Neville Goddard on Leviticus 21:1-5 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Leviticus 21 in context

Scripture Focus

1And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:

2But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother,

3And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.

4But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

5They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

Leviticus 21:1-5

Biblical Context

The passage forbids priests from being defiled by the dead among the people, except for close kin. It also prescribes mourning signs such as avoiding baldness and beard cutting to safeguard sacred boundaries.

Neville's Inner Vision

Read as Neville would, the verse speaks of inner states rather than external ritual. None shall be defiled for the dead means I will not permit the memory or fear of death to defile my present awareness. The exception for near kin teaches tenderness, allowing reverence for those closest to me without surrendering my life to loss. The rules about baldness and shaving symbolize inner discipline rather than appearance; they guard the unity of attention and prevent the self from being torn by sorrow. Holiness is a state of consciousness I can assume now. I stand as the high priest of my own heart, preserving the sanctuary where the Presence of God, the I AM, may dwell. In daily life, I revise any thought that resembles defilement and persist in the feeling that I AM is always here and now.

Practice This Now

Assume the role of the high priest of your inner temple, keeping it undefiled by dead memories. Revise any sense of lack until you feel the I AM Presence occupying this moment.