Guy Ballard
Encyclopedia
Guy Warren Ballard was an American
mining engineer who became, with his wife, Edna Anne Wheeler Ballard, the founder of the "I AM" Activity.
Ballard was born in Burlington, Iowa
and married his wife in Chicago
in 1916. Ballard served in the U.S. Army in World War I
, and then became a mining engineer. Both Edna and Guy studied Theosophy
and the occult
extensively.
in 1930, where he met another hiker who identified himself as Saint Germain
. Mr. Ballard's experiences take place within the larger North American mountain ranges. Ballard provided details of his encounters in a series of books Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence, using the pen name "Godfré Ray King."
Guy Ballard, his wife Edna, and later his son Donald, it is believed, became the "sole Accredited Messengers" of Saint Germain. Their teachings form the original nucleus for what are today called the Ascended Master Teachings
.
The "I AM" Activity describes itself as an apolitical, spiritual and educational organization financed by contributions from its members. Its parent organization is Saint Germain Foundation, with headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois
, a suburb of Chicago.
s) being able to rise to a higher level of heaven
after one's death than the average person, and thus attaining the status of an Ascended Master. Specifically, this means in the original teachings of Theosophy that, to become a Master, he would have had to ascend upon his death to the fifth level of Initiation
.
that Guy Ballard, after his death, became the Ascended Master Godfre.
It is asserted by these religions that the Master Godfre's previous incarnations
were:
It is asserted by these religions that the Lady Master Lotus's previous incarnations were:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mining engineer who became, with his wife, Edna Anne Wheeler Ballard, the founder of the "I AM" Activity.
Ballard was born in Burlington, Iowa
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
and married his wife in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1916. Ballard served in the U.S. Army in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and then became a mining engineer. Both Edna and Guy studied Theosophy
Theosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
and the occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
extensively.
Revelation
Ballard visited Mount Shasta, CaliforniaMount Shasta, California
Mount Shasta is a city in Siskiyou County, California, located at around 3,600 ft on the flanks of Mount Shasta, a prominent northern California landmark. The city is less than southwest of the summit of its namesake volcano...
in 1930, where he met another hiker who identified himself as Saint Germain
Count of St Germain
The Count of St. Germain has been variously described as a courtier, adventurer, charlatan, inventor, alchemist, pianist, violinist and an amateur composer. He achieved great prominence in European high society of the mid-1700s, and since then various scholars have linked him to mysticism,...
. Mr. Ballard's experiences take place within the larger North American mountain ranges. Ballard provided details of his encounters in a series of books Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence, using the pen name "Godfré Ray King."
Guy Ballard, his wife Edna, and later his son Donald, it is believed, became the "sole Accredited Messengers" of Saint Germain. Their teachings form the original nucleus for what are today called the Ascended Master Teachings
Ascended Master Teachings
The students of "Ascended Master Teachings" organizations believe that the Presence of Life/God - Individualizes as the "I AM", and incarnates throughout the created universes until it achieves The Ascension . The "Teachings" as all Religious Teachings.....
.
Activity
The "I AM" Activity started from public lectures about these encounters and grew rapidly in the 1930s. Ballard lectured frequently in Chicago about Saint Germain's mystical teachings, in which America was destined to play a key role. By 1938, there were claimed to be about a million followers in the United States.The "I AM" Activity describes itself as an apolitical, spiritual and educational organization financed by contributions from its members. Its parent organization is Saint Germain Foundation, with headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois
Schaumburg, Illinois
Schaumburg is a city located in Cook County in northeastern Illinois. A common misspelling of the city name is Schaumberg, a spelling which persists on some modern maps. Schaumburg is located just under northwest of downtown Chicago and approximately northwest of O'Hare International Airport. As...
, a suburb of Chicago.
Deaths of Guy Ballard and Edna Ballard
Guy Ballard died on 29 December 1939 and Edna Ballard died on 12 February 1971. Guy Ballard originally claimed that Ascension meant the ability to enter heaven alive, but after Guy Ballard died a normal death of natural causes, the word "Ascension" was redefined by the I AM movement as (resulting from one's services during one's lifetime for the Ascended masterAscended master
Ascended Masters, in the Ascended Master Teachings is derived from the Theosophical concept of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom or "Mahatmas", though they differ in important aspects...
s) being able to rise to a higher level of heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
after one's death than the average person, and thus attaining the status of an Ascended Master. Specifically, this means in the original teachings of Theosophy that, to become a Master, he would have had to ascend upon his death to the fifth level of Initiation
Initiation (Theosophy)
Initiation is a concept in Theosophy that there are nine levels of spiritual development that beings who live on Earth can progress upward through. Within these levels, there are four basic levels of spiritual development that human beings on Earth progress through as they reincarnate, although...
.
Ascended Master Godfre
It is believed by those who adhere to the Ascended Master TeachingsAscended Master Teachings
The students of "Ascended Master Teachings" organizations believe that the Presence of Life/God - Individualizes as the "I AM", and incarnates throughout the created universes until it achieves The Ascension . The "Teachings" as all Religious Teachings.....
that Guy Ballard, after his death, became the Ascended Master Godfre.
It is asserted by these religions that the Master Godfre's previous incarnations
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...
were:
- Richard the Lionheart
- George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
Ascended Lady Master Lotus
It is believed by those who adhere to the Ascended Master Teachings that Edna Ballard, after her death, became the Ascended Lady Master Lotus. (She used the pen name Lotus Ray King.)It is asserted by these religions that the Lady Master Lotus's previous incarnations were:
- Joan of ArcJoan of ArcSaint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
- Elizabeth I of EnglandElizabeth I of EnglandElizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
- Benjamin FranklinBenjamin FranklinDr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...