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Theosophical Manuals #5
The Astral Plane: Its scenery, inhabitants, & phenomena: Illustrated, annotated, and with a new introduction
With the knowledge of the forces of nature which the resources of the astral plane place at the command of its inhabitants the production of what are called "spirit lights" is a very easy matter...-from The Astral PlaneAn engrossing document of the public fascination with the paranormal at the turn of the 20th century, this 1895 volume explains one aspect of theosophy, the metaphysical doctrine that seeks to find the unified truth buried in all of humanity's religions. On this guided tour of one of the "various planes of the universe," you'll meet black magicians, vampires, werewolves, elemental essences, fairies, and angels. You'll encounter phenomena including churchyard ghosts, mysterious bell ringing, clairvoyance, second sight, spirit photographs, slate writing, and levitation. And you'll learn why darkness is absolutely required at a seance. Don't leave this plane of existence without it.CHARLES WEBSTER LEADBEATER (1847-1934) was one of the foremost writings on theosophical topics of the early 20th century. He is also the author of The Aura: An Enquiry into the Nature and Functions of the Luminous Mist Seen about Human and Other Bodies (1895) and Dreams: What They Are and How They Are Caused (1896).
180 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1895
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About the author
C.W. Leadbeater
676 books128 followersCharles Webster Leadbeater was an influential member of the Theosophical Society, author on occult subjects and co-initiator with J.I. Wedgwood of the Liberal Catholic Church.
Originally a priest of the Church of England, his interest in spiritualism caused him to end his affiliation with Anglicanism in favour of the Theosophical Society, where he became an associate of Annie Besant. He became a high-ranking officer of the society, but resigned in 1906 amid a scandal. Accusations of his detractors were never proven and, with Besant's assistance, he was readmitted a few years later. Leadbeater went on to write over 69 books and pamphlets that examined in detail the hidden side of life as well as maintain regular speaking engagements. His efforts on behalf of the society assured his status as one of its leading members until his death in 1934.
Originally a priest of the Church of England, his interest in spiritualism caused him to end his affiliation with Anglicanism in favour of the Theosophical Society, where he became an associate of Annie Besant. He became a high-ranking officer of the society, but resigned in 1906 amid a scandal. Accusations of his detractors were never proven and, with Besant's assistance, he was readmitted a few years later. Leadbeater went on to write over 69 books and pamphlets that examined in detail the hidden side of life as well as maintain regular speaking engagements. His efforts on behalf of the society assured his status as one of its leading members until his death in 1934.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 29, 2016
A refreshingly candid taxonomy of astral phenomena! Right away CW makes clear the vastness of his subject and the thinness of his outlines, but there's still such a rich variety of observation in this little book.
Leadbeater is obviously an extremely gifted clairvoyant, and extremely progressive and non judgmental by early 1900s standards, but occasionally his analysis comes as a little morally dogmatic or literal. It doesn't help that his dry scientific tone seems like it was wrapped around his subject in order to make it credible. Credible to whom? 100 years later it's hard to imagine the mindset of the readers he was anticipating. I was also put off by the dedication of an entire chapter to discussing the mechanics of astral phenomena as manifest in the physical world. It is mostly him listing, one by one, stuff that happens at séances and how each is produced. But again, this was probably captivating information at the time it was written, when spiritualist séances were more common, and people were chomping at the bit for materialist explanations.
Anyway, this book is chockfull of practical psychic information. There is much here that will provide context for people at any degree of astral awareness. It was easy for me to trust most of his insights, and feel the click of confirmation from an inner intuition. To the point, this book offers an affirmation of life from an arcane arena that is rarely so deeply studied.
Leadbeater is obviously an extremely gifted clairvoyant, and extremely progressive and non judgmental by early 1900s standards, but occasionally his analysis comes as a little morally dogmatic or literal. It doesn't help that his dry scientific tone seems like it was wrapped around his subject in order to make it credible. Credible to whom? 100 years later it's hard to imagine the mindset of the readers he was anticipating. I was also put off by the dedication of an entire chapter to discussing the mechanics of astral phenomena as manifest in the physical world. It is mostly him listing, one by one, stuff that happens at séances and how each is produced. But again, this was probably captivating information at the time it was written, when spiritualist séances were more common, and people were chomping at the bit for materialist explanations.
Anyway, this book is chockfull of practical psychic information. There is much here that will provide context for people at any degree of astral awareness. It was easy for me to trust most of his insights, and feel the click of confirmation from an inner intuition. To the point, this book offers an affirmation of life from an arcane arena that is rarely so deeply studied.
September 12, 2013
Very complex description of the different levels of the astral plane, based on an ancient form of Buddism, complete with names etc.
My receptive frame of mind eventually gave way as the author seemed to become ever more dogmatic and superior, stressing that it was forbidden to divulge certain mysteries, that teaching should only be imparted by 'Adepts' due to the dangerous nature of this plane, and that all he was describing was naturally (as in 'nature') scientific rather than supernatural, the information gathered by explorations of members of the Theosophical Society and verified by comparison between them.
It would have been more interesting and effective had he described these journeys from personal experience more than the once (or possibly twice) secondhand that he did in the book.
His insistence on purity of morals for the initiate - of body, mind including every thought)- sounded in retrospect horribly hollow when I read his biography after turning the final page.
Difficult as she can be, I think 'll stay with Helena Blavatsky to read about Theosophy for the time being.
My receptive frame of mind eventually gave way as the author seemed to become ever more dogmatic and superior, stressing that it was forbidden to divulge certain mysteries, that teaching should only be imparted by 'Adepts' due to the dangerous nature of this plane, and that all he was describing was naturally (as in 'nature') scientific rather than supernatural, the information gathered by explorations of members of the Theosophical Society and verified by comparison between them.
It would have been more interesting and effective had he described these journeys from personal experience more than the once (or possibly twice) secondhand that he did in the book.
His insistence on purity of morals for the initiate - of body, mind including every thought)- sounded in retrospect horribly hollow when I read his biography after turning the final page.
Difficult as she can be, I think 'll stay with Helena Blavatsky to read about Theosophy for the time being.
May 28, 2010
This thing reads like stereo instructions.
March 5, 2007
i got this book at a thrift store- a very old copy that is practically falling apart. if you ever wanted to know about the "other" entities that inhabit our sphere and what happens when you die, either by forced or natural causes, i highly recommend this book.
March 28, 2020
An imaginative breakdown of the structure, denizens, and behaviours of the Astral Plane. At first pulling references from Hindu and Buddhist myths and beliefs [which I enjoyed], the author, while clearly an intelligent and literate person, presents eye-rollingly naive arguments as credibility. His main source for validating the information are seances; yeah, the side-gig of parlour magicians in the Victorian Era which were more theatrical presentations of cold-reading, schoolhouse magic tricks, and storytelling than anything bordering on an actual experience with other dimensions or the occult.
For example, he explains, in detail, why seances must take place in total darkness or very low light. It's because of the manner in which the etheric beings can best communicate with the material world. No. It's to hide the gimmicks such as threads for moving objects.
There are many other notions which, by the time of this being published, were thoroughly-debunked ideas, from Atlantis to the existence of "ether" as an element, which the author presents with certainty.
Its an entertaining read, for sure [I finished it, after all] and I think this would be a valuable resource for anyone looking to write supernatural fiction and needing a solid foundation on what "rules" that supernatural world uses.
This was written much before we knew of quantum mechanics, other dimensions, and so on and I feel that, in its own quaint way, the Astral Plane could be a stand-in for things as yet to be theorized by science at the time of this book's writing. I agree that there is much more to the universe than the physical world and timeline we experience. Whether or not it's anything like this Astral Plane within this book, I am unsure.
For example, he explains, in detail, why seances must take place in total darkness or very low light. It's because of the manner in which the etheric beings can best communicate with the material world. No. It's to hide the gimmicks such as threads for moving objects.
There are many other notions which, by the time of this being published, were thoroughly-debunked ideas, from Atlantis to the existence of "ether" as an element, which the author presents with certainty.
Its an entertaining read, for sure [I finished it, after all] and I think this would be a valuable resource for anyone looking to write supernatural fiction and needing a solid foundation on what "rules" that supernatural world uses.
This was written much before we knew of quantum mechanics, other dimensions, and so on and I feel that, in its own quaint way, the Astral Plane could be a stand-in for things as yet to be theorized by science at the time of this book's writing. I agree that there is much more to the universe than the physical world and timeline we experience. Whether or not it's anything like this Astral Plane within this book, I am unsure.
Read
September 13, 2013Dnf therefore no rating. I don't think the author really knows what he's talking about, and so he steeps it in vagaries.
July 6, 2020
Dated and racist
I’m not sure how valid the observation are in this book, but it’s racist. You don’t need to read too far into the book to find the racist statements.
I’m not sure how valid the observation are in this book, but it’s racist. You don’t need to read too far into the book to find the racist statements.
March 26, 2020
This primer on the astral plane--the fine-material world in which we are all immersed without generally being aware of it--gives a quick overview of that world, with an emphasis on the beings who inhabit it (besides ourselves). This book, originally published in 1896 as Theosophical Manual No. 5, was written to summarize the findings of the Theosophical Society, whose literature was extensive and, for many people, abstruse.
The astral world is vast and complex, with many different kinds of denizens at various levels of spiritual awareness and moral goodness. One of the most intriguing parts for me was the author's description of "elementals": astral beings that are created by our thoughts. Every thought that we have, especially those that express desires, wishes, or intentions, creates an astral being that functions as a kind of bot that seeks to realize that desire, whether positive or negative. Weak passing fancies generate elementals that live only briefly; strong wishes that are thought of again and again create more robust elementals that endure for days, weeks, or years, depending on how often we revert to that thought. Since most of our thoughts are selfish, we are all attended by a kind of retinue of astral elementals that seek to prolong their own existence by encouraging us to keep thinking or wishing. On the other hand, when we have positive wishes or prayers for others, the elementals go to those others and work to bring about the positive thing that has been wished for.
There's much else in this book, as well. If you're of a materialistic cast of mind and don't believe in the existence of anything except what you can touch, then it will seem quite strange and incredible. Indeed, I found it to be that way, and I firmly believe in the astral realm and other orders of reality beyond the tangible. This book acquainted me with the clairvoyant discoveries of the Theosophical Society in the 19th century. Those people, like the rest of us, are limited by their own prejudices and levels of understanding; but they have performed a great service to us all, I think, for they have thrown some light on the great unknown continent that is each one of us and the much vaster world that we really live in.
The astral world is vast and complex, with many different kinds of denizens at various levels of spiritual awareness and moral goodness. One of the most intriguing parts for me was the author's description of "elementals": astral beings that are created by our thoughts. Every thought that we have, especially those that express desires, wishes, or intentions, creates an astral being that functions as a kind of bot that seeks to realize that desire, whether positive or negative. Weak passing fancies generate elementals that live only briefly; strong wishes that are thought of again and again create more robust elementals that endure for days, weeks, or years, depending on how often we revert to that thought. Since most of our thoughts are selfish, we are all attended by a kind of retinue of astral elementals that seek to prolong their own existence by encouraging us to keep thinking or wishing. On the other hand, when we have positive wishes or prayers for others, the elementals go to those others and work to bring about the positive thing that has been wished for.
There's much else in this book, as well. If you're of a materialistic cast of mind and don't believe in the existence of anything except what you can touch, then it will seem quite strange and incredible. Indeed, I found it to be that way, and I firmly believe in the astral realm and other orders of reality beyond the tangible. This book acquainted me with the clairvoyant discoveries of the Theosophical Society in the 19th century. Those people, like the rest of us, are limited by their own prejudices and levels of understanding; but they have performed a great service to us all, I think, for they have thrown some light on the great unknown continent that is each one of us and the much vaster world that we really live in.
March 29, 2019
This is a pretty decent discussion of the astral plane and what kinds of things "exist" there. It's dry and kind of vague, but I think this has more to do with how little of this was written about this in the West before the publication of this book... For instance, the speak of egregores, but refer to them in other ways like calling them a form of elemental spirit. It gave me some interesting insights, but just a few.
The major problems I have with this book are the focus on certain materials only being taught to the adept (funny as astral projection is quite difficult to achieve, so I'm not sure it's necessary to keep the info secret as only an adept can achieve it...) and the racism and downsizing of other cultures and the LHP. It's a very old book, so those things were commonplace at the time, but it's still difficult for a modern reader to get through. Sadly, many of these older books have these kinds of blinds and bigotry. Luckily, the bigotry is only in a few sections and brief...
The major problems I have with this book are the focus on certain materials only being taught to the adept (funny as astral projection is quite difficult to achieve, so I'm not sure it's necessary to keep the info secret as only an adept can achieve it...) and the racism and downsizing of other cultures and the LHP. It's a very old book, so those things were commonplace at the time, but it's still difficult for a modern reader to get through. Sadly, many of these older books have these kinds of blinds and bigotry. Luckily, the bigotry is only in a few sections and brief...
November 28, 2012
It was an interesting read for someone like me who is interested in the out-of-body travel, but so much went over my head due to the fact that I didn't know many of the theosophical terms. I've never came in contact with anything on this topic before. Having taken this up as my first volume on theosophy was thus a mistake. I didn't know it at the time, but it is in fact a fifth book in a series written by Annie Wood Besant and C.W. Leadbeater. I have since arranged the books into a series here on goodreads so that others can read these in order.
I might pick up this book again. Perhaps some things will get clearer then.
I might pick up this book again. Perhaps some things will get clearer then.
December 15, 2013
My first book on Theosophy, and found it a rather complex read. Nevertheless its a very thorough account of what to expect if one were to attempt an out of the body experience into the coarse astral plane. I recommend reading 'The Laws of the Spirit World' by Khorshid Bhavnagri first before hitting this one.
April 20, 2008
Watch out! Santa is there, too - or should I say, many different Santas, and dozens who are Jesus, too. Not a fun place to hang around in, on any level. We make our own astral beds and must lie in them. Bob and Ray, where are you?
December 17, 2014
Very insightful reading.
My only issue with this book is that no knowledge was forthcoming on gaining access to the Astral World. The author stayed true to the title.
My only issue with this book is that no knowledge was forthcoming on gaining access to the Astral World. The author stayed true to the title.
May 29, 2015
This was the first book I read by the Theosophists, and an early influence during my spiritual awakening. The Astral Plane is an interesting place.
January 22, 2020
Very interesting book, though not an easy one.
July 1, 2021
Do not buy this edition.
My other copy of this book, which I've had for about 30 years, is a small hardback that I was trying to save wear and tear on. This new copy is an example of why small press and indie publishing gets a bad rap. Little to no thought given toward the typesetting and formatting, artifacts from ebook index links printed mid-sentence, and missing material.
I was rereading this as part of some writing research of turn of the 20th century Spiritualism and Theosophy. Leadbeater is as florid as his contemporaries, and this book could easily be edited down to half its length. Still, it is a clear picture of how many Theosophists envisioned their cosmology and the astral plane.
I recommend this for anyone interested in this subject matter in this historical context. Just get a better edition. The little hardcover produced by the Theosophy Society in the 1980s would be preferable if you can find one in good shape. That one deserves 3 stars.
My other copy of this book, which I've had for about 30 years, is a small hardback that I was trying to save wear and tear on. This new copy is an example of why small press and indie publishing gets a bad rap. Little to no thought given toward the typesetting and formatting, artifacts from ebook index links printed mid-sentence, and missing material.
I was rereading this as part of some writing research of turn of the 20th century Spiritualism and Theosophy. Leadbeater is as florid as his contemporaries, and this book could easily be edited down to half its length. Still, it is a clear picture of how many Theosophists envisioned their cosmology and the astral plane.
I recommend this for anyone interested in this subject matter in this historical context. Just get a better edition. The little hardcover produced by the Theosophy Society in the 1980s would be preferable if you can find one in good shape. That one deserves 3 stars.
February 27, 2019
Supposedly if you are a good Theosophist (new age-y religion hijacks Buddhism) you can bounce about the "astral plane." This is a listing of the entities you will see about the aforementioned astral plane.
One of the things that has not survived the march of science is Leadbeater's argument for transforming metals, such as lead into gold. Leadbeater argues all atoms are the same, but we have diversity of elements by the diversity of organization of the atoms. So an alchemist has the power to re-arrange the atoms. As we know now, not all atoms are the same. But I don't think we really needed this scientific advancement to have reasons to doubt alchemy.
One of the things that has not survived the march of science is Leadbeater's argument for transforming metals, such as lead into gold. Leadbeater argues all atoms are the same, but we have diversity of elements by the diversity of organization of the atoms. So an alchemist has the power to re-arrange the atoms. As we know now, not all atoms are the same. But I don't think we really needed this scientific advancement to have reasons to doubt alchemy.
March 23, 2020
Very fascinating read about the Astral plane and it's workings. It could be hard to read based on the time period it was written in but if you could keep your brain fired up enough to get to the meat and potatoes it's worth a front to back read. BTW, dude was a racist and is vehemently against African Spirituality, however I believe you can learn something from anyone as long as you take what you need and discard the rest...this book answered a few lingering questions that had been lingering for years, so there's that.
December 17, 2025
Even though its language is now a bit different from what the Author would write, if he lived currently, it is no doubt the first great work regarding the Astral Plane.
If one can read retaining some freedom of thought and adapting unto oneself the languaged used, it can be a wonderful source of study.
Maria Carmo
Lisbon 2025
If one can read retaining some freedom of thought and adapting unto oneself the languaged used, it can be a wonderful source of study.
Maria Carmo
Lisbon 2025
September 19, 2023
fascinating and stimulating requires deep contemplation and slow reading to comprehend
Liked the concepts presented which may or may not be true unfortunately we shall see only I thinkAFTER DEATH imo
Liked the concepts presented which may or may not be true unfortunately we shall see only I thinkAFTER DEATH imo
January 19, 2018
Cool
One of the reasons I got this book is to compare what I saw on the Astros plane first hand ✋
One of the reasons I got this book is to compare what I saw on the Astros plane first hand ✋
Read
August 10, 2019Muy extraño, porque desconocía por completo el tema, pero me encantó imaginar las increíbles posibilidades de muchas cosas que dice sean enteramente reales.
June 7, 2020
A very technical exposition of the astral plane.
September 14, 2020
a classic
April 30, 2023
Great early classic
June 25, 2024
informative
Explains limitations of the astral world in part 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥peace love goodwill to all peace love goodwill to all Peace Love
Explains limitations of the astral world in part 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥peace love goodwill to all peace love goodwill to all Peace Love
August 21, 2024
3.5 stars.
July 23, 2025
A book with more details on Astral life and its scenario. will be useful to philosophers and who are looking for spiritual knowledge
December 19, 2025
Reads pretty clearly for what it’s about. Interesting world of perception on these phenomenon.
July 27, 2013
This book is so short and sweet I initially encountered it by the toilet during a party at a friend's house, and wound up taking it into a corner with the host's cat and reading the whole thing through, because that's what I do at parties.
The Astral Plane is, simply, an account of things unseen, and despite having been written in 1933, I found a lot of it to be brow-raisingly congruent to what modern science believes to be true. Like, the fact we can only perceive about .001% of what actually goes on around us, etc. Not bad for a beginner's guide.
The Astral Plane is, simply, an account of things unseen, and despite having been written in 1933, I found a lot of it to be brow-raisingly congruent to what modern science believes to be true. Like, the fact we can only perceive about .001% of what actually goes on around us, etc. Not bad for a beginner's guide.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews