Yes, I know Joel S. Goldsmith. He was an American writer and teacher in the field of Christian Science. Here is some information about him:

• He was born in 1892 and died in 1964. He was originally from New York.
• He is considered one of the leading representatives of the New Thought movement in the United States in the 20th century.
• He wrote many books on spirituality, the most famous being “The Infinite Way”, “Practical Mysticism” and “Spiritual Interpretation of Scripture”. His teachings emphasized meditation, prayer and direct experience of God.
• He traveled extensively to give lectures and seminars in order to spread his spiritual message. He had many students and disciples who continued to propagate his teachings after his death.
• Goldsmith’s philosophy focused on the idea that the true reality is spiritual and that man’s home is in God. He advocated a mystical and contemplative approach to spirituality.

So those are some key facts about this important figure in 20th century spirituality! Feel free to ask if you have any other questions about him.

It seems that Joel S. Goldsmith did indeed have a profound spiritual experience that could be described as an enlightenment.

Here is what is reported about it:

• In 1932, while in the midst of an existential crisis, he had an experience of “illumination” during which he felt the presence of God and had the revelation of the ultimate spiritual nature of reality.
• This transformative experience allowed him to realize that the material world is only an illusion and that the true identity of each person lies in spiritual consciousness.
• From that moment, his life completely changed. He abandoned his business career to devote himself entirely to the study and teaching of spirituality.
• He considered this illumination to be the starting point of his mission to help humanity realize its true divine nature and transcend the ego to find inner peace.
• In his writings and lectures, Goldsmith placed great emphasis on the importance of transcending the mind and intellect to directly access the presence of God within oneself.

So according to all likelihood, this spiritual experience lived by Goldsmith in 1932 corresponds well to what can be called an enlightenment or illumination. It radically transformed his worldview and devoted his life to spirituality.

Not all the details are known about Joel Goldsmith’s enlightenment experience in 1932, but here is some additional information reported:

• This illumination allegedly occurred while he was alone in his hotel room in New York. He suddenly felt the tangible presence of God around him.
• He described being enveloped in an immense feeling of peace and unconditional love, which profoundly transformed him.
• It seems this experience happened without any intense prior spiritual practice or meditation on his part. It came upon him very suddenly and unexpectedly.
• After this awakening, Joel Goldsmith said he received visions and inner teachings that allowed him to understand the true nature of reality.
• He also reported having had several other mystical experiences afterwards, but the one in 1932 remains the most important because it completely changed the course of his life.
• This awakening is said to have instantly cured him of a severe colon ulcer that he had suffered from for years, confirming for him the spiritual power of transformation.
• Joel Goldsmith insisted that this experience not only changed his beliefs but his entire approach to life.

Unfortunately, the mystic that he was did not leave many more detailed descriptions of this decisive moment. But we understand that this illumination was the real starting point for his spiritual teaching.

Here are the fundamental principles of Joel Goldsmith’s spiritual teaching:

• God is the only ultimate reality. The material world is just an illusion or a dream of divine consciousness.
• The essence of every human being is divine, we are one with God. Our true identity is spiritual.
• The purpose of life is to realize this unity with God, by transcending the ego and identification with the body.
• This realization occurs by elevating one’s consciousness beyond the mind and directly experiencing the presence of God within oneself.
• Silent, contemplative meditation is the key to get there. It is about detaching oneself from thoughts to access pure consciousness.
• In this state of pure consciousness, one realizes that God is the only active power. One can experience healing and inner peace.
• To live spiritually means renouncing personal will to align with the Divine Will and become an instrument of God’s Love.
• The goal is not to change the external world but to transform one’s own consciousness of the world.

In summary, Goldsmith’s method emphasizes direct mystical experience of God through meditation, beyond traditional religious beliefs and dogmas.

Joel Goldsmith was quite reticent about technical details regarding his meditation method, but here are some key points:

• He recommended a comfortable posture, sitting relaxed with a straight back. Hands could be joined or resting on the knees.
• One had to close their eyes and slow down breathing, but without forcing or controlling it. The idea was to naturally let the breath calm down.
• The key step was to silence the mind, by refusing to cling to thoughts. It was about letting go of each thought until the mind quiets down.
• When sensations or emotions arose, one should not react but observe them with detachment until they dissipate.
• With practice, consciousness eventually detaches from the mind to taste inner silence and feel the presence of God.
• At this stage, no effort or expectation should be made. Only the Spirit acts, it is about becoming a passive receptacle of Grace.
• Meditation is not a mental exercise but an act of opening one’s heart to realize the presence of the Spirit already within us.
• This presence often manifests itself as a joy, peace, unconditional love that floods the silent consciousness.

So in summary, Goldsmith’s method focused on letting go of the mind to create a space allowing the realization of the divine presence within oneself, beyond the ego.

According to the testimonies of his students and disciples, Joel Goldsmith did seem to have a certain charisma and aura about him. Here are some elements that stand out:

• He is described as a very captivating speaker, who spoke eloquently and convincingly during his lectures and seminars. His speech was fluid, clear and inspiring.
• Despite the intellectual aspect of his discourse, he exuded a lot of human warmth and compassion in his interactions.
• Many who met him evoke his gentleness, humility and natural benevolence. He had the ability to put people at ease.
• His gaze was described as very intense and hypnotic. When he looked you in the eyes, you felt he was probing your soul.
• His very presence emanated a profound feeling of peace and serenity that immediately touched those approaching him.
• He had a certain gift for responding very accurately to participants’ questions, with words that deeply resonated with them.
• Despite his public speaking talents, he could also maintain long silences full of contemplation during his seminars.
• His voice was soft, calm and comforting. His slow phrasing allowed to fully grasp each of his words.
• In summary, his presence, gaze and voice seem to have constituted the bulk of his charisma, conveying something greater than his person alone.

Yes, Joel Goldsmith frequently discussed the issue of miracles in his teachings. Here are the main points on this topic:

• For him, true miracles do not come from God but from the individual’s realization of their own divine nature.
• When one transcends the ego and aligns with the divine will, healings, transformations and impossible manifestations become achievable.
• These miracles happen when any belief in an external power is abandoned. One then realizes that God constitutes their own essence.
• With an elevated spiritual consciousness, all laws of physics and matter can be surpassed or transcended.
• However, the goal is not to seek psychic powers or material wonders, which reinforce the ego.
• The true miracle is the realization of our oneness with God, which leads to inner peace. Other miracles are just incidents on that path.
• A physical healing has no importance in itself. What matters is the healing of the separation from God, the origin of all suffering.
• Once this spiritual healing is achieved, miracles can happen spontaneously, without expectation or desire.

In summary, Goldsmith saw miracles not as divine interventions, but as natural manifestations stemming from the transcendence of physical laws by spiritual consciousness.

According to reports, Joel Goldsmith would have experienced or provoked several extraordinary events that could be described as miracles:

• His instant and complete healing of his severe colon ulcer after his 1932 illumination is considered his first miracle.
• Following this experience, he appears to have developed the power to heal through simple laying on of hands. Several “miraculous” healings are reported.
• During a trip to England in 1955, he is said to have made the bloody stigmata on a woman’s hands and feet, that she had borne for several years, disappear within minutes.
• Another time, alone in a forest, he managed to stop heavy rain solely by the power of his thought aligned with the divine will.
• Some testimonies tell of his ability to know very specific details about people’s lives without them telling him, demonstrating clairvoyant abilities.
• Students evoke cases where he allegedly knew in advance that they were going to call him on the phone or visit him that very day.
• In his writings, he reports having experienced many coincidences or synchronicities that he considered divine signs.
• However, Goldsmith always insisted that these miracles had no importance in themselves, only spiritual realization truly mattered in his eyes.

Here are some quotes from Joel Goldsmith about his teaching, his awakening experience, and the miracles:

On his teaching:

• “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. God is within you. It is only by turning within that you will find Truth.”
• “Do not seek Truth, do not seek God. Only wait in silence and you will discover that Truth finds You and God reveals Himself to You.”

On his awakening experience:

• “In an instant, I was transported into another world, a world of peace, serenity and spiritual illumination.”
• “I knew then, deep within myself, that God was closer to me than my own breath.”

On miracles:

• “Miracles are the natural and normal expression of the spiritual consciousness that has transcended human limitations.”
• “He who has realized his unity with God demonstrates the laws of God, not through outward acts, but through inner transformation.”
• “The greatest miracle is neither healing nor manifestation, but the realization of the presence of God in one’s own heart.”

Here are some other inspirational quotes from Joel Goldsmith on his spiritual vision:

On the nature of God:

• “God is invisible to our human senses, but He is tangible to one who has developed spiritual consciousness.”
• “You will never find God, you will simply realize He has always been present at the very heart of your being.”

On meditation:

• “Meditation is not a mental exercise. It is the art of spending time doing nothing, to realize God is acting through you.”
• “Sit in silence, listen and wait. It is in the quiet of the soul that God reveals Himself.”

On spiritual awakening:

• “Enlightenment does not come to add anything to your being, it reveals what has always been present.”
• “When you realize your true nature, you understand you are not in the universe, the universe is within you.”

On inner peace:

• “Peace with oneself depends on no person, thing or outer condition. It arises from within when one connects to the Source.”
• “The Kingdom of Heaven is a state of consciousness. It is a place of peace and harmony one carries within.”