Neville Goddard taught that your imagination creates your reality. To apply his teachings, it's important to understand the roles of the conscious and subconscious mind. The Bible uses two trees—the Cedar of Lebanon and the Palm Tree—to help illustrate how these two parts of the mind work.
This article breaks down what each tree represents and how they connect with Neville's ideas about creating change in your life.
What the Cedar of Lebanon Represents
The Cedar of Lebanon symbolises your conscious mind. This is the part of your mind that chooses what to focus on. In the Bible, the cedar is a strong and stable tree, often linked with power and dignity.
"He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." – Psalm 92:12
Neville explained that when you imagine a new version of yourself or a better outcome, you are using your conscious mind to choose a new state. In his lecture The Rock and the Highway, he said:
“So he made it of the cedar of Lebanon… then he took the entire chariot and covered it with purple… You cover [the mind] with the robe that Christ wears, because you are destined to awaken as Christ.”
In simple terms, the cedar represents making a clear mental decision about the life or identity you want to experience.
What the Palm Tree Represents
The Palm Tree symbolises your subconscious mind. This is the part of you that brings your thoughts into physical reality. In the Bible, palms often grow in deserts, showing that life can appear even in tough conditions.
"The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree…" – Psalm 92:12
In Consciousness Is the Only Reality, Neville said:
“The word Tamar means a palm tree… A tall, stately palm tree blossoms even in the desert…”
This means that once the subconscious accepts a thought or belief from the conscious mind, it begins to produce results—even if the situation around you doesn't seem promising. The palm shows that results come after inner belief is planted.
How the Two Work Together
Psalm 92:12 mentions both trees in one line:
“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.”
This gives a complete picture:
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The Cedar stands for the conscious act of choosing a new belief.
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The Palm stands for the subconscious process of bringing that belief into reality.
Other Bible verses support this idea:
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Ezekiel 31:3 compares the cedar to someone with great spiritual awareness.
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Isaiah 41:19 talks about planting cedars in the wilderness—creating a new mindset even when your life feels empty.
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John 12:13 describes people waving palm branches as Jesus enters Jerusalem—this can be seen as the subconscious mind accepting and celebrating a new identity.
Key Takeaways from Neville Goddard’s Teachings
Neville believed:
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Your conscious mind decides what to focus on.
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Your subconscious mind accepts that focus and expresses it in your life.
This is the basic process of manifestation:
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Use your conscious mind to imagine the life or outcome you want.
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Allow your subconscious to absorb that idea.
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Trust that it will show up in your life.
The cedar is the decision. The palm is the result.
Summary
The Cedar of Lebanon and the Palm Tree are more than just plants in the Bible. According to Neville Goddard, they explain how your mind works:
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The Cedar represents your conscious choice to assume a new belief.
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The Palm represents the subconscious outcome that grows from that belief.
When you understand this, you can start using your imagination more effectively to improve your life.
Choose the thought. Let it take root. Let the result appear.