Joel Goldsmith (1892 – 1964) is an internationally recognized spiritual teacher, author, and healer. He taught a mystical message based on spiritual principles revealed to him and called his message “The Infinite Way.”
As a young man apprenticed to his father, who was in the import business, Joel Goldsmith traveled the world. He repeatedly saw instances of man’s inhumanity to man. He saw the poverty and injustice that plagued the world. He wondered where God was in this human scene, and from then on, he was on a continuous search for truth.
One day later in life, Joel became ill and sought help from a Christian Science practitioner. He was healed of the physical problem, and he had a complete change of consciousness. His lifestyle was permanently changed, and he received the healing gift. Within days, many people were calling him for help.
He joined the Christian Science Church, and for years he worked as a healing practitioner and spiritual advisor. In 1945, Goldsmith left the Christian Science organization because he was receiving revelations of truth from within that could not be expressed inside the structure of an organized religion. Once he became independent, Goldsmith wrote his first book, The Infinite Way, in 1946. He thought that he would then retire to a life of contemplation.
However, the message in this book prompted people to seek Goldsmith out as a spiritual teacher. Reluctantly, he held private classes on the mystical interpretation of the Bible. Later, some of these classes were published as the book Spiritual Interpretation of Scripture. Soon his writings brought invitations for lecture tours and classes. He traveled widely in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, teaching the message of the Infinite Way.
Joel had a unique teaching style. He did not prepare “lessons.” Instead, his class preparation was deep meditation over the days preceding a class. When he took the platform, he opened his consciousness to Spirit. He said that the spiritual impartations that came through in classes were often new to him. He was hearing them for the first time along with the students. Although Goldsmith gave many, many classes, he always taught that the real work of spiritual development is done in the inner silence. Throughout his life as a spiritual teacher, Joel said he was always “under orders” from the Spirit within that guided him.
The principles Joel Goldsmith taught in the Infinite Way are principles that were also revealed in the teaching of Jesus in the New Testament. Goldsmith had received many revelations on these truths that enabled him to restate them in the language of his day and disclose their inner secrets. The premise of his teaching as he described it is:
“There is a transcendental consciousness available to man here and now, which, when attained, results in the “dying daily” of the old man and the rebirth of the new man, the son of God. This transcendental or spiritual consciousness is the power of Grace in the experience of man, freeing him from the ‘law’ and establishing his life under Grace.”
In other words, the Infinite Way is an experience and a way of life, and the purpose of the Infinite Way teaching is to lead the seeker to that experience.
As the student body grew, Joel became adamant that the Infinite Way should never be organized. He believed that historically, organization had “put the veil” on messages of spiritual truth and obscured the original teaching. He wanted no memberships, obligations, dogmatic codes, or structured leadership for the Infinite Way message.
To this day, there is no organization, membership, obligation, or formal leadership associated with the teaching. Spiritual seekers who have been drawn to the message of the Infinite Way somehow find the message on their own. They may enjoy meeting with others on the path in classes or in tape groups, but their core practice is individual study, meditation, and practice of the principles.
As Joel Goldsmith’s teaching ministry unfolded, he published more books, which were largely based on his ever-growing class work. Many of his books have been translated into multiple language editions. Millions of Goldsmith’s books have been sold. All 49 of his books are now available as print books and as e-books in Kindle, Nook, and Apple formats at www.acropolisbooks.com.
In the early 1950s, some forward-thinking students asked Joel Goldsmith to record his classes on a tape recorder. During his teaching ministry, more than 1250 hours of his class work were recorded. These recordings have been preserved over the years through the loving efforts of many dedicated people. They are available in current formats for listening and study, and can be purchased at www.joelgoldsmith.com.
Although Joel Goldsmith transitioned in 1964, his teachings have continued to grow in popularity. His work has inspired many of today’s spiritual teachers, who consider Goldsmith a key influence in their spiritual development.
Eckhart Tolle: “A new generation of mature seekers, receptive to spiritual truth, is now discovering Joel Goldsmith’s teachings, which have lost none of their relevance, aliveness and power. I foresee that those teachings will reach and impact even more people in the 21st century than during his lifetime. Joel Goldsmith’s inspired and profoundly inspiring books represent a vital contribution to the spiritual awakening of humanity.”
Dr. Wayne Dyer: “I have an 8×10 picture of Joel Goldsmith on my writing table. I feel his presence with me every day – I consider Joel to be one of my most important teachers. His wisdom guides me in all of my work.”
Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D.: “Joel Goldsmith is the ultimate teacher of spiritual wisdom.”
Marianne Williamson: “Joel Goldsmith has opened a door in my soul. He has helped me immeasurably in my search for peace.”
We invite you to explore the message of The Infinite Way through this online tape group and through Joel Goldsmith’s books and recordings.
To learn more about the life and worldwide ministry of Joel Goldsmith, you might enjoy reading The Spiritual Journey of Joel S. Goldsmith by Lorraine Sinkler. Also, there is a 45-minute film about Joel Goldsmith, titled “Joel S. Goldsmith, the Man and His Message. The film is available in several formats on the Aloha Mystics website.
To learn more about Joel’s teaching, called The Infinite Way, click / tap here.