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Thought-Forms

Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater · 1901 · 20,605 words

The famous study of how thoughts and emotions appear to clairvoyant sight as forms and colours, and of the forms built by music.

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Foreword

The text of this little book is the joint work of Mr Leadbeater and myself; some of it has already appeared as an article in Lucifer (now the Theosophical Review), but the greater part of it is new. The drawing and painting of the Thought-Forms observed by Mr Leadbeater or by myself, or by both of us together, has been done by three friends—Mr John Varley, Mr Prince, and Miss Macfarlane, to each of whom we tender our cordial thanks. To paint in earth's dull colours the forms clothed in the living light of other worlds is a hard and thankless task; so much the more gratitude is due to those who have attempted it. They needed coloured fire, and had only ground earths. We have also to thank Mr F. Bligh Bond for allowing us to use his essay on Vibration Figures, and some of his exquisite drawings. Another friend, who sent us some notes and a few drawings, insists on remaining anonymous, so we can only send our thanks to him with similar anonymity.

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Contents

  1. Foreword
  2. Thought-Forms
  3. The Difficulty of Representation
  4. The Two Effects of Thought
  5. How the Vibration Acts
  6. The Form and its Effect
  7. The Meaning of the Colours
  8. Three Classes of Thought-Forms
  9. Illustrative Thought-Forms · Affection
  10. Devotion
  11. Intellect
  12. Anger
  13. Sympathy
  14. Fear
  15. Greed
  16. Various Emotions
  17. Forms Seen in Those Meditating
  18. Helpful Thoughts
  19. Forms Built by Music

About this edition

Source: Project Gutenberg #16269

Public domain: Public domain worldwide (Besant died 1933, Leadbeater 1934).

What’s included: The complete text. The colour plates are not included; their captions and the descriptions in the text are.

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