I'm currently beginning to read this book by Charles Leadbeater, which I picked up a little while ago in an antiquarian bookshop in Camden Lock, London, UK. I was most fortunate in that many Theosophical works were available there, by such authors as Leadbeater, Besant and Blavatsky, and it seems, on further inspection, that many of these actually belonged to a lodge at sometime, as many are original pressings from Adyar, India, and bear the stamp of the Theosophical House of Friar Lane, Nottingham. This particular book is especially precious to me, as it was signed by the author. (Which I discovered to my extreme delight when I got back to my house with my purchase!)

The book is hard-covered and cloth bound, in beige cloth with a red spine, and bears a lithographic plate with a photograph of Leadbeater in the frontispiece. The book is of a modest size, having some 162 pages.

I shall be posting my thoughts on Leadbeaters' work when I have had time to read and digest the contents.

Seeker,

For those who may not know, the book is online:

http://www.singaporelodge.org/htctm.htm

Here is the best list of Theosophical books online, which is how I found the above link:

http://www.austheos.org.au/clibrary/bindex-0.html

I have not read this particular book, but I will be interested in hearing your reactions!

Also, please post the name and address of the bookstore, as I am gathering a list of bookstores worldwide that sell Theosophical books.

Many thanks for the links, Nick. Here is the address of the Bookstore:

Black Gull Books, 70/71 west yard, Camden Lock Market, Camden, London, UK.
Black Gull Books deals in second-hand and antiquarian books, and sometimes you can find some very rare material indeed, as I found.
For further details, Camden Lock Market has its' own website: CLICK HERE this has maps of the area, including all of the shops- many of which will be of interest to the budding Theosophist, including a Buddhist supply shop.

Also, another favourite haunt of mine is the Watkins Esoteric Book Centre, which sells all manner of Theosophical, Occult and other Religious books, as well as Tarot cards, crystals and other New Age and metaphysical paraphernalia. (This is where I bought Blavatsky's biography from.) The shop also hosts live Tarot card readings, metaphysical talks, and a host of other activities. It's located at:
Watkins Books, 13-15 and 19, Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ, UK. They also sell antiquarian books, and you can mail order them from: CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE

Seeker,

Thanks for the names and addresses.

By the way, I did read How Theosophy Came To Me many years ago. I read part of it online yesterday, and I recognized much of it.

A couple things from the book really jumped out at me. One was the first-hand memories he had of HPB. It must have been quite an experience to have watched her speak in person! I read the Secret Doctrine everyday, and I am continually amazed by the amount of work HPB did.

The other thing was the secret handshakes and passwords taught to all Theosophists at that time. (These things are no longer done, as far as I know....) My, how things have changed over the years! I suppose such things were cool things to do in the 1800's, probably in imitation of the Masons, etc., who still have such practices. However, the fact that such practices have dissappeared from Theosophy shows that time marches on, society changes, but the unchanging Ancient Wisdom is still applicable even today.

I have now completed Leadbeaters' book, and I found it to be a delightful and most entertaining read. Although Theosophy and its' principles are not discussed in any great detail, the work nevertheless gives a good idea of the atmosphere at the times during HPB's life, and provides some wonderful insight into the great lady's character, and her relationship with the Masters. I think the book worked especially well for me since it was the first Theosophy-related work that I have read since HPB's biography, and as such works very well as a companion piece to it. This work especially throws more light on the Hodgson report and the doings of the Coulombs; those who would choose to disbelieve HPB as a fraud would do well to read this book, and read Leadbeaters' testimony- it is regrettable that the Society for Psychical Research did not. Anyone who reads HPB's biography would do well to supplement it with reading this work.

The most interesting section for me was the one explaining the need for psychic training for Theosophical Society members, and I wish that it could have been covered in greater detail, perhaps with some of the training practises explained. Leadbeater indicated that much of his training was centered around raising the Kundalini energy through meditation, yet my research into the various meditative techniques yield contradictory information as to how this can be achieved, and some occult and metaphysical works indicate that ones' Kundalini energy will raise naturally through time, as one progresses spiritually. (Because of this, I can only assume that the techniques Leadbeater was trained in were a means of accellerating this process.)

Leadbeaters' writing style indicates that he was a thoroughly pleasant man, and treats his readers with courtesy and respect. I look forward to acquiring and reading more of his works.

Seeker,

I, too, have noticed Leadbeater's willingness to encourage psychic study among Theosophists. I believe he wrote a book on the Chakras, and other such books. However, Annie Besant was adamant that we should not push for the development of psychic powers before we are ready to handle them, as she stated in her book, The Path of Discipleship.

“Moral and mental qualities are the qualifications that are demanded — not powers, as they are called, not abnormal psychic development, not the Siddhis. These are not in any sense demanded or required. A man may have gained some of the Siddhis and yet not be fit for initiation; but he must have the moral qualifications. These are demanded with a rigidity that nothing can change — with a rigidity, let me say in passing, that is the result of experience. For the great Gurus in Their vast experience of humanity, have been training it step by step for myriads of years. They know well enough that the qualification for true discipleship must be found in the mind and in the moral character and not in the development of the psychic nature; that has to come in its own place and in its own good time. But to be a recognized disciple, an accepted chela, the mind and morals must be fitted to meet the gaze of the Guru; such as have been stated are the qualifications He demands, and these His pupils must give Him ere the second birth will be granted by Him who alone can give it.”

Besant, Annie, The Path of Discipleship (online)
http://www.anandgholap.net/Path_Of_Discipleship-AB.htm

Besant, Annie, The Path of Discipleship (hardcopy)
http://www.questbooks.net/title.cfm?bookid=82

The same advice is given in At the Feet of the Master:

“Have no desire for psychic powers; they will come when the Master knows that it is best for you to have them. To force them too soon often brings in its train much trouble; often their possessor is misled by deceitful nature-spirits, or becomes conceited and thinks he cannot make a mistake; and in any case the time and strength that it takes to gain them might be spent in work for others. They will come in the course of development — they must come; and if the Master sees that it would be useful for you to have them sooner, He will tell you how to unfold them safely. Until then, you are better without them.”

Krishnamurti (Alcyone), Jiddu, At the Feet of the Master (Online)
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/other/alcyone.htm

Krishnamurti (Alcyone), Jiddu, At the Feet of the Master (Hardcopy)
http://www.questbooks.net/title.cfm?bookid=5

I have also heard that raising the Kundalini energy through meditation, if done improperly, can cause the student a great deal of trouble. I have taken Besant's and Krishnamurti's advice, and not tried to force any opening of any Chakras until I have a teacher qualified to help me do such a thing.

On the same note, Besant very much promoted the practice of meditation, but more of a means of self-improvement than as a means of opening up psychic powers.

I. too, have enjoyed Leadbeater's writings for years. He did write some "goofy" stuff, but I have learned that in religion, we take a look at many different sources, take the good that each source gives us, and let the rest of it fall aside.

On a positive side, I have found Leadbeater's writings to give me answers that I cannot find anywhere else.

~~~

Since I quoted At the Feet of the Master above, I want to take this opportunity to quote the very last sentences of the book, as they have a great deal of meaning for me.

“Waiting for the word of the Master,
Watching the Hidden Light;
Listening to catch His orders
In the very midst of the fight;

“Seeing His slightest signal
Across the heads of the throng;
Hearing His faintest whisper
Above earth's loudest song.”

Leadbeater would have been the first to say “Bravo!” to such words.