Published by Blavatsky Study Center


Charles Webster Leadbeater
His Life, Writings
& Theosophical Teachings

"The range of [C.W. Leadbeater's] . . . writings, and the wealth of material that flowed from his prolific pen, was vast.  Some forty volumes, even more pamphlets, and for much of his life probably five or six journal articles a week . . . constituted his literary output . . . . The modern occult revival owes more to him than to anyone else; his concepts and ideas, his popularizing of occult and Theosophical terms and principles, run through all modern works on these subjects. . . . "  
Gregory TillettThe Elder Brother:  
A Biography of Charles Webster Leadbeater.

Charles Webster Leadbeater


The Elder Brother:
A Biography of Charles Webster Leadbeater

by Gregory Tillett     1982.  Hardcover, 337 pp.

"
Is he the world's greatest occultist and psychic? Or the worst sort of charlatan and con-man? These widely ranging views of Charles Leadbeater were current in his lifetime and even now, years after his death in 1934, he remains a controversial figure. His disciples hailed him as the greatest seer of their age; his enemies attacked him as a fraud or worse. But as Gregory Tillett shows in this biography of Leadbeater, he has exerted great influence on modern ideas about the occult. Supported by archival reference and extensive bibliography, this book makes a lucid statement of historical facts, neither pro nor con, on a controversial figure in the Theosophical Society."


"Mr. Leadbeater . . . developed, as was reported, great psychic abilities, as the result of which, notwithstanding his frequent disclaiming of occult authority, he exercised great influence over the thought of a large number of members of the [Adyar Theosophical] Society. His studies and his books reflected the attitude of 'scientific common sense.' He claims to have brought the phenomena of the superphysical realms of life, of the astral and the mental plane, of the future disembodied life, and of the past and future of this and other spheres, under his direct clairvoyant gaze. He wrote elaborate descriptions of these things in a style of simplicity and clearness. He asserted that such powers enabled one to review any event in the past history of the race, inasmuch as all that ever happened is imprinted indelibly on the substance of the Astral Light or the Akasha, and the psychic faculties of trained occultists permit them to bring these pictures under observation. With the same faculties he asserted his ability to investigate the facts of nature in both her realms of the infinite and the infinitesimal. Hence he explored the nature of the atom, its electrons and its whorls, and in collaboration with Mrs. [Annie] Besant, who was alleged also to possess high psychic powers, published a work entitled Occult Chemistry. For years he stood as perhaps the world's greatest 'seer,' and in books dealing with Clairvoyance, Dreams, The Astral Plane, Some Glimpses of Occultism, The Inner Life, The Hidden Side of Things, Man: Whence, How and Whither, he labored to particularize and complement Madame Blavatsky's sweeping outline of cosmic evolution and human character, as given in The Secret Doctrine. . . . " 

Alvin Boyd Kuhn.   Theosophy:  A Modern Revival of Ancient Wisdom.

Charles Webster Leadbeater,
1854-1934:  A Biographical Study

by Gregory Tillett
University of Sydney thesis,
1986, 3 volumes, viii + 1169 pages

Read Tillett's 1000 page plus thesis online.


The chakras as seen by C.W. Leadbeater". . . Annie Besant. . . and Charles Webster Leadbeater. . . were largely responsible for the introduction of new teachings that were often in total opposition to the Theosophy of Blavatsky and her Masters. These teachings were designated by their opponents as Neo-Theosophy . . . or less often Pseudo-Theosophy. The differences between Theosophy and Neo-Theosophy are . . . numerous . . . . An extensive overview [of the differences] is given in the . . .  booklet, Theosophy or Neo-Theosophy by Margaret Thomas. . . ."  James A. Santucci.   The Aquarian Foundation.

How Theosophy Came to Me by C.W. Leadbeater

How Theosophy Came to Me
by C.W. Leadbeater

Online Edition

An Illustration of the Aura from Leadbeater's MAN:  VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE.

An Illustration of the Aura from
C.W. Leadbeater's book
Man: Visible and Invisible

One of the chakras in the inner bodies of a human being as seen by C.W. Leadbeater

Contents of This Webpage.

C.W. Leadbeater's Life

A Chronological Listing of
C.W. Leadbeater's Books & Pamphlets

Other Sources on C.W. Leadbeater's Writings

C.W. Leadbeater's Account
of the Development of His Clairvoyance

Assessments of C.W. Leadbeater's Clairvoyance

Special Studies & Criticisms of Occult Chemistry

Criticisms of C.W. Leadbeater's Teachings


"Certain schools of his critics assert flatly that he [C. W. Leadbeater] has only succeeded in vitiating her [H.P. Blavatsky's] original presentation [of Theosophy] . . . . [Starting in the March 15, 1928 issue] The Canadian Theosophist, a magazine published . . . at Toronto, published a series of articles [excerpted from Theosophy or Neo-Theosophy? by Margaret Thomas] in which parallel passages from the writings of Madame Blavatsky and the Mahatma Letters on one side, and from the books of Mrs. Besant, Mr. Leadbeater, Mr. C. Jinarajadasa, on the other, give specific evidence bearing on the claims of perversion of the original theories by those whom they call Neo-Theosophists. The articles indicate wide deviations, in some cases complete reversal, made by the later interpreters [Leadbeater, Besant, Jinarajadasa] from the fundamental statements of the Russian Messenger [Blavatsky] and her Overlords [the Mahatmas or Masters]."

"The differences concern such matters as the personality of God, the historicity of Jesus, his identity as an individual or a principle, the desirability of churches, priestcraft and religious ceremonial, the genuineness of an apostolic succession, and a vicarious atonement, the authority of Sacraments, the nature and nomenclature of the seven planes of man's constitution, the planetary chains, the monad, the course of evolution, and many other important phases of Theosophic doctrine. This exhaustive research has made it apparent that the later exponents have allowed themselves to depart in many important points from the teachings of H.P.B."

Alvin Boyd Kuhn.   Theosophy:  A Modern Revival of Ancient Wisdom.


C.W. Leadbeater's Life.

•  Charles Webster Leadbeater (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

•  Charles Webster Leadbeater   (from Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology)

•  Charles Webster Leadbeater:  Biographical Notes.  Compiled by Maurice H. Warnon

•  Charles Webster Leadbeater (from SpiritWritings.com)

•  The Elder Brother:  A Biography of Charles Webster Leadbeater by Gregory Tillett.  337 pp.
     "Is he the world's greatest occultist and psychic? Or the worst sort of charlatan and con-man? These widely ranging
     views of Charles Leadbeater were current in his lifetime and even now, years after his death in 1934, he remains a
     controversial figure. His disciples hailed him as the greatest seer of their age; his enemies attacked him as a fraud or
     worse. But as Gregory Tillett shows in this biography of Leadbeater, he has exerted great influence on modern ideas
     about the occult. Supported by archival reference and extensive bibliography, this book makes a lucid statement of
     historical facts, neither pro nor con, on a controversial figure in the Theosophical Society."

•  Charles Webster Leadbeater, 1854-1934:  A Biographical Study by Gregory Tillett. ONLINE EDITION. 
University of Sydney thesis,  1986, 3 volumes, viii + 1169 pp.  Read Tillett's 1000 page plus thesis online at leadbeater.org

•  CWLWorld.Info A site on C.W. Leadbeater conducted by Pedro Oliveira

•  C.W. Leadbeater's Birthdate by Gregory Tillett

•  Concerning Mr. Sanat's Comments on The Elder Brother by Gregory Tillett

•  Two Opposing Views of C.W. Leadbeater by Gregory Tillett

•  Huizen, Apostles and Clairvoyance by Gregory Tillett

•  Leadbeater: Adept and Biography Again by Gregory Tillett

•  Leadbeater and Blavatsky by Gregory Tillett

•  Leadbeater's Court Records by Gregory Tillett

•  Other Theos-Talk Postings on Leadbeater by Gregory Tillett

•  C.W. Leadbeater in Retrospect by Hugh Shearman

•  Charles Webster Leadbeater:  A Biography by Hugh Shearman.  1980.  39 pp.
    "Leadbeater started life as an earnest member of the Church of England in UK, became interested in clairvoyance, joined the Theosophical
    Society, met Madame Blavatsky, took Buddhist vows in Ceylon, developed his psychic skills, worked with Annie Besant, taught Krishnamurti,
    moved to Sydney Australia, became a Freemason, set up a resident community at Sydney, wrote many books, etc etc. Leadbeater, this
    booklet claims, was the 'greatest occultist of the 20th century.' "

Life and Teachings of an Initiate: Charles W. Leadbeater by Peter Michel. [sound recording]
   "Even though Charles W. Leadbeater was a controversial figure during his lifetime, he still remains the most read Theosophical author.
   Peter Michel provides new evidence on the moral integrity of Leadbeater's character and presents an overview of his teachings."
   2000. Cassette tape, 66 minutes.  AR 5071 (#2941 / $7.00). Purchase from the Theosophical Society in America, Wheaton, Illinois. 
   Contact Audio/Visual Department at av@theosmail.net

Charles Leadbeater:  Enigma of Modern Occult Seership [sound recording] by Stephan Hoeller.  AR 0241.   Purchase from the Theosophical
   Society in America, Wheaton, Illinois.  Contact Audio/Visual Department at av@theosmail.net.

The "K.H." Letters to C.W. Leadbeater by C. Jinarajadasa

• Letters of Mrs. Besant and Mr. Leadbeater 1906-1907.  Excerpted from pp. 109-197 of the following book:

Evolution of Mrs. Besant. Being the life and public activities of Mrs. Annie Besant, secularist, socialist, theosophist and politician.  With sidelights on the inner workings of the Theosophical Society and the methods by which Mr. Leadbeater arrived at the threshold of divinity by The Editor of Justice, Madras, 1918.

For the complete text containing all these letters, see:    http://blavatskyarchives.com/besantleadbeaterlettersfull.pdf

For a detailed list of the 29 letters (mostly in chronological order) and direct links to each letter for easy access, see: http://blavatskyarchives.com/besantleadbeaterlistletters.htm

Immorality in the Theosophical Society compiled by Margaret Thomas (This is Section II of Thomas' Theosophy Or NeoTheosophy?)


A Chronological Listing of C.W. Leadbeater's Books and Pamphlets

1895     The Astral Plane:   Its Scenery, Inhabitants and PhenomenaLondon:  Theosophical Publishing Society.  100 pp.  Online Edition. 

1895     The Aura:  An Enquiry into the Nature and Functions of the Luminous Mist Seen about Human and Other Bodies.  Madras:  The Proprietors
              of “The Theosophist.”  18 pp.

1896     The Devachanic Plane:  Its Characteristics and Inhabitants.  London:   Theosophical Publishing Society.  102 pp.  Online Edition. 

1896     Invisible Helpers:   A Story of Helping at Night the So-called "Dead" by Those Who Are Still in the Land of the "Living."  London: 
             Theosophical Publishing Society.  129 pp.  Online Edition.  Another Online Ed.  Another Online Ed.

1896     Dreams: What They Are and How They Are Caused.  London:  Theosophical Publishing Society.   70 pp.  Online Edition  Another Online Ed.   Another
              Online Ed.

1898     Our Relation to Children.  London:  Theosophical Publishing Society.  24 pp.  Online Edition  Another Online Ed.   Another Online Ed.

1899     The Christian Creed:  Its Origin and Signification.  London:  Theosophical Publishing Society.  109 pp. Online Edition

1899     Clairvoyance.   London:  Theosophical Publishing Society. 164 pp. Online Edition.  Another Online Edition  Another Online Ed.

1901     Thought-Forms:   A Record of Clairvoyant Investigation. Written in collaboration with Annie Besant.  London:  Theosophical Publishing
             Society.    84 pp.  Online Edition

1901    The Unseen World.  Adyar, Madras:  The Office of The Theosophist.   28 pp.

1902     An Outline of Theosophy: A Simple Elucidation of Theosophical Principles.  London:   Theosophical Publishing Society.  99 pp.  Online Edition.
               Another Online Ed.  Another Online Ed.

1902     Man Visible and Invisible:  Examples of Different Types of Men Seen by Means of Trained Clairvoyance.
             London, Theosophical Publishing Society.  144 pp.  26 plates.  Online Edition

1902     The Smaller Buddhist Catechism.  Colombo:  Buddhist Theosophical Society.  27 pp. Online Edition
                Another Online Ed.

1903     The Other Side of Death:  Scientifically Examined by Clairvoyant Observation and Carefully Described
              London:  Theosophical Publishing Society.  502 pp. 

1903     Some Glimpses of Occultism, Ancient and Modern.  Chicago:  Theosophical Book Concern.  402 pp. Online
             EditionAnother Online Ed  Another Online Ed.

1903     Guardian Angels and Other Unseen Helpers:  A Lecture.  Harrogate:  Theosophical Publishing Committee.  16 pp.

1903     The Law of Cause and Effect:  A Lecture.  Harrogate:  Theosophical Publishing Committee.  14 pp.  Online edition.   Another Online Ed.   Another Online Ed.

1908     Occult Chemistry:  A Series of Clairvoyant Observations on the Chemical Elements. Written in collaboration with Annie Besant.  Adyar,
             Madras:   Office of The Theosophist.  92 + xxii + ii pp.  Illustrations, Plates and Diagrams.   Online Edition.   Another Online EditionAnother Online Edition. 
             See also Books and Articles on Occult Chemistry.

1910     Theosophical Talks at Adyar.  London:  Theosophical Publishing Society.

1910     What Theosophy Does For Us.  Harrogate:  Theosophical Publications Committee.  25 pp.  Online Edition.   Another Online Edition.

1911     The Inner Life:  Theosophical Talks at Adyar.  Chicago, The Rajput Press.  263 pp. Vol. I Online.   Vol. II Online   Another Online Edition   Another Ed.

1911     Adyar, The Home of the Theosophical Society:  Views taken expressly by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti) with descriptive letterpress.  Adyar,
             Madras:   The Theosophist Office.  Chiefly Illustrations, plans, fold. map.

1911     The Perfume of Egypt and Other Weird Stories.  Adyar, Madras, India : The Theosophist Office.  321 pp.  Online Edition

1911     The Power and Use of Thought.  Adyar:  Theosophical Publishing House.  16 pp.  Online Edition   Another Online Edition   Another Online Ed.

1912     A Textbook of Theosophy.  Adyar, India : Office of The Theosophist.  148 pp. Online Edition.  Another Online EditionAnother Online Edition.
               Another Online Edition

1912    The Attitude of the Enquirer.  Adyar, Madras, The Theosophist Office.  15 pp.  Online Edition

1912    The Life After Death, and How Theosophy Unveils It.  Adyar, Madras, India:  Theosophical Publishing House.  58 pp.  Online Edition

1913    Pa�cha Sila : The Five Precepts.  With Bhikkhu Silachara.  Madras, India : Theosophical Publishing House.  87 pp.

1913    To Those Who Mourn:   Solace for Bereaved Person based on Principles of Evolution and Reincarnation.   Adyar, Madras,
             India: Theosophical Publishing House.  28 pp.  Online Edition.  Another Online Edition  Another Online Ed.

1913    Man, Whence, How, and Whither:  A Record of Clairvoyant Investigation.  Written in collaboration with Annie Besant.  
            London:   Theosophical Publishing Society.  524 pp.  iv leaves of plates (1 folded) : ill.  Online Edition.  Another Online Ed.

1913    Some Occult Experiences Described by Johan van Manen and Annotated by C.W. Leadbeater.   Adyar, India : Theosophical Publishing
            House.   131 pp.  Online Edition.

1913    The Hidden Side of Things:  A Treatise on the Occult Realities Behind Ordinary Experiences, Ceremonies, Etc. by a Seer.  2 volumes.
            Adyar, India:  Theosophical Publishing  House.  Online Edition.  Another Online Ed.  Another Online Ed.

1913    Vegetarianism and Occultism:  On the Effects of Meat Eating and Slaughter of Animals Quoting Scientists' Views of 1913 in Defence of
            Vegetarianism
.   Adyar, Madras:  Theosophical Publishing House.  35 pp. Online Edition  Another Online Ed   Another Online Ed.  

1915   Australia and New Zealand as the Home of a New Sub-race:  Four Lectures Delivered under the Auspices of the Theosophical Society,
           at Sydney, in August, 1915
.  Sydney: Batson & Co.   64 pp.

1915   Why a Great World Teacher?:  Address Given by Mr. C.W. Leadbeater, at Concordia Hall, Sydney, on Sunday, 23rd May 1915, to the Order
            of the Star in the East and Visitors. 
Sydney, OSE.  22 pp.

1917    An Occult View of the War.   Los Angeles, Calif. ; Theosophical Publishing House.  23 pp.   Online Edition.  Another Online Ed   Another Online Ed.  
           Another Edition

1917    Starlight:  Seven Addresses Given for Love of the Star.   Adyar, Madras, India, Theosophical Publishing House.  104 pp.

1917    The Coming of the World-Teacher and Death, War and Evolution.   London, George Allen & Unwin.  242 pp.

1917    Ancient Ideals in Modern Masonry:  An Address Given to the Sydney Lodge No. 404, in 1915.  Sydney:  London Craft Lodge of Universal
            Co-Freemasonry.   31 pp.  Online Edition 

1918    The Fourth Dimension:  A Lecture.  Chicago : Theosophical Press.  16 pp.

1919    Difficulties in Clairvoyance.  Adyar, Madras, India:  Theosophical Publishing House.   18 pp.  Online Edition.  Another Online Ed   Another Online Ed.

1920    The Hidden Side of Christian Festivals.  Los Angeles:  The St. Alban Press.  508 pp.   Small Online Excerpt from Book

1920    The Science of the SacramentsAn Occult and Clairvoyant Study of the Christian Eucharist.  Los Angeles:  The St. Alban Press.  560 pp. 
              Online Edition  Another Edition

1920    The Monad, and Other Essays upon the Higher Consciousness.  Adyar:  Theosophical Publishing House.  133 pp.  Online Edition

1922    Talks on "At the Feet of the Master":  A Commentary in Thirtytwo Talks.   Adyar:  Theosophical Publishing House.  vi + 679 pp.

1924   The Lives of Alcyone:  A Clairvoyant Investigation of the Lives Throughout the Ages of a Large Band of Servers.   Written in collaboration
             with Annie Besant.   Adyar, Madras, India:  Theosophical Publishing House.  2 volumes.  Online Edition

1925    Healing Forces and Healing Angels.  London : St. Alban Press.  15 pp.

The Masters and the Path by C.W. Leadbeater1925    The Masters and the Path:  A Treatise on the Path to Perfection with Its Initiations and Ultimate Goal from a Theosophical
               Viewpoint
.  Adyar:    Theosophical Publishing House.  354 pp.  Online Edition.  Another Online Ed.  Another Online Ed.

1926    Glimpses of Masonic History.  Adyar:   Theosophical Publishing House.  xiii + 380 pp.   Online Edition

1926    Telepathy and Mind-cure.  London:  Theosophical Publishing House.  24 pp.

1926    The Hidden Life in Freemasonry.  Adyar:   Theosophical Publishing House.   xv + 352 pp.  Online Edition

1926    Talks on the Path of Occultism:  A Commentary on “At the Feet of the Master,” “The Voice of the Silence" and “Light on the Path." 
            Written in collaboration with Annie Besant.  Adyar, Madras, India:  Theosophical Publishing House.   ix + 969 pp.

The Chakras by C.W. Leadbeater1927    The Chakras:  A Monograph.   Adyar, Madras, India:  Theosophical Publishing House.  viii + 78 pp., 9 colored plates.
             (some col.).   Online edition

1928    Spiritualism and Theosophy:  Scientifically Examined and Carefully Described.  Adyar : Theosophical Publishing House.  252 pp. Online Edition

1928    The World Mother as Symbol and Fact.  Adyar, Madras, India:  Theosophical Publishing House.   67 pp. Online Edition

1930    How Theosophy Came to Me:  Autobiographical Reminiscences.  Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House.  162 pp.
                Online Edition.  Another Online edition

1930    The Work of Theosophists.  Adyar, Madras, India:   Theosophical Publishing House.  20 pp.  Online Edition.

1931    Messages from the Unseen.  Adyar, Madras, India:   Theosophical Publishing House.  50 pp.

1931    The Beginnings of the Sixth Root Race:  A Prophecy of the Near and Far Future.  Adyar, Madras, India : Theosophical Publishing House. 
             ix + 210 pp.

1934   The Third Object of the Theosophical Society.  Adyar, Madras, India : Theosophical Publishing House. 
                  Online EditionAnother Online Ed.

1941   The Soul's Growth Through Reincarnation:  The Lives of Erato and Spica.  Adyar, Madras, India: Theosophical Publishing
           House.  148 pp.

1946   The Soul's Growth Through Reincarnation:  The Lives of Orion.  Adyar, Madras, India: Theosophical Publishing House. 
            202 pp.

1948   The Soul's Growth Through Reincarnation:  The Lives of Ursa, Vega and Eudox.  Adyar, Madras, India: Theosophical
            Publishing House.

1950   The Soul's Growth Through Reincarnation:  The Lives of Ulysses, Abel, Arcor and Vale.  Adyar, Madras, India: Theosophical Publishing House.

1951   The Occult History of Java.  Adyar, Madras, India : Theosophical Publishing House.  58 pp.

1951   Creating Character.   Written in collaboration with Annie Besant.  Adyar, Madras, India:   Theosophical Publishing House.  92 pp. Online Edition.

1951.  The Law of Sacrifice.   Written in collaboration with C. Jinarajadasa.  Adyar, Madras, India:   Theosophical Publishing House.  42 pp.

1952   On the Liberal Catholic Church: Extracts from Letters of C.W. Leadbeater to Annie Besant, 1916-1923.   Adyar, Madras, India:
           Theosophical Publishing House.  67 pp.

1955  The Noble Eightfold Path.   Written in collaboration with Annie Besant.  Adyar, Madras, India : Theosophical Publishing House.  39 pp.  Online Edition.


Other Sources on C.W. Leadbeater's Writings

•  A Chronological Listing of C.W. Leadbeater's Books and Pamphlets

•  Books by C.W. Leadbeater Available from The Theosophical Publishing House

•  Books by C.W. Leadbeater Available from Kessinger Publishing

•  Works by Charles Webster Leadbeater at Project Gutenberg

•  Online Books by C.W. Leadbeater

•  Another List of C.W. Leadbeater Material

•  Articles by and about C.W. Leadbeater

•  CD:   The Works of C.W. Leadbeater


C.W. Leadbeater's Account
of the Development of His Clairvoyance

...When Colonel Olcott left us [in 1885] on his tour Adyar [headquarters of the Theosophical Society near Madras, India] remained empty; and unfortunately its treasury was in the same condition, so that the very few of us who remained had instructions to observe the strictest economy. Mr. Cooper-Oakley and I were for a long time the only Europeans; and as he lived up on the roof in one of the further rooms (later occupied by Dr. English) and I was in the Eastern octagon room, I saw almost nothing of him, except for a short morning visit of greeting each day. . . .

It should be understood that in those days I possessed no clairvoyant faculty, nor had I ever regarded myself as at all sensitive. I remember that I had a conviction that a man must be born with some psychic powers and with a sensitive body before he could do anything in the way of that kind of development, so that I had never thought of progress of that sort as possible for me in this incarnation, but had some hope that if I worked as well as I knew how in this life I might be born next time with vehicles more suitable to that particular line of advancement.

One day, however, when the Master Kuthumi honoured me with a visit, He asked me whether I had ever attempted a certain kind of meditation connected with the development of the mysterious power called kundalini. I had of course heard of that power, but knew very little about it, and at any rate supposed it to be absolutely out of reach for Western people. However, He recommended me to make a few efforts along certain lines, which He pledged me not to divulge to anyone else except with His direct authorization, and told me that He would Himself watch over those efforts to see that no danger should ensue.

Naturally I took the hint, and worked away steadily, and I think I may say intensely, at that particular kind of meditation day after day. I must admit that it was very hard work and sometimes distinctly painful, but of course I persevered, and in due course began to achieve the results that I had been led to expect. Certain channels had to be opened and certain partitions broken down; I was told that forty days was a fair estimate of the average time required if the effort was really energetic and persevering. I worked at it for forty-two days, and seemed to myself to be on the brink of the final victory, when the Master Himself intervened and performed the final act of breaking through which completed the process, and enabled me thereafter to use astral sight while still retaining full consciousness in the physical body—which is equivalent to saying that the astral consciousness and memory became continuous whether the physical body was awake or asleep. I was given to understand that my own effort would have enabled me to break through in twenty-four hours longer, but that the Master interfered because He wished to employ me at once in a certain piece of work.

It must not for a moment be supposed, however, that the attainment of this particular power was the end of the occult training. On the contrary, it proved to be only the beginning of a year of the hardest work that I have ever known. It will be understood that I lived there in the octagonal room by the river-side alone for many long hours every day, and practically secure from any interruption except at the meal-times which I have mentioned. Several Masters were so gracious as to visit me during that period and to offer me various hints; but it was the Master Djwal Kul who gave most of the necessary instruction. It may be that He was moved to this act of kindness because of my close association with Him in my last life, when I studied under Him in the Pythagorean school which He established in Athens, and even had the honour of managing it after His death. I know not how to thank Him for the enormous amount of care and trouble which He took in my psychic education; patiently and over and over again He would make a vivid thought-form, and say to me: “What do you see?” And when I described it to the best of my ability, would come again and again the comment: “No, no, you are not seeing true; you are not seeing all; dig deeper into yourself, use your mental vision as well as your astral; press just a little further, a little higher.”

This process often had to be many times repeated before my mentor was satisfied. The pupil has to be tested in all sorts of ways and under all conceivable conditions; indeed, towards the end of the tuition sportive nature-spirits are specially called in and ordered in every way possible to endeavour to confuse or mislead the seer. Unquestionably it is hard work, and the strain which it imposes is, I suppose, about as great as a human being can safely endure; but the result achieved is assuredly far more than worth while, for it leads directly up to the union of the lower and the higher self and produces an utter certainty of knowledge based upon experience which no future happenings can ever shake. Excerpted from How Theosophy Came to Me by C.W. Leadbeater


Assessments of C.W. Leadbeater's Clairvoyance

•  Charles Webster Leadbeater, 1854-1934:  A Biographical Study by Gregory Tillett. ONLINE EDITION. 
University of Sydney thesis,  1986, 3 volumes, viii + 1169 pp.  Read Tillett's 1000 page plus thesis online at leadbeater.org

Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater by Donald J. DeGracia

Occult Investigations:  A Description of the Work of Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater by C. Jinarajadasa

Clairvoyant Investigations by CW Leadbeater by Ernest Wood

How the Vision Was Analysed by Johan van Manen

Dr. Besant's First Use of Clairvoyance by C.W. Leadbeater

Investigations into Early Rounds by C. W. Leadbeater and Annie Besant with introduction by C. Jinarajadasa

The Question of the Reliability of the Clairvoyant Observations of CW Leadbeater edited by G. Oakley

Serious Scientific Lessons from Direct Observation of Atoms through Clairvoyance by J. Michael McBride.  A critical look at Occult Chemistry.

See also section on:  Criticisms of C.W. Leadbeater's Teachings


Special Studies & Criticisms of Occult Chemistry

Introduction to "Occult Chemistry":  The Amazing Phenomenon of ESP of Nuclear Structure and Subatomic Particles by M. Srinivasan

Anima: Remote Viewing of Subatomic Particles:  Evidence of a Yogic Siddhi by Stephen M. Phillips  Info on Dr. Phillips  His Publications
   "An introduction to the "micro-psi" investigations of Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater into the minute particles of matter."

Extrasensory Perception of Subatomic Particles:  I.  Historical Evidence by Steven M. Phillips

Extrasensory Perception of Quarks by Stephen M. Phillips

Essentials of Occult Chemistry and Modern Science by H. J. Arnikar

Concerning the "Occult Chemistry" Researches by Johan van Manen

Serious Scientific Lessons from Direct Observation of Atoms through Clairvoyance by J. Michael McBride.  A critical look at Occult Chemistry.

A Bibliography of Books and Original Articles on Occult Chemistry -- 1895-1996

List of Sources:  Occult Chemistry for Postgraduate Students of Physics, Philosophy & Psychology


Criticisms of C.W. Leadbeater's Teachings

C.W. Leadbeater's and Annie Besant's Theosophical Teachings:  Comments by James A. Santucci, Jerry Hejka-Ekins and Alvin Boyd Kuhn

There Is No Religion Higher Than Truth:  Developments in The Theosophical Society by Edward L. Gardner

C.W. Leadbeater:   A Great Occultist compiled by Sandra Hodson and Mathias J. van Thiel.  A reply to the Gardner pamphlet and a defense
of C.W. Leadbeater. 

Comments on the Hodson and Gardner Pamphlets by Gregory Tillett

"No Religion Higher than Truth" by Ernest Wood.  Wood defends the above pamphlet by E.L. Gardner.

H.P. Blavatsky:  A Great Betrayal by Alice Leighton Cleather.  1922.  106 pp.

Theosophy Versus Neo-Theosophy (abridged edition, reprint of Section  I only) compiled by Margaret Thomas with additions by Mark Jaqua.

Theosophy Or NeoTheosophy? (reprint of the complete, unabridged original edition) compiled by Margaret Thomas

Section 1. Differences in Teaching
Section 11. Immorality in the Theosophical Society
Section 111. The Case Against Annie Besant

Life After Death in Kamaloka (the Astral World):  H.P. Blavatsky versus C.W. Leadbeater compiled by Ray Morgan

C.W. Leadbeater & H.P. Blavatsky about Life on Mars and Other Planets

The Theosophical Society and Its Future (A Commentary on Annie Besant's and C.W. Leadbeater's Theosophical Contributions) by Geoffrey A.
   Farthing

Madame Blavatsky's Occult Status and the Claims of Latter-Day Messengers of the Masters by Terry Hobbes

The Etheric Double: The Far-Reaching Effects of a False Assumption (as found in the writings of Annie Besant & C.W. Leadbeater by Geoffrey A.
   Farthing

A Comparison of C. W. Leadbeater's The Chakras, with the Writings of H. P. Blavatsky,William Q. Judge, and G. de Purucker by Mark Jaqua

Rev. Leadbeater Off the Trail by R. S. Gherwal

Two Schools of Thought by Boris de Zirkoff 


Updated December 12, 2008