Guy Warren Ballard (July 28, 1878 – December 29, 1939) was an American
mining engineer who, with his wife
Edna Anne Wheeler Ballard, founded the
"I AM" Activity.
Ballard was born in
Newton, Kansas
Newton is a city in and the county seat of Harvey County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 18,602. Newton is located north of Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. The city of North ...
and married his wife in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
in 1916. Ballard served in the
U.S. Army in
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, and then became a
mining engineer. Both Edna and Guy studied
Theosophy
Theosophy is a religious movement established in the United States in the late 19th century. Founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and based largely on her writings, it draws heavily from both older European philosophies such as Neop ...
and the
occult
The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mysti ...
extensively.
Revelation
Living at the base of the California volcano
Mount Shasta
Mount Shasta ( ; Shasta people, Shasta: ''Waka-nunee-Tuki-wuki''; Karuk language, Karuk: ''Úytaahkoo'') is a Volcano#Volcanic activity, potentially active stratovolcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California. A ...
in 1930, Ballard frequently hiked on the mountain, where he reported the following to have occurred.
It came time for lunch, and I sought a mountain spring for clear, cold water. Cup in hand, I bent down to fill it, when an electrical current passed through my body from head to foot.
I looked around, and directly behind me stood a young man who, at first glance, seemed to be someone on a hike like myself. I looked more closely and realized immediately that he was no ordinary person. As this thought passed through my mind, he smiled and addressed me saying:
"My Brother, if you will hand me your cup, I will give you a much more refreshing drink than spring water." I obeyed, and instantly the cup was filled with a creamy liquid. Handing it back to me, he said: "Drink it."
The young man later identified himself as the
Count of St. Germain
The Count of St. Germain (French language, French: ''Comte de Saint Germain''; ; – 27 February 1784) whose real name and origins remain unknown, was a European adventurer who had interests and achievements in science, alchemy, philosophy, ...
. Ballard provided details of his encounters with St. Germain and other
Ascended Masters in the books ''Unveiled Mysteries'' and ''The Magic Presence'', using the pen name Godfré Ray King.
Guy Ballard, his wife
Edna, and their son Edona Eros "Donald" Ballard (1918-1973) claimed to be the sole "accredited messengers" of Saint Germain. Their teachings constitute the original nucleus of what are today called the "
Ascended Master Teachings" and are still used in "I AM" Sanctuaries all over the world.
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. In 1942, they began the I AM Sanctuary at a Presbyterian missionary school.
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 ( ) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, Cook and DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Per the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 78,723, making Schaumburg the most populou ...
, a suburb of Chicago.
The "I AM" Activity began after Mr. Ballard's alleged meeting with Saint Germain, an Ascended Master, whose experiences are outlined in Volume One of the Saint Germain Series of Books, "Unveiled Mysteries", published by the Saint Germain Press. The year was 1930 when Mr. Ballard met Saint Germain according to the SaintGermainFoundation.Org website.
Deaths of Ballard and his wife
Ballard died on 29 December 1939 and Edna Ballard died on 12 February 1971.
A new dispensation was reputedly given so that the "ascension" could be gained (in the finer body) without taking the physical body, as Jesus had done. The "ascended master bodies" were reputedly already prepared for Ballard and Edna Ballard as noted in ''Unveiled Mysteries'' by Godfre Ray King (the pen name of Guy Ballard). It is reported that both Ballards ascended upon passing out of the physical body. Godfre Ray King has also reputedly given dictations through Edna Ballard (under the pen name of "Lotus Ray King"). Given the "I AM" Activity, old occult laws have been replaced including the teaching of Theosophy that, to become a master, a person would have had to ascend upon death to the fifth level of initiation.
Adherents of the
Ascended Master Teachings believe that Guy Ballard became the "Ascended Master Godfre" after his death, and that his previous incarnations include
Richard the Lionheart
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...
and
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
. They also believe that Edna Ballard became the "Ascended Lady Master Lotus", with previous incarnations including
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc ( ; ; – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...
,
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...
, and
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...
.
[Prophet, Elizabeth Clare and Prophet, Mark (as compiled by Annice Booth) ''The Masters and Their Retreats'' Corwin Springs, Montana:2003 Summit University Press Pages 195-196 Lady Master Lotus]
Notes
External links
The Saint Germain FoundationSaint Germain PressMaitre Saint GermainRelease 1 of the Publications of the FBI Case BALLARD, GUY WARREN processed and released pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) a Document with all published pages of this case.
Release 2 of the Publications of the FBI Case BALLARD, GUY WARREN processed and released pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) a Document with all published pages of this case.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ballard, Guy
1878 births
1939 deaths
American founders
people from Newton, Kansas
People from Burlington, Iowa
Founders of new religious movements
New Age predecessors
American Theosophists
United States Army personnel of World War I