Circle of Christhood

Joel tells us on tape 509 side 2 that we are not to charge specific fees for healing work.  At one time, Joel did have fees as was the custom in Christian Science, but he stopped and allowed each student the freedom to give their own gift of gratitude for the practitioner's time and for healings themselves.

In the 1940's, the Christian Scientist practice was to charge $15 to $20 per treatment, similar to the fees doctors charged for a visit.  Today the materia medica model is no longer followed and Christian Science treatments are billed according to the practice of the individual practitioner.

Students in The Infinite Way have come to feel that because our Infinite Way practitioners do not charge, the work and the healing are free. Patients often do not realize the blessing for themselves in an expression of gratitude.  Gratitude is not something we can teach, it must bubble up from within us, an expression of love and thanks. 

One of the reasons why people are reluctant to accept the healing work, and for some to remain in the healing work, is that they simply cannot afford to be available to people when there is no expression of gratitude.  Practitioners have expenses in their work.  Telephones, internet, postage and stationery all cost money.  Time away from work is a sacrifice.  Tapes continue to be bought and studied to maintain the practitioner's consciousness. They also attend classes.   

Infinite Way  healings are often very quick, but they may cure very serious illnesses or problems.  Imagine the consciousness that is able to heal a cancer in one treatment.  

We hope that patients and students coming to The Infinite Way will realize that practitioners need to be treated with the same loving courtesy and good manners we use in the material world.  In our everyday world, we remember to thank those who do kind deeds and favors for us.  We often given them a gift as a token of our appreciation.  We must do no less for our practitioners.  If we call upon them for healing work and help, we need to be sure that we do what we can to support and thank them so that they can remain to be there for us and others.  Gratitude is a function of our consciousness.  May we all come from "I have," and express our love and thanks to those who have dedicated themselves to helping others.

When working with and Infinite Way practitioner/teacher, the typical gift of gratitude ranges from $25 - $100 or more per hour. Please ask your practitioner for further details about shorter sessions or other arrangements. Very often meditation will be part of your lesson. Never hesitate to ask for help with your practice.  All are welcome regardless of ability to pay.

From Across the Desk

1957 Letters - November

The world-wide acceptance and success of The Infinite Way has attracted the attention of some unscrupulous people who are attempting to exploit The Infinite Way or to use my name in order to obtain money fraudulently.  Already some of our students have been misled by the false claims of these people.  There seems to be no way of preventing these unprincipled people from preying upon the public except as individuals exercise discrimination and prudence.  Religion is a prolific field for the unscrupulous because the law usually protects people who operate under its guise.  But the law cannot protect you from the machinations of such individuals, nor can The Infinite Way:  You either have spiritual discernment or human intelligence to guide you.

Since I myself have never at any time asked you for money, you may be sure that I also have never authorized anyone else to ask for financial help for themselves or for their activities.  Should anyone approach you with a request for funds or with any kind of a proposition to secure your support, monetary or otherwise, on the basis of their alleged association with me or with The Infinite Way, and should you be in doubt as to the proper course of action, you may cable me for information - Inway, Honolulu - and I will gladly and quickly inform you as to whether or not you are dealing with one of our students.

There are people traveling about claiming to be associated with me, or claiming that they are students close to me.  Do not accept such claims without some knowledge of their authenticity.  It is not difficult to recognize our true students or to learn who they are.  Our students use only Infinite Way writings and recordings in their work.  They do not beg or borrow.  "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee,"  may be your answer to such requests for loans to strangers.  "The 'such as I have' I give unto you gladly."  There is a legitimate activity of giving, sharing, and helping, but that giving, sharing, and helping must be governed by wisdom.  Do not give or lend merely because someone claims to be a patient or student of The Infinite Way or because someone claims some special association with The Infinite Way or me.  That is flimsy ground for lending or giving.

This admonition is merely a call to exercise wisdom in giving, spiritual wisdom, and is in no sense intended to lessen your giving or sharing since the principles of The Infinite Way are not demonstrated by withholding, miserliness, or a lack of free giving.  In fact, true giving is a very important principle of The Infinite Way.

I feel that it is the function of students of The Infinite Way to support its activity.  Furthermore, as members of a community it is their responsibility to support the local activities of that community, such as the YMCA, YWCA, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Community Fund, the Red Cross, and any other worthy activity.  Students who are members of fraternal orders should also support the benevolent activities of these orders, and certainly all of us should be liberal in helping to provide educational opportunities and summer camp activities for children.  Beyond that, any purely personal appeals for help must be prayerfully considered and accepted or rejected on their merits and not because of claims to some relationship with The Infinite Way.

On private tapes, Joel speaks to his close students and requests that they always support Emma in every way so that the work of The Infinite Way continues. They were to be there for her and help her financially if she needed it. And, they were instructed to help one another and support each other's work, meditations and classwork.

 Each Infinite Way center would give "first fruits" to Joel and each teacher gave Joel financial gifts of gratitude.  In the beginning,Joel used the Christian Science model and sent bills for healing just like he did as a Christian Science practitioner. One day, it was revealed that God was his supply and he never sent another bill.  The gratitude checks continued to come. Overall,  Joel's income came from tape royalties Emma paid him, book royalties, fees for class work and gifts of gratitude for healing. He said his greatest income was from the healing work.

There are always those students who insist that spiritual things should be given freely. Further, they feel that they should be free to partake with no expression of thanks.  This was the case in Joel's experience and it continues to exist today.  Interestingly, the more enlightened the student, the more grateful they become. The more they are willing to express their joy and delight in any help that they receive in their studies.   There is a saying, "Before one is illumined , the price seemes too great, after illumination, the price seems too small."  Joel teaches us that we should not be concerned with students' gratitude.Gratitude is a function of consciousness.

Joel's charged for classes in order to keep the general public away. He only wanted those familiar with and devoted to The Infinite Way message.  For his highest, closest students, Joel had no fees. They tithed and supported him in such a harmonious way that there was no need to say anything.  It was understood that his students tithed as a token of gratitude for the "Pearl" their teacher shared with them.