Thought-Forms - Annie Besant; C. W. Leadbeater

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.

It is our earnest hope—as it is our belief—that this little book will serve as a striking moral lesson to every reader, making him realise the nature and power of his thoughts, acting as a stimulus to the noble, a curb on the base. With this belief and hope we send it on its way.

ANNIE BESANT.

	PAGE
[FOREWORD]	6
[INTRODUCTION]	11
[THE DIFFICULTY OF REPRESENTATION]	16
[THE TWO EFFECTS OF THOUGHT]	21
[HOW THE VIBRATION ACTS]	23
[THE FORM AND ITS EFFECT]	25
[THE MEANING OF THE COLOURS]	32
[THREE CLASSES OF THOUGHT-FORMS]	36
[ILLUSTRATIVE THOUGHT-FORMS]	40
[AFFECTION]	40-44
[DEVOTION]	44-49
[INTELLECT]	49-50
[AMBITION]	51
[ANGER]	52
[SYMPATHY]	55
[FEAR]	55
[GREED]	56
[VARIOUS EMOTIONS]	57
SHIPWRECK	57
ON THE FIRST NIGHT	59
THE GAMBLERS	60
AT A STREET ACCIDENT	61
AT A FUNERAL	61
ON MEETING A FRIEND	64
APPRECIATION OF A PICTURE	65
[FORMS SEEN IN MEDITATION]	66
SYMPATHY AND LOVE FOR ALL	66
AN ASPIRATION TO ENFOLD ALL	66
IN THE SIX DIRECTIONS	67
COSMIC ORDER	68
THE LOGOS AS MANIFESTED IN MAN	69
THE LOGOS PERVADING ALL	70
ANOTHER CONCEPTION	71
THE THREEFOLD MANIFESTATION	71
THE SEVENFOLD MANIFESTATION	72
INTELLECTUAL ASPIRATION	72
[HELPFUL THOUGHTS]	74
[FORMS BUILT BY MUSIC]	75
[MENDELSSOHN]	77
[GOUNOD]	80
[WAGNER]	82

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

	FIG.	PAGE
[MEANING OF THE COLOURS] Frontispiece
[CHLADNI'S SOUND PLATE]	1	28
[FORMS PRODUCED IN SAND]	2	28
[FORMS PRODUCED IN SAND]	3	29
[FORMS PRODUCED BY PENDULUMS]	4-7	30
[VAGUE PURE AFFECTION]	8	40
[VAGUE SELFISH AFFECTION]	9	40
[DEFINITE AFFECTION]	10	42
[RADIATING AFFECTION]	11	43
[PEACE AND PROTECTION]	12	42
[GRASPING ANIMAL AFFECTION]	13	43
[VAGUE RELIGIOUS FEELING]	14	44
[UPWARD RUSH OF DEVOTION]	15	46
[SELF-RENUNCIATION]	16	44
[RESPONSE TO DEVOTION]	17	46
[VAGUE INTELLECTUAL PLEASURE]	18	50
[VAGUE SYMPATHY]	18A	50
[THE INTENTION TO KNOW]	19	51
[HIGH AMBITION]	20	52
[SELFISH AMBITION]	21	52
[MURDEROUS RAGE]	22	53
[SUSTAINED ANGER]	23	53
[EXPLOSIVE ANGER]	24	51
[WATCHFUL JEALOUSY]	25	54
[ANGRY JEALOUSY]	26	54
[SUDDEN FRIGHT]	27	55
[SELFISH GREED]	28	56
[GREED FOR DRINK]	29	56
[AT A SHIPWRECK]	30	58
[ON THE FIRST NIGHT]	31	59
[THE GAMBLERS]	32	60
[AT A STREET ACCIDENT]	33	61
[AT A FUNERAL]	34	62
[ON MEETING A FRIEND]	35	64
[THE APPRECIATION OF A PICTURE]	36	64
[SYMPATHY AND LOVE FOR ALL]	37	66
[AN ASPIRATION TO ENFOLD ALL]	38	67
[IN THE SIX DIRECTIONS]	39	66
[AN INTELLECTUAL CONCEPTION OF COSMIC ORDER]	40	69
[THE LOGOS AS MANIFESTED IN MAN]	41	69
[THE LOGOS PERVADING ALL]	42 and 44	70
[ANOTHER CONCEPTION]	45	70
[THE THREEFOLD MANIFESTATION]	46	70
[THE SEVENFOLD MANIFESTATION]	47	70
[INTELLECTUAL ASPIRATION]	43	72
[HELPFUL THOUGHTS]	48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54	74

	PLATE
[MUSIC OF MENDELSSOHN]	M	78
[MUSIC OF GOUNOD]	G	80
[MUSIC OF WAGNER]	W	82

[Transcriber's Note: Some of the plates are displayed out of sequence to correspond with references to them in the text.]