George King (Aetherius Society)
Encyclopedia
George King was Founder-President of The Aetherius Society
, a UFO religion
. He was also an inventor, author, lecturer and spiritual teacher.
to George and Mary King. Much of his childhood was spent in North Yorkshire
. Both his mother and grandmother were said to be psychics. From an early age he showed an interest in science. He also had an interest in religion, spiritual healing, and the paranormal.
As a young man he worked as a farm labourer, among other jobs, and was said to have a remarkable aptitude for driving, going on to work as a test-driver for Jaguar cars, competing in hill-climb events and riding motorcycles.
He later worked as a chauffeur, a taxi-driver, and in security for an oil company. He was a fire-fighter in London during the blitz and throughout the war, and took part in the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940.
in order to help in the spreading of 'advanced' metaphysical teachings through lectures, seminars, workshops and literature, and other spiritual work. Before the inception of the Aetherius Society, in the tradition of the great yogis, King gave away all his possessions.
It was at a time when nuclear experimentation was at its height, and King claimed that the interest from outside of this world was because of mankind's delving into the atom, and that the potential for total world annihilation was 'again' possible – exacerbated by the onset of the cold war. It was also a time of world interest in the seemingly new phenomenon of UFOs. King was also known to have stated that because of its nature, The Aetherius Society would never become a large organization.
In 1959 King founded the "American Headquarters of The Aetherius Society" in Los Angeles
the temple of the Aetherius Society, the Sunday services at which the general public was welcome to attend - which eventually re-located and is now at Afton Place, Los Angeles. The European headquarters and temple remain in London. Groups and centres also now exist in other parts of the U.K., America, Australia, New Zealand and Portugal.
and reincarnation
lie at the core of its beliefs. King propounded the theory that mankind had existed for millions of years, and had been through many cycles of existence, each time reaching high points of culture and science, only to fall foul of inherent traits such as greed and hatred, culminating in destruction. "Maldek", is believed to have been a planet which mankind once inhabited, but completely destroyed, and which the asteroid belt
is now the remainder of. Lemuria
and Atlantis
were subsequent civilizations also destroyed - beliefs also propounded by The Theosophical Society. Some ancient eastern texts also describe past civilizations destroyed by advanced weapons.
King claimed that these past incarnations of humanity, with a propensity to belligerence rather than peace, have created a "negative" Karmic pattern for mankind, which has had repercussions down the ages, making it even more difficult for mankind to break the constant cycle of destruction and never really learning from its mistakes. He claimed that the world was now reaching a point in its history which echoed the past, and that total annihilation was again possible. But that humanity could alter its negative pattern by "manipulating Karma" through service.
King taught that thoughts are essentially things, energy which goes out and affects someone or something, and that thoughts are usually uncontrolled, and driven by emotion - also a concept taught by the Yogi's of the east. King taught students that controlled thought, emotion, and "dynamic prayer", could help considerably to heal the world and bring it into a more positive light, in order to move forward and break the negative cycle.
He also claimed that the Earth, like all the heavenly bodies, is a living, breathing intelligence, but highly spiritually evolved, and "allows" mankind to reside here, albeit to "Her" detriment. He also propounded the philosophy that God is not a separate entity, but every single thing contained in the universe, seen and unseen. That the universe is God, expressing itself at many levels, and that human beings are just small aspects of this manifestation.
It was in 1986 that King was nominated and given the Freedom of the City of London, and membership of the Freemen of England. In 1992 he was nominated for a Grant of Arms, or Letters Patent of Armorial Bearings, which was officially presented to 'The Most Reverend George King' by the Bluemantle Pursuivant of the College of Arms
London, in a ceremonial presentation which took place in America.
Aetherius Society
The Aetherius Society was founded by Dr George King , an English-born Master of Yoga, occultist, alleged spiritual healer and UFO Contactee. The society was first established in London in 1955, and later becoming incorporated in America as a not-for-profit organisation in 1960. Its guiding...
, a UFO religion
UFO religion
UFO religion is an informal term used to describe a religion that equates UFO occupants with gods or other semi-divine beings. Typically, the UFO occupants are held to be extraterrestials and that humanity either currently is, or eventually will become, part of a preexisting extraterrestrial...
. He was also an inventor, author, lecturer and spiritual teacher.
Early years
George King was born in Wellington, ShropshireWellington, Shropshire
Wellington is a town in the unitary authority of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England and now forms part of the new town of Telford. The population of the parish of Wellington was recorded as 20,430 in the 2001 census, making it the third largest town in Shropshire if...
to George and Mary King. Much of his childhood was spent in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
. Both his mother and grandmother were said to be psychics. From an early age he showed an interest in science. He also had an interest in religion, spiritual healing, and the paranormal.
As a young man he worked as a farm labourer, among other jobs, and was said to have a remarkable aptitude for driving, going on to work as a test-driver for Jaguar cars, competing in hill-climb events and riding motorcycles.
He later worked as a chauffeur, a taxi-driver, and in security for an oil company. He was a fire-fighter in London during the blitz and throughout the war, and took part in the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940.
A Master of Yoga
After the war, King turned to the practice of certain advanced practices of Yoga, and the study of eastern mysticism, among other esoteric wisdom. He is said to have practised certain Yoga disciplines for eight to ten hours per day, while holding down full-time employment. This is said to have culminated in 'Samadhi' or enlightenment (described in detail by him in his writings). It was in 1954 that a certain experience - which has been termed 'The Command' - led him to form a spiritual organization. Living in a small flat in Maida Vale, London at the time, King described a voice which came loud and clear from outside of himself saying "Prepare yourself. You are to become the voice of Interplanetary Parliament". Shocked by this event, King frustratedly searched for answers over the following week, until finally, he claimed to have been 'visited' by a Yogi - resident in India at that time - who passed through a locked door and sat down in the room. King claimed he was given certain information, and told that he would receive a letter from a certain school of Yoga, where he would receive instruction in certain practices, to prepare him for his work to come. This work involved adopting a deep positive trance state to act as a channel through which higher intelligences from outside of this world would impart information of spiritual significance. He was also told that others would be brought into his orbit in order to form an organization to help with spreading this information throughout the world.Aetherius Society
In 1954, King left his employment at the time to form a spiritual organization called The Aetherius SocietyAetherius Society
The Aetherius Society was founded by Dr George King , an English-born Master of Yoga, occultist, alleged spiritual healer and UFO Contactee. The society was first established in London in 1955, and later becoming incorporated in America as a not-for-profit organisation in 1960. Its guiding...
in order to help in the spreading of 'advanced' metaphysical teachings through lectures, seminars, workshops and literature, and other spiritual work. Before the inception of the Aetherius Society, in the tradition of the great yogis, King gave away all his possessions.
It was at a time when nuclear experimentation was at its height, and King claimed that the interest from outside of this world was because of mankind's delving into the atom, and that the potential for total world annihilation was 'again' possible – exacerbated by the onset of the cold war. It was also a time of world interest in the seemingly new phenomenon of UFOs. King was also known to have stated that because of its nature, The Aetherius Society would never become a large organization.
In 1959 King founded the "American Headquarters of The Aetherius Society" in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
the temple of the Aetherius Society, the Sunday services at which the general public was welcome to attend - which eventually re-located and is now at Afton Place, Los Angeles. The European headquarters and temple remain in London. Groups and centres also now exist in other parts of the U.K., America, Australia, New Zealand and Portugal.
Philosophy
Th Aetherius Society bases its principals on service to humanity. KarmaKarma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
and reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
lie at the core of its beliefs. King propounded the theory that mankind had existed for millions of years, and had been through many cycles of existence, each time reaching high points of culture and science, only to fall foul of inherent traits such as greed and hatred, culminating in destruction. "Maldek", is believed to have been a planet which mankind once inhabited, but completely destroyed, and which the asteroid belt
Asteroid belt
The asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets...
is now the remainder of. Lemuria
Lemuria
Lemuria may refer to:*Lemuria , in Roman religion, a feast during which the unwholesome and malevolent spectres of the restless dead were propitiated...
and Atlantis
Atlantis
Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
were subsequent civilizations also destroyed - beliefs also propounded by The Theosophical Society. Some ancient eastern texts also describe past civilizations destroyed by advanced weapons.
King claimed that these past incarnations of humanity, with a propensity to belligerence rather than peace, have created a "negative" Karmic pattern for mankind, which has had repercussions down the ages, making it even more difficult for mankind to break the constant cycle of destruction and never really learning from its mistakes. He claimed that the world was now reaching a point in its history which echoed the past, and that total annihilation was again possible. But that humanity could alter its negative pattern by "manipulating Karma" through service.
King taught that thoughts are essentially things, energy which goes out and affects someone or something, and that thoughts are usually uncontrolled, and driven by emotion - also a concept taught by the Yogi's of the east. King taught students that controlled thought, emotion, and "dynamic prayer", could help considerably to heal the world and bring it into a more positive light, in order to move forward and break the negative cycle.
He also claimed that the Earth, like all the heavenly bodies, is a living, breathing intelligence, but highly spiritually evolved, and "allows" mankind to reside here, albeit to "Her" detriment. He also propounded the philosophy that God is not a separate entity, but every single thing contained in the universe, seen and unseen. That the universe is God, expressing itself at many levels, and that human beings are just small aspects of this manifestation.
Honours and Titles
In 1981 King was presented with the 'Prize of Peace and Justice' - which carried the title 'Knight of Humanity' - by H.S.H. Prince Guiseppe Pensavalle di Mitilene, President of the International Union of Christian Chivalry. In 1980, Dr. King was also dubbed 'Sir George King' by His Royal and Imperial Highness Prince Robert Khimchiachvili, the 74th Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta. In that same year, a Princedom was conferred on Dr. King by His Eminence, Archbishop Gautier of Paris, Archbishop of the Catholic Church - in recognition of King's 'work and sacrifice for humanity'.It was in 1986 that King was nominated and given the Freedom of the City of London, and membership of the Freemen of England. In 1992 he was nominated for a Grant of Arms, or Letters Patent of Armorial Bearings, which was officially presented to 'The Most Reverend George King' by the Bluemantle Pursuivant of the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
London, in a ceremonial presentation which took place in America.
External links
- The Aetherius Society Website
- Realise Your Inner Potential System of spiritual exercises devised by George King.
- Overview of early 1950s "Contactees," including George King
- Details of George King's expeditions and The Twelve Blessings