Editing Aetherius Society (section)

== History ==
[[File:18 Clifton Gardens.jpg|thumb|left|upright=.65|18 Clifton Gardens; George King's lodgings at initiation of the Aetherius Society.]]
[[File:Aetherius House, Fulham, London.jpg|thumb|upright=.65|757 Fulham Road; London Headquarters since 7 July 1958.]]
The society's founder [[George King (religious leader)|George King]] was born on 23 January 1919, in [[Wellington, Shropshire]], England and brought up in a protestant family with strong occult interests.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zuGoDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Aetherius+Society%22+%22george+king%22+%22anglican%22&pg=PT27|isbn=9781941482100|title=The King Who Came to Earth: A Biography|date=25 August 2019|publisher=The Aetherius Society}}</ref><ref name=I2000Aeth/><ref>Smith, Simon G. (2003) pp.84-5</ref>  Before founding the Aetherius Society, King had been deeply involved in spiritual healing<ref name=LR2003p143/><ref name=Sc2003p157>{{cite book |editor-last=Lewis |editor-first=James R. |title=Encyclopedic Sourcebook of UFO religions |date=2003 |publisher=Prometheus Books |location=New York |isbn=1-57392-964-6 |page=157 |chapter=Cosmic Intelligences and their terrestrial channel: a field report on the Aetherius Society |first1=Scott |last1=Scribner |first2=Gregory |last2=Wheeler}}</ref> and had joined various theosophically-based metaphysical groups in [[London]] that were a marginal part of the religious scene.<ref name=I2000Aeth/><ref>Smith, Simon G. (2003) p.85</ref>  In 1944, he took up yoga, allegedly mastering [[bhakti]], [[jnana|gnani]] and [[kundalini]] yogas and attaining the state of "[[samadhi]]"<ref name=B2011p120/><ref name=Sc2003p157/> and, according to the Aetherius Society, developed psychic powers that allowed him to learn many of the secrets of the universe.<ref name=B2011p120/>

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]]<ref>{{cite web |title=A Biography of Dr. George King - Timeline |url=https://drgeorgeking.org/timeline/ |website=drgeorgeking.org |publisher=The Aetherius Society |access-date=13 December 2024}}</ref>) 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.<ref name=B2011p120/><ref>Smith, Simon G. (2003) p.86</ref><ref>Saliba, John A. (2003) p.124-5</ref> Prior to, and during the early foundation of the society, King earned his living as a driver and security officer.<ref>Moore, Patrick, ''Can You Speak Venusian?'' (1972, London, Wyndham Publ'ns) page 96.</ref>

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.<ref name="Hagiography">{{Cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lteid47_0-kC&q=aetherius%20society&pg=PA3 |chapter=Hagiography and Text in the Aetherius Society |first=Mikael |last=Rothstein |title=Alien Worlds: Social and Religious Dimensions of Extraterrestrial Contact |editor-first=Diana G. |editor-last=Tumminia |publisher=Syracuse University Press |date=30 April 2007 |pages=3, 5, and 24|isbn=9780815608585 }}</ref>

According to the Aetherius Society, George King died in [[Santa Barbara, California]], on July 12, 1997, at the age of 78.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Barrett|first1=David|title=A Brief Guide to Secret Religions: A Complete Guide to Hermetic, Pagan and Esoteric Beliefs|date=May 26, 2011|publisher=Hachette UK|isbn=978-1849018111|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bbKeBAAAQBAJ|access-date=8 January 2018}}</ref> His death was not reported in major newspapers.