Original Iwihub.com transcript. Transcriber Eunice Lee, proofread by Zane Maser

pdf  Tape 347A   The Invisible
The Invisible
1960 Manchester Closed Class
Joel S. Goldsmith
Tape 347A

Good evening.

Question: “Is it all right to start a meditation by reading your writings?”

Answer: Yes, it is all right to start a meditation by reading the Bible or by reading any of the Infinite Way writings and going from there into a contemplative form of meditation. Now the contemplative form of meditation is the starting point for all meditation. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t those who are already adept in meditation, who already have mastered the art of meditation, who no longer have to use the contemplative form as a starter. But these are few and far between, and if there be one among you such, you can disregard this.

But otherwise, I would suggest that after you have read for a few moments or minutes, probably until some particular thought comes uppermost in your mind. Then, you put the book aside and begin a contemplative meditation. And that means to contemplate some Truth. And you can start with the Truth that has appeared to you through what you’ve read. Perhaps you have read until you are arrested by a certain statement, until you are brought up short with a certain statement, and then you stop to meditate on that statement.

Let us take one. “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Now let us contemplate that for a moment. Where the spirit of the Lord is. Now where is the spirit of the Lord? Where is the spirit of the Lord? And naturally, it’s where I am. If I mounted up to heaven, I’d find the spirit of the Lord there. If I made my bed in hell, I’d find the spirit of the Lord there. If I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will find the spirit of the Lord. Therefore, the Lord is where I am. The Lord fills all space. The Presence of God fills all space. Therefore, it fills this space where I am. And even more particularly than that, the kingdom of God is within me. So the Presence of God is within me. The Presence of God is within me, closer than breathing, within me. The spirit of God is within me, and the spirit of God, it is where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Here, where I am, the spirit of the Lord is. And where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, so right here, where I am, there is liberty. I cannot be bound. I cannot be limited. I cannot be circumscribed. For where God is, I am, and where God is, there is liberty. There is freedom, peace, fulfillment.

In thy Presence is fulfillment. In thy presence is where I am. Thy Presence is within me. Therefore, here where I am is fulfillment. I need not go to holy mountains. I need not go to holy temples. I need not go to holy men. Here where I am is the presence of the Lord, and where the presence of the Lord is, there is my freedom, my joy, my peace, my abundance. If I do not find it here where I am, I will not find it anywhere. For where the spirit of the Lord is, is where I must find it. But I must find the spirit of the Lord where I am. Omnipresence. Omnipresence. All Presence. The Presence of God where I am.

And usually by this time, you have so thoroughly contemplated that idea of Omnipresence of the spirit of the Lord where I am that you settle down into a peace and perhaps for ten, twenty, thirty seconds, you don’t think at all. You’re just there in a stillness. Your ears are open, as if you were saying, “speak Lord, thy servant heareth. I am listening for thy Voice,” and it may only be five, ten, twenty seconds of a complete silence or stillness, and your meditation is complete for this moment. You can now feel that you have opened yourself to the Presence of God. You have contemplated the Presence of God. You have realized the Presence, and now you can go on and do whatever it is you have to do.

Now, on another occasion, let us say that as parents or grandparents, you are responsible for your children or your children’s children, and it is natural that you wish to place them in God’s care. Now remember this. Without this, they are not in God’s care. If all children were in God’s care, there would be no accidents. If all children were in God’s care, there’d be no disease. If all children were in God’s care, there’d by no kidnappings. There’d be no atrocities. So you can be sure of this that all children are not in God’s care, and that is what Paul tells us that the creature is not under “the law of God, neither indeed can be.” But, if so the spirit of God dwell in you, then do you come under the law of God, so that you knowing this now wish to bring your children, your child, those responsible to whom you are responsible into and under the care of God and the love of God. And so you sit down for a contemplative meditation, which is going to be followed by that few seconds or a minute of waiting for God to place the seal on your meditation.

And so, your contemplative meditation might run like this. Whether shall I flee from thy Presence? Whether shall my children flee from thy Presence? Thy Presence fills all space. Thy kingdom of God, thy kingdom is within the very consciousness of my child and my children. God is dwelling in his kingdom. He is dwelling in my children. My children are the abiding place for God. Their minds are temples of God. Their bodies are temples of God, and God is in his dwelling place. Whither so ever my children go, the Lord says, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”

Wherever my children go, the Lord says, “I am with thee. I was with thee before Abraham was. I will be with thee unto the end of the world.” The spirit of the Lord God dwelleth in these children. The spirit of the Lord God is the very breath of their being, the very life of their being and of their body, the very intelligence of their mind. God envelops them, for God is in them, and they are in God. In thy Presence is fullness of life, and these children are in the presence of God, for God is in them, and they are in God.

And wherever they go, the place whereon they stand will be holy ground. In the home, in the garden, out in the street, on the road, in school, the place whereon they stand is holy ground. They cannot stray from the loving arms of their Father, for God is their Father. God is their Father. God it is who gave us these children, and God is the ever loving, ever protective Father and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Children, wherever thou beest, thou art in the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of God is within you. Children, God is thy Father. Hold His hand. Feel His loving Presence, wherever you are. Remember, you and your heavenly Father are one, inseparable, indivisible. Therefore, you cannot stray from his Presence. Whether at home, whether in school, whether at work, remember, children, consciously remember God is your Father, and God walks with you and talks with you, wherever you are. Just listen for the still, small Voice that is within you, and you will be guided and instructed and protected.

And remember that all whom you meet, all whom you meet remember God is also their Father. No matter whether they know it or not. No matter whether the world calls them good or calls them bad, you, children, you must remember God is their Father, and God is their loving parent, and they are never outside of God’s loving Grace, any more than you are. For we are all members of one household, all members of one family, and God is in you, and you are in God, and God is in your neighbor, and your neighbor is in God, and we are all one.