Circle of Christhood

Dear Fellow Student,

I was taught by my teachers that we have to be very attentive to editing and jealously guard Joel's words so that the "veil" that was placed over the words of other prophets would not be allowed to be placed over the writings of Joel.

Over the years, as I was given different copies of the original materials Joel's first students got, I came to see the changes made over the years. Lorraine always had issues with Joel over editing. He originally only wanted "punctuation and typing" errors and some of the "Joelisms" cleaned up for the wider religious audiences. We can see that over time, more and more liberties were taken. 

I hope to bring you more and more specific examples as we find them to share and also invite all of you to send us your discoveries.

I-Level, Acropolis Books, took on a monumental job of bringing so many unavailable writings to us.  They also appreciated the importance of Joel's original works from which several of the books were later made. 

It is hoped that if we list the books and some of the changes for you to read for yourself, you will get a sense of what we are talking about.  The detractors who often want to defend Lorraine at all costs, miss the subtle impact that a change in cadence or wording may make. 

Joel's classes, those taped and those early transcribed classes, were used to make the books.  As we become experienced with the tapes, we begin to appreciate the rhythm of Joel's delivery and the evolution of the lesson in consciousness as the classes (tapes) proceed from one to the next.  We learn to try to buy a complete series for the consciousness of the class.

Intellectually, it seems smart and logical to buy all the tapes on one topic, i.e. the body, supply, error.  Some students have even put collections together of these studies.  Lorraine, if we look at the later works, did this often.  However, this practice disrupts the consciousness of the total message, the building of the lesson.  To cut and paste is not possible with consciousness, even if it works intellectually as academics often do.  We need the "feel", the "sense", of the message and words, not just the words themselves.  I hope you all come to experience this aspect of the work.

Joel's consciousness and the message evolved through the years. The entire message is high mysticism, advanced study which continued and continued to evolve higher and higher. Never does this diminish our response to the early tapes which are so simple and direct at times - exactly what we might need at the moment.  Who would question, in any way, the consciousness of Thunder of Silence or Deep Silence of My Peace? 

So, we are left with our experience in the work beginning to teach us what these changes in text or syntax mean and what a change in consciousness by the dropping or adding of words could do.  The end of the world? Certainly not.  A necessary change in the principle?  No, surely Lorraine was clear on the principles.  But, the flow, the beauty and exquisite delivery of Joel when we have his direct words - what is there to say?  You either feel it and appreciate it, or you do not.

For those who do, we will try to show you how to find your way through the materials and what to do to check things yourself.  You might enjoy the adventure. You may also come to see why we are charged with supporting and caring for this message.  Let us strive to keep it original, un-edited. May all teachers use the most accurate lessons of Joel's as they teach future generations of students so that they,  too, will honor the words of The Source as they came through Joel, whose mind was that of Christ Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, John, etc.

The following books were published by Joel prior to Sinkler's claim that she wrote books for Joel:

1947   The Infinite Way

            Spiritual Interpretation of Scripture

            booklet – “Business and Salesmanship”

1948        Consciousness Unfolding

1949        God, The Substance of All Form

1950        booklet –“The Master Speaks”

1953        booklet – “I Am the Vine”

1954        Living the Infinite Way

1956    The Art of Meditation

1956    Practicing the Presence

See below for comparisons of passages with later editing.

You can buy these from Mystics of the World:

www.mysticsoftheworld.com

We regret that Mystics is the only dealer in originals at this time. They do not represent The Infinite Way as they have not followed Joel's request for IW centers to NOT sell anything but Infinite Way materials. Please ask for help in the guestbook if you have any questions. Be sure to seek out the original monthly letters of Joel, before 1965....and other original materials. If there is any question about editing, do not buy. Buy a tape instead.  You are looking for consciousness.  It exists at the highest level on the tapes.

I-Level did a fine job of releasing several new books. One of them was Rising in Consciousness. It was finally a lovely book of the original San Francisco Lecture Series that could only be found in xerox copy of an original work.  As careful as I-Level wanted to be, here is one example of a mistake. Each student must judge the significance for themselves.  But, a change is a change and although minor, we see how easily things are altered unintentionally.

From the Original:

Fourth Lecture: Third Series

Wholeness of Spirit 

As long as we are taking today, not the parts of the Spirit, but the Wholeness of the Spirit, I want to sum up the entire subject by bringing forth as much as I can the subject of "THE CHRIST." You will remember that we have used the term, THE CHRIST, as the Christian term for the Presence of God; and the Hebrew word, IMMANUEL, meaning the same thing, and of course we referred to the Chinese word, TAO, meaning the selfsame thing.  So we gained the sense of universality in this subject of the Spirit of God, or Presence of God, or what we in the Christian world term THE CHRIST.  It is necessary that we understand the universality of the Christ, otherwise we get back into orthodox religion, in which one church is better than another church, or else one church is nearer the Kingdom of God, or belonging to this group or this sect or this organization in some way entitles us to the benefits of God which our less fortunate brothers do not have.

From the I-Level Book:

Rising in Consciousness

Chapter 16

Wholeness of Spirit

As long as we are speaking today, not about the parts of spirit, but about the wholeness of spirit, I want to sum up the entire subject by bringing forth, as much as I can, the subject of "the Christ." You will remember that we have used the term "the Christ," as the Christian term for the presence of God; and the Hebrew word "Immanuel," meaning the same thing. And we also referred to the Chinese word, "Tao," meaning the same thing. So we gained a sense of universality in this subject of spirit of God, or presence of God,  or what we in the Christian world term "the Christ."  It is necessary that we understand the universality of the Christ, otherwise we get back into orthodox religion in which one church is better or nearer the kingdom of God than another church, or that belonging to this group or this sect or this organization in some way entitles us to benefits of God which our less fortunate brothers do not have.

From The World is New

Chapter 17

Wholeness of Spirit

If the universality of the Christ were understood, one church would never be judged as better than another or as nearer the kingdom of God, nor would anyone think that belonging to a certain group, sect, or organization in some way entitled him to benefits of God which others could not enjoy.  To an enlightened state of consciousness, that is nonsensical.

The Christ is as available to sinner as to saint.  He "sendenth rain on the just and on the unjust."  The Master exemplified this teaching by his willingness to heal the woman taken in adultery, and the boy born blind.  In no wise, did the Master distinguish between sain and sinner, except to caution the sinner to "sin no more."

From Rising in Consciousness, mostly unedited Joel's San Francisco Lecture Series

Chapter 1

Creative Meditation

First Two Paragraphs

We are unfolding states of consciousness, and our outer experience is never going to be any greater than our inner unfoldment.  If we have not developed spiritually to a greater extent by next week than we have at this point today, our demonstration of life and its harmonies will not be any greater or better next week than it is today.  The only hope we have for greater health, greater success and greater harmony in our human relations is through the unfolding of our "inner" or "real" consciousness.  So why not let us take today as merely the beginning of a week of unfoldment and see how much farther we will have progressed in our understanding and in our outer experience by this time next week.

Now, as to the meaning of the words "creative meditation."  You and I have heard a lot about meditation and certainly we have read much about it, but this idea of creative meditation gives us something new to think about.  Creative meditation goes a step further because in it, there must be an expectancy of a causative principle and  a specific effect.  Let us not forget that when we think of the idea, creative meditation, we are thinking of a creative principle at work; and we are thinking also of an effect that must take place – under, of course, one condition:  If the seed is planted in fertile soil; if our consciousness is receptive and responsive to the truth, and if our consciousness is not so cluttered up with the idea of demonstration, with the idea of an effect of some material good which we are expecting.  If our consciousness is open to God and to the unfolding of divine consciousness, that is the state of consciousness which is receptive and responsive to the seed that will be planted there during meditation.

From The World is New, edited by Lorraine who says in the preface it is Joel's San Francisco Lecture Series

Chapter 1

Creative Meditation

First Two Paragraphs

We are all unfolding states of consciousness, and our outer experience will never be any greater than our inner unfoldment.  Therefore, the only hope we have for better health, increased success and more harmonious human relationships lies in the development of our consciousness.  So, unless by a week from now we have grown spiritually to a point beyond where we are today and our consciousness has been enriched, changed, or has reached a higher level, our demonstration of life and its harmonies will not be any more satisfying or better than it is now.  Today, then, should be the beginning of a period of spiritual unfoldment which will be evidenced to the world by the fruitage in our lives.

Only one thing can bring this spiritual consciousness to us, and that is the realization of the presence of God in us.  Before that presence of God can be realized, however, and our real consciousness be expressed, we must learn to still the human mind and the activity of the human senses to a degree which will permit us to become consciously  aware of the presence of God,consciously  aware of the divine activity in, through, and as us – as our consciousness .  God, the divine Being individualized as the Christ, becomes our individual consciousness and that consciousness is the savior of our world.  That consciousness will lift our world up from the material sense of existence into spiritual reality.

The original, 1948 publication, Consciousness Unfolding has been more than edited. Many chapters have been re-written.

Here is the beginning of Chapter 2 of the original version:

PEACE..PEACE.."My Peace I give unto  you.  Not as the world giveth."  "My peace"...THE PEACE OF CHRIST.

And now I am going to tell you a secret: More healings have taken place through ABSOLUTE SILENCE than ever have taken place through all of the arguments a metaphysician could think up in the whole history of the world.  If you want really and truly to know what healing is -- ALL RIGHT......!

This is an Absolute Truth:  All of the treatements ever given have not had one ounce of healing power in them.  Their only value is to lift one up to a point or place in consciousness where one would be READY for the Spiritual Answer.. the Spiritual Consciousness..to unfold.  We here are in a different position than we were when we were functioning with treatments.

Now the same passage edited from:

Consciousness Unfolding

Chapter 2  - Peace -

 Sinkler edition:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  John 14:27

My peace, the peace of Christ! More healings have been brought about through absolute silence than through all the arguments metaphysicians have thought up in the whole history of the world.  When you are called upon for help, sit down and get at peace. Think no thoughts; just sit and wait. Wait. Be patient, and wait for the peace of the Christ to descend upon you. In that moment of peace, without a word, you will witness healing.

The only value a treatment has is to lift us to a point or place in consciousness where we are ready for spiritual consciousness to unfold.  We are now in a different position from the one in which we found ourselves, when we were functioning with treatments. We have come to that place in consciousness where we are ready for the next higher step. Even if mental argument, affirmation, and denial were necessary to us in the early days of our work, we can now leave such forms alone.

Again, much has been re-written. You may find a chapter by chapter comparison elucidating. Here is a brief example to make the point.

Chapter 1

My conscious oneness with God makes me one with all who are able to receive the Word at this level of consciousness. Your conscious oneness with God makes you receptive and responsive to all of Truth. Since God manifests and expresses Its own Being as you, you are as infinite as God, not just a little portion of God.  God does not divide Itself, but manifests, expresses, reveals, unfolds and discloses Itself as you and as me.

The first task of the disciple is to develop that state or quality of consciousness which expresses gratitude. And because so much of the teaching of the Master is forgiveness, the second task of the disciple is to attain that quality of forgiveness.  "Forgive your enemies." -- "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you."

Chapter One

Sinkler Edition

The primary mission of The Infinite Way is inner unfoldment, the revelation of truth from within our own being. The written word is the least important part of this work; that which is not written or spoken is the greater teaching.

Human teachers are but temporary helps on the way. Only from within comes the illumination which makes it possible for some to heal and to be able to teach that "the kingdom of God is within you" and that you are the fulfillment of God.  The real teacher receives inspiration and illumination and is able to impart these only because he has the realization that "I can of mine own self do nothing...the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." Therefore, this "Father within" comes as an impersonal presence to awaken the receptive thought to the divinity of the individual.  "And they shall be all taught of God."

\

The Master Speaks is not as edited as some other books. Here is an example, the changes are not that significant, however there is re-writing.

Chapter Four

Error

Since God is Infinite Good, my being consciously one with God would mean that I would be consciously one with Infinite Good.  Then we will not have to try to get at-one with a good home, or a good automobile, or a good wife, or a good friend, or a good book, or a good teacher; we have to realize at-one-ment with God, and then God appears to us; God becomes visible and manifest to us as the good home, the good wife, the good automobile, or the good anything else that may be our need of the moment.

Chapter Four

Error

Sinkler edition:

Our conscious oneness with God constitutes our oneness with all spiritual being and idea. Meditation should result in consciousness of the presence of God.  This conscious awareness of the presence of God is the foundation of our entire experience.

Since God is infinite good, our being consciously one with God means that we are consciously one with infinite good.  Then we do not have to try to get at-one with a good home, a good automobile, a good wife, a good friend, a good book, or a good teacher; we only have to realize at-one-ment with God, and God appears to us: God becomes visible and manifest to us as the good home, the good wife, the good automobile, or the good anything else that may be our need at the moment.