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George King
It was in 1954 and it took me by surprise, actually. I had been practicing yoga for many years previous to this. But on this Saturday morning in May 1954, I was in my apartment and I heard a voice. It was in English. The voice was not in the head. This was no psychic apparition. The voice was outside of myself. And it said, prepare yourself. You are to become the voice of interplanetary parliament.
Julian Walker
That was the voice of George King, a very straight laced looking man in his 60s. He's in a well tailored gray suit and striped tie and looks to be sitting at a desk in his green wallpapered home office. King is an Englishman and the founder in around 1955 of something called the Ethereus Society, which we will talk about more in a few minutes. He claims that in 1954 he was practicing yoga when an extraterrestrial intelligence told him he was about to become the human ambassador to an alien civilization. Then, while in the advanced meditative state of samadhi, an Indian yoga master materialized in his room, walked across the floor, sat down in a chair and gave him further instructions.
George King
I KNEW Nothing about UFOs in those days. I had not studied them, but I had studied yoga. And I'd studied yoga long enough to realize that this was very important. And it was very important eight days after this first event that I decided that the only way that I could solve this mystery, because nobody else could help me, and I tried many people, was to go into meditation myself. So I locked myself in the room, fully determined to stay there until I got some answer. Well, I didn't have to stay very long because a man, physical, who I did recognize, he was alive in India at the time, a well known yogi master. He walked into the room without me having to open the door, by the way. He walked across the floor and sat down in the chair, which creaked under his weight, and he told me about the previous contact. I'd had voice contact and he gave me certain instructions. For instance, he said that you will receive an invitation from a yoga teacher in London and you should attend his classes and so on. I have had some physical contacts as well as mental contacts. Very briefly, the mental contacts are quite unusual in a way that I precipitate a yogic samadhi condition in order to gain mental rapport with higher intelligences.
Julian Walker
Welcome to Conspirituality. I am Julian Walker. This is the seventh standalone installment in my historical series that traces the colorful threads of American alternative spiritual history from the 1840s to today. I'm pleased to tell you that by popular demand we've compiled this and the previous six chapters, which you don't have to have heard in order for this one to make sense, but they've been compiled into a collection on Patreon called the Roots of Conspirituality A History. Just look for the Collections tab at the top of the Patreon page. As always in this series we're asking questions like where did New Age spirituality come from? And how did it manifest as the phenomenon that we call conspirituality during the anti vax and QAnon infused pandemic and beyond? Today we'll look at how George King's Ethereus Society provided a blueprint for alien channeling Instagram influencers of our time period. You've been listening to a Conspirituality Bonus Episode sample. To continue listening, please head over to patreon.com conspirituality where you can access all of our main feed episodes ad free, as well as four years of bonus content that we've been producing. You can also subscribe to our bonus episodes via Apple subscriptions. As independent media creators, we really appreciate your.
Podcast Information:
In the bonus sample episode titled “1950’s Alien Yoga,” host Julian Walker delves into the historical roots of conspirituality by exploring the intriguing story of George King and the establishment of the Ethereus Society in the 1950s. This episode serves as a standalone installment within Walker's broader historical series, which examines the evolution of American alternative spiritual movements from the 1840s to the present day.
Julian Walker sets the stage by connecting past events to contemporary phenomena, such as the rise of influencer-led conspiracy theories intertwined with spiritual practices. He emphasizes the significance of understanding these historical underpinnings to comprehend the current landscape of conspirituality.
George King’s Extraordinary Experience
The episode begins with a recounting of George King’s startling encounter in May 1954. As he practiced yoga in his London apartment, King describes hearing an external voice that instructed him to prepare for his role as the "voice of interplanetary parliament" (00:08). This experience marked the genesis of his mission to bridge human consciousness with extraterrestrial intelligence.
Formation of the Ethereus Society
Inspired by his otherworldly communication, George King founded the Ethereus Society around 1955. Julian Walker provides a vivid portrayal of King, describing him as a "very straight-laced looking man in his 60s," dressed in a tailored gray suit and striped tie, exuding the aura of a dedicated spiritual leader (00:44). The Ethereus Society became a platform for King to disseminate his revelations and instructions received from higher intelligences.
Meditative Practices Leading to Further Contact
Determined to understand and expand upon his initial encounter, King immersed himself in deep meditation. At one point, he recounts entering a meditative state of samadhi, during which an Indian yoga master physically manifested in his room to provide additional guidance (01:34). This master emphasized the importance of yoga and spiritual discipline in facilitating communication with higher intelligences.
Implications for Modern Conspirituality
Julian Walker draws parallels between King’s experiences and contemporary conspiritual movements, where spiritual practices are often interwoven with conspiracy theories. The Ethereus Society's framework is presented as an early blueprint for modern alien channeling influencers who blend yoga, wellness, and extraterrestrial narratives to attract and engage followers.
From Yogic Samadhi to Digital Influencing
Walker analyzes how the Ethereus Society’s methodologies have evolved with technological advancements. He suggests that just as King utilized meditation to connect with higher beings, today's influencers exploit digital platforms to propagate conspiratorial and often pseudoscientific spiritual content. This evolution underscores a persistent trend of leveraging spirituality as a conduit for disseminating broader ideological agendas.
Cultural and Psychological Impacts
The episode explores the cultural and psychological ramifications of conspirituality, highlighting how it can both provide a sense of meaning and community while simultaneously fostering paranoia and misinformation. Walker discusses the dual-edged nature of spirituality when co-opted by charismatic leaders who manipulate beliefs for personal or ideological gain.
George King on His Encounter:
"It was in 1954 and it took me by surprise, actually. I had been practicing yoga for many years previous to this. But on this Saturday morning in May 1954, I was in my apartment and I heard a voice..." (00:08)
George King on Meditation and Contact:
"I locked myself in the room, fully determined to stay there until I got some answer... he walked across the floor and sat down in the chair, which creaked under his weight, and he told me about the previous contact." (01:34)
Julian Walker on the Significance of the Episode:
"Today we'll look at how George King's Ethereus Society provided a blueprint for alien channeling Instagram influencers of our time period." (03:21)
Julian Walker concludes the episode by emphasizing the importance of examining historical figures like George King to unravel the complexities of modern conspiritual movements. By tracing the lineage from the Ethereus Society to today’s digital influencers, the episode sheds light on the enduring interplay between spirituality and conspiracy theories. Walker invites listeners to reflect on how these narratives shape public perception and influence societal behaviors, particularly in times of crisis.
Listeners are encouraged to continue exploring the rich history of conspirituality through the full series available on Patreon, where additional episodes and bonus content delve deeper into the intersections of spirituality, conspiracy, and cultural evolution.
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