The following is a brief outline of my own experience and that of my students as the typical progress in the Infinite Way.
Readers
This is a beginning level of study. Students are introduced to Joel's books and depending on the response, they may begin a deep study of the writings. Because the writings have filtered out some of Joel's Consciousness by editing, there often remains a hunger for more.
Tape Study
(Tape study refers to Joel's tapes, not others who say they are teachers of the Infinite Way. )
This is the next level of study for readers of Joel's work. If we are fortunate, we may be able to find a tape group. If none exists for us, we begin to collect tapes individually.
Joel did not want a student to come to a class or listen to tape in tape group until they had read one or more books as their introduction. When a student has responded to Joel's writing, they are ready to begin tape study. Here Joel's pure Consciousness can be experienced and Joel becomes our teacher. The tapes teach us meditation and how to develop our Consciousness.
Class Work
After studying on our own, we may find that we need help to move further and/or more rapidly on the path. Joel says that we can all master this message alone. It may take us 30 to 40 years, but it can be done. A teacher may move us in one tenth the time, depending on their level of developed Consciousness and our receptivity.
In the right class, we are able to develop a deeper meditation, perhaps experience illumination and healing.
Independence
The ultimate goal for a teacher and student is independence. When the student has achieved illumination having mastered the principles and begun to heal and teach, it may feel correct for the student to stand alone. Both teacher and student celebrate this graduation. Teachers bless students when they come and bless them as they go. No relationship is personal.
These levels are the general path of a neophyte to mystic. Joel promises us all this experience of God Contact. Yet, although every knee is to eventually bend, we never know how many lifetimes we may need. We don't know if THIS is the lifetime for our illumination.
Joel says that it typically takes a year for the metaphysics...or "letter" of the Infinite Way to move from our heads to our hearts (soul center). He goes on to say that it takes a minimum of 5-10 years to be so clear about the principles that we can teach them. Every teacher must have made the God Contact and have become a Practitioner who can heal.
I have found in my teaching experience, that some students may not find the Contact in this lifetime, even after many years of study and an intellectual grasp of the principles. However, none of our work is lost. Our developed Consciousness is all we take with us when we leave this earth. So, of all the activities we could do in this lifetime, our spiritual path is the only thing that is lasting.
As we study Joel's tapes and listen to his lessons, as we note his personal writings, we see a man so devoted to the truth, a man who sacrificed whatever was necessary to bring this message to the world, a many who was a magnificent healer, yet only wanted to bring people to God. In the end, he remained frustrated and discouraged. His closest disciples forsook him, and the majority of the thousands of students he reached wanted only the "added things." So few wanted to know the mysticism, most just wanted healing. This remains true today.
We must always keep in mind that Grace determines when we get our experience. Grace determines when we are called to be workers, healers, teachers. And, though Joel seemed to be an average businessman, he was far from average. He was a major mystic, a Revelator of our era, as Buddha and Jesus were. So, he is kind and modest to encourage each of us, as did Jesus did. They were speaking of our potential, but we must realize that we have much work to do.
