The Symbolism of Camels and Women in the Bible

In Neville Goddard’s teachings, manifestation is a journey where the conscious and subconscious minds work in harmony. Biblical symbolism provides rich insights into this process, particularly through elements like camels and women, which represent key aspects of manifestation—imagination and the subconscious.

Camels: The Vehicle of Imagination

In Neville’s framework, camels symbolise the imagination—the creative power that shapes desires and brings them from the unseen realm of thought into physical reality. Just as camels were used to travel through vast and challenging terrain, the imagination carries desires through obstacles like doubt and disbelief, moving them closer to manifestation.

The ten camels Abraham’s servant takes on his journey to find a wife for Isaac represent the persistence of the imagination. The servant’s mission parallels the imaginative process: while it may not always be immediate or smooth, the desire is carried forward through determination and faith.

“Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels, and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.” (Genesis 24:10)

The camels' journey illustrates the persistence required to manifest desires, symbolising how imagination works tirelessly to bring intentions into reality.

Neville Goddard’s Interpretation: Finding a Wife as the Blueprint of Desire

In Neville's interpretation, finding a wife is symbolic of the formation of a desire. It’s not about seeking a physical partner but about the conscious mind’s first attempt to create a mental image—a desire that one wishes to manifest.

The act of seeking Rebekah, as described in the Bible, represents the initial stage of manifestation. At this point, the desire is vague and not yet fully formed. This mirrors the early stages of manifestation, where the conscious mind sets an intention and the imagination begins to shape it into a clearer desire.

Women: The Subconscious Mind, Receptive to Desire

In Neville's teachings, women symbolise the subconscious mind— the fertile, receptive force that nurtures desires impressed upon it by the conscious mind. The subconscious mind, like a womb, takes mental images created by the imagination and nurtures them until they manifest in physical form.

In the story of Rebekah, she reflects the subconscious mind. She responds to the servant’s request with receptivity, offering water to the camels, which signifies how the subconscious mind supports and cultivates the desires from the imagination.

“Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her.” (Genesis 24:16)

Rebekah embodies the nurturing nature of the subconscious mind, taking the desires impressed upon it and preparing them for manifestation. The Virgin state, in particular, reflects an open and receptive mind, untouched by previous conditioning, making it ideal for manifesting new desires.

The Virgin State: A Pattern of Receptivity in Manifestation

This Virgin state—interchangeable with the concept of Israel and “the pure in heart”—symbolises a mind untainted by fear, doubt, or past conditioning. It’s the heart in its most receptive form, ready to accept the seed of a new assumption. This pattern of ‘virgin purity’ echoes throughout the Bible, always pointing to a subconscious that remains undefiled by conflicting beliefs—an essential condition for manifestation..

In Neville’s view, this state is crucial in the manifestation process. It represents the unconditioned mind, ready to receive new desires and bring them to fruition. Mary, the mother of Jesus, epitomises this state, receiving the seed of creation and nurturing it into reality. This reflects the subconscious mind’s role in taking a desire from the imagination and bringing it to physical expression.

Camels and Women in Harmony: The Manifestation Journey

Together, camels and women illustrate the manifestation process. The camels, symbolising imagination, carry the desire forward, while the women symbolise the subconscious mind, which nurtures the desire into reality. The interaction between the two represents the collaboration of the conscious and subconscious minds in the process of manifestation.

In the story of Abraham’s servant and Rebekah, we see the servant (the conscious mind) setting an intention, the camels (imagination) carrying the desire forward, and Rebekah (the subconscious mind) receiving and nurturing the desire.

The long journey of the camels represents the persistence and determination required in manifestation. Just as camels endure challenges to reach their destination, the imagination must push through doubt and setbacks to bring a desire into physical form.

Marriage: The Union of Conscious and Subconscious Minds

Marriage, in Neville's teachings, represents the union between the conscious and subconscious minds. Once a desire is formed, it must be committed to in imagination—like a marriage. This commitment solidifies the desire within the imagination and creates a strong bond between the conscious and subconscious minds.

In this context, marriage represents the act of impressing a desire onto the subconscious mind and aligning it with the conscious will. Without this union, the desire cannot manifest in reality. The imagination must remain faithful to the desire, just as a marriage involves ongoing commitment.

Leah, Rachel, and the Alignment of Consciousness

The story of Leah and Rachel in Genesis further explores the relationship between the conscious and subconscious mind. Leah represents the subconscious mind bearing fruit even when misaligned with the conscious mind’s desires. Though Leah was not loved by Jacob, she continued to bear children, illustrating how the subconscious mind can manifest desires even when they are not in alignment with the conscious mind’s will.

Rachel, on the other hand, represents the conscious mind’s desires that align with the subconscious. After a period of struggle, Rachel’s eventual conception illustrates how alignment between the conscious and subconscious minds brings about manifestation.

Conclusion: Aligning Consciousness for Manifestation

The biblical symbolism of camels and women reveals key insights into Neville Goddard’s teachings on manifestation. The camels represent the imagination, which carries desires forward, while the women symbolise the subconscious mind, nurturing those desires until they manifest in physical reality. The Virgin state—representing an open, receptive mind—is essential to the process, allowing the desires impressed upon the subconscious to come to life.

The union of the conscious and subconscious mind, symbolised by marriage, is the key to bringing desires into manifestation. Through persistent imagination, aligned with a receptive subconscious, desires will inevitably come to fruition. By understanding these symbols, we can align our minds for the successful manifestation of our desires.