Joel S. Goldsmith, a 20th-century mystic, teacher, and spiritual healer, lived and taught a way of being that continues to awaken people to the deeper dimensions of life. Through his extensive lectures and writings—especially The Infinite Way, Practicing the Presence, and The Art of Meditation—Goldsmith called people to a radical spiritual awareness: not of belief systems or rituals, but of inner experience. He invited humanity to shift from survival to serenity, from fear to freedom.

At the heart of Goldsmith’s teaching is a profound truth: Life is not lived by man; life is lived through man, by God. This is not religious dogma. It’s an awakening. In Goldsmith’s words: “God constitutes your being. God is the soul, the spirit, the life, the mind, and the law of your being.”

So what does life look like through the lens of Joel S. Goldsmith? Let’s explore.

Life is Spiritual, Not Material

Goldsmith believed that the fundamental mistake humanity makes is seeing life as a physical experience governed by material laws. Instead, he taught that life is spiritual, invisible, eternal, and whole. The material world is not denied, but it is not the source. It is the reflection of consciousness.

He often said, “Spiritual living begins when we stop trying to add God to a human life and instead recognize that all life is already God.”

When we try to manipulate our outer conditions—health, wealth, relationships—without transforming consciousness, we are trying to paint over rust. Goldsmith taught that outer change follows inner realization. This is why his spiritual practice centered on conscious union with God—not petitioning a deity, but realizing the divine Presence already within us.

The Secret Place of the Most High

Goldsmith emphasized that the true sanctuary is within. Not in temples or rituals or churches, but in the “secret place of the Most High”—a phrase drawn from Psalm 91, which he often quoted. This inner sanctuary is accessed through meditation and silence.

He wrote, “There is a presence within you that goes before you to make the crooked places straight. It prepares mansions for you. But you cannot reach it by effort, only by quietness.”

Meditation, in his teaching, was not a technique but a way of life. It was a moment-to-moment surrender to Presence. Not an escape, but a return.

This secret place becomes the still center from which all true action flows. In this space, the world no longer dictates your life. You’re not reacting. You’re not chasing. You’re listening. You’re aligning. And then, from that alignment, your actions are guided—not by fear or ambition, but by divine rhythm.

No Power But God

One of Goldsmith’s most revolutionary teachings is that evil has no power. Disease, lack, war, conflict—they appear real to the human mind, but they are not spiritual realities. And only what is spiritually real has actual power.

He said, “Do not fight error. Do not fight disease. Do not fight sin. Do not fight lack. Stand still. Know that I am God.”

This teaching is not passive. It’s radical. It’s about withdrawing power from anything outside of God. The moment we react with fear or resistance, we are declaring another power. But when we stand still in awareness of the One Power—the divine Presence within—illusion dissolves.

This is not magical thinking. It is spiritual discernment. Life begins to shift when we stop trying to fix the world and start realizing the truth behind appearances. We stop trying to dominate life and start to witness its unfolding.

Impersonalizing Good and Evil

Goldsmith also taught that we should never attribute good or evil to persons. All good comes from the divine Presence. All error is the product of impersonal ignorance.

He often said, “The carnal mind is not man. It is an impersonal hypnotic suggestion. And the moment you personalize it, you are back in bondage.”

This is powerful and liberating. When we stop blaming others—or worshiping them—we free ourselves. When we stop identifying ourselves with our past, our trauma, or our triumphs, we discover something deeper: the Christ within, which Goldsmith defined not as a person, but as the divine Self that exists in all.

This spiritual identity is beyond gender, race, nationality, or history. It is eternal and infinite.

Living From Within

Goldsmith’s message ultimately brings us to this: Live from within. Stop looking outside for answers, validation, or meaning. Everything you are seeking is already present within you, waiting to be recognized.

He said, “You do not have to seek success. You only have to express God, and success is inevitable.”

That may sound lofty, but it’s deeply practical. When we live from inner guidance, we stop running in circles. We don’t act out of compulsion or fear. We don’t sacrifice our integrity for approval or gain. We move from inspired action. We serve rather than strive. And life starts to flow—not always without challenge, but with a sense of peace and alignment.

Grace, Not Achievement

A key principle in Goldsmith’s teaching is grace—the idea that good does not come as a result of effort, merit, or performance. It comes as the natural expression of the divine Presence when we get out of the way.

He wrote, “Grace is not something you earn. Grace is. The moment you stop seeking, striving, and fearing, you find it.”

Grace means we’re not living in a universe of reward and punishment. We’re living in a spiritual system of harmony, where everything we need is already provided—if we can receive it. That’s why his path was not about self-improvement, but self-surrender.

A Life of Silent Service

Goldsmith wasn’t interested in fame or followers. He discouraged people from building organizations around his work. He believed that truth cannot be institutionalized.

He saw his role as that of a servant, saying: “The only function of a teacher is to help the student realize God for themselves.”

And that is where he leaves us—not with a blueprint, but with a direction. Go within. Trust the Presence. Live the life that flows from spiritual realization. Stop trying to fix your life. Start seeing through it—to the truth that is always present, always whole.

The Unseen Life

Joel S. Goldsmith taught a path that is not for the faint of heart. It requires deep inner honesty, surrender of ego, and radical trust in the unseen. But for those who are ready, his message is transformative.

Life is not about control. It’s about connection. Not about acquiring more, but awakening to what already is. As he once wrote:

“The kingdom of God is within you. And when you find it, you’ll discover that nothing can be added to your life, because everything has already been given.”

This is not just a philosophy. It’s a way of being. It’s a call to live from the center, not the surface. From Spirit, not self. From truth, not thought.

And when you do, you don’t just change your life. You change your very sense of what life is.

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~Joel S. Goldsmith (1892–1964) was a renowned spiritual teacher, healer, and mystic best known for founding The Infinite Way, a spiritual path rooted in the realization of God within. Raised in a secular Jewish household, Goldsmith experienced a spontaneous spiritual awakening that led him to become a spiritual healer without formal religious training. Over time, he developed a global following through his books, lectures, and healing work.

Goldsmith’s teachings emphasize the inner experience of God, the unreality of material sense, and the power of meditation and silence. He taught that spiritual consciousness—not human effort—is the key to healing, peace, and fulfillment. Rejecting organized religion and dogma, he called seekers to live from the indwelling Presence and trust in the grace of God as the only power.

His most influential works include The Infinite Way, Practicing the Presence, and The Art of Meditation—books still widely read today by those seeking a direct experience of spiritual truth.

Excellence Reporter 2025