Many books have been written about inward prayer, or meditation, but Joel Goldsmith’s classic, The Art of Meditation, presents meditation not as a theory, but as a joyous and rewarding experience. The book begins with these words: “Most men and women are convinced that there is a divine Power of some sort operating in human affairs, but they are not sure what it is, nor do they know how to bring this divine Presence and Power into daily experience.” In The Art of Meditation, Goldsmith shows the reader the way, and it is through meditation.
Goldsmith says that on the whole, the world has no knowledge of God as the living Power and Presence with Whom we are one. If it did, its anguish, wars, sin, and death would vanish. But, he says, individuals can learn the nature of God and how to contact God. He writes: “Christ buried in the tomb of the mind will not come forth and do works, but Christ risen in our consciousness, Christ raised from the tomb through meditation and communion – that is the miracle worker of the ages.” The Art of Meditation explains how this inner Presence, also called “the Christ,” can be realized and can operate in daily life.
While many people pray for the purpose of getting something, Goldsmith explains that we should enter meditation without ulterior motive: “Any meditation that has within itself a single trace of a desire to get something from God or to acquire something through God is no longer meditation.” He presents meditation as a turning within and listening. At some moment in that quietude, when human thought is stilled and the noise of human living is hushed, the God-experience comes in.
PART ONE: THE PRACTICE
1. The Way
1955 July Letter
1954 Infinite Way Letters (p.19, 13)
#14-2: 1952 Honolulu Closed Class 1:2
1955 August Letter
#65-2: 1954 Honolulu Lecture Series 1:2
#119-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 10:2
1955 February Letter
2. The Purpose
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#111-1: 1955 Kailua Study Group 2:1
#132-2: 1955 Seattle Private Class 3:2
#116-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 7:2
#115-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 6:2
3. The Practice
#104-2: 1954 Seattle Closed Class 2:2
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#119-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 10:2
1954 November Letter
#58-1: 1953 Chicago Lecture Series 2:1
#114-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 5:2
#112-1: 1955 Kailua Study Group 3:1
Metaphysical Notes* (p.53, 55,108,109,107)
#67-1: 1954 Honolulu Lecture Series 3:1
4. The Indissoluble Union
1955 June Letter
#67-1: 1954 Honolulu Lecture Series 3:1
#67-2: 1954 Honolulu Lecture Series 3:2
#111-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 2:2
#14-1: 1952 Honolulu Closed Class 1:1
#83-1: 1954 Honolulu Closed Class 1:1
#120-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 11:2
#120-1: 1955 Kailua Study Group 11:1
#117-1: 1955 Kailua Study Group 8:1
5. The Difficulties
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#112-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 3:2
#114-1: 1955 Kailua Study Group 5:1
#115-1: 1955 Kailua Study Group 6:1
#104-2: 1954 Seattle Closed Class 2:2
#622-2: 1953 Second New York Closed Class 3:2
#620-1: 1953 Second New York Closed Class 1:1
#67-1: 1954 Honolulu Lecture Series 3:1
#14-1: 1952 Honolulu Closed Class 1:1
#58-1: 1953 Chicago Lecture Series 2:1
1955 June Letter
PART TWO: MEDITATION: THE EXPERIENCE
Forward: The Meditation of My Heart
6. The Earth Is the Lord’s
#104-2: 1954 Seattle Closed Class 2:2
#60-2: 1954 Chicago Practitioner Class 2:2
7. For God So Loved the World
#620 – #624: 1953 Second New York Closed Class (no specific tape number available)
8. Ye Are the Temple
#101-2: 1954 Seattle Practitioner Class 2:2
9. The Silver Is Mine
#61-2: 1954 Chicago Practitioner Class 3:2
#117-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 8:2
#37-2: 1953 First Portland Class 1:2
#37-1: 1953 First Portland Class 1:1
#71-2: 1954 Honolulu Lecture Series 7:2
10. The Place Whereon Thou Standest
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#61-2: 1954 Chicago Practitioner Class 3:2
11. For Love Is of God
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#60-1: 1954 Chicago Practitioner Class 2:1
#39-1: 1953 First Portland Class 3:1
#8B-1: 1952 New Washington Series 6:1
12. For He Is Thy Life
1955 April Letter
#117-1: 1955 Kailua Study Group 8:1
#117-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 8:2
#126-1: 1955 Kailua Study Group 17:1
#59-1: 1954 Chicago Practitioner Class 1:1
13. Fear Not
#74-2: 1954 Honolulu Lecture Series 10:2
14. The Tabernacle of God
#38-2: 1953 First Portland Class 2:2
15. The Beauty of Holiness
#604: 1951 Second Portland Series 4:1
PART THREE: MEDITATION: THE FRUITS
16. The Fruit of the Spirit
#121-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 12:2
#125-1: 1955 Kailua Study Group 16:1
#129-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 20:2
17. Illumination, Communion and Union
1955 Chicago Private Class 2:2
#119-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 10:2
#118-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 9:2
#111-1: 1955 Kailua Study Group 2:1
#115-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 6:2
#121-2: 1955 Kailua Study Group 12:2
#8B-1: 1952 New Washington Series 6:1
#8B-2: 1952 New Washington Series 6:2
18. A Circle of Christhood
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#132-2: 1955 Seattle Private Class 3:2
