"I AM" Activity

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The "I AM" Activity is a religious movement of the early 20th century, founded and led by Guy Ballard and his wife Edna in the United States of America. This organization believes that their instruction has been given to humanity by the Ascended Masters. These are believed to be individuals who have lived in physical bodies, acquired the Wisdom and Mastery needed to become Immortal and Free of the cyles of "re-embodiment" and karma, and attained their "Ascension". They consider the "Ascension" to be the complete permanent union of the raised and purified outer self with the "I AM" Presence - that True Identity that is the unique Individualization of Almighty God for each person. ^[1]

1 History
2 Purpose
3 Beliefs
4 Notes
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

The "I AM" Activity was founded by Guy Ballard in 1930. While hiking on Mt. Shasta, he claimed to have encountered a man who introduced himself as Saint Germain, an Immortal Being who had lived on Earth in many embodiments before his Ascension. Saint Germain told Ballard that the Ascended Masters (which included both Saint Germain and Jesus Christ) wished to communicate to the Western world instruction on the "Great Laws of Life". Over their lifetimes, the Ballards recorded immense amounts of information which they claimed were given to them by the Ascended Masters.

Guy and Edna Ballard

Guy Ballard, his wife Edna, and later his son Donald became the "sole Accredited Messengers" of Saint Germain. Their press, The Saint Germain Press, commenced publication in 1934 with Unveiled Mysteries, a retelling of the initial experiences of Guy Ballard (writing under the pseudonym Godfré Ray King) with the Ascended Master Saint Germain. The Magic Presence, recounting further such experiences, appeared in 1935, and other volumes have since been published totaling nearly twenty books. The term "Ascended Masters" was first introduced to the public in 1934 with the publication of Unveiled Mysteries ^[2]

The organization grew steadily in the 1930s until, in 1939, Ballard and his wife were charged and convicted of mail fraud. Although the conviction was later overturned, the conviction began the decline, but not demise, of the movement. Classes and conclaves are regularly held in various locations in America and Europe. New volumes of the "Green Books" (of which Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence are the first two), the monthly periodical called The Voice of the "I AM", audio recordings, and various other materials continue to be published. ^[3]

[edit] Purpose

The organization seeks to reach mankind with the true teachings of the "Ascended Masters" regarding the "Great Cosmic Words" "I AM" in order to bring perfection, illumination, and freedom to mankind. The group does not actively solicit donations, but encourages followers to give money in the form of "Love Gifts," to help with the beautification and upkeep of the numerous Sanctuaries worldwide, and with the continuous publication of new material.

[edit] Beliefs

The "I AM" Students consider themselves to be "guardians" of the knowledge of the "Three-Fold Truth":

the knowledge of the Individualized Presence of God which is known as the "Mighty I AM Presence," - God in Action
the use of the Violet Consuming Flame of Divine Love
the power and use of God's creative Name, "I AM"

One of the primary beliefs of the Students is that Jesus lived and died not to "wash away our sins," but did so instead to set an example of victorious achievement, and show mankind the exact steps that it needs to take to achieve Freedom and Enlightenment. They believe that on December 5, 1932, Jesus used the organization to state that: "My choice of experience two thousand years ago, was to set the example by which every individualization of God would and must sooner or later follow....At the time of and after My Ascension, I saw the immensity of the Radiation I would be able to pour forth to my beloved brothers and sisters upon the Earth." (The "I AM" Discourses, Volume 3:222)

According to Guy W. Ballard, the Wisdom that has come forth to the "I AM" Students is not new at all, and that, in fact, several previous attempts at giving it to makind have been made before. It is claimed that the Ascended Master Jesus Christ said: "Remember and I say this to the whole world: All of you who have loved Me, remember, Saint Germain has brought forth the continuation of that which I started two thousand years ago." (The Voice of the "I AM" 41.12.8)

[edit] Notes

^ King, Godfre Ray. The Magic Presence. Saint Germain Press 1935. pages 89 - 94
^ King, Godfre Ray. Unveiled Mysteries. Chicago, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 1934. page vii: "The time has arrived, when the Great Wisdom, held and guarded for many centuries in the Far East, is now to come forth in America, at the command of those Great Ascended Masters who direct and protect the evolution of mankind upon this Earth."
^ Saint Germain Foundation. The History of the "I AM" Activity and Saint Germain Foundation. Schaumburg, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 2003

[edit] References

Saint Germain Foundation. The History of the "I AM" Activity and Saint Germain Foundation. Saint Germain Press 2003 ISBN 1-878891-99-5
King, Godfre Ray. Unveiled Mysteries. Saint Germain Press. ISBN 1-878891-00-6
King, Godfre Ray. The Magic Presence. Saint Germain Press. ISBN 1-878891-06-5
Saint Germain. I AM Discourses. Saint Germain Press. ISBN 1-878891-48-0
J. Gordon Melton, An Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America (1992)
Charles S. Braden, These Also Believe (1949)
Robert S. Ellwood, "Making New Religions: The Story of the Mighty 'I AM,' " History Today 38 (June, 1988)