The Art of Spiritual Healing by Joel S. Goldsmith: Review

The Art of Spiritual Healing was first published in 1959. It was written by Joel S. Goldsmith, an American spiritual teacher best known for a set of teachings he called The Infinite Way.

The book is about one big question: what does it really mean to heal through spirit? Goldsmith's answer is simple to say and hard to live. He believed healing happens when a person becomes aware of God's presence. It does not come from willpower, from repeating nice words, or from trying to push an illness away with your mind.

In his view, the healer does not do the healing. The healer gets still, turns to God in meditation and rests there. Goldsmith believed that out of that quiet, harmony shows up in the person who asked for help.

Much of the book reads like a teacher talking to students who want to heal others through prayer. It covers meditation, how to think about sickness and trouble, and the inner attitude of a spiritual healer.

Here are the core ideas in plain words:

• God is present already: You do not need to bring God into a hard situation. Goldsmith believed God is already there, and the work is to notice it.
• Prayer as listening: Real prayer, for him, is less about talking and more about being quiet and receptive.
• Trouble has no real power: Across his work, Goldsmith taught that sickness and evil have no true power in God's presence. This is a spiritual belief, not a medical claim.
• Stop trying so hard: Anxious effort gets in the way. Rest, trust and patience make room for healing.

If you are new to the subject, our guide to spiritual healing gives a simpler overview of prayer, meditation and other paths.

What we liked:

• Deeply calming: The book asks you to stop struggling and rest. For worried readers, that alone can be a relief.
• Serious about prayer: It treats meditation and prayer as a real daily practice, not a quick fix.
• Clear about mind power: Goldsmith separates his teaching from 'think it and it happens' ideas, which many readers find refreshing.

What could be better:

• Dense, older language: The writing is from the 1950s and can feel heavy and repetitive. You may need to read some pages twice.
• A very God-centred view: The whole book rests on one Christian mystical view of God. Readers from other faiths, or no faith, may find it hard to connect.
• Not a medical guide: The book should never be used in place of medical care. If you are sick, see a doctor, and use prayer alongside treatment.

You do not need to become a healer to get something from it. Try this:

1. 1Read a littleRead a few pages at a time. This is not a book to rush.
2. 2Sit in quietClose the book and sit still for five or ten minutes. Do not ask for anything. Just rest.
3. 3Let go of effortWhen worry comes, notice it and come back to the quiet.
4. 4Keep your doctorUse this practice for peace of mind, next to any care you already get.

Joel S. Goldsmith was born in 1892 in New York City and died in 1964. For years he worked as a Christian Science practitioner, praying for people who asked for healing.

He later left Christian Science and taught on his own. His book The Infinite Way came out in 1947 and gave its name to his teaching. He traveled widely to give talks, and many of his later books were drawn from recordings of those classes.

Goldsmith never set up a church. He wanted students to find their own inner experience of God rather than join an organization.