It is an extraordinary gift that the original audio recordings of Joel’s classes have been preserved, making it possible for students today to study with this spiritual master.
In 1950 at Joel’s request, his wife, Emma A. Goldsmith, founded what was then called “The Tape Department.” Because of her loving and loyal dedication, today we have more than 1250 recordings of Joel’s class work. For over seventy years, the Infinite Way Office has preserved and maintained these recordings, migrating them from reel-to-reel tapes to audiocassettes, to CDs, to MP3s, and recently to a Streaming Service. These recordings are timeless, and they are the pearl of great price. We remain dedicated to preserving them for students who want to hear the authentic message of The Infinite Way.
Class recordings were made in locations all over the world. Sometimes only a handful of students were present, and other times Joel spoke to hundreds of students. Often, Joel reminded the students who were present that since the class recordings would be available, they would find great benefit in reviewing the class by listening to the recordings.
Catalog of Audio Recordings
We offer a catalog of audio recordings, which you can view or download here.
How Recordings Are Numbered
Recordings are referenced by year, class, and session. A “class” refers to a group of teaching sessions given by Joel in a specific location in a specific year. With few exceptions, the recording numbers reflect the chronology of the classes.
Originally, Joel’s class sessions were recorded on reel-to-reel audiotapes that had two sides, referred to as “Side A” and “Side B.” One reel-to-reel tape included the recordings for two class sessions, one on each side of the tape.
Each two-sided tape was assigned just one number, and the two class sessions on that one tape were referenced by that tape number, followed by “A,” which designated the first side, or “B,” which designated the second side. Also, Joel gave a title to each class session. So each recording is referenced by a number, a “side” (A or B), a class title, and a session title. For example, the reference: 354A: 1960 England Open Class, “Supply and Secrecy” indicates that:
- The recording number is 354.
- This recording is side A, or side 1, of the original reel-to reel recording.
- The class was given in 1960 in England, and it was an “open class” (i.e., a class that anyone could attend)
- The title Joel gave to this session is “Supply and Secrecy.”
Numbering Exceptions
Some recording numbers are out of chronological sequence. For example, recording 1007A is from a class given in 1951, whereas Recording 542A, a lower number, is from a class given much later in 1964. This is because for some classes, particularly some of the early classes, there was so much noise on the recordings that Joel decided not to make them available to students. At that time, there was no way to remove the noise, and so a sequential number was not reserved for these classes. Years later, when the technology was available, the heavy background noise on these recordings was removed. But since there was no number available to put these recordings into their correct chronological sequence, new blocks of recording numbers were started. These blocks are numbers in the low 600s, 700s, 800s, 900s, and 1000s.
Types of Classes
With few exceptions, Joel designated his classes as “open,” “closed,” “practitioner,” and “special.”
- An open class was a class that anyone could attend.
- A closed class required that the participants had read at least two of Joel’s books and determined that they wanted to explore the message further. Also, a class was “closed” in that once the class began, no new participants were admitted. Joel believed that this practice helped establish and maintain a united consciousness among the students.
- A practitioner class was for advanced students, including but not limited to those who were tape group leaders, teachers, or practitioners.
- A special class was usually an invitation-only private class.
Recording Authenticity and Quality
The recordings offered for sale on this site and used for our Streaming Service are the authentic, CD-quality digitizations made from the original reel-to-reel recordings. These recordings are copy protected. To preserve the authenticity and the quality of the recordings, we do not authorize copying, posting online without written permission, or modifying the recordings. We are aware that some have chosen to proceed without permission and in some cases, have altered the recordings. We trust that serious students of Joel’s message will be guided by their inner integrity in making their listening choices.
When Joel began to record his classes in the early 1950s, commercial tape-recording technology was in its infancy. Early adopters were learning how to use the recorders and how to get the best sound quality. Many factors influenced audio quality. For example, some early tape recorders generated machine noise during recording that resulted in hiss, crackling, or other noise on the tape. Sometimes the microphone jack was not seated securely, which resulted in variations in sound levels. In some classes, the recorder was close to an air conditioning unit, fan, or heater, and the sounds from them were amplified on the tape.
When we converted the recordings to CD format, we used the original reel-to-reel tapes. During this process we improved the sound quality for many of the recordings, removing only the extraneous noise that students would not have heard in the class. The recording integrity of the initial lecture is untouched. Background noises from construction, airplanes, traffic, service trucks, children playing, church bells, and musical groups in adjacent meeting rooms remain on the recordings and we celebrate them as part of the class experience. Hearing these on a recording, Joel would say, “Now I know that I am in the right place.”
Our noise reduction project is still in progress. When we noise-reduce a recording, the noise-reduced version will be the one offered for sale on this site and will be posted promptly on the Streaming Service. We will always offer the best audio quality available at the present time.
Despite any sound issues, we are extremely fortunate to have these recordings, because they make it possible for students to learn The Infinite Way message from the revelator himself.
Recording Formats
MP3
When you order a recording in MP3 format, you will receive an email confirming your order and a second email with the link for downloading the recording.
CD
Recordings in CD format are always sold as a set of two CDs, including sides A and B (sometimes called sides 1 and 2) of the original reel-to-reel recording. CD orders are usually fulfilled within five days after you place your order.
Streaming Service
Joel S. Goldsmith Streaming is a subscription streaming service that gives subscribers access to the entire library of Joel S. Goldsmith’s authentic recorded classes. It is much like a music subscription service such as Apple Music or Spotify, but instead of music selections, subscribers can access all of Joel’s recorded classes. Learn more about the Streaming Service.
Audiocassette Upgrades
We no longer sell recordings in audiocassette format. However, we offer an upgrade/exchange program for those who originally purchased the cassette tapes from The Infinite Way Office. For more information, please contact the office using the Contact Us page on this website or calling us at 1-951-656-1215 or 1-800-922-3195.
Transcripts
Transcripts for the recordings are available in two formats: a downloadable PDF or a paper copy.
If you order a PDF downloadable transcript, you will receive an email to confirm your order and a second email containing the download link.
Orders for paper transcripts are usually fulfilled within five days after you place your order.