Joel taught that rising in consciousness to realized Christhood is not ultimately for our own benefit, but the means to uplift the consciousness of mankind universally and dispel the ignorance of truth that is at the root of all human trouble. He spoke often about how we as individuals can be an influence in bringing that freedom to the world.
On the first of each month, we post an excerpt about world work from Joel’s books or classes. The following excerpt is from The Mystical I, Chapter 12, “Do Not Pass by on the Other Side.” It is posted with kind permission from Acropolis Books, the publisher of Joel Goldsmith books.
In these last few years, wherever Infinite Way teaching was taking place, students have come to me from all parts of the United States and Canada, from all parts of England and Europe, from Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. All drawn by what? By the spirit of God that had been unveiled in my human consciousness, drawn also by the spirit of God that was unveiled in the consciousness of those of you who live in each of these countries, drawing all men from all parts of the globe unto you, and then raising them up to the level of your spiritual consciousness, your Christ consciousness.
As they went home, back to their countries and their cities, these students carried the grace they had attained in our united consciousness, and they imparted this grace to the students of the Infinite Way in their cities and their lands, drawing them into this universal brotherhood, fulfilling the circle of Christhood that is revealed in The Art of Meditation.
There is such a Circle on the inner plane. There are those with whom we tabernacle who have access to the divine Consciousness of the illumined of all ages. There is a circle of Christhood in which we live and walk and through which we receive revelation and inspiration. It was this that enabled me to write that that Circle would be revealed on earth, and it was given to me to travel this world and form that invisible Circle among Infinite Way students. But it has spread far beyond that group, because the unveiling reveals that this spirit of God is the spirit of God unto all men. So the circle of Christhood is to embrace all men. Whether or not they ever become students of the Infinite Way, nevertheless they will be drawn into that Circle.
As a link in this circle of Christhood, you will be living in two worlds or between two worlds. You will be in this world but not of it. You will be of the spiritual kingdom, and even though you are of the circle of Christhood, you will be living in the world of business, art, literature, government, or religion in order that this light may shine, in order that you may continue to lift up the son of God in all men. You lift It up by beholding the Christ in individual consciousness and as individual consciousness.
It is not that you do any thing. You do not have to go out on any good-will missions or save-the-world missions, but wherever you are and whomever you meet, there will be the flicker of an eyelash, a second of recognition, and you will have lifted up the son of God in man. You will have perceived and discerned the Christ incarnate in all the saints and all the sinners you meet, in all the friends and all the enemies you meet. Thus you will not only be more solidly embodied in the circle of Christhood, but you will be drawing into that Circle those who have been outside, the branch of a tree that has been cut off and is withering and dying.