In Exodus 17 and Numbers 20, Moses strikes a rock and water flows forth to quench the thirst of the people. Seen through Neville Goddard’s perspective, and the bible's usual context of presenting the head as the house, the rock is not just stone—it is the skull, the seat of the mind and consciousness. Striking or speaking to the rock is how we engage with ourselves imaginatively, awakening the dormant streams of creative life first hinted at in Genesis, where rivers of living water symbolise the full potential of consciousness.
The Rock: The Skull, Seat of Consciousness
The rock is the skull—the literal and symbolic seat of the mind. It is where thought, imagination, and awareness reside. Striking the rock is the act of activating imagination from within, bringing forth ideas and insight that are already present but latent in the mind. Speaking to the rock represents a matured stage: an inner dialogue - the word of God- in which consciousness is directly guided to manifest life and abundance.
Water: Creative Flow from Consciousness
The water that flows from the rock represents imagination in action. It is the flow of creative consciousness that nourishes the inner self and brings life to thought. This is the same principle hinted at in Genesis, where living water prefigures the abundance of awareness available when the mind is engaged imaginatively.
“Out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
— John 7:38
Water emerges not from the rock as stone, but from the mind it represents. The miracle is not external—it is the awakening of the mind’s inherent creative power.
Moses: The Voice of Imaginative Command
Moses embodies the I AM within us—the conscious voice that dares to command life from the mind. Striking the skull is an act of assumption: daring to believe that imagination can bring forth life where it seems dormant. Speaking to the skull later represents mastery: the inner conversation of command that manifests without struggle, born of trust and awareness.
The People: Inner Needs and Longings
The people in the wilderness symbolize the latent desires, fears, and needs within our own consciousness. Their thirst is our inner longing for creativity, insight, and life. The water from the skull nourishes these inner needs. It reminds us that the source of life and abundance is within, in the very seat of consciousness, waiting to be engaged.
Striking vs. Speaking
In Numbers 20, Moses is instructed to speak to the rock instead of striking it. While striking is bold action, forcing imagination to awaken, speaking is the refined command of consciousness—an inner dialogue that brings forth life without struggle. Both are acts of imagination, but speaking reflects a deeper alignment and understanding of how consciousness flows.
Living Water from Within
Jesus’ words, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink,” echo this same principle: the water of life is imagination flowing from the mind itself. The rock is not simply an obstacle in the desert—it is the skull, the seat of consciousness, from which all life and creativity emerge. When we strike or speak to our own rock, we awaken the streams of imaginative power that were always present.
Conclusion: Engage Your Own Rock
What appears immovable, deadlocked, or final may simply be the skull—the seat of your own consciousness. By striking it with faith, or speaking to it with inner authority, you bring forth the rivers of imagination and awaken the abundance contained within. Even in the desert of apparent limitation, life flows where consciousness acts.