The Aetherius Society is a new religious movement founded by George King in the mid-1950s,, also in the "Marburg Journal of Religion": link to the article being the result of what King claimed were contacts with extraterrestrial intelligences whom he referred to as "Cosmic Masters".Rothstein Mikael (2003) p.143Smith, Simon G. (2003) p.84Barrett, David V. (2011) p120 The main goal of group's adherents is to cooperate with these Cosmic Masters to help humanity solve its problems and advance into the New Age.Saliba, John A. (2003) pp134-138Barrett, David V.(2011) p124-6
Mikael Rothstein describes it as a form of religious syncretism based primarily on theosophy and incorporating millenarian, New Age, and UFO religion aspects. Emphases of the religion include altruism, community service, nature worship, spiritual healing and physical exercise.
Members meet in congregations like those of churches. John A. Saliba states that, unlike many other New Age or UFO religions, the Aetherius Society is for the most part considered uncontroversial, although its esoteric and millenarian aspects are sometimes questioned. The religion may be considered to have a relatively conventional praxis, attracting members from mainstream society. The society's membership, although international, is relatively small. David V. Barrett suggested in 2011 that the worldwide membership numbered in the thousands, with the largest numbers in the United Kingdom, the United States (particularly Southern California), and New Zealand.
Overview The theology of the Aetherius Society is regarded as firmly based in theosophy,Smith. Simon G. (2003) p.96 the Aetherius Society combines UFO claims, yoga, and ideas from various world religions, notably Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity.Barrett, David V. (2011) pp.122-3, 125Saliba, John A. (2003) p.128 The society asserts itself as a plural or liberal religion, stating "nor does God favor people of one religion over another – and certainly not people of one country or race over another".God and the Gods - The Aetherius Society Stefan Isaksson notes that it has "become a complex religious belief system that includes an extraterrestrial hierarchy of various spiritual masters and such concepts as universal karma and religious healing."Isaksson, Stefan (2000) New religious UFO movements: extraterrestrial salvation in contemporary America, section: "The Aetherius Society"Saliba, John A. (2003) pp.126, 128-9Barrett, David V. (2011) pp.123-5 The religion's goal is to prevent worldly destruction by improving cooperation between humanity and various alien 'masters',Smith, Simon G. (2003) pp.89-90Rothstein, Mikael (2003), p.144 and by using 'spiritual energy' to improve the spiritual calibre of the world. The society has claimed that various disasters may be prevented or relieved by prayer, often aided by "Spiritual Energy Batteries" meant to store healing psychic energySmith, Simon G. (2003) pp.93-4Barrett, David V. (2011) p.125 The society also believes that it is to prepare the way for the "Next Master," a messianic figure who will descend upon Earth in a flying saucer, possessing "magic" more powerful than all the world's armies.Barrett, David V. (2011) p.124Saliba, John A. (2003) p.131 The society is named after Aetherius, a being King claims to have telepathically contacted and channelled. Aetherius is believed to be a Cosmic Master from Venus, as are Buddha and Jesus.Saliba, John A. (2003) p.126Barrett, David V. (2011) pp.120, 124
History
The society's founder George King was born on 23 January 1919, in Wellington, Shropshire, England and brought up in a protestant family with strong occult interests.Smith, Simon G. (2003) pp.84-5 Before founding the Aetherius Society, King had been deeply involved in spiritual healing and had joined various theosophically-based metaphysical groups in London that were a marginal part of the religious scene.Smith, Simon G. (2003) p.85 In 1944, he took up yoga, allegedly mastering bhakti, gnani and kundalini yogas and attaining the state of "samadhi" and, according to the Aetherius Society, developed psychic powers that allowed him to learn many of the secrets of the universe.
King claimed that on 8th May 1954, whilst living in a modest bedsit at 18 Clifton Gardens, Maida Vale, London, a voice told him "Prepare yourself! You are to become the voice of Interplanetary Parliament." A week later, an unnamed but supposedly world-famous swami (later declared to be Swami Sivananda) was reported to have entered King's locked apartment. King claims that the swami instructed him to form a group dedicated to helping the planet and that the swami further taught him yoga, prayer, and meditation. According to King, this training enabled him to receive telepathic messages from Venus, the first coming from a Cosmic Master named Aetherius. King rented space in Caxton Hall in London, in which he allegedly channeled Cosmic Masters and recorded their messages. Based on his experiences and these messages, King founded on 2nd August 1956 the Aetherius Society.Smith, Simon G. (2003) p.86Saliba, John A. (2003) p.124-5 Prior to, and during the early foundation of the society, King earned his living as a driver and security officer.Moore, Patrick, Can You Speak Venusian? (1972, London, Wyndham Publ'ns) page 96.
This version of events, however, is based solely on the Aetherius Society's hagiography, and not on external sources. Mikael Rothstein notes that a lack of objective, factual information is often a problem in studying religious leaders, even for new religious movements. The story of King, according to Rothstein, is part of an attempt (common to all religions) to portray their founder as an extraordinary individual to legitimize the religion.
According to the Aetherius Society, George King died in Santa Barbara, California, on July 12, 1997, at the age of 78. His death was not reported in major newspapers.
Belief and activities
In Aetherius Society teachings, various religious figures come from different planets, and throughout history, Cosmic Masters, such as the Buddha, Jesus and Lao Tzu, have come to Earth to teach humankind the right way of living.Saliba, John A. (2003) pp.128-9Barrett, David V. (2011) pp.122-4Isaksson, Stefan (2000), section: "The World According to Aetherius" They are regarded by the society as avatars.Saliba John A. (2003) p.127Barrett, David V. (2011) pp.121-2Ellwood, Robert S. (1988) p.128 Krishna, for example, is from Saturn, which is the home of a "Cosmic Hierarchy" or "Interplanetary Council", while Jesus and Buddha are from Venus.Barrett, David V. (2011) pp.123-4Saliba, John A. (2003) p.129 The society, therefore, claims that these religions sprang from the same source and that their principles were identical.Smith, Smon G. (2003) p.92 These beings are, however, spiritual beings on another dimension or plane, as the idea of corporeal intelligent life on other planets was known to be unlikely in the 1950s.Barrett, David V. (2011) p.123 The society's concept is that these beings exist on a spiritual level by maintaining a "higher vibratory rate", which can be lowered, and this explains the reported blinking in and out of UFOs.Smith, Simon G, (2003) p.95 The society also refers to the vimanas found in Vedic and other Hindu texts, and to the Star of Bethlehem, as UFOs and examples of peaceful aliens that have been visiting to teach humanity throughout history.Isaksson, Stefan (2000), sections: "Ancient Extraterrestrials" and "The Spacecraft and Their Crew"
King taught a belief in reincarnation based on the "Law of Karma," according to which humanity progresses, life by life, towards the goal of perfection. Everyone is destined eventually to become a Master and to continue evolving from there. The society claims that evolution also includes planet Earth, which is regarded as a living entity at a much higher state of evolution and importance than its inhabitants.Isaksson, Stefan (2000), section: "Mountains and Operations" They allege that because of the backward evolution of humans, the Earth has been under frequent attacks from evil forces from other parts of the universe and that the Cosmic Masters of other planets are fighting off a number of evil alien invaders.Smith, Simon G. (2003)Saliba, John A. (2003) pp.132-3Wojcik, Daniel (2011) In Aetherius Society literature, the cosmic battles with evil forces or intelligence "bear some resemblance to the fundamentalist Christian concept of 'spiritual warfare', shorn of its imminent apocalyptic content."Saliba, John A. (2003)
As in other New Age religions, alternative medicine, spiritual healing, yoga, and dowsing are also accepted and practised by the Aetherius Society.Barrett, David V. (2011) It has also launched initiatives against pollution and nuclear power, and generally identifies with the ideals of the Green movement. However, the society believes that environmental and societal problems are only symptoms of a much larger spiritual problem that, once solved, would cure all other problems. This is the "spiritual energy crisis". King designed many items of equipment intended to contain and redirect so-called spiritual energy for such purposes.Scribner, Scott (2003) p.158Ellwood, Robert S. (1988)
Probably the best known of these is the "Spiritual Energy Battery". Its precise design and composition are not in the public domain. Its purpose is to hold a "charge of spiritual energy for an indefinite period". When connected to a "Spiritual Energy Radiator" (again designed by King), it can be "discharged".Out Of This World UFO contactee documentary, BBC May 1977 "Spiritual workers" pray, chant mantras, and "focus the energy" into the battery in which it is supposedly stored. The society believes that, in times of crisis, energy can be released in a concentrated form and manipulated by cooperating Masters to the area in need. King named this activity "Operation Prayer Power". The Aetherius Society claims that under the guidance of the Cosmic Masters, and with the aid of Spiritual Energy Batteries, they have prevented wars and relieved the effects of natural disasters. King taught that these spiritual exercises help to prevent worldly destruction.
To help with this, the Aetherius Society regularly engages in "Spiritual Pushes," in which they pray and meditate to draw prana to Earth from an orbiting spaceship known as "Satellite Number Three," thereby increasing the amount of spiritual energy available. They claim that this satellite is shielded from telescopes and radar.Isaksson, Stefan (2000), section: "Sacred Days - Spiritual Pushes" In "Operation Starlight", between the years 1958 and 1961, King and various members climbed eighteen mountains throughout the world, so that the mountains could be "spiritually charged" by the Cosmic Masters using King as the link.Isaksson, Stefan (2000), section: "Operation Starlight" Members often make pilgrimages to these mountains, where they have painted the movement's symbol, believing they receive more power than they can send out to the world through prayer. They believe that service to humankind is the most essential yoga or religion in the modern day.
The Aetherius Society now regards King as an avatar and Cosmic Master. However, he did not make any claim to being either in his lifetime. The Aetherius Society also believes that King was the only person in the society to receive mental transmissions.Smith, Simon G. (2003) p.98
Eschatology