the one that put
away sin by the sacrifice of self and by the sacrifice of self it's not being a brave one who throws
himselfinthelineoffiretoprotectabrother,itdoesn'tmeanonewhogiveshisbodytobeburned,
one who is nailed on a cross, but the self of man is the sum total of all that that man believes and
consentstoastrue.Sothat'stheselfthatissacrificed.
I heard of this lady and she would make some man a wonderful wife, and yet she is unwed. She
desirestobethecompanionofagreatnobleperson,butsheisunwed,Iheardthat.Thatbecomesa
part of myself, that's my knowledge I must sacrifice that self, that that aspect of my being be as
happyasIamandthoseinmyworldare.Forthat'stheselfImustsacrificeandputawaysin,forsin
tothemysticmeansmissingthemarkitdoesn'tmeantheviolationofcertaincodes,unlessofcourse
youhaveamarkandtheviolationfellshort,butsintothemysticissimplyhayinganaiminlifeand
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failingtorealizeit.Sowhenyoumissthemarkyouhavesinnedsoheappearedtoputawaysinby
thesacrificeofhimself,andknowingthathimselfisonlyallthatheconsentsto,allthatheaccepts,all
thathebelievestobetrue,thenwhatamIbelievingconcerning that onehe is unemployed and he
can'tfindajob?I'mbelievingit.Nowputawaythatsinwhereheismissinghismarkandthenbythe
puttingawayofthesinIdoitonlybythesacrificeofmyselfandmyselfisthatbelief,sonowIrevise.
Ican'tsaywell,Iwillnolongerbelieveheisunemployed:Ibelievehe'semployed.
Idoitbythepruningshearsofrevision.Ibringhimbeforemymind'seyeandIcongratulatehimon
his good fortune because he is now gainfully employed. I allow him to accept my congratulations,
becauseIdonotseeamanunemployed,Iseehimemployedandheknowsheisinmymind'seyefor
inthat state I havepruned him from the unemployed state and once more reshaped the branch that
growsinthegardenofGod.Tomorrowpeoplewillseehimastheycouldnothaveseenhimbefore
thepruningthattookplacewithinmeandhewillbegainfullyemployed.
Thatoneisunwell,youprunethatbranch.Youdon'tacceptonethingintheworldasfinalunlessit
conformstotheidealyouwanttorealizeintheworld.Butyoudoitdailyifyoudonotpruneitdaily
you will get out of the habit, then weeds will grow. Every man who really is a gardener who calls
himselfagardener,agardenerinthegardenofGod,foreverydayistheopportunitytoreally prune
thetree,thiswonderfultree.Andsoeveryonethatyoumeetisabranchrootedinthevinethatyouare
andyouarethatspecialtreeinthegardenofGod,atreebearinglife,atreebearingfruitforthefood
ofthenations.Youarethatone.
Ifyoutakemeseriouslytoday,tonightdonotletthesundescenduponanyvexationoftheday.Just
lookatit,don'tdenyit,don'tduckit,lookatitthatyoumaypruneitandthenreshapeit.Takethe
conversationswithyourfriendstoday,weretheypleasant,weretheyarguments,nomatterwhatitis,
weretheynegative?
Then rewrite the script and just imagine the conversation to have taken place that now you are
rewriting for the first time. And it will take place, for everything in your world that you behold,
thoughitappearswithout,itiswithin,inyourimagination.Andthiswonderfulimaginationofyours
isChristJesus.Imaginationistheactualhabitationofeverycreatedthing.Nomatterwhatyouseein
theworld,itspringsfromyourimagination.Sothat'swhereyougo,that'stheworkshop,thegardenof
God.
Andnowyouhaveamission,youhaveapurposeinlifeit'sanoblepurpose,becauseyouhavebeen
selectedtoreallybecomethechiefgardenerinthegardenofGod,andinthegardenyoumusthave
pruning shears, and pruning shears is revision. You simply revise, and as you revise the day you
repealtheday,forthedayisnotslippingintothepast,itdoesnotrecedeaspeoplethink,itisalways
advancingintothefuturetoconfrontyou,eitherprunedorinsomestrangeweedlikestate.
Soit'sentirelyuptousIhopethateverymanandwomanheretodaywilltakemeseriouslyandstart
thisdaypruningyourgarden.pruningyourmind.IknowbeforeIleavethiscityinamatteroftwo
weeksthatyouwillbeabletotellmeofthenewthingsthatspringinyourworldorthatspringfrom
theprunedtreethatisyourownlovelyimagination.Youtryit:thenyouwillknowwhatBlakemeant
whenhesaid."Inheaven,theonlyartoflivingisforgettingandforgiving."Theonlyartoflivingis
complete forgetfulness by putting something in its place, no vacuum, but putting something in its
place.
Sowhenyoureadthesestrangestoriesthatyoureadinthedailypress,yousimplyignorethem.They
meannothing.Menwhoarecallingthemselvesleaders,shepherdsoftheflock,theyexcommunicate
notjustonereligion,allreligionstheleaderstakeituponthemselvestoexcommunicate,notknowing
nothing is to be discarded, not a thing in the world can you discard for it is forever, but it can be
prunedandmadetoconformtotheidealimage.Themanwhowillnotrevisehisdayeitherdoesnot
knowitorhehaslostthevisionofthatlifeintothelikenessofwhichitisthetruelaborofthespiritof
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Jesusthattransformedthislife.Soyoudon'tdiscardthem.
In the current issue of "Time" magazine there is that noble soul who is known to us as Spinoza,
BaruchdeSpinoza,whohasgivensomuchtotheworldofphilosophy,somucheveryonehasbeen
enrichedbecausehewalkedtheearth.Andhere300yearslater,theexpremierofIsrael,BenGurion,
hasaskedtheleadingrabbistodaytorescindthatexcommunicationof300yearsago,andtheytellthis
noblesoultodaythattheycannotrescindtheworksoftheirforefathers,thatthecurseremainsforever,
andyoushouldreadthatsilly,sillycurseasit'sprintedinthecurrentissueof"Time"magazine.They
calluponalltheangelstocursehim,asthoughangelswouldcursetheycalluponeverythingtoblast
him,youcouldnotwalkwithinfourcubitsoftheman'sshadownooneshouldtalktohim,noone
shouldshowhimkindness,nooneshouldwritehimandneverreadanythingheeverhastosayand
that's300yearsago.
Therabbiswhosocursedhimhavelongbeenforgottenandiftheydolive,theyliveonlybyreasonof
theircurse.Andnooneknowsreallywhotheyreallyare,butyoucan'tforgetifyoureadinthisworld
theworksofSpinoza.Everyoneinthisaudiencepossiblyhasusedoneofhisphrasesdidyouknowit
washewhosaid"natureabhorsavacuum"?NowyouuseitIuseit,butwhatisthesourceofitit
was Spinoza. For here was this giant of a mind that after 300 years little minds who think they're
leading the flock they call themselves shepherds. They should go back and read well the Book of
Jeremiah,"Youshepherdswhospoilmyvinesandyouwhohavecomeintomygardenandyouhave
taken my vines, now it bears no grape and it bears no leaf, and the garden of Jerusalem now has
become a weed." Read it in Jeremiah, how he cries out because shepherds, who call themselves
shepherds,areblindleadersoftheblind.
Youtakemethismorningatmywordyouowemenothing,itcostsyounotathingtocomeherethis
morning,youcomeyougivemeyourtimeandIgiveyoumytime,butyougooutandtryitandstart
this day pruning that wonderful imagination of yours. Do you know someone that is evil? Stop
knowing it by bringing him before your mind's eye and carry on with him the most wonderful
conversation in the world, with a tender spirit, a loving spirit, and believe in the reality of this
communion,becauseifyoureallydoit,youareenteringthekingdomofheaven,foryouenterheaven
byaloving,knowingcommunionwithafriend.Somakehimafriend,ifheisalovelyone,nomatter
whatheis,youcanprunehimandthenasyouprunehimyouaredoingtheworkwhichyouweresent
todoformanandyouarethatmanyouareplacedthisdayinthegardenofEdentodressitandto
keepit.Don'tletitcontinuegrowingweedsinyourworld.
Youareabsolutelyresponsibleforeverybeingyoumeetinthisworldthat'syourresponsibility.Just
liketheteacherwetoldyouofwhotookthislittlechild that was just about to be expelled no, the
childisnotexpelledbecausesheheardwhatyouarehearingthismorning.Soshebroughtbeforeher
mind'seyethechildthattheprincipal,thepsychiatristandallthefacultyhadagreedunanimouslyto
expelheronherl6thbirthday,forshewasrude,shewascrude,shewasunethicalandshewenthome
onaSundaynightandbroughtthatchildbeforehermind'seyeandcommunedwithherandsawin
heratenderchild,aconsideratechild,alovingchild.Thenextday,Monday,inclasssheexpressedall
thekindnessofthatrevisionofthenightbefore,andtendayslaterwhenitwasseenandwitnessedby
allthefaculty,andthepsychiatrist,anothermeetingwascalledandtheyrepealedtheirverdictoften
daysbeforeandthechildisnotexpelled.ShestillsitsintheGeorgeWashingtonHighSchoolinNew
YorkCity,whichisconsideredanexcellentschoolandsotheresheis.withnoblackmarksagainst
herbecauseoneteachersatintheaudience,asyouarehere,andshebelieved,whatIhopeeveryone
herewillbelieve,andsheredeemedabranchofherowntree.Shedidn'trealizethechildwasherself.
Shesawuptothatverymomentallthechildrenthatshetaughtinpureobjectivity.Blindmanseesthe
world objective to himself, something detached from himself. When man begins to awake he sees
everything subjectively related everything he meets is part of himself, and what he does not now
understand, still he knows that it is related by affinity to some as yet unrealized force in his own
being. So he doesn't discard it, he knows his life is the process by which he will redeem it and he
redeemsitbyusingthepruningshearsofrevision.
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SoIfeelthatifafterthesefiftyyearsofwalkingthisearththatthisiswhatthatladysawwhenIwas
but seven, I could really close the eye on three dimensions at any moment knowing you will not
disproveit:youmayneverusethem but you will never disprove this art of revision. And any man
whowilltryitwillproveittohisownsatisfactionthathecanrisebeyondthewildestdreamofmen,
and rising he awakens the spirit of forgiveness. He will rise in the early stages in the successful
venturehewillincreasehisincome,hewilldoallthesethings,buthewillrealizeafteralittlewhile
thatwasn'tthepurpose.Theywereonlytoystoticklehim,toystoamusehimuntilheawokewithin
himselfthespiritofJesusthenheseesanentirelydifferentmission,nottheamassingofwealthbut
theredeemingofsociety,theredeemingofeverymanintheworld.HecomestodohisFather'swill
andwearetoldinthe6thchapterofJohn,"ThisismyFather'swill,thatofallthathehasgivenmeI
shouldlosenothingbutIshouldraiseitupagain."
Losenothingno,youdon'texcommunicate, you don't rub out, you simply raise it up again and as
youraiseitupyouraiseyourselfupandthejourneyisforever.Youaremovingupaninfinitevertical
lineinyourownwonderfulimagination,andyouonlymoveupbyliftingothersup.Blindmenthink
theycansavethemselves,andbecausetheythinktheycansavethemselvesanddiscardtherest.The
blindmanalsosaidthishundredsofyearsago.Hesavedashesavedothershimselfhecannotsave.I
saytoyouthatit'safalsestatementitwasputintothemouthofthePharisee,putintothemouthof
theSanhedrin,theleaderswhothoughttheywereleaders,butIwilltellyouamansaveshimselfby,
andonlybythesavingofhisfellowman.Thereisnootherwayofsavingselfotherthanbysavingthe
realselfandeverymanisrootedinyouwhoobservesmen.Andsodon'tdiscard,raisethemup,prune
thetree,andbecometherealgardenerinthegardenofGod.
Takeanythingyouhaveachildtoday:wetookalltherequeststhismorning,thereweredozensand
dozensofrequeststhismorning.Everyonemustbeanswered,nonemustbediscardeddon'tsayoneis
impossible,thereisnothingimpossibletoyourimaginationandyourimaginationisChristJesus.With
Himallthingsarepossible.Usehim,stirhim,wakehimfromhissleephehasbeensleepingthrough
thecenturies:becausehehasslepthehasdreamedintobeingallthesestrangemisshapedstates.For
theworldonlybearswitnessoftheuseormisuseofimagination.Aswearetold,heistheonlything
intheworld.What he is the only thing in the world? Your imagination, for it is the habitationof
everycreatedthingandbyitallthingsaremadeandwithoutitisnothingmadethatismade.Souseit
wisely,useitlovinglyandanytimeyouuseyourimaginationlovinglyonbehalfofanotheryouareat
thatmomentliterallymediatingGodtoman.Imaginationistheredemptivepoweroftheworldand
youareactuallymediatingGodtomanbyusingitinaloving,wonderfulway.

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