Importance Score: 25 / 100 🔵
Exploring Elvis Presley’s Graceland Upstairs: A Private Sanctuary
For devotees of the “King of Rock and Roll,” the upstairs section of Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion has always been shrouded in mystique. This private area, the singer’s personal domain during his lifetime, has remained inaccessible to public tours even after his passing. However, insights into this exclusive space have been shared by members of Elvis‘s close entourage, the so-called “Memphis Mafia,” offering glimpses into moments spent within Elvis‘s bedroom.
Memories from the Memphis Mafia: Inside Elvis’s Bedroom
Billy Smith, Elvis‘s cousin, who had known him since before his rise to stardom in 1956, and his wife Jo, recounted their experiences in a YouTube episode on their channel, Elvis Fans Matter. They detailed how they would frequently visit Elvis‘s bedroom to socialize, listen to music, watch television, and engage in conversations.
“He pretty much dictated what we were doing since it was his space,” Billy recalled. “He was in charge! It was always fascinating. His discussions could span a range of topics, from scientific matters to extraterrestrial beings…”
Jo Smith added, “Sometimes the atmosphere could be incredibly earnest, while at other times it transformed into a hub of lightheartedness. We engaged in silly antics that you wouldn’t anticipate from adults of our age. But we did. It was akin to being children again.”
The Nightly Protection Ritual
Among the unique customs that Elvis introduced to his inner circle was a recurring nightly protection incantation.
Jo explained, “It typically involved [Elvis’s then-girlfriend] Linda [Thompson], Elvis, Billy, and myself, and we would gather in a circle in the center of his bed.”
The Bedtime Circle and Chant
“We would join hands and participate in various practices,” Jo continued. “I recall one instance where everyone had to cover their eyes and then articulate what they were visualizing, what was transpiring in their minds, and he would subsequently interpret it.”
“I remember one time I declared, ‘I see stars,’ and he responded, ‘If you don’t think of something more imaginative, you are going to see stars!’”
For the protection recitation before departing for the night, the four would clasp hands on the bed. The words initiated by the spiritually inquisitive Elvis were: “Christ love, Christ life, Christ peace.”
Visualizing a Protective Aura
Billy and Jo described how Elvis instructed them and Linda to imagine a luminous white aura enveloping each participant and a protective dome encompassing the group. They elaborated that this practice was “intended to shield you and your family, or whomever you were focusing on.”
Elvis’s Bedroom Preserved
As two of the last individuals to spend time with Elvis before his passing, Billy and Jo were with him at Graceland playing racquetball at his personal court located behind the mansion in his final hours. To this day, Elvis’s bedroom in Graceland remains untouched, preserved exactly as it was when he was last there on August 16, 1977, a lasting testament to the King.