Collections : [Archives of Michigan]

The “I Am” activity originated with G.W. Ballard in 1930, and Eva and Mary Pennington probably began their engagement with it by 1937. The “Activity” combined Christian elements with Eastern practices such as studying and meditating to attain the level of “Ascended Master” through mystical imagery focusing on light and color, specifically a Violet Flame.

This series contains many official instructions and publication of the early “I Am” Activity, including several volumes of The Voice of “I Am”. It also contains correspondence class notes, teaching notes, group meeting attendance records, and financial records of the Lansing “I Am” Sanctuary’s transactions with the St. Germain Foundation. Correspondence from “I Am” founder Mrs. Edna Ballard and other “I AM” officials is notable. Besides Mary and Eva’s documents, Belle Sanford, group leader for the Lansing “I Am” Sanctuary, authored some as well. A few other manuscripts and publications related to the spiritual development of these women are interspersed.

This series contains photographs of the Pennington family’s many relations and friends. Several photographs are antique cased images including tintypes, ambrotypes, and one daguerreotype. Additionally, scrapbooks and photo albums document various vacations of the Penningtons (including some related to “I Am” Activity). Of particular interest is the album of Civil War portraits collected by John D. Pennington of officers in Company C, 12th Michigan Infantry.