Even though the Bible describes breath, wind, and hanging in physical terms, these are symbolic. Just as air cannot be seen but can be felt, the text points to movements of consciousness — the inner flow of imagination and Spirit within the mind.
In Neville Goddard's framework, the Bible is a guide to understanding consciousness and creative living. Every character, event, and image represents a state of consciousness or an aspect of the self. One symbol that illustrates this vividly is hanging.
The Bible is written from the interior of the mind — the head. In this framework, the head represents the house, and the skull is the rock, the seat of consciousness and mental stability. Hanging, breath, and wind all describe movements of the Spirit within this “house.”
Hanging: The Severing of Consciousness
In biblical narratives, hanging is often associated with judgment, shame, or divine justice:
"His body shall not remain all night upon the tree... for he that is hanged is accursed of God."
— Deuteronomy 21:23
Symbolically, hanging represents the suspension or severing of consciousness — the flow of imagination and Spirit through the skull and the house. From Neville's perspective, it reflects spiritual disconnection: the breath of God, or the animating creative power, is no longer moving.
This theme carries into the New Testament:
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."
— Galatians 3:13
Jesus’ crucifixion symbolises the hanging of the outer, habitual self, allowing the inner consciousness (Christ-state) to rise.
Breath, Wind, and the Flow of Consciousness
In Scripture, breath and wind symbolise the movement of consciousness, the invisible Spirit within the head (house) and skull (rock):
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
— Genesis 2:7
"And there came to them the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the evening wind..."
— Genesis 3:8
Breath and wind represent consciousness and imagination flowing through the mind. The wind is unseen but active, causing transformation and movement within the house and skull.
Misused Imagination and the Gallows
Stories such as Haman’s hanging illustrate misused imagination:
"Then said the king, Hang him thereon. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai."
— Esther 7:10
Haman represents destructive mental states — fear, resentment, pride. The gallows reflects the mechanism of suspension within the mind: misdirected imagination leads to stagnation and self-imposed limitation.
Wings, Wind, and Rising Consciousness
Conversely, the Bible also describes alignment with Spirit:
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles..."
— Isaiah 40:31
“Wings” symbolise faculties of the mind that allow consciousness to move freely with Spirit. Hanging is stagnation; riding the wind is active imagination flowing through the Rock (skull) and house (head).
Conclusion: Restoring the Flow
To be hanged is to be disconnected from the breath, the Spirit, and imagination — a suspended, stagnant state within consciousness. But in Neville Goddard's teachings, resurrection follows hanging: imagination flows again when you assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled, reconnecting with the Spirit in the house and the Rock of your mind.