Guy Ballard (1878-1939) was a true American original. Born in Newton, Kansas, he became a mining engineer and moved to Chicago. There he met Edna Anne Wheeler (1886-1971), a professional harpist and native of Burlington, Iowa.
The couple had a strong mutual interest in various esoteric doctrines – especially theosophy. From this latter body of teachings came their acceptance of reincarnation and the idea of “Ascended Masters” (AMs) – beings (some once human) who are terribly enlightened and form a college of the wise among themselves to help mankind evolve. This information would stand Guy in good stead while hiking around California’s Mount Shasta in 1931, because it allowed him to recognise such creatures there, in addition to various Lemurians (inhabitants of a hypothetical lost land). The master of the latter turned out to be the renowned and deathless Count of St Germain, who passed on all sorts of wisdom to the enthralled Ballard.
