The Art of Meditation

by Joel S. Goldsmith

Among books on the disciplines of the Christian life, there are few that deal as specifically and practically with inward prayer or meditation, as this new one from a respected and influential writer. Mr. Goldsmith is not concerned with theory or theology, but with man's need of prayer. His book's starting point therefore is the inner conviction every man has that he is not alone in the universe. The reader is soon introduced to an attractive, regular program of daily meditation, adapted to his needs and situations. Through "the art of meditation" he is helped to realize his oneness with God and to find a clearer view of himself and his world. The purpose of this remarkably simple book is to release man to his God given birthright, which includes freedom from bondage to materialism, from addiction to small and unworthy ends, from all forms of self-seeking. Careful instructions, illustrative examples and specially-written meditations are here for the reader seeking wise spiritual guidance. The book is divided into three parts: Mediation: The Practice; Meditation: The Experience; Meditation The Fruits. The style is most direct and uncomplicated, free from all technical verbiage and "special" vocabulary.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Meditation

154 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1957

Reviews

[Laurie Hanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn't know where to begin. This is one of those books where I started to highlight the sentences that really struck home, and found I was highlighting whole pages at a time.

Hard to believe this was written in the 1950's, before I was even born. The language is a bit archaic and hard to follow, but the concepts are right out of A New Earth.

If I had to boil it down to one concept that I got from the book - and there are too many to list here - it would be that God is inside of me, not "somewhere out there". The source of all health and all abundance is within, therefor trying to attract abundance from outside of me is not the best way to go about it.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to find a more personally spiritual outlook to all the New Age ideas coming at us these days.

[Maria Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found God while reading this book. I think it’s well done. It does utilize the Christian faith — God and the trinity — which i find is an okay conduit for me. I wish there was an exactly similarly interpretation of spirituality like this without relying on Christianity, but i absolutely feel how a singular Christ is a more “holy” god than the many gods of pagan spirituality...I think. I’d be willing to have a conversation about it and have my mind changed.

[Carlos Alberto · Rating 1 out of 5]

Um visão judaico-crista sobre como a meditação enfluencia e ajuda o ser humano a buscar sua revolução interior e evolução espiritual com o criador. Joel Goldsmith pega toda a filosofia e origem originais da prática e aplica sobre uma nova roupagem, como se isso foi mudar o epicentro da atividade espiritual e da conexão que a pessoa sento consigo mesma durante a realição. O livro é denso, mas não chega a ser complicado ou dificil, mas apresenta informaçôes teologicas interresantes para os curiosos da área ou que seguem o cristianismo. É uma nova forma de ver o antigo utilizando as proprias crenças pessoais. Honestamente, se você pegar os livros budistas antigos e comparar com esse, vai perceber que ao invês de falar ''Buda'' nesse livro eles falam ''Cristo'', nada muda. O livro em conclusão de suas 207 pagínas é chato, previsivel e só. Isso tudo não quer dizer que toda sua escrita e desenvolvimento seja, de fato, inútil. É possível sim absorver uma mensagem espiritual e tranceder a sua própria escuridão com a sua fé, mas o livro não protagoniza essa ideia de forma nítida, só sendo relembrada em poucos e pequenos trechos do desenvolvimento. Vale a pena se você quer uma análise da meditação como hábito e prática de um outro ponto de vista mas se quer APRENDER sobre meditação, vá na fonte dela e sua origem budista e não no paralelo.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am new to the writings of Joel S. Goldsmith. The Art of Meditation is helpful and I will need to re-read this many time to get a good grasp of the messages contained in this book.

I started with The Art of Spiritual Healing by Joel S. Goldsmith. I re and re-read this book at least 4 times and still learning.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting, but way too religious for me. Thought it would be more about the practice of meditating not so much connecting with God. I did not get very far into the book, and I believe there is a chapter on different styles or options for meditating. Maybe I will skip ahead...

[Michael Hitchcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was incredibly repetitive but almost to the point that it became ritualistic. It was sold to me as a general book about meditation, but it was actually a book with chapter by chapter instruction on how to get out of your own way and quiet your self just enough to start to hear God's voice which is and always has been, within you. And this is not the secular and formless God of AA, this is Christian trinity God. The entire book, even though it did present generalizable advice, never went more than half a page without talking about Jesus the Master and the Father.

It also had a lot to say about how asking God for anything besides the wisdom to know Him better was ultimately foolish because the material things of this earth are beneath God's notice on one hand, and on the other are there in abundance to anyone who knows enough to trust God's plan.

But in between all the statements of God was the kernel of the book- daily practice and pursuit of meditation will bring equanimity and a knowledge of your place in the world (and in God's plan). And though the suggested texts for meditation seemed to me to be hilariously over-long, the gist of them were very much on message- shut up and get out of your own way so you can hear the wisdom of God who is and always has been there within us all.

The less Christian you are the more it will be difficult to accept this book. Very much stuck in that.

[Rob McGavock · Rating 5 out of 5]

High level, empowering and articulate.

This information shook me to the core. How do I know this? Because the more I learned from Joel about the consciousness of Oneness, ‘Christ Consciousness’ in this book, the greater I felt attacks of temptation distracting me. I learned about Joel Goldsmith from an endorsement by Eckhart Tolle. This book makes Eckhart’s ‘Teaching Presence’ courses quite relevant for the expansion of God Consciousness throughout humankind.

[Jonathan Cavazos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure how I felt about this book. There were some comforting words, but I feel like the author read the Bible. Then, he regurgitated what he read.

[Luciano Lux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spirituality at its core

"The illumined threads by grace and not fear"

A guide to deep meditative practice, a suggested must read for any practicing Christian

[CJ Hattingh]

A Christian stream of consciousness with some occult undertones.

[Iona Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is on a par with Goldsmith's other books, i.e. of an equally high quality. He is now my favourite spiritual author, though I also highly appreciate Neville. After reading only a few pages of any of Goldsmith's books, I can feel a tangible elevation of consciousness, impossible for me to describe. I always read at least a chapter from one of his books before retiring.

This particular book differs from the author's other books in that the subject-matter is more specific - he explains to us in detail his system of meditation.

Firstly, it must be made clear that though many of us may think of meditation merely as a practice to enable us to find calm and harmony in our lives together with obtaining possible improvement in both our mental and physical health, Goldsmith's viewpoint was another. To his mind meditation was an absolutely essential practice (he spent 9 or 10 hours out of 24 in meditation) leading finally to "illumination, communion, and union" with God: he devoted his life to obtaining this union and to communicating his experiences and teachings.

The first third of the book deals with the "practice". The author states that anyone with "sufficient perseverance, application and fidelity" can "cultivate a Christ awareness". I found this first section to be extremely useful.

The second section dealing with "the experience" seemed a bit diffuse to me. But this remark has probably more to do with my own limitations as regards consciousness than anything else.

I found the third section, "the fruits", extremely inspiring. He describes union with God as a state where there no longer is any "I" - "There is no you; there is no I; there is only God being."

There are many wonderful writers on spiritual matters, but I know of no others whose teachings are at so high a level as those of Joel Goldsmith.

I would like to point out that in my opinion you do not have to be a Christian to appreciate this book - I am not. You just have to be able to look beyond the author's terminology.

I strongly recommend this work to all spiritually interested readers, particularly those with the ultimate spiritual goal - union with God.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joel Goldsmith rocks! It's been a while since I've read this, but I knew right away that Joel was a spiritual master that I wanted to be much more familiar with. I am reading Infinite Way right now and his insight into mystical matters is exactly what I'm looking for.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I read it every day.

[John Hartfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Key's to silencing the mind and finding serenity in any situation. Practice,practice,practice.