“You Are in Barbados”: How Abdullah Taught the Subconscious to Obey
Neville Goddard’s Barbados story—taught by Abdullah—shows how assumption, detachment & finality reprogram the subconscious to manifest desires.
The Universe Unveiled is a manifestation and subconscious mind mastery platform for seekers, visionaries, and intentional creators ready to align with universal law. In this foundational post, we unpack Neville Goddard’s core teaching—the Law of Assumption—which states that whatever you persistently assume with feeling will harden into truth. This hidden code is the energetic engine behind living from the end: you become the person who already is what you desire, and reality naturally mirrors that inner state.
In the 1930s, an out-of-work dancer named Neville Goddard found himself penniless and yearning for a way home to Barbados. Enter Abdullah, an Ethiopian mystic who would become Neville’s teacher and forever change his understanding of reality. Abdullah’s famous instruction – “You are in Barbados” – is more than a memorable quote; it’s a doorway into the Law of Assumption, a powerful method of subconscious reprogramming. This mystical yet grounded tale reveals how Neville manifested a trip to Barbados against all odds by obeying Abdullah’s unconventional guidance. We’ll explore the full story of this manifestation miracle and unpack the psychological and spiritual principles behind it: assumption, detachment, and finality. Finally, we’ll look at practical tips so you can apply Abdullah’s method to your own life and teach your subconscious mind to obey your conscious desires.
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Neville’s Barbados Manifestation: Abdullah’s Famous Lesson
Neville’s story begins in New York City during the Great Depression. He was a Barbados-born performer with no job and no money, living in a basement room while thousands around him were struggling to eat. As Christmas 1933 approached, Neville felt a “hungry, haunting desire” to visit his family in Barbados after 12 years away. The only problem: he couldn’t afford the trip. When Neville confided this wish to his mentor, Abdullah’s response was utterly unexpected:
“You are in Barbados,” Abdullah said calmly.
Neville was taken aback – here he was standing in New York City, and his teacher was affirming he was already 2,000 miles away in the Caribbean. Neville even protested, asking if he’d heard correctly: “I am in Barbados?” Abdullah only reiterated with greater detail: yes, Neville was now in Barbados in his imagination. He instructed Neville to see Barbados around him, to smell the tropical air and look at New York as though it were 2,000 miles to the north. “...and that’s all you do. You just simply sleep this night in Barbados,” Abdullah insisted.
This baffling advice was Abdullah’s way of teaching Neville the first key principle – assumption. Neville was to assume the feeling of his wish fulfilled, living from the end as though the trip had already happened. Though it sounded “so… stupid” to Neville at first, he trusted his teacher enough to give it a try. That very night, Neville followed Abdullah’s guidance: he imagined himself in his family home in Barbados, felt the warmth of the tropics, and fell asleep in that mental state. In Neville’s own words, “I slept in Barbados. I assumed that I’m in Barbados in my mother’s home… it wasn’t under me that night, it was north of me, about two thousand miles.”
For a week, Neville persisted in this imaginal practice. Each night he would drift to sleep feeling he was already in Barbados. By day, however, reality still showed him in New York with no ticket and no money. Growing anxious as time passed, Neville sought reassurance from Abdullah. He tried to bring up the subject a few times in November, but Abdullah refused to discuss it at all. Whenever Neville attempted to say nothing was happening, Abdullah literally turned his back and slammed the door of his study! Abdullah would not entertain even a hint of doubt. In fact, he later explained his apparent rudeness: “How could he discuss with me how I am going to Barbados when I am already in Barbados? ... If I am faithful to my assumption, I can’t discuss the ‘how.’ I’m already there!’”. This was Abdullah teaching Neville the next principle – detachment. Once you have assumed the state of your wish fulfilled, you must detach from the question of how it will come about. To Abdullah, Neville’s trip was a done deal in consciousness; discussing “how” or fretting over external circumstances would only undermine Neville’s faith in the imaginal act.
Weeks went by with no outward changes. By early December, Neville’s situation remained dire – no job, no travel funds – and time was running out. The last ship that could get him to Barbados by Christmas was set to sail on December 6th. Then, on the morning of December 4th, a miraculous turn of events occurred. Neville awoke to find an airmail letter under his door from his older brother, Victor. Inside, Victor implored Neville to come home for the holidays – it would be the first time the entire family gathered together for Christmas. Knowing Neville’s financial state, Victor’s letter included a $50 draft (a substantial sum in 1933) to cover travel expenses, and informed Neville that a ticket was reserved for him at the Furness Withy Line shipping office. In other words, the means for Neville’s journey appeared completely out of the blue, arranged by his family back in Barbados. Neville was ecstatic and rushed to the shipping line to claim his ticket.
At the ticket office, Neville was told there was a slight hitch: all First Class berths were sold out for the December 6th voyage. They could only offer him a Third Class accommodation, though he’d be free to use First Class facilities once on board. Neville didn’t mind – he had gotten his passage! He eagerly accepted the Third Class ticket. That evening, bursting with excitement, Neville ran to share the good news with Abdullah. Even this triumphant moment became another lesson. Neville gushed that he was going to Barbados after all, “but I have to go Third Class,” he admitted. Abdullah was unmoved. Looking Neville in the eye, he asked a simple but pointed question: “Who told you that you are going to Barbados? And who told you that you went to Barbados Third Class?” Then, delivering the final punch to Neville’s lingering doubts, Abdullah declared, “You went to Barbados, and you went First Class.” With that, he once again dismissed Neville’s sensory evidence and would say no more on the matter.
Confused but unwilling to argue, Neville boarded the ship on December 6th with his Third Class ticket in hand. As the passengers were checking in, an agent at the counter said to him: “I’ve got good news for you, Mr. Goddard. Someone has cancelled, and you’re going First Class.”giancarloserra.org Incredibly, at the last minute a First Class cabin opened up – exactly as Abdullah had firmly envisioned. Neville ended up sailing to Barbados in luxury, First Class, after all. He spent a “heavenly” three months with family on the island, and returned to New York in early 1934, forever changed by this chain of events.
Neville often retold this story in his lectures because the Barbados manifestation was more than just a travel anecdote – it was a vivid demonstration of the power of imagination and belief. Abdullah’s unwavering insistence that Neville live from his desired end result taught Neville experientially that imagination creates reality. As Neville reflected, Abdullah’s almost insolent refusal to discuss “how” things might happen forced him to learn a vital truth: “He taught me by his rudeness that I cannot discuss how if I am doing what I’m supposed to do.” In other words, if you truly believe in your assumption, you won’t worry about the how or whether it’s working. Abdullah’s mentoring had drilled into Neville a new mental discipline – assume the wish fulfilled, feel it vividly, and then let it be, trusting the subconscious to find the means. The outer world eventually conformed perfectly to Neville’s inner imaginal act, down to the seemingly “unimportant” detail that he went First Class, just as he had imagined. Years later, Neville would encapsulate this lesson as living in the end: “Whenever your feeling is in conflict with your wish, feeling will be the victor... You assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled and continue therein.”. The Barbados story became Neville’s living proof that the subconscious mind, once impressed by an assumption, will loyally obey and bring about the corresponding circumstances.
The Principles Behind the Miracle: Assumption, Detachment & Finality
Abdullah’s guidance wasn’t random; it was rooted in clear metaphysical principles. Let’s break down the core teachings that made Neville’s Barbados manifestation possible:
Assumption – Living in the End
Assumption is the cornerstone of Neville’s (and Abdullah’s) teachings. It is the practice of consciously assuming the feeling that your desire is already fulfilled – essentially, believing and acting as if you already are or have that which you seek. Abdullah introduced Neville to this concept in the starkest way by telling him to feel as though he were in Barbados, when externally he was still in New York. This is what Neville later called “living in the end.”
When you assume a state, you are impressing a desired idea upon the subconscious mind, which Neville described as “the womb of creation.” According to the Law of Assumption, whatever you consistently assume to be true will eventually manifest in your world. Neville summarized this law succinctly: “Imagine the wish fulfilled and persist in that assumption, and it will harden into fact.” Abdullah might not have used the exact term “law of assumption” back in the 1930s, but he taught its essence through experience. By having Neville sleep in the state of the wish fulfilled, Abdullah was helping him plant a very potent seed in consciousness. Once planted, that seed (the assumption of already being in Barbados) would, in due time, mature into a physical fact.
It’s important to note that assumption for Neville and Abdullah was not mere positive thinking or daydreaming. It was a full sensory experience in imagination. Abdullah instructed Neville to use all his senses – to see, smell, and feel Barbados around him. Neville took this to heart: he later recalled how in imagination he could smell the ocean breeze, feel the island humidity, and sense the geographic reality of Barbados beneath him instead of New York. This imaginal immersion generated the feeling of the wish fulfilled, which Neville said is the key to impressing the subconscious. “All you can possibly need or desire is already yours,” Neville taught, “Call your desires into being by imagining and feeling your wish fulfilled.” In modern terms, we might call this creative visualization or mental rehearsal. By believing in the reality of the state imagined, you set the powerful subconscious gears in motion to actually create that reality.
Detachment – Letting Go and Trusting the Unseen
Detachment is the partner of assumption. It means releasing any obsessive concern with when, how, or whether your desire will come to pass. After you have assumed the wish fulfilled in imagination, you must let go of doubts and impatience, and trust the process. This principle was exemplified by Abdullah’s strict behavior with Neville. Every time Neville tried to talk about the lack of visible progress (“nothing’s happened yet!”), Abdullah shut him down. He would not allow Neville to discuss the problem anymore. Why? Because worrying, complaining, or looking for validation in the external world only serves to “un-plant” the seed you’ve sown in the subconscious.
Abdullah’s refusal to engage with Neville’s doubts was actually a deep spiritual lesson. He was training Neville to have faith in the unseen reality. As Neville later explained, once you’ve imagined the end result, “There was nothing else to do but faithfully carry it until it manifested.”. In the Barbados story, after Neville had imagined being in Barbados, the appropriate attitude was to proceed as though the creative act was complete – because on the unseen plane, it was. Any discussion of “how am I going to get there” was, as Abdullah said, “stupid” if Neville truly believed he was already there. Abdullah was effectively saying: do not dig up the seed of your desire to check if it’s growing. Instead, detach from the outer 3D appearance and live securely in your assumption.
This kind of detachment is not indifference to your goal, but indifference to doubts and appearances. It requires a calm confidence that the subconscious is working out the bridge of incidents to bring you your desire. Neville put it like this: *“Do not be anxious or concerned as to results. They will follow as surely as day follows night.**” Abdullah taught Neville to stop checking for signs or acting out of desperation. Indeed, when Neville was tempted to feel discouraged by the “reality” of no money or tickets, Abdullah counselled him to persist in the feeling of the wish fulfilled and ignore the evidence of the senses. Neville admitted, “We are all human enough to want a little encouragement, another little push… [but Abdullah] would give me no encouragement”. That seeming lack of sympathy was actually Abdullah protecting Neville’s nascent creation. By detaching from how the external would rearrange, Neville allowed the deeper intelligence of the subconscious (or “God within”) to orchestrate events – which it did, spectacularly. As soon as Neville stopped fretting and faithfully “slept in Barbados,” the channels opened for his trip to come together in ways he could never have predicted. Detachment is thus about trust. It’s about knowing that the seed will bloom in its own time, and you don’t need to micromanage the universe. Or as Neville would later advise his students: assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled and leave the rest to the deeper laws of consciousness.
Finality – Committing Fully (No “Half-Pregnancy”)
The third principle, finality, is all about complete commitment to your assumption. Abdullah expressed this in his colorful metaphor that has since become legendary among Neville’s students: “You can’t be a little bit pregnant.” Either you are or you aren’t. Likewise, either you believe you have your desire or you do not – there is no in-between. This “no half-pregnancy” lesson was Abdullah’s way of driving home the point that partial faith or oscillating between belief and doubt will sabotage the creative process.
When Neville wavered during the Barbados exercise, Abdullah bluntly reminded him that if Neville had truly assumed the state of being in Barbados, then the seed of his desire was conceived. “There is no such thing as a little pregnancy… If you did it, then you’re pregnant. Let the child grow. Interference with it is going to be a miscarriage,” Abdullah chided Neville. In practical terms: the moment you genuinely imagine your wish fulfilled, the creation is set in motion in the unseen realm. From that point on, you must regard it as a done deal. Any doubting, second-guessing, or going back and forth (“Did it work? Maybe it’s not working…”) is like disturbing a developing fetus – it threatens to abort the manifestation. Abdullah’s stark analogy may sound extreme, but it conveys the seriousness with which one should persist in their assumption. He expected Neville to carry his imagined state to full term, so to speak, with unwavering faith.
Finality also implies a sense of final act. Neville often taught that your imaginal act should be something that implies completion. For example, Neville’s imaginal act was curling up in bed in Barbados – a scene that would only be true after he had successfully made the voyage. That imaginal scene was like a final chapter. Once done, Neville was to accept internally that the “deal was sealed.” Abdullah embodying this finality was evident when the ticket came through – even then, Abdullah insisted on the highest outcome (First Class passage), because in his mind the imaginal act was final and perfect. There was no room for compromise or half-measures in belief. And sure enough, reality matched the fullness of the assumption.
In summary, finality means total conviction. You assume your wish fulfilled and internally declare it final – **“It has happened, and I will see it outwardly soon.” That mindset leaves no crack for doubt to seep in. Abdullah’s unwavering stance (“You went First Class”) exemplified this all-or-nothing faith. It challenges us to ask: are we “half-believing” our dreams, or will we dare to claim them as an accomplished fact in consciousness? Abdullah’s teaching reminds us that only full faith yields results. As Neville learned, “A little bit pregnant” simply won’t do – you must fully assume the feeling of your desire fulfilled if you expect to birth it in the world.
Applying Abdullah’s Method: Practical Tips for Modern Manifestors
Abdullah’s techniques may sound mystical, but they are entirely practical once understood. Here are some step-by-step tips to help you implement the same method of subconscious reprogramming in your own life:
- Get Clear on Your Desire: First, be specific about what you want. Whether it’s a career move, a relationship, improved health, or any goal – define it clearly in your mind. Neville had a burning desire to go to Barbados; likewise, identify the “Barbados” in your life (the wish that deeply matters to you).
- Construct an End Scene: Devise a simple imaginal scene that implies your wish is already fulfilled. This should be a short scenario (a few seconds long) that you can easily visualize. Make it a final scene, as Abdullah taught – something that would be true after your desire is realized. For example, if your desire is a new home, imagine walking through the front door carrying your boxes, happily saying, “I’m home.” If it’s a loving relationship, imagine wearing a wedding ring or a friend congratulating you on your happy marriage. Pick a scene that, if it happened in real life, would mean “success!”.
- Enter a Relaxed State: To effectively impress the subconscious, bring yourself into a relaxed, drowsy state (Neville often suggested the state akin to sleep, such as when you’re lying in bed at night). You might meditate briefly or take a few deep breaths to quiet your mind. When you’re calm and focused, it’s easier to feel your imagination vividly.
- Feel It Real: Now immerse yourself in the imaginal scene. Close your eyes and use your senses – see the details, hear the sounds, touch the textures, smell the air. Most importantly, feel the emotions you’d feel if it were true. As Abdullah instructed Neville, engage all senses: “see Barbados… smell the tropical land… sleep this night in Barbados”. Generate the excitement, gratitude, or peace of having your desire. This sensory richness is what convinces your subconscious that this is real. Don’t observe the scene as a distant dream – step into it as the central character. For those moments, give yourself over completely to the assumption that it’s done.
- Repeat Until Conviction: Loop your short scene or stay with the feeling for several minutes. You can do this each night before sleep (Neville’s preferred time) or any quiet moment. The goal is to reach the point of conviction – a subtle shift where the idea feels natural or done. Neville knew he had “hit” the state when he could sleep in Barbados in imagination and it felt normal. Repetition, coupled with strong feeling, will solidify the assumption in your subconscious.
- Detach from the “How”: Once your subconscious is impressed, let go of thinking about how or when your desire will manifest. This is where detachment comes in. Resist the urge to constantly check for results or complain that “nothing’s happening.” Trust that unseen processes are underway. As Abdullah demonstrated, refuse to engage with doubts. If you find yourself worrying, consciously shift your mind back to the end scene or affirm to yourself that it’s done. Avoid discussing your goal with naysayers or in terms of lack – protect your budding manifestation from negative influences. Abdullah literally shut the door on Neville’s pessimism; you too can mentally “shut the door” on thoughts that contradict your assumption.
- Persist with Faith: Maintain your assumption with persistence, but without strain. This means holding onto your belief in the outcome during the day. You don’t need to constantly visualize if you’ve truly felt it real, but do keep a general attitude of confidence. If doubts arise (we’re all human, as Neville said don’t entertain them – replace them with an inner knowing that the seed is planted. Be patient with the physical world; give it time to rearrange. Neville’s trip manifested at the last possible moment, but it did manifest. Remember, the subconscious works on its own perfect timing.
- Live as if It’s Done (Finality): Whenever possible, act in small ways as if your assumption were true. This reinforces to your subconscious that you mean business. Neville, for instance, packed his bags or mentally prepared for travel even when no evidence yet supported it (as anecdotes suggest). You can do symbolic things: if you’ve imagined being happily married, perhaps start sleeping on “your” side of the bed, or feel the imaginary ring as Abdullah suggested Neville should do for a hypothetical woman. Such actions aren’t about pretending to others, but about solidifying your own inner belief. Carry yourself with the calm assurance that what you have imagined is fact. This is the “full pregnancy” mindset – you know the creation is underway and you’ll nurture it to full term.
- Nurture Your Idea, Don’t Force It: Think of your desire like a seed you planted. Water it with positive expectation and guard it against the weeds of doubt. Abdullah advised Neville to be a “faithful mother” to his imagined desire – meaning once you’ve conceived it in imagination, care for it by remaining faithful to your vision. This doesn’t mean obsessing – it means refusing to abandon your assumption. If impatience creeps in, reassure yourself that creation is happening beneath the surface. By staying mentally loyal to your goal and not “taking it back” with contradictory thoughts, you allow the subconscious to do its work. Nourish your mind with inspiring material (lectures, success stories, etc.) and keep the faith.
- Welcome the Outcome: When opportunities or intuitive nudges arise, act on them. Detachment isn’t passivity; it’s receptivity. Neville still had to physically go claim his ticket when the letter came. So, cooperate with your manifested bridge of events. The steps your subconscious orchestrates might feel natural and coincidental. Embrace them with gratitude. And when your desire finally externalizes, remember to acknowledge the power of your imagination (and congratulate yourself on your disciplined mind)!
By applying these steps, you are effectively reprogramming your subconscious mind. You’re installing a new assumption (“I have my goal”) in place of the old programming (“I lack this”). The subconscious, which takes everything as instruction, then uses its infinite connections to fulfill that order. This is the essence of Abdullah’s method and Neville’s teaching: imagine and feel it real, and the subconscious will obediently weave reality to match.
Final Thoughts
Neville Goddard’s journey to Barbados remains one of the most striking manifestation stories of the past century. Its enduring appeal lies not only in the dramatic outcome, but in the universal principles it demonstrates. Abdullah, the wise mystic, taught Neville (and by extension all of us) that the outer world is a mirror of the inner state. Change your state of consciousness – assume you are what you desire to be – and the mirror must eventually reflect that. This process requires the faith to live in the end (assumption), the wisdom to let go (detachment), and the resolve to never break the spell of your fulfilled desire (finality). Taken together, these principles show us “the secret that imagination creates reality”.
In Neville’s case, the technique brought him across an ocean in the midst of the Depression, with perfect timing and in luxury. In your case, it can be applied to any goal or change, large or small. The subconscious does not distinguish between a trip to Barbados or any other wish – it only acts on what it’s impressed with. As you practice assuming and feeling your wish fulfilled, you’ll notice your mindset shift. You start to carry a quiet inner knowing that what you want is already yours.
This is the mystical yet grounded tone that Abdullah and Neville invite us to adopt. Mystical – because it asks us to believe in an unseen reality and trust the invisible laws of consciousness; grounded – because when you truly embody your wish fulfilled, you walk through life with newfound confidence and peace. There’s nothing airy-fairy about the results, either: they manifest in concrete, often astonishing ways, “natural” though the means may seem.
So if there’s something you yearn for, take a page from Abdullah’s book. Dare to assume it’s real now, close the door on doubt, and make your imagination so final that the world has no choice but to bow. The subconscious is listening always, ready to obey your feeling of being. In the bold words of Abdullah: “You are in Barbados.” Perhaps today your Barbados is a promotion, a healing, a relationship, or creative success. Regardless, claim it in consciousness – live there now – and in time, you will surely stand in the reality of your own Barbados, marveling at how perfectly the universe rearranged itself to match the