The Infinite Way

Joel Solomon Goldsmith (1892–1964) was a New Thought author, teacher, spiritual healer, mystic, and founder of the Infinite Way movement.

Joel was the first child; he had a younger brother and sister. His early life was probably like that of most youngsters of that age and time, even though, young as he was, he later confessed to feeling a certain sense of detachment and even sadness about the world into which he had been thrust by birth, a feeling not usually found in children. Joel was never taught any of the precepts of the Judaic faith except that all the children were given instruction in the Ten Commandents.

Joel never completed high school. His frequently playing hooky to see Shakespeare matinees and an argument with the principal put an end to that.

His father introduced him to sale where he demonstrated an innate intuitive faculty that knew exactly the right thing to buy at the right time. Joel was always intuitively aware of certain spiritual principles. If a salesman were to go into a business house in the realization that he had a good product and that if the buyer needed it today, it was available to him, and if he didn't need it that was all right too, the buyer would feel that the salesman was not coming there to make a sale, but coming to be of service.

But it was Christian Science that he was drawn to. First in 1915, while on a business trip in England, when his father was healed by the prayer of a Christian Science practitioner.

A second time when he became critically ill with tuberculosis and was given three months to live. He decided that he would seek help from a Christian Science practitioner, which he did, and in three months he made a complete recovery.

A third time while in Detroit he developed a bad cold sought out a Christian Science practitioner. At first the man said it was Saturday and that he didn't take patients on Saturday. That day he always spent in meditation and prayer. To this Joel replied 'Of course you wouldn't turn me out looking the way I do.' And so he stayed. And spent two hours.

As he later said:“Long before the two hours were up, I was healed of that cold, and when I went out on the street I found I couldn't smoke any more. When eating my dinner I found I couldn't drink any more. The following week I found I couldn't play cards any more, and I also found that I couldn't go to the horse races any more. And the businessman had died.”

"Within thirty-six hours after my first spiritual experience, a woman buyer who was a customer of mine said that if I would pray for her she would be healed. So I closed my eyes, and I am happy to say that I have always been honest with God. I said, 'Father, You know that I don't know how to pray, and I certainly know nothing about healing. So if there is anything I should do, tell me.' "And very, very clearly, as much so as if I were hearing a voice, I realized that man is not a healer. That satisfied me. That was the extent of my praying, but the woman had her healing, a healing of alcoholism.”

"The next day a traveling salesman came in and said, 'Joel, I don't know what your religion is, but I do know that if you pray for me, I could get well.' And so I closed my eyes and said, 'Father, here's another customer!' But while my eyes were closed and nothing was happening, the salesman touched me and said, 'Wonderful, the pain is gone.”

A transformation had taken place. In his consciousness, not anywhere else, not outside. All of a sudden his whole thought was on God and healing, the same individual, a realization of true identity, an experience that must have taken place in the minds of many others before and since.

Thus marked the beginning of Joel's career as an independent practitioner of spiritual healing noted for his remarkable work in transforming people's lives. After the publication of his seminal book, The Infinite Way,in 1947, he traveled throughout the world as a teacher and a healer. Although his message was neither organized nor advertised, students of The Infinite Way increased in numbers. Today, a worldwide student body exists which continues to practice and preserve his work. http://www.joelgoldsmith.com/

"The world is not in need of a new religion, nor is the world in need of a new philosophy: What the world needs is healing and regeneration. The world needs people who, through devotion to God, are so filled with the Spirit that they can be instruments through which healing take place, because healing is important to everybody." - JOEL S. GOLDSMITH