“The Infinite Way” Series
Joel Goldsmith (1892 – 1964) was a leading American spiritual author, teacher, healer and mystic who founded “The Infinite Way”, a spiritual teaching consisting of principles which anyone may follow and practice, irrespective of their religious affiliation; it reveals the nature of God to be one infinite, eternal power, presence, intelligence and love.
Goldsmith is the author of over 80 books, and in this series of articles we will focus on the main principles covered in Practicing the Presence, which was first published in 1958 and is one of the four foundational books in The Infinite Way. It introduces the concept of a Presence within, an inner peace, that can enable us to experience a new way of living.
The concepts examined herein are presented as an interview conversation between Dr. Heather Smith, founder of Mystical Meditation, and Yanni Charalambous, a clearing the mind expert and life coach. Each article in this series has a complementary YouTube video link at the end.
Love Thy Neighbor as Thy Self
There’s only One Being and my Consciousness is that.
By Dr. Heather Smith and Yanni Charalambous
Yanni: In the chapter, “Love thy Neighbor” it tells us: I must “love thy neighbor as myself.” Why is that?
Heather In essence, we love thy neighbor because thy neighbor is my Self. There’s only One Being and my Consciousness is that. There is no “other.” It seems hard to believe doesn’t it, when we seem to experience such a variety of people, places and things? And especially when we’re experiencing individuals we’d rather not! So let’s examine how to address this in the context of a relationship—and that can be a relationship of any kind—that appears to be in conflict.
The real “knowing” that all I ever experience is my own Self comes from actually “seeing” it. Being still inwardly and then realizing that the I that I am contains is the substance of all things. We rest in the observing of thoughts, colors, sounds, etc. that arise into our Awareness and then naturally, by themselves, disappear. It all happens without us ever consciously taking thought. Life is living Itself. But when I turn my focus away from being the observer, and instead react with resistance to whatever it is I’m seeing, this creates the appearance of discord.
Yanni: So discord is the letting go of the attachment to memories we’re perceiving in the moment?
Heather: Yes, exactly. Detaching from all thoughts. Joel explains that spiritual healing transcends thought. In The Infinite Way, we don’t focus on thought to heal a relationship or a situation. He suggests that if we find ourselves reacting to a person or an appearance, it can sometimes be helpful to contemplate a passage from scripture in order to still the mind and let Peace reveal Itself. I’m going to read an extract from “The Thunder of Silence” in which Joel explains that we should “know no man after the flesh.” This is from page 96:
To heal, it is necessary to transcend thought. Even though a meditation begins as a contemplation of truth, it must, before the healing is accomplished, rise into the higher realm of silent awareness. At the beginning of a healing meditation a passage of truth, such as “Henceforth know we no man after the flesh,” may come into thought. After that has repeated itself several times, or after we have consciously repeated it, thought slows down as we ponder the meaning of knowing no man after the flesh: Henceforth know we no man after good flesh or bad flesh; henceforth know we no man as sick or well, rich or poor; henceforth know we only God appearing as individual spiritual man.
So we’re not judging by appearances. Instead, we’re “seeing through” to the spiritual identity that’s really here. Again, this comes down to stilling the mind and letting “That reveal Itself.”
Yanni: Thank you, Heather. Let’s take a look at our final question: “I have all that God has. I have because I and my Father are one.” Tell us more.
Heather: This is an important principle in The Infinite Way. We go to God—our own Consciousness—only for God. The forms are the “added things” that Luke refers to in the Bible. We don’t endeavor to manifest something, nor do we attempt to delineate or tell God what it is we think we’re in need of. As Joel says in this chapter, “There’s no record in the entire New Testament of the Master’s seeking health, wealth, recognition, reward, fame, payment or gratitude.” We know that our own Consciousness is all we experience—it is the substance of all form. Our Consciousness is a Self-sustaining, Omnipresent Intelligence. Therefore, anything we appear to be desiring we already are. We already have it because we are it! If there appears to be a lack, our job is to rest in the Mind that we are and watch inwardly as it shines through us, as our experience. This is what’s meant by “being still.” Another way of explaining this is to say that we rest in the awareness of being the Space in which all things appear to happen.
So, if we’re seeking something from a form outside of ourselves, we’re seeking amiss, and it will appear to be withheld from us. “I” is the source of all Goodness, and in order for me to experience that, I must consciously make my mind a vacuum and let It express Itself through me. Good has to be allowed to flow out from me. So give yourself permission just to BE and then watch how that Peace out-pictures.
Yanni: So, by living in the Presence we’re trusting the mind to reveal the healing. And as we go throughout our day, we’re still taking action but without reacting—and that’s when whatever’s needed in the moment arises more naturally.
Heather: Exactly. I want to add that “I and my Father are one” means I and my consciousness are one. Language and misperception have fooled us into believing that we experience something other than our own Being. We appear to experience different people, places and things but really we’re only experiencing our Self. We may think in terms of “me” and “my body” but really there’s only “me” appearing as “my body.” It’s such an important distinction, and we live from an entirely new perspective when we fully appreciate this.
Hear the interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5NTVzr0_8g.
Dr. Heather Smith is the Founder of “Mystical Meditation,” an online platform used to share Joel Goldsmith’s work. She has been studying and practicing The Infinite Way teachings for over 30 years, and hosts spiritual talks, meditation groups and events online and in person, in London and California. Find out more at: https://www.linktr.ee/mysticalmeditation.
