Circle of Christhood

"The earliest experience of a student is that in which he makes contact with the risen consciousness of the teacher, and he continues to do this until he has made CONSCIOUS CONTACT with the Spirit Itself.  In turn he then becomes a teacher to students. But if the student has not made this contact with the Spirit, and he breaks contact with the teacher, the result can be disastrous.  Whenever a taeahcer has the expereience of a` patient calling for help, and getting results even before the message arrives, this is the risen Christ.  "I and my Father are consciously ONE."  There is but on Consciousness, so now God Consciousness has become the consciousness of the teacher.  Shoulda  teacher violate this, he will lose IT. Why?  Once you come in contact with the Spirit and then violate IT, the penalty is great.  Therefore, the spiritual teacher must always be in attunement with IT."   -Joel Goldsmith, September 7, 1963 Hawaiian Hotel Talk

"The Infinite Way evolved through the consciousness of Joel S. Goldsmith in 1946. The Infinite Way was not something that just happened. It was the fruitage of all of Joel's years of study and practice; the fruitage of that unswerving dedication to the principle that God consciousness is the consciousness of individual man and can be reached through thoughtful meditation upon the truth."- Lorraine Sinkler

There are many people claiming to be teachers of The Infinite Way.  Almost all of these people sell their recorded lectures about The Infinite Way and some have also written books. Our message is about consciousness, divine consciousness and how to attain that.

Joel said that honesty was integral to the student-teacher relationship. Each must be completely honest.  If not, the spiritual bond is broken. (See Joel Instructions-Letter to Norman on this site.)

Joel knew that more truth was sure to be revealed in coming ages. When he completed the message, the framework for all the teachers was established.  Teachers could use their individual personalities to help the students, but Joel's tapes and books were to be the tools. This does not mean that there will not be further Truth revealed as a teacher explains a principle for a new generation, or if students need help living The Infinite Way.  For example, we have Lorene McClintock's lessons on love and forgiveness.

The principle was presented by Joel. Then, Lorene had something new come through to her. Her lessons are lovely. The problem is putting it on tape and selling it. Why? Because it is what Joel asked of us. As wonderful as Lorene's lessons are, he said, "if I let one, I have to let all."  (How is a student to discern?) 

Even if we feel justified, do we not have to think of all the future students and teachers who will follow our behavior of disregarding Joel's request?   It is not a rule about persons, God is no respector of persons.  It is not about Joel, or Lorene, it is about consciousness and the message.  We must have a conviction if we feel the rightness of the message. We must respect and honor its holiness. We are working with the message of Jesus and Buddha.

Some say "inner guidance" has led them to do what they do.  Spirit does not break the law, hurt people, steal, evade, defy, litigate, or cause disobedience - only man "whose breath is in his nostrils" does.  Spirit is love and peace, harmony and integrity - that "mind that was in Christ Jesus." 

Whenever you are told that we can combine the human with the spiritual or that we can influence anything in the material world with spirit, you are in metaphysics.  Joel makes it very clear over and over that we do not mix the material and spiritual.  We must surrender, shed the human, like a snake sheds it skin.  This can be painful for us. Surely, it is for the snake. 

Anyone can decide to lecture on books and tapes. If you have a good memory, all the easier. You can even tape and sell your lectures on Joel's lectures!  But, you are in philosophy, metaphysics.  Study enough and anyone can do it. 

A TEACHER of consciousness is called..  Spiritual teaching is a calling.  Many are called, few answer.  These teachers are the ones you want to find in this work, those who have have ON-GOING illumination. Those who know what INITIATION is and have experienced it.  Be very careful. Make sure you are meditating and being taught Joel's method of meditation.  If in doubt, stay with Joel's tapes.  Those that say "meditation" will teach you too.

Joel learned by experience with Mrs. Eddy's message of Christian Science, that a teaching brought forth by a particular person needs to remain intact. Students need the clairity of a singular direction. Joel wanted to add to Christian Science when he had his unfoldments about Error and meditation.

Basically he said, teach my lessons or start your own movement and prove your principles..

"Never permit the patient or a student to give us their idea on anything. Not interested in it one bit, not one bit. If they have such good ideas let them go out into the world with it and establish it and prove it."

Given Joel's understanding of history, he knew the threat coming to his message. There would be eager followers ready to make adjustments and changes to his material.  He specifically asked his teachers and his family, "Do not let them put the veil back on the message."  There is no justification to excuse ignoring Joel's request.

You will hear that Joel's family allowed it, or gave limited permission. You will hear that the "times" have changed and so modern students have a new outlook. You will hear students describe that an "inner guidance" directed them to tape or write. You will hear accusations of those respecting Joel to be deifying him or The Infinite Way. You may hear some repeat Lorraine Sinkler's statements (recorded on tapes) that if Joel were here today, he would have changed his mind about this directive. Do not believe it. He wrote the letter only months before he died.

There are those with even more hubris than Sinkler and imply that we are all revelators of the Truth and so have every right to say what we want, where we want and when we want. The Truth, according to them, is Absolute and so manifests in all of us equally. Each of us then, has every right to do what we want when we want. Obviously, for them Joel is not an important mystic, just another author sharing his philosophy.  (This is once again, simply Error operating through ignorant individuals unfamiliar with The Infinite Way.) 

Consider: Does a student deify their professor when they follow his instructions? When they honor his formulas, his theories?  If we play the composer's symphony according to his notations on the score, are we worshipping the musical composition? 

Make sure your intellect is working when you consider the same comments regarding Joel and his teaching, The Infinite Way.  Your mind is an instrument of awareness, discernment and understanding.  We are designed to use it. Don't let those with another agenda, usually personal, change what you sense is correct.

Lorraine Sinkler (Joel's respected student who took over all of his classes around the world), in her taped classes, mocked the civil law which protects the publishing rights of an author's words in correspondence.  She implied that civil law is fallible.  Spiritual law is not, and when it guides an individual, they can do what they are led to do - implying it would include breaking the law (or in her case, going against the legal judgement) .

Consider the following: The copyright law was created as a fair way to protect authors from having others gain from their creations - the words, poems, lyrics they wrote in letters.  It makes perfect sense to an intelligent, fair-minded person that the physical letter is the property of the recipient since the writer intended them to have it. This physical property can be lent, sold, given away. However, what is written cannot be pubished except by the author.  This seems totally correct and is the law. 

Joel never, ever advocated that we do not abide by human laws.  He paid taxes although he felt them unnecessary spiritually. He did not advocate for conscientious objection to war. (How much better for a truth student than a normal citizen to become a soldier. Spiritual soldiers are protected on the battle field and know they are not risking their lives. They understand that we cannot "die.")  Joel paid into Social Security although he never cashed a Social Security check. He taught us that we are citizens of our country; and for the benefits we receive, we follow the laws and rules, like them or not. 

In the Sinkler vs. Goldsmith court case, the  judge determined that Sinkler could not publish Joel's books as religious free expression.  Against the wishes of his widow, Emma,  Lorraine chose to read her book to classes.  (See this site listing Sinkler, Emma, Solomon). "Mysteriously" the book exists for sale as a photocopy of the final Harper-Row galley proof.  It circulates among those loyal to Sinkler and has been for sale on Amazon's secondary market for $700.  Since the court determined that Sinkler could not publish the book of Joel's correspondence to her, there were only two sources for that manuscript, the publisher and the author.  It makes no sense that the publisher released the proof copy for dissemination. There would be only one other source. Without Sinkler's cooperation, the pirate copies could not exist.

By reading the book to her class and recording the readings on tapes for sale, she broke the law.  It is not legal to "perform" or display a piece to the public.  Remember, this is about money.  Lorraine Sinkler recieved money for the class, money from the taped lecture she sold.

Does this sound like the behavior of disciples of Christ? Disciples of Joel?   

Please remember and keep in mind that inharmony in The Infinite Way is simply Error operating.  Error operates in this world when it is not consciously dissolved. Error's job is to divide and cause discord. This is simply what Error does.  Scorpions bite.  Dogs bark. -  Error divides and wastes time. We simply have to get used to it and learn to treat it. Error has no power.  We must remember this and realize it.  We, students, are called to rise above any erroneous appearance and recognize the Christ of an individual. Spiritually, we are all perfect and of one heavenly household. We bless and forgive while we keep our eyes open to recognize Error when it appears. (Please use the Guestbook for any questions. We want you to understand Error correctly. It is fundamental to the study and practice of The Infinite Way.)

To be strict and precise about Joel's instructions is not deifying him or worshipping The Infinite Way. It is listening to the directions of the revelator of a holy message whom we have decided to follow and emulate.  

Joel has given us the steps we may each follow to become a light in the world as he was. We asked for a teacher, prepared for a teacher, and were given Joel.  If we believe him, we should listen to him even if our mind wants to rebel and have its own way.

The following students call themselves "teachers," but they make/made tapes and sell them or write about the Infinite Way, interpreting it and trying to add their personal impartations.  Some teach that A Course In Miracles (metaphysical - mind over matter) is to be studied along with The Infinite Way. (You go nowhere if you stay in metaphysics.)   The list includes: Sinkler, the Stephensons, McClintock, Bowden, Blessner, Causey, , Catala, Crawford, Drewery,Harper, Universal, Overeem, Johnson, Lazdowski, Miller, Muirhead, Owen, Ponga, Poteete, Powell, Simonsen, Titshall, Larisan.

Virginia Stephenson states that Emma Goldsmith gave her permission to make tapes.  Question:  Did Emma Goldsmith have the right to give that permission after Joel made his wishes so very clear? Does ANYONE have the right to give permission when Joel is not physically present for consultation?

Lorene McClintock states that Geri McDonald gave her permission to publish and sell Infinite Way tape recordings. Certainly, this was legal, but was this in keeping with Joel's directions?

Lorraine Sinkler was not given permission to publish her personal correspondence with Joel by Emma Goldsmith nor Geri McDonald. This first lawsuit divided The Infinite Way.

Joel did not want to give Lorraine (or anyone else) permission for tapes or books (as stated in the Letter to Norman) not because he lacked confidence in her, but because he knew it would open the flood-gates of commentary on his work.  If he allowed one, then he must allow all.  Look at the above list and see how most WERE given permission by someone "official", but Lorraine was not.

Can we say that there was something personal against Lorraine? Perhaps, or was it something personal FOR the others?  We do not know, but none of it is what Joel asked for. 

Also, keep in mind that all of this turmoil is just in the few decades after he left.  If we use our imagination and think forward to the coming decades and centuries, without this direction/rule of no tapes, what is in store for The Infininte Way in the future?  How many more are to come and put their mark on the work?  Already, we see errors in understanding, changes in the teaching, music, mantras, etc. 

Let us look at new additions like Larisan, the owner of www.spiritualhealingfellowship.net     The site has mantras and music. He states: "Principles and important clues leading to the recognition and acceptance of Reality have been further clarified in recent time, through the teachings of Ramakrishna, Ramana Maharshi, Joel S. Goldsmith, A Course in Miracles, Nisargadatta Maharaj, and others. Through extensive investigation and acceptance, the teachings listed above have been proven to contain the identical principles leading to the realization of love, peace, and freedom." (Emphasis by Larisan.)  Larisan claims to be a teacher, but he is totally ignorant of Joel's teachings. Larisan assigns Joel's tapes to students, copies and sends them for free (donation suggested). Must we be reminded that the tapes are copyrighted and legally must be purchased in the original form? 

The new "teacher," Roger Simonsen, of www.theunofficialinfiniteway.com states: "we are dedicated to the principles and practice of the Infinite Way teaching delivered to the world through Joel S. Goldsmith"  and then posts links to Eckhart Tolle and Walter Lanyon or Alfred Aiken implying that they are related to Joel.  Further, he recommends a Tao Te Ching translation which has no relation to Joel.  As we know, all translations are not the same.  Joel used and referred to The Simple Way by Lao Tzu.   (Once again, we recognize this as error and nothingize and impersonalize it. It is not Roger's fault, nor Larisan's or Virginia, Lorene, Lorraine, etc.  It is error using them.)  So, as we intelligently look at these sites,  we recognize the mistakes as experienced students and lift the Christ of all involved. We must remember Joel's instructions again and again,

"Because you can't go around volleying between two, three or four different teachings, two three four different teachers, two, three, four different sets of principles.  You can't do that and make spiritual progress.  You must find YOUR teacher.  You must find YOUR teaching and then you must be faithful until either your teacher or teaching has proven to have clay feet or until you've proven the rightness by making your own contact."   Tape 472/2 

In order to be faithful to our teacher, Joel, we must know his teachings. The Infinite Way is far more than the writings.  These are the BEGINNING of the teaching. It is impossible to teach The Infinite Way and not be familiar with the majority of Joel's tapes AND widely use them regularly for personal study and study assignments. Students must ask what a teacher's background in the work is. Remember there are over 1400 hours of lectures. Listening to each once is an enormous study. Joel tells us that to teach requires a MINIMUM of 5 to 10 years in the HEALING work, not just reading. A teacher must be a healer, by IW definition, and know the tapes (including the "25", Circle of Christhood and World Work).

If Joel was the revelator, if Joel's consciousness brought forth The Infinite Way, the highest message on earth, if Joel's consciousness is what lifts us, is that which guides and directs us on this path, then whose consciousness is so high that they can make changes?  You must decide. 

(We welcome student information about those in the world teaching the message. We will note those teaching correctly as well as those who are mistaken in their understanding. It will be our pleasure and great joy to make changes to our comments where a teacher has corrected their conduct. Please comment to us in the Guestbook and we will make the appropriate corrections. Do remember that our work is to serve students, share principles and help them navigate the internet world of Infinite Way "leaders".  No comments are personal. We continue to recognize the truth of each individual and ask you to join us in meditation. Error has no power and Grace operates The Infinite Way.)

The Joel S. Goldsmith Study Group of Chicago

http://infinite-invisible.net/index.html

http://www.unofficialinfiniteway.com

http://www.iwstudentcontactcenter.com

http://www.home.planet.nl/~rabe0018/goldsmith

http://www.ajvargas.com