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C.W.Leadbeater

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Title:Thought-Forms

Author:AnnieBesant

C.W.Leadbeater

ReleaseDate:July12,2005[EBook#16269]

Language:English

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THOUGHT-FORMS

BYANNIEBESANTANDC.W.LEADBEATER

THETHEOSOPHICALPUBLISHINGHOUSELTD38GREATORMONDSTREET,LONDON,W.C.1

FirstPrinted 1901Reprint 1905Reprint 1925

MadeandPrintedinGreatBritainbyPERCYLUND,HUMPHRIES&COLTD

THECOUNTRYPRESSBRADFORD

MEANINGOFTHECOLOURS

FOREWORD

ThetextofthislittlebookisthejointworkofMrLeadbeaterandmyself;someof it has already appeared as an article in Lucifer (now the TheosophicalReview), but the greater part of it is new. The drawing and painting of theThought-Forms observed by Mr Leadbeater or by myself, or by both of ustogether,hasbeendonebythreefriends—MrJohnVarley,MrPrince,andMissMacfarlane, toeachofwhomwe tenderourcordial thanks.Topaint inearth'sdullcolours the formsclothed in the living lightofotherworlds isahardandthanklesstask;somuchthemoregratitudeisduetothosewhohaveattemptedit.Theyneededcolouredfire,andhadonlygroundearths.Wehavealso to thankMr F. BlighBond for allowing us to use his essay onVibration Figures, andsomeofhisexquisitedrawings.Another friend,whosentussomenotesandafewdrawings,insistsonremaininganonymous,sowecanonlysendourthankstohimwithsimilaranonymity.

It is our earnest hope—as it is our belief—that this little bookwill serve as astrikingmorallessontoeveryreader,makinghimrealisethenatureandpowerofhis thoughts, acting as a stimulus to the noble, a curb on the base.With thisbeliefandhopewesenditonitsway.

ANNIEBESANT.

PAGE

FOREWORD 6INTRODUCTION 11THEDIFFICULTYOFREPRESENTATION 16THETWOEFFECTSOFTHOUGHT 21HOWTHEVIBRATIONACTS 23THEFORMANDITSEFFECT 25THEMEANINGOFTHECOLOURS 32THREECLASSESOFTHOUGHT-FORMS 36ILLUSTRATIVETHOUGHT-FORMS 40

AFFECTION 40-44DEVOTION 44-49INTELLECT 49-50AMBITION 51ANGER 52SYMPATHY 55FEAR 55GREED 56VARIOUSEMOTIONS 57SHIPWRECK 57ONTHEFIRSTNIGHT 59THEGAMBLERS 60ATASTREETACCIDENT 61ATAFUNERAL 61ONMEETINGAFRIEND 64APPRECIATIONOFAPICTURE 65FORMSSEENINMEDITATION 66SYMPATHYANDLOVEFORALL 66ANASPIRATIONTOENFOLDALL 66INTHESIXDIRECTIONS 67COSMICORDER 68THELOGOSASMANIFESTEDINMAN 69THELOGOSPERVADINGALL 70ANOTHERCONCEPTION 71THETHREEFOLDMANIFESTATION 71THESEVENFOLDMANIFESTATION 72INTELLECTUALASPIRATION 72HELPFULTHOUGHTS 74FORMSBUILTBYMUSIC 75MENDELSSOHN 77GOUNOD 80WAGNER 82

LISTOFILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. PAGEMEANINGOFTHECOLOURSFrontispieceCHLADNI'SSOUNDPLATE 1 28FORMSPRODUCEDINSAND 2 28FORMSPRODUCEDINSAND 3 29FORMSPRODUCEDBYPENDULUMS 4-7 30VAGUEPUREAFFECTION 8 40VAGUESELFISHAFFECTION 9 40DEFINITEAFFECTION 10 42RADIATINGAFFECTION 11 43PEACEANDPROTECTION 12 42GRASPINGANIMALAFFECTION 13 43VAGUERELIGIOUSFEELING 14 44UPWARDRUSHOFDEVOTION 15 46SELF-RENUNCIATION 16 44RESPONSETODEVOTION 17 46VAGUEINTELLECTUALPLEASURE 18 50VAGUESYMPATHY 18A 50THEINTENTIONTOKNOW 19 51HIGHAMBITION 20 52SELFISHAMBITION 21 52MURDEROUSRAGE 22 53SUSTAINEDANGER 23 53EXPLOSIVEANGER 24 51WATCHFULJEALOUSY 25 54ANGRYJEALOUSY 26 54SUDDENFRIGHT 27 55SELFISHGREED 28 56

GREEDFORDRINK 29 56ATASHIPWRECK 30 58ONTHEFIRSTNIGHT 31 59THEGAMBLERS 32 60ATASTREETACCIDENT 33 61ATAFUNERAL 34 62ONMEETINGAFRIEND 35 64THEAPPRECIATIONOFAPICTURE 36 64SYMPATHYANDLOVEFORALL 37 66ANASPIRATIONTOENFOLDALL 38 67INTHESIXDIRECTIONS 39 66ANINTELLECTUALCONCEPTIONOFCOSMICORDER 40 69

THELOGOSASMANIFESTEDINMAN 41 69THELOGOSPERVADINGALL 42and44 70ANOTHERCONCEPTION 45 70THETHREEFOLDMANIFESTATION 46 70THESEVENFOLDMANIFESTATION 47 70INTELLECTUALASPIRATION 43 72

HELPFULTHOUGHTS 48,49,50,51,52,53,54 74

PLATE

MUSICOFMENDELSSOHN M 78MUSICOFGOUNOD G 80MUSICOFWAGNER W 82

[Transcriber'sNote:Someoftheplatesaredisplayedoutofsequencetocorrespondwithreferencestotheminthetext.]

THOUGHT-FORMS

As knowledge increases, the attitude of science towards the things of theinvisible world is undergoing considerable modification. Its attention is nolongerdirectedsolelytotheearthwithallitsvarietyofobjects,ortothephysicalworlds around it; but it finds itself compelled to glance further afield, and toconstruct hypotheses as to the nature of thematter and forcewhich lie in theregionsbeyond thekenof its instruments.Ether isnowcomfortably settled inthe scientific kingdom, becoming almostmore than a hypothesis.Mesmerism,under its new name of hypnotism, is no longer an outcast. Reichenbach'sexperiments are still looked at askance, but are not wholly condemned.Röntgen'srayshaverearrangedsomeoftheolderideasofmatter,whileradiumhasrevolutionised them,and is leadingsciencebeyond theborderlandofetherintotheastralworld.Theboundariesbetweenanimateandinanimatematterarebroken down.Magnets are found to be possessed of almost uncanny powers,transferring certain forms of disease in away not yet satisfactorily explained.Telepathy,clairvoyance,movementwithoutcontact, thoughnotyetadmittedtothescientifictable,areapproachingtheCinderella-stage.Thefactisthatsciencehaspresseditsresearchessofar,hasusedsuchrareingenuityinitsquestioningsof nature, has shown such tireless patience in its investigations, that it isreceivingtherewardofthosewhoseek,andforcesandbeingsofthenexthigherplane of nature are beginning to show themselves on the outer edge of thephysicalfield."Naturemakesnoleaps,"andasthephysicistnearstheconfinesofhiskingdomhefindshimselfbewilderedbytouchesandgleamsfromanotherrealmwhichinterpenetrateshisown.Hefindshimselfcompelledtospeculateoninvisiblepresences,ifonlytofindarationalexplanationforundoubtedphysicalphenomena,andinsensiblyheslipsovertheboundary,andis,althoughhedoesnotyetrealiseit,contactingtheastralplane.

Oneofthemostinterestingofthehighroadsfromthephysicaltotheastralisthatofthestudyofthought.TheWesternscientist,commencingintheanatomyandphysiology of the brain, endeavours to make these the basis for "a soundpsychology."Hepassesthenintotheregionofdreams,illusions,hallucinations;andassoonasheendeavours toelaborateanexperimentalsciencewhichshallclassify and arrange these, he inevitably plunges into the astral plane. DrBaraducofParishasnearlycrossedthebarrier,andiswellonthewaytowards

photographing astro-mental images, to obtaining pictures of what from thematerialisticstandpointwouldbetheresultsofvibrationsin thegreymatterofthebrain.

Ithas longbeenknown to thosewhohavegivenattention to thequestion thatimpressionswereproducedbythereflectionoftheultra-violetraysfromobjectsnotvisiblebytheraysoftheordinaryspectrum.Clairvoyantswereoccasionallyjustifiedbytheappearanceonsensitivephotographicplatesoffiguresseenanddescribedbythemaspresentwiththesitter,thoughinvisibletophysicalsight.Itisnotpossibleforanunbiassedjudgmenttoreject intoto theevidenceofsuchoccurrences proffered by men of integrity on the strength of their ownexperiments,oftentimesrepeated.Andnowwehaveinvestigatorswhoturntheirattentiontotheobtainingofimagesofsubtleforms,inventingmethodsspeciallydesignedwiththeviewofreproducingthem.Amongthese,DrBaraducseemstohavebeenthemostsuccessful,andhehaspublishedavolumedealingwithhisinvestigationsandcontainingreproductionsofthephotographshehasobtained.DrBaraducstatesthatheisinvestigatingthesubtleforcesbywhichthesoul—definedastheintelligenceworkingbetweenthebodyandthespirit—expressesitself,byseekingtorecorditsmovementsbymeansofaneedle,its"luminous"butinvisiblevibrationsbyimpressionsonsensitiveplates.Heshutsoutbynon-conductorselectricityandheat.Wecanpassoverhisexperiments inBiometry(measurementof lifebymovements),andglanceat those in Iconography—theimpressions of invisible waves, regarded by him as of the nature of light, inwhich thesouldraws itsownimage.Anumberof thesephotographsrepresentetheric andmagnetic results of physical phenomena, and these againwemaypass over as not bearing on our special subject, interesting as they are inthemselves.DrBaraducobtainedvariousimpressionsbystronglythinkingofanobject, theeffectproducedby the thought-formappearingona sensitiveplate;thushetriedtoprojectaportraitofalady(thendead)whomhehadknown,andproducedanimpressionduetohisthoughtofadrawinghehadmadeofheronherdeathbed.Hequiterightlysaysthat thecreationofanobject is thepassingoutofanimagefromthemindanditssubsequentmaterialisation,andheseeksthe chemical effect caused on silver salts by this thought-created picture.Onestrikingillustrationisthatofaforcerayingoutwards,theprojectionofanearnestprayer.Anotherprayerisseenproducingformslikethefrondsofafern,anotherlike rain pouring upwards, if the phrase may be permitted. A rippled oblongmassisprojectedbythreepersonsthinkingoftheirunityinaffection.Ayoungboysorrowingoverandcaressingadeadbirdissurroundedbyafloodofcurvedinterwoven threads of emotional disturbance. A strong vortex is formed by a

feelingofdeepsadness.Lookingatthismostinterestingandsuggestiveseries,itisclearthatinthesepicturesthatwhichisobtainedisnotthethought-image,butthe effect caused in etheric matter by its vibrations, and it is necessary toclairvoyantlyseethethoughtinordertounderstandtheresultsproduced.Infact,theillustrationsareinstructiveforwhattheydonotshowdirectly,aswellasfortheimagesthatappear.

Itmay be useful to put before students, a littlemore plainly than has hithertobeendone, someof the facts in naturewhichwill rendermore intelligible theresultsatwhichDrBaraducisarriving.Necessarily imperfect thesemustbe,aphysical photographic camera and sensitive plates not being ideal instrumentsforastralresearch;but,aswillbeseenfromtheabove,theyaremostinterestingand valuable as forming a link between clairvoyant and physical scientificinvestigations.

At thepresent timeobserversoutside theTheosophicalSocietyareconcerningthemselveswiththefactthatemotionalchangesshowtheirnaturebychangesofcolour in the cloud-like ovoid, or aura, that encompasses all living beings.Articles on the subject are appearing in papers unconnected with theTheosophicalSociety,andamedicalspecialist[1]hascollectedalargenumberofcases in which the colour of the aura of persons of various types andtemperaments is recordedbyhim.Hisresults resembleclosely thosearrivedatbyclairvoyanttheosophistsandothers,andthegeneralunanimityonthesubjectissufficienttoestablishthefact,iftheevidencebejudgedbytheusualcanonsappliedtohumantestimony.

ThebookManVisibleand Invisibledealtwith thegeneral subjectof theaura.Thepresentlittlevolume,writtenbytheauthorofManVisibleandInvisible,anda theosophical colleague, is intended to carry the subject further; and it isbelieved that this study is useful, as impressing vividly on the mind of thestudent the power and living nature of thought and desire, and the influenceexertedbythemonallwhomtheyreach.

DrHooker,GloucesterPlace,London,W.

THEDIFFICULTYOFREPRESENTATION

Wehaveoftenhearditsaidthatthoughtsarethings,andtherearemanyamonguswhoarepersuadedofthetruthofthisstatement.Yetveryfewofushaveanyclearideaastowhatkindofthingathoughtis,andtheobjectofthislittlebookistohelpustoconceivethis.

There are some serious difficulties in ourway, for our conception of space islimited to three dimensions, and when we attempt to make a drawing wepractically limit ourselves to two. In reality the presentation even of ordinarythree-dimensional objects is seriouslydefective, for scarcely a lineor angle inour drawing is accurately shown. If a road crosses the picture, the part in theforeground must be represented as enormously wider than that in thebackground, although in reality the width is unchanged. If a house is to bedrawn, the right angles at its cornersmustbe shownas acuteorobtuseas thecasemaybe,buthardlyeverastheyactuallyare.Infact,wedraweverythingnotasitisbutasitappears,andtheeffortoftheartistisbyaskilfularrangementoflinesupona flat surface toconvey to theeyean impressionwhichshall recallthatmadebyathree-dimensionalobject.

Itispossibletodothisonlybecausesimilarobjectsarealreadyfamiliartothosewho look at the picture and accept the suggestionwhich it conveys.Apersonwhohadneverseenatreecouldformbutlittleideaofonefromeventhemostskilfulpainting.Iftothisdifficultyweaddtheotherandfarmoreseriousoneofalimitationofconsciousness,andsupposeourselvestobeshowingthepicturetoabeingwhoknewonlytwodimensions,weseehowutterlyimpossibleitwouldbe to convey to him any adequate impression of such a landscape aswe see.Preciselythisdifficultyinitsmostaggravatedformstandsinourway,whenwetrytomakeadrawingofevenaverysimplethought-form.Thevastmajorityofthosewholookatthepictureareabsolutelylimitedtotheconsciousnessofthreedimensions, and furthermore, have not the slightest conception of that innerworldtowhichthought-formsbelong,withallitssplendidlightandcolour.Allthatwecandoatthebestistorepresentasectionofthethought-form;andthosewhosefacultiesenablethemtoseetheoriginalcannotbutbedisappointedwithanyreproductionofit.Still,thosewhoareatpresentunabletoseeanythingwillgainatleastapartialcomprehension,andhoweverinadequateitmaybeitisatleastbetterthannothing.

All students know thatwhat is called the aura ofman is the outer part of thecloud-like substance of his higher bodies, interpenetrating each other, andextending beyond the confines of his physical body, the smallest of all. Theyknow also that two of these bodies, the mental and desire bodies, are thosechieflyconcernedwiththeappearanceofwhatarecalledthought-forms.Butinorderthatthemattermaybemadeclearforall,andnotonlyforstudentsalreadyacquaintedwith theosophical teachings, a recapitulation of themain factswillnotbeoutofplace.

Man,theThinker, isclothedinabodycomposedofinnumerablecombinationsofthesubtlematterofthementalplane,thisbodybeingmoreorlessrefinedinits constituentsandorganisedmoreor less fully for its functions, according tothestageofintellectualdevelopmentatwhichthemanhimselfhasarrived.Themental body is an object of great beauty, the delicacy and rapidmotion of itsparticlesgivingitanaspectoflivingiridescentlight,andthisbeautybecomesanextraordinarily radiant andentrancing loveliness as the intellectbecomesmorehighly evolved and is employed chiefly on pure and sublime topics. Everythought gives rise to a set of correlated vibrations in thematter of this body,accompanied with a marvellous play of colour, like that in the spray of awaterfallas thesunlight strikes it, raised to thenthdegreeofcolourandvividdelicacy. The body under this impulse throws off a vibrating portion of itself,shapedby thenatureof thevibrations—as figuresaremadebysandonadiskvibrating toamusicalnote—andthisgathersfromthesurroundingatmospherematterlikeitselfinfinenessfromtheelementalessenceofthementalworld.Wehave then a thought-form pure and simple, and it is a living entity of intenseactivityanimatedbytheoneideathatgeneratedit.Ifmadeofthefinerkindsofmatter, itwillbeofgreatpowerandenergy,andmaybeusedasamostpotentagentwhendirectedbyastrongandsteadywill.Intothedetailsofsuchusewewillenterlater.

Whentheman'senergyflowsoutwardstowardsexternalobjectsofdesire,orisoccupiedinpassionalandemotionalactivities,thisenergyworksinalesssubtleorderofmatter than themental, in that of the astralworld.What is calledhisdesire-bodyiscomposedofthismatter,anditformsthemostprominentpartoftheauraintheundevelopedman.Wherethemanisofagrosstype,thedesire-bodyisof thedensermatterof theastralplane,andisdull inhue,brownsanddirtygreensandredsplayingagreatpart in it.Through thiswill flashvariouscharacteristiccolours,ashispassionsareexcited.Amanofahighertypehashisdesire-body composed of the finer qualities of astralmatter, with the colours,

ripplingoverandflashing throughit, fineandclear inhue.While lessdelicateand less radiant than the mental body, it forms a beautiful object, and asselfishnessiseliminatedallthedullerandheaviershadesdisappear.

Thisdesire(orastral)bodygivesrisetoasecondclassofentities,similarintheirgeneral constitution to the thought-forms already described, but limited to theastralplane,andgeneratedbythemindunderthedominionoftheanimalnature.

Thesearecausedbytheactivityofthelowermind,throwingitselfoutthroughtheastralbody—theactivityofKâma-Manasintheosophicalterminology,ortheminddominatedbydesire.Vibrationsinthebodyofdesire,orastralbody,areinthiscasesetup,andunderthesethisbodythrowsoffavibratingportionofitself,shaped,asinthepreviouscase,bythenatureofthevibrations,andthisattractsto itself someof the appropriate elemental essenceof the astralworld.Suchathought-formhasforitsbodythiselementalessence,andforitsanimatingsoulthe desire or passionwhich threw it forth; according to the amount ofmentalenergy combinedwith this desire or passionwill be the force of the thought-form. These, like those belonging to the mental plane, are called artificialelementals,and theyarebyfar themostcommon,as fewthoughtsofordinarymenandwomenareuntingedwithdesire,passion,oremotion.

THETWOEFFECTSOFTHOUGHT

Each definite thought produces a double effect—a radiating vibration and afloatingform.Thethoughtitselfappearsfirsttoclairvoyantsightasavibrationin themental body, and thismay be either simple or complex. If the thoughtitself isabsolutelysimple, there isonly theonerateofvibration,andonlyonetypeofmentalmatterwillbestronglyaffected.Thementalbodyiscomposedofmatter of several degrees of density, which we commonly arrange in classesaccordingtothesub-planes.Ofeachofthesewehavemanysub-divisions,andifwe typify thesebydrawinghorizontal lines to indicate thedifferentdegreesofdensity, there is another arrangement which we might symbolise by drawingperpendicularlinesatrightanglestotheothers,todenotetypeswhichdifferinqualityaswellasindensity.Therearethusmanyvarietiesofthismentalmatter,anditisfoundthateachoneofthesehasitsownespecialandappropriaterateofvibration,towhichitseemsmostaccustomed,sothatitveryreadilyrespondstoit,andtendstoreturntoitassoonaspossiblewhenithasbeenforcedawayfromit by some strong rush of thought or feeling. When a sudden wave of someemotionsweepsoveraman,forexample,hisastralbodyisthrownintoviolentagitation,anditsoriginalcoloursareorthetimealmostobscuredbytheflushofcarmine, of blue, or of scarletwhich correspondswith the rate of vibrationofthat particular emotion. This change is only temporary; it passes off in a fewseconds,andtheastralbodyrapidlyresumesitsusualcondition.Yeteverysuchrushoffeelingproducesapermanenteffect:italwaysaddsalittleofitshuetothenormalcolouringof theastralbody, so thatevery time that themanyieldshimself to a certain emotion it becomes easier for him to yield himself to itagain, because his astral body is getting into the habit of vibrating at thatespecialrate.

Themajorityofhumanthoughts,however,arebynomeanssimple.Absolutelypureaffectionofcourseexists;butweveryoftenfindittingedwithprideorwithselfishness,with jealousyorwithanimalpassion.Thismeans that at least twoseparatevibrationsappearbothinthementalandastralbodies—frequentlymorethan two. The radiating vibration, therefore, will be a complex one, and theresultantthought-formwillshowseveralcoloursinsteadofonlyone.

HOWTHEVIBRATIONACTS

These radiating vibrations, like all others in nature, become less powerful inproportion to the distance from their source, though it is probable that thevariation is in proportion to the cube of the distance instead of to the square,because of the additional dimension involved.Again, like all other vibrations,thesetendtoreproducethemselveswheneveropportunityisofferedtothem;andsowhenever they strike upon anothermental body they tend to provoke in ittheir own rate ofmotion. That is—from the point of view of themanwhosemental body is touched by these waves—they tend to produce in his mindthoughtsofthesametypeasthatwhichhadpreviouslyariseninthemindofthethinker who sent forth the waves. The distance to which such thought-wavespenetrate, and the force and persistency with which they impinge upon thementalbodiesofothers,dependuponthestrengthandclearnessoftheoriginalthought.Inthiswaythethinkerisinthesamepositionasthespeaker.Thevoiceofthelattersetsinmotionwavesofsoundintheairwhichradiatefromhiminalldirections,andconveyhismessagetoall thosewhoarewithinhearing,andthedistancetowhichhisvoicecanpenetratedependsuponitspowerandupontheclearnessofhisenunciation.In just thesamewaytheforceful thoughtwillcarryverymuchfurtherthantheweakandundecidedthought;butclearnessanddefiniteness are of even greater importance than strength. Again, just as thespeaker'svoicemayfalluponheedlessearswheremenarealreadyengaged inbusinessor inpleasure, somay amightywaveof thought sweeppastwithoutaffectingthemindoftheman,ifhebealreadydeeplyengrossedinsomeotherlineofthought.

Itshouldbeunderstoodthatthisradiatingvibrationconveysthecharacterofthethought,butnotitssubject.IfaHindusitsraptindevotiontoKṛiṣhṇa,thewavesof feelingwhich pour forth fromhim stimulate devotional feeling in all thosewho come under their influence, though in the case of theMuhammadan thatdevotion is toAllah,while for theZoroastrian it is toAhuramazda, or for theChristian to Jesus. Aman thinking keenly upon some high subject pours outfromhimselfvibrationswhichtendtostirupthoughtatasimilarlevelinothers,but they in noway suggest to those others the special subject of his thought.Theynaturally actwith special vigourupon thoseminds alreadyhabituated tovibrationsofsimilarcharacter;yettheyhavesomeeffectoneverymentalbody

upon which they impinge, so that their tendency is to awaken the power ofhigher thought in those to whom it has not yet become a custom. It is thusevident that everymanwho thinksalonghigh lines isdoingmissionarywork,eventhoughhemaybeentirelyunconsciousofit.

THEFORMANDITSEFFECT

Letusturnnowtothesecondeffectofthought,thecreationofadefiniteform.Allstudentsoftheoccultareacquaintedwiththeideaoftheelementalessence,that strange half-intelligent lifewhich surrounds us in all directions, vivifyingthematterof thementalandastralplanes.Thismatter thusanimated respondsvery readily to the influence of human thought, and every impulse sent out,eitherfromthementalbodyorfromtheastralbodyofman,immediatelyclothesitselfinatemporaryvehicleofthisvitalisedmatter.Suchathoughtorimpulsebecomesforthetimeakindoflivingcreature,thethought-forcebeingthesoul,and the vivified matter the body. Instead of using the somewhat clumsyparaphrase, "astral or mental matter ensouled by the monadic essence at thestageofoneoftheelementalkingdoms,"theosophicalwritersoften,forbrevity'ssake,call thisquickenedmatter simplyelementalessence;andsometimes theyspeakofthethought-formas"anelemental."Theremaybeinfinitevarietyinthecolourand shapeof suchelementalsor thought-forms, for each thoughtdrawsroundit thematterwhich isappropriatefor itsexpression,andsets thatmatterinto vibration in harmony with its own; so that the character of the thoughtdecides its colour, and the study of its variations and combinations is anexceedinglyinterestingone.

Thisthought-formmaynotinaptlybecomparedtoaLeydenjar,thecoatingoflivingessencebeingsymbolisedbythejar,andthethoughtenergybythechargeofelectricity.Iftheman'sthoughtorfeelingisdirectlyconnectedwithsomeoneelse,theresultantthought-formmovestowardsthatpersonanddischargesitselfuponhis astral andmental bodies. If theman's thought is about himself, or isbased upon a personal feeling, as the vast majority of thoughts are, it hoversround its creator and is always ready to react upon himwhenever he is for amoment in a passive condition. For example, a man who yields himself tothoughtsofimpuritymayforgetallaboutthemwhileheisengagedinthedailyroutineofhisbusiness,eventhoughtheresultantformsarehangingroundhiminaheavycloud,becausehisattentionisotherwisedirectedandhisastralbodyistherefore not impressible by any other rate of vibration than its own.When,however,themarkedvibrationslackensandthemanrestsafterhislaboursandleaveshismindblank as regards definite thought, he is very likely to feel thevibrationofimpuritystealinginsidiouslyuponhim.If theconsciousnessofthe

manbetoanyextentawakened,hemayperceivethisandcryoutthatheisbeingtemptedbythedevil;yetthetruthisthatthetemptationisfromwithoutonlyinappearance, since it is nothing but the natural reaction upon him of his ownthought-forms. Eachman travels through space enclosedwithin a cage of hisown building, surrounded by a mass of the forms created by his habitualthoughts.Through thismediumhe looksout upon theworld, andnaturally hesees everything tingedwith its predominant colours, and all rates of vibrationwhichreachhimfromwithoutaremoreorlessmodifiedbyitsrate.Thusuntiltheman learns complete control of thought and feeling, he sees nothing as itreally is, since all his observationsmustbemade through thismedium,whichdistortsandcolourseverythinglikebadly-madeglass.

If the thought-form be neither definitely personal nor specially aimed atsomeoneelse,itsimplyfloatsdetachedintheatmosphere,allthetimeradiatingvibrationssimilartothoseoriginallysentforthbyitscreator.Ifitdoesnotcomeinto contact with any other mental body, this radiation gradually exhausts itsstore of energy, and in that case the form falls to pieces; but if it succeeds inawakeningsympatheticvibrationinanymentalbodynearathand,anattractionissetup,andthethought-formisusuallyabsorbedbythatmentalbody.Thusweseethattheinfluenceofthethought-formisbynomeanssofar-reachingasthatof the original vibration; but in so far as it acts, it acts with much greaterprecision.Whatitproducesinthemind-bodywhichitinfluencesisnotmerelyathought of an order similar to thatwhich gave it birth; it is actually the samethought.Theradiationmayaffectthousandsandstirupinthemthoughtsonthesame level as theoriginal, andyet itmayhappen that nooneof themwill beidentical with that original; the thought-form can affect only very few, but inthosefewcasesitwillreproduceexactlytheinitiatoryidea.

Thefactofthecreationbyvibrationsofadistinctform,geometricalorother,isalready familiar to every student of acoustics, and "Chladni's" figures arecontinuallyreproducedineveryphysicallaboratory.

FIG.1.CHLADNI'SSOUNDPLATE

FIG.2.FORMSPRODUCEDINSOUND

For the lay reader the following brief descriptionmay be useful. A Chladni'ssoundplate(fig.1)ismadeofbrassorplate-glass.Grainsoffinesandorsporesare scatteredover the surface,and theedgeof theplate isbowed.Thesand isthrownupintotheairbythevibrationoftheplate,andre-fallingontheplateisarrangedinregular lines(fig.2).Bytouchingtheedgeof theplateatdifferentpointswhenitisbowed,differentnotes,andhencevaryingforms,areobtained(fig. 3). If the figures here given are compared with those obtained from thehuman voice, many likenesses will be observed. For these latter, the 'voice-forms' so admirably studied and pictured by Mrs Watts Hughes,[1] bearingwitnesstothesamefact,shouldbeconsulted,andherworkonthesubjectshouldbeinthehandsofeverystudent.Butfewperhapshaverealisedthattheshapespictured are due to the interplay of the vibrations that create them, and that amachine exists bymeans ofwhich two ormore simultaneousmotions can beimparted to a pendulum, and that by attaching a fine drawing-pen to a leverconnectedwiththependulumitsactionmaybeexactlytraced.Substitutefortheswingofthependulumthevibrationssetupinthementalorastralbody,andwehave clearly before us the modus operandi of the building of forms byvibrations.[2]

TheEidophoneVoiceFigures.MargaretWattsHughes.

MrJosephGould,StratfordHouse,Nottingham,supplies the twin-ellipticpendulumbywhichthesewonderfulfiguresmaybeproduced.

FIG.3.FORMSPRODUCEDINSOUND

The following description is taken from a most interesting essay entitledVibration Figures, by F. BlighBond, F.R.I.B.A.,who has drawn a number ofremarkable figures by the use of pendulums. The pendulum is suspended onknife edges of hardened steel, and is free to swing only at right angles to theknife-edgesuspension.Foursuchpendulumsmaybecoupledinpairs,swingingat right angles to each other, by threads connecting the shafts of each pair ofpendulumswiththeendsofalightbutrigidlath,fromthecentreofwhichrunother threads; these threads carry the united movements of each pair ofpendulumstoalightsquareofwood,suspendedbyaspring,andbearingapen.Thepen is thuscontrolledby thecombinedmovementof the fourpendulums,and this movement is registered on a drawing board by the pen. There is nolimit, theoretically, to the number of pendulums that can be combined in thismanner.Themovements are rectilinear, but two rectilinear vibrations of equalamplitudeactingatrightanglestoeachothergenerateacircleif theyalternateprecisely,anellipseifthealternationsarelessregularortheamplitudesunequal.A cyclic vibrationmay also be obtained from a pendulum free to swing in arotary path. In these ways a most wonderful series of drawings have been

obtained,andthesimilarityofthesetosomeofthethought-formsisremarkable;they suffice to demonstrate how readily vibrations may be transformed intofigures.Thuscomparefig.4withfig.12,themother'sprayer;orfig.5withfig.10;or fig.6with fig.25, the serpent-likedarting forms.Fig.7 is addedas anillustrationofthecomplexityattainable.Itseemstousamostmarvellousthingthat some of the drawings, made apparently at random by the use of thismachine,shouldexactlycorrespondtohighertypesofthought-formscreatedinmeditation.Wearesurethatawealthofsignificanceliesbehindthisfact,thoughit will needmuch further investigation before we can say certainly all that itmeans.But itmustsurely implythismuch—that, if twoforcesonthephysicalplane bearing a certain ratio one to the other can draw a formwhich exactlycorrespondstothatproducedonthementalplanebyacomplexthought,wemayinferthatthatthoughtsetsinmotiononitsownplanetwoforceswhichareinthesameratioonetotheother.Whattheseforcesareandhowtheyworkremainstobeseen;butifweareeverabletosolvethisproblem,itislikelythatitwillopentousanewandexceedinglyvaluablefieldofknowledge.

FIGS.4-7.FORMSPRODUCEDBYPENDULUMS

GENERALPRINCIPLES.

Threegeneralprinciplesunderlietheproductionofallthought-forms:—

1. Qualityofthoughtdeterminescolour.2. Natureofthoughtdeterminesform.3. Definitenessofthoughtdeterminesclearnessofoutline.

THEMEANINGOFTHECOLOURS

The table of colours given in the frontispiece has already been thoroughlydescribedinthebookManVisibleandInvisible,andthemeaningtobeattachedto them is just the same in the thought-formas in the bodyout ofwhich it isevolved.Forthesakeofthosewhohavenotathandthefulldescriptiongiveninthe book just mentioned, it will be well to state that blackmeans hatred andmalice. Red, of all shades from lurid brick-red to brilliant scarlet, indicatesanger; brutal angerwill show as flashes of lurid red fromdark brown clouds,while the anger of "noble indignation" is a vivid scarlet, by no meansunbeautiful, though it gives an unpleasant thrill; a particularly dark andunpleasant red, almost exactly the colour called dragon's blood, shows animalpassionandsensualdesireofvariouskinds.Clearbrown(almostburntsienna)showsavarice;harddullbrown-greyisasignofselfishness—acolourwhichisindeed painfully common; deep heavy grey signifies depression,while a lividpale grey is associated with fear; grey-green is a signal of deceit, whilebrownish-green (usually flecked with points and flashes of scarlet) betokensjealousy.Green seems always todenote adaptability; in the lowest case,whenmingledwithselfishness,thisadaptabilitybecomesdeceit;atalaterstage,whenthecolourbecomespurer, itmeans rather thewish tobeall things toallmen,even though itmaybechiefly for thesakeofbecomingpopularandbearingagoodreputationwiththem;initsstillhigher,moredelicateandmoreluminousaspect, itshowsthedivinepowerofsympathy.Affectionexpresses itself inallshadesofcrimsonandrose;afullclearcarminemeansastronghealthyaffectionofnormaltype;ifstainedheavilywithbrown-grey,aselfishandgraspingfeelingis indicated,whilepurepalerosemarksthatabsolutelyunselfishlovewhichispossibleonlytohighnatures;itpassesfromthedullcrimsonofanimallovetothemostexquisiteshadesofdelicaterose,liketheearlyflushesofthedawning,as the lovebecomespurified fromall selfishelements, and flowsout inwiderandwidercirclesofgenerousimpersonaltendernessandcompassiontoallwhoareinneed.Withatouchoftheblueofdevotioninit,thismayexpressastrongrealisationoftheuniversalbrotherhoodofhumanity.Deeporangeimportsprideor ambition, and the various shades of yellow denote intellect or intellectualgratification,dullyellowochreimplyingthedirectionofsuchfacultytoselfishpurposes,whilecleargambogeshowsadistinctlyhighertype,andpaleluminousprimroseyellow is a signof the highest andmost unselfish use of intellectual

power,thepurereasondirectedtospiritualends.Thedifferentshadesofblueallindicatereligiousfeeling,andrangethroughallhuesfromthedarkbrown-blueofselfishdevotion,orthepallidgrey-blueoffetish-worshiptingedwithfear,uptotherichdeepclearcolourofheartfeltadoration,andthebeautifulpaleazureofthathighestformwhichimpliesself-renunciationandunionwiththedivine;thedevotionalthoughtofanunselfishheartisverylovelyincolour,likethedeepblueofasummersky.Throughsuchcloudsofbluewilloftenshineoutgoldenstarsofgreatbrilliancy,dartingupwards likeashowerofsparks.Amixtureofaffection and devotion ismanifested by a tint of violet, and themore delicateshades of this invariably show the capacity of absorbing and responding to ahighandbeautifulideal.Thebrilliancyandthedepthofthecoloursareusuallyameasureofthestrengthandtheactivityofthefeeling.

Anotherconsiderationwhichmustnotbeforgottenisthetypeofmatterinwhichtheseformsaregenerated.Ifa thoughtbepurelyintellectualandimpersonal—for example, if the thinker is attempting to solve a problem in algebra orgeometry—thethought-formandthewaveofvibrationwillbeconfinedentirelyto themental plane. If, however, the thought be of a spiritual nature, if it betingedwith love and aspiration or deep unselfish feeling, it will rise upwardsfromthementalplaneandwillborrowmuchofthesplendourandgloryofthebuddhic level. In such a case its influence is exceedingly powerful, and everysuch thought is amighty force for goodwhich cannot but produce a decidedeffect upon all mental bodies within reach, if they contain any quality at allcapableofresponse.

If,ontheotherhand,thethoughthasinitsomethingofselforofpersonaldesire,atonceitsvibrationturnsdownwards,anditdrawsrounditselfabodyofastralmatter in addition to its clothing of mental matter. Such a thought-form iscapableofactingupontheastralbodiesofothermenaswellastheirminds,sothatitcannotonlyraisethoughtwithinthem,butcanalsostiruptheirfeelings.

THREECLASSESOFTHOUGHT-FORMS

Fromthepointofviewoftheformswhichtheyproducewemaygroupthoughtintothreeclasses:—

1.Thatwhichtakestheimageofthethinker.Whenamanthinksofhimselfasinsomedistantplace,orwishesearnestlytobeinthatplace,hemakesathought-form inhisown imagewhichappears there.Sucha formhasnot infrequentlybeen seen by others, and has sometimes been taken for the astral body orapparitionofthemanhimself.Insuchacase,eithertheseermusthaveenoughof clairvoyance for the time to be able to observe that astral shape, or thethought-formmusthavesufficientstrengthtomaterialiseitself—thatis,todrawrounditselftemporarilyacertainamountofphysicalmatter.Thethoughtwhichgeneratessuchaformasthismustnecessarilybeastrongone,anditthereforeemploysalargerproportionofthematterofthementalbody,sothatthoughtheform is small and compressed when it leaves the thinker, it draws round it aconsiderableamountofastralmatter, andusuallyexpands to life-sizebefore itappearsatitsdestination.

2.Thatwhichtakestheimageofsomematerialobject.Whenamanthinksofhisfriend he formswithin hismental body aminute image of that friend, whichoftenpassesoutwardandusuallyfloatssuspendedintheairbeforehim.Inthesameway if he thinks of a room, a house, a landscape, tiny images of thesethings are formedwithin themental body and afterwards externalised. This isequally true when he is exercising his imagination; the painter who forms aconceptionofhisfuturepicturebuildsitupoutofthematterofhismentalbody,andthenprojectsitintospaceinfrontofhim,keepsitbeforehismind'seye,andcopiesit.Thenovelistinthesamewaybuildsimagesofhischaracterinmentalmatter,andbytheexerciseofhiswillmovesthesepuppetsfromonepositionorgroupingtoanother,sothattheplotofhisstoryisliterallyactedoutbeforehim.Withourcuriouslyinvertedconceptionsofrealityitishardforustounderstandthat thesemental images actually exist, and are so entirely objective that theymayreadilybeseenbytheclairvoyant,andcanevenberearrangedbysomeoneother than their creator. Some novelists have been dimly aware of such aprocess,andhave testified that theircharacterswhenoncecreateddevelopedawilloftheirown,andinsistedoncarryingtheplotofthestoryalonglinesquitedifferent from those originally intended by the author. This has actually

happened, sometimes because the thought-forms were ensouled by playfulnature-spirits,ormoreoftenbecausesome'dead'novelist,watchingontheastralplane the development of the plan of his fellow-author, thought that he couldimproveuponit,andchosethismethodofputtingforwardhissuggestions.

3.Thatwhichtakesaformentirelyitsown,expressingits inherentqualitiesinthematterwhich it draws round it.Only thought-forms of this third class canusefullybeillustrated,fortorepresentthoseofthefirstorsecondclasswouldbemerelytodrawportraitsorlandscapes.Inthosetypeswehavetheplasticmentalorastralmattermouldedinimitationofformsbelongingtothephysicalplane;inthis thirdgroupwehaveaglimpseof theformsnatural to theastralormentalplanes. Yet this very fact, which makes them so interesting, places aninsuperablebarrierinthewayoftheiraccuratereproduction.

Thought-formsofthisthirdclassalmostinvariablymanifestthemselvesupontheastralplane,asthevastmajorityofthemareexpressionsoffeelingaswellasofthought.Thoseofwhichweheregivespecimensarealmostwhollyofthatclass,except that we take a few examples of the beautiful thought-forms created indefinite meditation by those who, through long practice, have learnt how tothink.

Thought-formsdirected towards individuals produce definitelymarked effects,theseeffectsbeingeitherpartiallyreproducedintheauraoftherecipientandsoincreasingthetotalresult,orrepelledfromit.Athoughtofloveandofdesiretoprotect, directed strongly towards some beloved object, creates a form whichgoes to the person thought of, and remains in his aura as a shielding andprotectingagent; itwill seekallopportunities toserve,andallopportunities todefend,notbyaconsciousanddeliberateaction,butbyablindfollowingoutoftheimpulseimpresseduponit,anditwillstrengthenfriendlyforcesthatimpingeon the aura and weaken unfriendly ones. Thus may we create and maintainveritableguardianangelsroundthosewelove,andmanyamother'sprayerforadistantchildthuscirclesroundhim,thoughsheknowsnotthemethodbywhichher"prayerisanswered."

In cases in which good or evil thoughts are projected at individuals, thosethoughts,iftheyaretodirectlyfulfiltheirmission,mustfind,intheauraoftheobjecttowhomtheyaresent,materialscapableofrespondingsympatheticallytotheir vibrations. Any combination of matter can only vibrate within certaindefinitelimits,andifthethought-formbeoutsideallthelimitswithinwhichtheaura is capable of vibrating, it cannot affect that aura at all. It consequently

reboundsfromit,andthatwithaforceproportionatetotheenergywithwhichitimpingeduponit.Thisiswhyitissaidthatapureheartandmindarethebestprotectors against any inimical assaults, for such a pure heart and mind willconstruct an astral and a mental body of fine and subtle materials, and thesebodiescannotrespondtovibrationsthatdemandcoarseanddensematter.Ifanevil thought, projected with malefic intent, strikes such a body, it can onlyrebound from it, and it is flung back with all its own energy; it then fliesbackward along the magnetic line of least resistance, that which it has justtraversed, and strikes its projector; he, havingmatter in his astral andmentalbodies similar to that of the thought-form he generated, is thrown intorespondent vibrations, and suffers the destructive effects he had intended tocause toanother.Thus"curses [andblessings]comehometoroost."Fromthisarise also the very serious effects of hating or suspecting a good and highly-advancedman; the thought-formssentagainsthimcannot injurehim,and theyreboundagainsttheirprojectors,shatteringthemmentally,morally,orphysically.SeveralsuchinstancesarewellknowntomembersoftheTheosophicalSociety,havingcomeundertheirdirectobservation.Solongasanyofthecoarserkindsofmatterconnectedwithevilandselfishthoughtsremaininaperson'sbody,heis open to attack from those who wish him evil, but when he has perfectlyeliminatedthesebyself-purificationhishaterscannotinjurehim,andhegoesoncalmlyandpeacefullyamidall thedartsoftheirmalice.Butit isbadforthosewhoshootoutsuchdarts.

Anotherpoint that shouldbementionedbeforepassing to the considerationofourillustrationsisthateveryoneofthethought-formsheregivenisdrawnfromlife.Theyarenot imaginary forms,preparedas somedreamer thinks that theyought toappear; theyare representationsof formsactuallyobservedas thrownoff by ordinarymen andwomen, and either reproducedwith all possible careandfidelitybythosewhohaveseenthem,orwiththehelpofartiststowhomtheseershavedescribedthem.

For convenience of comparison thought-forms of a similar kind are groupedtogether.

ILLUSTRATIVETHOUGHT-FORMS

AFFECTION

VaguePureAffection.—Fig.8isarevolvingcloudofpureaffection,andexceptfor its vagueness it represents a very good feeling. The person fromwhom itemanatesishappyandatpeacewiththeworld,thinkingdreamilyofsomefriendwhose very presence is a pleasure. There is nothing keen or strong about thefeeling, yet it is one of gentle well-being, and of an unselfish delight in theproximity of those who are beloved. The feeling which gives birth to such acloudispureofitskind,butthereisinitnoforcecapableofproducingdefiniteresults. An appearance by nomeans unlike this frequently surrounds a gentlypurringcat,andradiatesslowlyoutwardfromtheanimalinaseriesofgraduallyenlargingconcentricshellsofrosycloud,fadingintoinvisibilityatadistanceofafewfeetfromtheirdrowsilycontentedcreator.

FIG.8.VAGUEPUREAFFECTION

VagueSelfishAffection.—Fig.9showsusalsoacloudofaffection,butthistime

itisdeeplytingedwithafarlessdesirablefeeling.Thedullhardbrown-greyofselfishnessshowsitselfverydecidedlyamongthecarmineoflove,andthusweseethattheaffectionwhichisindicatediscloselyconnectedwithsatisfactionatfavoursalreadyreceived,andwithalivelyanticipationofotherstocomeinthenearfuture.IndefiniteaswasthefeelingwhichproducedthecloudinFig.8,itwasatleastfreefromthistaintofselfishness,anditthereforeshowedacertainnobility of nature in its author. Fig. 9 represents what takes the place of thatcondition ofmind at a lower level of evolution. Itwould scarcely be possiblethat these two clouds should emanate from the same person in the sameincarnation. Yet there is good in the man who generates this second cloud,thoughasyetitisbutpartiallyevolved.Avastamountoftheaverageaffectionof the world is of this type, and it is only by slow degrees that it developstowardstheotherandhighermanifestation.

FIG.9.VAGUESELFISHAFFECTION

DefiniteAffection.—EventhefirstglanceatFig.10showsusthatherewehavetodealwithsomethingofanentirelydifferentnature—somethingeffectiveandcapable,somethingthatwillachievearesult.ThecolourisfullyequaltothatofFig. 8 in clearness and depth and transparency, but what was there a mere

sentiment is in this case translated into emphatic intention coupled withunhesitating action. Thosewho have seen the bookManVisible and InvisiblewillrecollectthatinPlateXI.ofthatvolumeisdepictedtheeffectofasuddenrushofpureunselfishaffectionasitshoweditselfintheastralbodyofamother,as she caught up her little child and covered it with kisses. Various changesresulted from that suddenoutburstof emotion;oneof themwas the formationwithintheastralbodyof largecrimsoncoilsorvortices linedwith livinglight.Each of these is a thought-form of intense affection generated as we havedescribed,andalmostinstantaneouslyejectedtowardstheobjectofthefeeling.Fig. 10 depicts just such a thought-form after it has left the astral body of itsauthor, and is on itsway towards its goal. Itwill be observed that the almostcircularformhaschangedintoonesomewhatresemblingaprojectileortheheadofacomet;anditwillbeeasilyunderstoodthat thisalterationiscausedbyitsrapidforwardmotion.Theclearnessofthecolourassuresusofthepurityoftheemotionwhichgavebirthtothisthought-form,whiletheprecisionofitsoutlineisunmistakableevidenceofpowerandofvigorouspurpose.Thesoulthatgavebirthtoathought-formsuchasthismustalreadybeoneofacertainamountofdevelopment.

FIG.10.DEFINITEAFFECTION

Radiating Affection.—Fig. 11 gives us our first example of a thought-formintentionallygenerated,sinceitsauthorismakingtheefforttopourhimselfforthinlovetoallbeings.Itmustberememberedthatalltheseformsareinconstantmotion.Thisone,forexample, issteadilywideningout, thoughthereseemstobe an exhaustless fountain welling up through the centre from a dimensionwhichwecannotrepresent.Asentimentsuchasthisissowideinitsapplication,that it is very difficult for any one not thoroughly trained to keep it clear andprecise.Thethought-formhereshownis,therefore,averycreditableone,foritwillbenotedthatallthenumerousraysofthestararecommendablyfreefromvagueness.

FIG.11.RADIATINGAFFECTION

PeaceandProtection.—Few thought-forms aremore beautiful and expressivethanthiswhichweseeinFig.12.Thisisathoughtofloveandpeace,protectionandbenediction,sentforthbyonewhohasthepowerandhasearnedtherighttobless. It is not at all probable that in themind of its creator there existed anythought of its beautiful wing-like shape, though it is possible that someunconscious reflectionof far-away lessonsof childhood aboutguardian angelswho always hovered over their charges may have had its influence indetermining this.However thatmay be, the earnestwish undoubtedly clotheditselfinthisgracefulandexpressiveoutline,whiletheaffectionthatprompteditgavetoititslovelyrose-colour,andtheintellectwhichguideditshoneforthlikesunlight as its heart and central support. Thus in sober truth we may makeveritable guardian angels to hover over and protect thosewhomwe love, andmanyanunselfishearnestwishforgoodproducessuchaformasthis,thoughallunknowntoitscreator.

FIG.12.PEACEANDPROTECTION

Grasping Animal Affection.—Fig. 13 gives us an instance of grasping animalaffection—ifindeedsuchafeelingasthisbedeemedworthyoftheaugustnameofaffectionatall.Severalcoloursbear theirshare in theproductionof itsdullunpleasing hue, tinged as it is with the lurid gleam of sensuality, as well asdeadenedwith theheavy tint indicativeofselfishness.Especiallycharacteristicis its form, for those curvinghooks are never seen exceptwhen there exists astrongcravingforpersonalpossession.Itisregrettablyevidentthatthefabricatorofthisthought-formhadnoconceptionoftheself-sacrificinglovewhichpoursitselfout in joyousservice,neveroncethinkingofresultorreturn;his thoughthasbeen,not"HowmuchcanIgive?"but"HowmuchcanIgain?"andsoithasexpressed itself in these re-entering curves. It has not even ventured to throwitselfboldlyoutward,asdootherthoughts,butprojectshalf-heartedlyfromtheastral body, which must be supposed to be on the left of the picture. A sadtravesty of the divine quality love; yet even this is a stage in evolution, anddistinctlyanimprovementuponearlierstages,aswillpresentlybeseen.

FIG.13.GRASPINGANIMALAFFECTION

DEVOTION

VagueReligiousFeeling.—Fig.14showsusanothershapelessrollingcloud,butthis time it is blue instead of crimson. It betokens that vaguely pleasurablereligious feeling—asensationofdevoutness rather thanofdevotion—which isso common among those in whom piety is more developed than intellect. Inmany a church onemay see a great cloud of deep dull blue floating over theheadsofthecongregation—indefiniteinoutline,becauseoftheindistinctnatureof the thoughts and feelingswhich cause it; flecked toooftenwithbrownandgrey, because ignorant devotion absorbs with deplorable facility the dismaltincture of selfishness or fear; but none the less adumbrating a mightypotentialityofthefuture,manifestingtooureyesthefirstfaintflutterofoneatleastof the twinwingsofdevotionandwisdom,by theuseofwhich the soulfliesupwardtoGodfromwhomitcame.

FIG.14.VAGUERELIGIOUSFEELING

Strangeisittonoteunderwhatvariedcircumstancesthisvaguebluecloudmaybeseen;andoftentimesitsabsencespeaksmoreloudlythanitspresence.Forinmanyafashionableplaceofworshipweseekitinvain,andfindinsteadofitavastconglomerationofthought-formsofthatsecondtypewhichtaketheshapeof material objects. Instead of tokens of devotion, we see floating above the"worshippers"theastralimagesofhatsandbonnets,ofjewelleryandgorgeousdresses,ofhorsesandofcarriages,ofwhisky-bottlesandofSundaydinners,andsometimesofwholerowsofintricatecalculations,showingthatmenandwomenalikehavehadduringtheirsupposedhoursofprayerandpraisenothoughtsbutofbusinessorofpleasure,of thedesiresor theanxietiesof the lower formofmundaneexistence.

Yet sometimes in a humbler fane, in a church belonging to the unfashionableCatholicorRitualist,oreveninalowlymeeting-housewherethereisbutlittleoflearningorofculture,onemaywatchthedeepbluecloudsrollingceaselesslyeastwardtowardsthealtar,orupwards,testifyingatleasttotheearnestnessandthe reverence of those who give them birth. Rarely—very rarely—among thecloudsofbluewillflashlikealancecastbythehandofagiantsuchathought-formasisshowninFig.15;orsuchaflowerofself-renunciationasweseeinFig. 16 may float before our ravished eyes; but in most cases we must seekelsewhereforthesesignsofahigherdevelopment.

UpwardRushofDevotion.—TheforminFig.15bearsmuchthesamerelationtothat of Fig. 14 as did the clearly outlined projectile of Fig. 10 to theindeterminatecloudofFig.8.Wecouldhardlyhaveamoremarkedcontrastthanthat between the inchoate flaccidity of the nebulosity inFig. 14 and the virilevigourofthesplendidspireofhighlydevelopeddevotionwhichleapsintobeingbeforeusinFig.15.Thisisnouncertainhalf-formedsentiment;itistheoutrushintomanifestationofagrandemotionrooteddeepintheknowledgeoffact.Themanwhofeelssuchdevotionasthisisonewhoknowsinwhomhehasbelieved;themanwhomakessuchathought-formasthisisonewhohastaughthimselfhowtothink.Thedeterminationoftheupwardrushpointstocourageaswellasconviction,while the sharpness of its outline shows the clarity of its creator'sconception, and the peerless purity of its colour bears witness to his utterunselfishness.

FIG.15.UPWARDRUSHOFDEVOTION

The Response toDevotion.—In Fig. 17 we see the result of his thought—theresponseoftheLOGOStotheappealmadetoHim,thetruthwhichunderliesthehighestandbestpartof thepersistentbelief inananswer toprayer. Itneedsafewwordsofexplanation.OneveryplaneofHissolarsystemourLOGOSpoursforthHislight,Hispower,Hislife,andnaturallyitisonthehigherplanesthatthis outpouring of divine strength can be given most fully. The descent fromeach plane to that next below it means an almost paralysing limitation—alimitationentirely incomprehensible except to thosewhohaveexperienced thehigher possibilities of human consciousness. Thus the divine life flows forthwithincomparablygreaterfulnessonthementalplanethanontheastral;andyetevenitsgloryatthementallevelisineffablytranscendedbythatofthebuddhic

plane. Normally each of these mighty waves of influence spreads about itsappropriate plane—horizontally, as it were—but it does not pass into theobscurationofaplanelowerthanthatforwhichitwasoriginallyintended.

FIG.17.RESPONSETODEVOTION

Yetthereareconditionsunderwhichthegraceandstrengthpeculiartoahigherplanemayinameasurebebroughtdowntoalowerone,andmayspreadabroadthere with wonderful effect. This seems to be possible only when a specialchannelisforthemomentopened;andthatworkmustbedonefrombelowandbytheeffortofman.Ithasbeforebeenexplainedthatwheneveraman'sthoughtor feeling is selfish, theenergywhich itproducesmoves inaclosecurve,and

thus inevitably returns and expends itself upon its own level; but when thethought or feeling is absolutely unselfish, its energy rushes forth in an opencurve,andthusdoesnotreturnintheordinarysense,butpiercesthroughintotheplaneabove,becauseonlyinthathighercondition,withitsadditionaldimension,canitfindroomforitsexpansion.Butinthusbreakingthrough,suchathoughtorfeelingholdsopenadoor(tospeaksymbolically)ofdimensionequivalenttoits own diameter, and thus furnishes the requisite channel through which thedivine forceappropriate to thehigherplanecanpour itself into the lowerwithmarvellousresults,notonlyforthethinkerbutforothers.AnattemptismadeinFig.17tosymbolisethis,andtoindicatethegreattruththataninfinitefloodofthehigher typeof force isalwaysreadyandwaiting topour throughwhen thechannelisoffered,justasthewaterinacisternmaybesaidtobewaitingtopourthroughthefirstpipethatmaybeopened.

Theresultofthedescentofdivinelifeisaverygreatstrengtheningandupliftingofthemakerofthechannel,andthespreadingallabouthimofamostpowerfulandbeneficentinfluence.Thiseffecthasoftenbeencalledananswertoprayer,andhasbeenattributedbytheignoranttowhattheycalla"specialinterpositionof Providence," instead of to the unerring action of the great and immutabledivinelaw.

Self-Renunciation.—Fig.16givesusyetanotherformofdevotion,producinganexquisitelybeautifulformofatypequitenewtous—atypeinwhichonemightat first sight suppose that various graceful shapes belonging to animate naturewerebeingimitated.Fig.16,forexample,issomewhatsuggestiveofapartiallyopenedflower-bud,whileotherformsarefoundtobearacertainresemblancetoshellsorleavesortree-shapes.Manifestly,however,thesearenotandcannotbecopiesofvegetableoranimalforms,anditseemsprobablethattheexplanationofthesimilarityliesverymuchdeeperthanthat.Ananalogousandevenmoresignificantfactisthatsomeverycomplexthought-formscanbeexactlyimitatedbytheactionofcertainmechanical forces,ashasbeensaidabove.Whilewithour present knowledge it would be unwise to attempt a solution of the veryfascinatingproblempresentedbytheseremarkableresemblances,itseemslikelythatweareobtainingaglimpseacross the thresholdofaverymightymystery,forifbycertainthoughtsweproduceaformwhichhasbeenduplicatedbytheprocessesofnature,wehaveat least apresumption that these forcesofnaturework along lines somewhat similar to the action of those thoughts. Since theuniverse is itself amighty thought-form called into existence by theLOGOS, itmay well be that tiny parts of it are also the thought-forms of minor entities

engagedinthesamework;andthusperhapswemayapproachacomprehensionofwhatismeantbythethreehundredandthirtymillionDevasoftheHindus.

FIG.16.SELF-RENUNCIATION

This form is of the loveliest pale azure, with a glory of white light shiningthroughit—somethingindeedtotaxtheskillevenoftheindefatigableartistwhoworked so hard to get them as nearly right as possible. It is what a Catholicwouldcalladefinite"actofdevotion"—betterstill,anactofutterselflessness,ofself-surrenderandrenunciation.

INTELLECT

VagueIntellectualPleasure.—Fig.18representsavaguecloudofthesameorderasthoseshowninFigs.8and14,butinthiscasethecolourisyellowinsteadofcrimson or blue.Yellow in any ofman's vehicles always indicates intellectualcapacity, but its shades vary very much, and it may be complicated by theadmixtureofotherhues.Generallyspeaking,ithasadeeperanddullertintiftheintellectisdirectedchieflyintolowerchannels,moreespeciallyiftheobjectsareselfish. In the astral ormental body of the averageman of business it wouldshow itself as yellow ochre, while pure intellect devoted to the study ofphilosophy or mathematics appears frequently to be golden, and this risesgradually to a beautiful clear and luminous lemon or primrose yellowwhen apowerful intellect is being employed absolutely unselfishly for the benefit ofhumanity.Mostyellowthought-formsareclearlyoutlined,andavaguecloudofthiscolouriscomparativelyrare.Itindicatesintellectualpleasure—appreciationof the result of ingenuity, or the delight felt in clever workmanship. Suchpleasureastheordinarymanderivesfromthecontemplationofapictureusuallydepends chiefly upon the emotions of admiration, affection, or pity which itarouses within him, or sometimes, if it pourtrays a scene with which he isfamiliar,itscharmconsistsinitspowertoawakenthememoryofpastjoys.Anartist, however, may derive from a picture a pleasure of an entirely differentcharacter,baseduponhisrecognitionof theexcellenceof thework,andof theingenuity which has been exercised in producing certain results. Such pureintellectualgratificationshowsitselfinayellowcloud;andthesameeffectmaybe produced by delight inmusical ingenuity, or the subtleties of argument.Acloudofthisnaturebetokenstheentireabsenceofanypersonalemotion,forifthatwerepresent itwould inevitably tinge theyellowwith itsownappropriatecolour.

FIG.18.VAGUEINTELLECTUALPLEASURE

TheIntention toKnow.—Fig.19 isof interest as showingus somethingof thegrowth of a thought-form. The earlier stage, which is indicated by the upperform,isnotuncommon,andindicatesthedeterminationtosolvesomeproblem—the intention to know and to understand. Sometimes a theosophical lecturersees many of these yellow serpentine forms projecting towards him from hisaudience, and welcomes them as a token that his hearers are following hisarguments intelligently, and have an earnest desire to understand and to knowmore. A form of this kind frequently accompanies a question, and if, as issometimesunfortunatelythecase,thequestionisputlesswiththegenuinedesireforknowledgethanforthepurposeofexhibitingtheacumenofthequestioner,theformisstronglytingedwiththedeeporangethatindicatesconceit.Itwasatatheosophical meeting that this special shape was encountered, and itaccompanied a question which showed considerable thought and penetration.The answer at first givenwas not thoroughly satisfactory to the inquirer,whoseemstohavereceivedtheimpressionthathisproblemwasbeingevadedbythelecturer. His resolution to obtain a full and thorough answer to his inquirybecamemoredeterminedthanever,andhisthought-formdeepenedincolourandchangedintothesecondofthetwoshapes,resemblingacork-screwevenmore

closely than before. Forms similar to these are constantly created by ordinaryidleandfrivolouscuriosity,butasthereisnointellectinvolvedinthatcasethecolourisnolongeryellow,butusuallycloselyresemblesthatofdecayingmeat,somewhatlikethatshowninFig.29asexpressingadrunkenman'scravingforalcohol.

FIG.19.THEINTENTIONTOKNOW

HighAmbition.—Fig.20givesusanothermanifestationofdesire—theambitionfor place or power. The ambitious quality is shown by the rich deep orangecolour, and the desire by the hooked extensionswhich precede the form as itmoves.Thethoughtisagoodandpureoneofitskind,foriftherewereanythingbaseorselfish in thedesire itwould inevitablyshowitself in thedarkeningoftheclearorangehuebydullreds,browns,orgreys.Ifthismancovetedplaceorpower,itwasnotforhisownsake,butfromtheconvictionthathecoulddotheworkwellandtruly,andtotheadvantageofhisfellow-men.

FIG.20.HIGHAMBITION

SelfishAmbition.—AmbitionofalowertypeisrepresentedinFig.21.Notonlyhaveweherealargestainofthedullbrown-greyofselfishness,butthereisalsoa considerable difference in the form, though it appears to possess equaldefiniteness of outline. Fig. 20 is rising steadily onward towards a definiteobject,foritwillbeobservedthatthecentralpartofitisasdefinitelyaprojectileas Fig. 10. Fig. 21, on the other hand, is a floating form, and is stronglyindicative of general acquisitiveness—the ambition to grasp for the selfeverythingthatiswithinsight.

FIG.21.SELFISHAMBITION

ANGER

MurderousRageandSustainedAnger.—InFigs.22and23wehavetwoterribleexamplesoftheawfuleffectofanger.Theluridflashfromdarkclouds(Fig.22)wastakenfromtheauraofaroughandpartiallyintoxicatedmanintheEastEndofLondon,ashestruckdownawoman;theflashdartedoutatherthemomentbeforeheraisedhishandtostrike,andcausedashudderingfeelingofhorror,asthoughitmightslay.Thekeen-pointedstiletto-likedart(Fig.23)wasathoughtof steady anger, intense and desiring vengeance, of the quality of murder,sustainedthroughyears,anddirectedagainstapersonwhohadinflictedadeepinjuryontheonewhosentitforth;hadthelatterbeenpossessedofastrongandtrainedwill,suchathought-formwouldslay,andtheonenourishingitisrunningaveryseriousdangerofbecomingamurderer inactaswellas in thought inafuture incarnation. Itwill be noted that both of them take the flash-like form,thoughtheupperisirregularinitsshape,whilethelowerrepresentsasteadinessof intentionwhich is farmoredangerous.Thebasisofutter selfishnessoutofwhichtheupperonespringsisverycharacteristicandinstructive.Thedifferencein colour between the two is also worthy of note. In the upper one the dirtybrown of selfishness is so strongly evident that it stains even the outrush ofanger;whileinthesecondcase, thoughnodoubtselfishnesswasat therootofthat also, the original thought has been forgotten in the sustained andconcentratedwrath. Onewho studies PlateXIII. inManVisible and Invisiblewill be able to image to himself the condition of the astral body fromwhichthese forms are protruding; and surely the mere sight of these pictures, evenwithout examination, should prove a powerful object-lesson in the evil ofyieldingtothepassionofanger.

FIG.23.SUSTAINEDANGERFIG.22.MURDEROUSRAGE

ExplosiveAnger.—InFig.24weseeanexhibitionofangerofatotallydifferentcharacter. Here is no sustained hatred, but simply a vigorous explosion ofirritation.ItisatonceevidentthatwhilethecreatorsoftheformsshowninFigs.22and23wereeachdirectingtheirireagainstanindividual,thepersonwhoisresponsiblefortheexplosioninFig.24isforthemomentatwarwiththewholeworld round him. It may well express the sentiment of some choleric oldgentleman,who feelshimself insultedor impertinently treated, for thedashoforange intermingled with the scarlet implies that his pride has been seriouslyhurt.ItisinstructivetocomparetheradiationsofthisplatewiththoseofFig.11.Here we see indicated a veritable explosion, instantaneous in its passing andirregularinitseffects;andthevacantcentreshowsusthatthefeelingthatcauseditisalreadyathingofthepast,andthatnofurtherforceisbeinggenerated.InFig.11,on theotherhand, thecentre is thestrongestpartof the thought-form,showingthatthisisnottheresultofamomentaryflashoffeeling,butthatthereis a steady continuous upwelling of the energy, while the rays show by theirquality and length and the evenness of their distribution the steadily sustainedeffortwhichproducesthem.

FIG.24.EXPLOSIVEANGER

Watchful and Angry Jealousy.—In Fig. 25 we see an interesting thoughunpleasantthought-form.Itspeculiarbrownish-greencolouratonceindicatestothepractisedclairvoyantthatitisanexpressionofjealousy,anditscuriousshapeshowstheeagernesswithwhichthemaniswatchingitsobject.Theremarkableresemblance to thesnakewith raisedheadaptlysymbolises theextraordinarilyfatuousattitudeofthejealousperson,keenlyalerttodiscoversignsofthatwhichheleastofallwishestosee.Themomentthathedoesseeit,orimaginesthatheseesit,theformwillchangeintothefarcommoneroneshowninFig.26,wherethejealousyisalreadymingledwithanger.Itmaybenotedthatherethejealousyismerelyavaguecloud,thoughinterspersedwithverydefiniteflashesofangerreadytostrikeat thosebywhomitfanciesitself tobeinjured;whereasinFig.25,wherethereisnoangerasyet,thejealousyitselfhasaperfectlydefiniteandveryexpressiveoutline.

FIG.25.WATCHFULJEALOUSY

FIG.26.ANGRYJEALOUSY

SYMPATHY

Vague Sympathy.—In Fig. 18Awe have another of the vague clouds, but thistime its green colour shows us that it is a manifestation of the feeling ofsympathy.Wemayinferfromtheindistinctcharacterofitsoutlinethatitisnotadefinite and active sympathy, such as would instantly translate itself fromthought into deed; itmarks rather such a general feeling of commiseration asmightcomeoveramanwhoreadanaccountofasadaccident,orstoodat thedoorofahospitalwardlookinginuponthepatients.

FIG.18A.VAGUESYMPATHY

FEAR

SuddenFright.—Oneofthemostpitifulobjectsinnatureisamanorananimalinaconditionofabject fear; andanexaminationofPlateXIV. inManVisibleandInvisible shows that under such circumstances the astral bodypresents nobetterappearancethanthephysical.Whenaman'sastralbodyisthusinastateoffrenziedpalpitation,itsnaturaltendencyistothrowoffamorphousexplosivefragments,likemassesofrockhurledoutinblasting,aswillbeseeninFig.30;butwhen a person is not terrified but seriously startled, an effect such as thatshown in Fig. 27 is often produced. In one of the photographs taken by DrBaraducofParis,itwasnoticedthataneruptionofbrokencirclesresultedfromsudden annoyance, and this outrush of crescent-shaped forms seems to be ofsomewhatthesamenature,thoughinthiscasetherearetheaccompanyinglinesofmatterwhichevenincreasetheexplosiveappearance.Itisnoteworthythatallthecrescentstotherighthand,whichmustobviouslyhavebeenthoseexpelledearliest,shownothingbutthelividgreyoffear;butamomentlaterthemanisalreadypartiallyrecoveringfromtheshock,andbeginningtofeelangrythatheallowedhimselftobestartled.Thisisshownbythefactthatthelatercrescentsarelinedwithscarlet,evidencingtheminglingofangerandfear,whilethelastcrescent is pure scarlet, telling us that even already the fright is entirelyovercome,andonlytheannoyanceremains.

FIG.27.SUDDENFRIGHT

GREED

SelfishGreed.—Fig.28givesusanexampleofselfishgreed—afarlowertypethanFig.21.Itwillbenotedthatherethereisnothingevensoloftyasambition,anditisalsoevidentfromthetingeofmuddygreenthatthepersonfromwhomthisunpleasantthoughtisprojectingisquitereadytoemploydeceitinordertoobtainher desire.While the ambitionofFig. 21wasgeneral in its nature, thecraving expressed in Fig. 28 is for a particular object towards which it isreachingout;foritwillbeunderstoodthatthisthought-form,likethatinFig.13,remainsattachedtotheastralbody,whichmustbesupposedtobeontheleftofthe picture. Claw-like forms of this nature are very frequently to be seenconverginguponawomanwhowearsanewdressorbonnet,orsomespeciallyattractivearticleofjewellery.Thethought-formmayvaryincolouraccordingtothe precise amount of envy or jealousy which is mingled with the lust forpossession,butanapproximationtotheshapeindicatedinourillustrationwillbefoundinallcases.Not infrequentlypeoplegatheredinfrontofashop-windowmaybeseenthusprotrudingastralcravingsthroughtheglass.

FIG.28.SELFISHGREED

Greed for Drink.—In Fig. 29 we have another variant of the same passion,perhaps at an evenmoredegraded andanimal level.This specimenwas takenfromtheastralbodyofamanjustasheenteredatthedoorofadrinking-shop;

the expectation of and the keen desire for the liquor which he was about toabsorb showed itself in the projection in front of him of this very unpleasantappearance. Once more the hooked protrusions show the craving, while thecolour and the coarsemottled texture show the low and sensual nature of theappetite. Sexual desires frequently show themselves in an exactly similarmanner.Menwhogivebirthtoformssuchasthisareasyetbutlittleremovedfromtheanimal;astheyriseinthescaleofevolutiontheplaceofthisformwillgradually be taken by something resembling that shown in Fig. 13, and veryslowly, as development advances, that in turn will pass through the stagesindicatedinFigs.9and8,untilatlastallselfishnessiscastout,andthedesiretohavehasbeentransmutedintothedesire togive,andwearriveat thesplendidresultsshowninFigs.11and10.

FIG.29.GREEDFORDRINK

VARIOUSEMOTIONS

At a Shipwreck.—Very serious is the panic which has occasioned the veryinteresting group of thought-forms which are depicted in Fig. 30. They wereseen simultaneously, arranged exactly as represented, though in the midst ofindescribableconfusion,sotheirrelativepositionshavebeenretained,thoughinexplainingthemitwillbeconvenient totaketheminreverseorder.Theywerecalled forth by a terrible accident, and they are instructive as showing howdifferentlypeople are affectedby suddenand seriousdanger.One formshowsnothing but an eruption of the livid grey of fear, rising out of a basis of utterselfishness: and unfortunately there were many such as this. The shatteredappearance of the thought-form shows the violence and completeness of theexplosion, which in turn indicates that the whole soul of that person waspossessedwithblind,franticterror,andthattheoverpoweringsenseofpersonaldangerexcludedforthetimeeveryhigherfeeling.

FIG.30.ATASHIPWRECK

The second form represents at least an attempt at self-control, and shows theattitudeadoptedbyapersonhavinga certainamountof religious feeling.The

thinker is seeking solace inprayer, andendeavouring in thisway toovercomeher fear. This is indicated by the point of greyish-blue which lifts itselfhesitatinglyupwards; thecolourshows,however, that theeffort isbutpartiallysuccessful, andwe see also from the lower part of the thought-form,with itsirregularoutlineanditsfallingfragments,thatthereisinrealityalmostasmuchfrighthereasintheothercase.Butatleastthiswomanhashadpresenceofmindenoughtorememberthatsheoughttopray,andistryingtoimaginethatsheisnot afraid as she does it, whereas in the other case there was absolutely nothoughtbeyondselfishterror.Theoneretainsstillsomesemblanceofhumanity,and some possibility of regaining self-control; the other has for the time castasideallremnantsofdecency,andisanabjectslavetooverwhelmingemotion.

Averystrikingcontrasttothehumiliatingweaknessshowninthesetwoformsisthesplendidstrengthanddecisionofthethird.Herewehavenoamorphousmasswith quivering lines and explosive fragments, but a powerful, clear-cut anddefinitethought,obviouslyfullofforceandresolution.Forthisisthethoughtofthe officer in charge—theman responsible for the lives and the safety of thepassengers,andherisestotheemergencyinamostsatisfactorymanner.Itdoesnotevenoccurtohimtofeel theleastshadowoffear;hehasnotimeforthat.Though the scarlet of the sharp point of his weapon-like thought-form showsanger that the accident should have happened, the bold curve of orangeimmediatelyaboveitbetokensperfectself-confidenceandcertaintyofhispowertodealwiththedifficulty.Thebrilliantyellowimpliesthathisintellectisalreadyat work upon the problem, while the green which runs side by side with itdenotesthesympathywhichhefeelsforthosewhomheintendstosave.Averystrikingandinstructivegroupofthought-forms.

OntheFirstNight.—Fig.31isalsoaninterestingspecimen—perhapsunique—foritrepresentsthethought-formofanactorwhilewaitingtogouponthestagefora"first-night"performance.Thebroadbandoforange in thecentre isveryclearly defined, and is the expression of a well-founded self-confidence—therealisationofmanyprevious successes, and the reasonable expectation that onthisoccasionanotherwillbeaddedtothelist.Yetinspiteofthisthereisagooddeal of unavoidable uncertainty as to how this newplaymay strike the ficklepublic,andonthewholethedoubtandfearoverbalancethecertaintyandpride,forthereismoreofthepalegreythanoftheorange,andthewholethought-formvibrates like a flag flapping in a gale ofwind. Itwill be noted thatwhile theoutlineoftheorangeisexceedinglyclearanddefinite,thatofthegreyismuchvaguer.

FIG.31.ONTHEFIRSTNIGHT

TheGamblers.—The formsshown inFig.32wereobservedsimultaneouslyatthegreatgambling-houseatMonteCarlo.Bothrepresentsomeof theworstofhuman passions, and there is little to choose between them; although theyrepresent the feelings of the successful and the unsuccessful gamblerrespectively.The lowerformhasastrongresemblance toa luridandgleamingeye,thoughthismustbesimplyacoincidence,forwhenweanalyseitwefindthatitsconstituentpartsandcolourscanbeaccountedforwithoutdifficulty.Thebackground of the whole thought is an irregular cloud of deep depression,heavilymarkedbythedullbrown-greyofselfishnessandthelividhueoffear.Inthe centre we find a clearly-marked scarlet ring showing deep anger andresentmentatthehostilityoffate,andwithinthatisasharplyoutlinedcircleofblack expressing the hatred of the ruined man for those who have won hismoney. Themanwho can send forth such a thought-form as this is surely inimminentdanger,forhehasevidentlydescendedintotheverydepthsofdespair;beingagamblerhecanhavenoprincipletosustainhim,sothathewouldbebynomeansunlikely to resort to the imaginaryrefugeofsuicide,only to findonawakeningintoastrallifethathehadchangedhisconditionfortheworseinsteadofforthebetter,asthesuicidealwaysdoes,sincehiscowardlyactioncutshimofffromthehappinessandpeacewhichusuallyfollowdeath.

FIG.32.THEGAMBLERS

Theupperformrepresentsastateofmindwhichisperhapsevenmoreharmfulinitseffects,forthisisthegloatingofthesuccessfulgambleroverhisill-gottengain.Heretheoutlineisperfectlydefinite,andtheman'sresolutiontopersistinhisevil course isunmistakable.Thebroadbandoforange in thecentre showsveryclearlythatalthoughwhenthemanloseshemaycursetheinconstancyoffate, when he wins he attributes his success entirely to his own transcendentgenius.Probablyhehasinventedsomesystemtowhichhepinshisfaith,andofwhichhe is inordinatelyproud.But itwill benoticed that on each sideof theorangecomesahardlineofselfishness,andweseehowthisinturnmeltsinto

avariceandbecomesamereanimalgreedofpossession,whichisalsosoclearlyexpressedbytheclaw-likeextremitiesofthethought-form.

AtaStreetAccident.—Fig.33isinstructiveasshowingthevariousformswhichthe same feelings may take in different individuals. These two evidences ofemotionwereseensimultaneouslyamongthespectatorsofastreetaccident—acase in which someone was knocked down and slightly injured by a passingvehicle. The persons who generated these two thought-forms were bothanimated by affectionate interest in the victim and deep compassion for hissuffering, and so their thought-forms exhibited exactly the same colours,althoughtheoutlinesareabsolutelyunlike.Theoneoverwhomfloatsthatvaguesphereofcloudisthinking"Poorfellow,howsad!"whilehewhogivesbirthtothatsharply-defineddiscisalreadyrushingforwardtoseeinwhatwayhecanbeofassistance.Theoneisadreamer, thoughofacutesensibilities; theotherisamanofaction.

FIG.33.ATASTREETACCIDENT

At a Funeral.—In Fig. 34 we have an exceedingly striking example of theadvantage of knowledge, of the fundamental change produced in the man'sattitudeofmindbyaclearunderstandingofthegreatlawsofnatureunderwhichwe live.Utterly different as they are in every respect of colour and form andmeaning,thesetwothought-formswereseensimultaneously,andtheyrepresenttwopointsofviewwithregardtothesameoccurrence.Theywereobservedatafuneral, and they exhibit the feelings evoked in the minds of two of the"mourners" by the contemplation of death. The thinkers stood in the samerelation to thedeadman,butwhileoneof themwas still steeped in thedense

ignorancewithregardtosuper-physicallifewhichissopainfullycommoninthepresentday,theotherhadtheinestimableadvantageofthelightofTheosophy.Inthethoughtoftheformerweseeexpressednothingbutprofounddepression,fear and selfishness.The fact that death has approached so near has evidentlyevokedinthemindofthemournerthethoughtthatitmayonedaycometohimalso, and the anticipationof this is very terrible to him; but since he does notknowwhat it is thathefears, theclouds inwhichhisfeeling ismanifestedareappropriatelyvague.Hisonlydefinitesensationsaredespairandthesenseofhispersonalloss,andthesedeclarethemselvesinregularbandsofbrown-greyandleaden grey, while the very curious downward protrusion, which actuallydescendsintothegraveandenfoldsthecoffin,isanexpressionofstrongselfishdesiretodrawthedeadmanbackintophysicallife.

FIG.34.ATAFUNERAL

It is refreshing to turn from this gloomy picture to the wonderfully differenteffectproducedbytheverysamecircumstancesuponthemindofthemanwhocomprehendsthefactsofthecase.Itwillbeobservedthatthetwohavenosingleemotionincommon;intheformercaseallwasdespondencyandhorror,whileinthiscasewefindnonebutthehighestandmostbeautifulsentiments.Atthebaseofthethought-formwefindafullexpressionofdeepsympathy,thelightergreenindicating appreciation of the suffering of the mourners and condolence withthem,whilethebandofdeepergreenshowstheattitudeofthethinkertowards

thedeadmanhimself.Thedeeprose-colourexhibitsaffectiontowardsboththedead and the living,while the upper part of the cone and the starswhich risefromit testify to thefeelingarousedwithin the thinkerby theconsiderationofthe subjectofdeath, theblueexpressing itsdevotionalaspect,while thevioletshowsthethoughtof,andthepowertorespondto,anobleideal,andthegoldenstars denote the spiritual aspirations which its contemplation calls forth. Theband of clear yellowwhich is seen in the centre of this thought-form is verysignificant, as indicating that the man's whole attitude is based upon andprompted by his intellectual comprehension of the situation, and this is alsoshownbytheregularityofthearrangementofthecoloursandthedefinitenessofthelinesofdemarcationbetweenthem.

Thecomparisonbetweenthetwoillustrationsshowninthisplateissurelyaveryimpressive testimony to thevalueof theknowledgegivenby the theosophicalteaching.Undoubtedlythisknowledgeofthetruthtakesawayallfearofdeath,andmakeslifeeasiertolivebecauseweunderstanditsobjectanditsend,andwerealisethatdeathisaperfectlynaturalincidentinitscourse,anecessarystepinourevolution.ThisoughttobeuniversallyknownamongChristiannations,butit is not, and therefore on this point, as on somany others, Theosophy has agospel for the Western world. It has to announce that there is no gloomyimpenetrableabyssbeyondthegrave,butinsteadofthataworldoflifeandlightwhichmaybeknown tousasclearlyandfullyandaccuratelyas thisphysicalworld in which we live now.We have created the gloom and the horror forourselves, like children who frighten themselves with ghastly stories, and wehaveonly tostudy the factsof thecase,andall theseartificialcloudswill rollaway at once.We have an evil heredity behind us in thismatter, forwe haveinheritedallkindsoffunerealhorrorsfromourforefathers,andsoweareusedtothem,andwedonotseetheabsurdityandthemonstrosityofthem.Theancientswere in this respect wiser than we, for they did not associate all thisphantasmagoria of gloomwith the death of the body—partly perhaps becausethey had a much more rational method of disposing of the body—a methodwhichwasnotonlyinfinitelybetterforthedeadmanandmorehealthyfortheliving, but was also free from the gruesome suggestions connectedwith slowdecay.Theyknewmuchmoreaboutdeathinthosedays,andbecausetheyknewmoretheymournedless.

OnMeetingaFriend.—Fig.35givesusanexampleofagood,clearly-definedandexpressivethought-form,witheachcolourwellmarkedofffromtheothers.Itrepresentsthefeelingofamanuponmeetingafriendfromwhomhehasbeen

longseparated.Theconvexsurfaceofthecrescentisnearesttothethinker,andits two arms stretch out towards the approaching friend as if to embrace him.Therosecolournaturallybetokens theaffection felt, the lightgreenshows thedepth of the sympathy which exists, and the clear yellow is a sign of theintellectualpleasurewithwhichthecreatorofthethoughtanticipatestherevivalofdelightfulreminiscencesofdayslonggoneby.

FIG.35.ONMEETINGAFRIEND

The Appreciation of a Picture.—In Fig. 36 we have a somewhat complexthought-formrepresentingthedelightedappreciationofabeautifulpictureupona religious subject. The strong pure yellow marks the beholder's enthusiasticrecognition of the technical skill of the artist, while all the other colours areexpressionsofthevariousemotionsevokedwithinhimbytheexaminationofsogloriousaworkofart.Greenshowshissympathywiththecentralfigureinthepicture,deepdevotionappearsnotonlyinthebroadbandofblue,butalsointheoutlineoftheentirefigure,whiletheviolettellsusthatthepicturehasraisedtheman's thoughttothecontemplationofa loftyideal,andhasmadehim,at leastforthetime,capableofrespondingtoit.Wehaveherethefirstspecimenofaninteresting class of thought-forms of which we shall find abundant exampleslater—thatinwhichlightofonecolourshinesoutthroughanetworkoflinesof

somequitedifferenthue.Itwillbenotedthatinthiscasefromthemassofvioletthererisemanywavylineswhichflowlikerivuletsoveragoldenplain;andthismakesitclearthattheloftiestaspirationisbynomeansvague,butisthoroughlysupportedbyanintellectualgraspofthesituationandaclearcomprehensionofthemethodbywhichitcanbeputintoeffect.

FIG.36.THEAPPRECIATIONOFAPICTURE

FORMSSEENINTHOSEMEDITATING

SympathyandLoveforall.—Hithertowehavebeendealingchieflywithformswhicharetheexpressionofemotion,orofsuchthoughtasisarousedwithinthemindbyexternalcircumstances.Wehavenowtoconsidersomeofthosecausedbythoughtswhicharisefromwithin—formsgeneratedduringmeditation—eachbeingtheeffectproducedbyaconsciouseffortonthepartofthethinkertoforma certain conception, or to put himself into a certain attitude. Naturally suchthoughtsaredefinite,forthemanwhotrainshimselfinthiswaylearnshowtothink with clearness and precision, and the development of his power in thisdirectionshowsitselfinthebeautyandregularityoftheshapesproduced.Inthiscasewehavetheresultofanendeavouronthepartofthethinkertoputhimselfintoanattitudeofsympathyandlovetowardsallmankind,andthuswehaveaseries of graceful lines of the luminous green of sympathy with the strongroseateglowofaffectionshiningoutbetweenthem(Fig.37).Thelinesarestillsufficientlybroadandwideapart tobeeasilydrawn;butinsomeofthehigherexamplesofthought-formsofthistypethelinesaresofineandsoclosethatnohumanhandcanrepresent themas theyreallyare.Theoutlineof this thought-formisthatofaleaf,yetitsshapeandthecurveofitslinesaremoresuggestiveofacertainkindofshell,sothatthisisanotherexampleoftheapproximationtoformsseeninphysicalnaturewhichwenotedincommentinguponFig.16.

FIG.37.SYMPATHYANDLOVEFORALL

AnAspirationtoEnfoldall.—InFig.38wehaveafarmoredevelopedexampleofthesametype.Thisformwasgeneratedbyonewhowastrying,whilesittinginmeditation,tofillhismindwithanaspirationtoenfoldallmankindinordertodrawthemupwardtowardsthehighidealwhichshonesoclearlybeforehiseyes.Thereforeitisthattheformwhichheproducesseemstorushoutfromhim,tocurve round upon itself, and to return to its base; therefore it is that themarvellouslyfinelinesaredrawninlovelyluminousviolet,andthatfromwithintheformthereshinesoutagloriousgoldenlightwhichitisunfortunatelyquiteimpossibletoreproduce.Forthetruthis thatall theseapparentlyintricatelinesare in reality only one line circling round the form again and again withunwearied patience and wonderful accuracy. It is scarcely possible that anyhumanhandcouldmakesuchadrawingasthisonthisscale,andinanycasetheeffectofitscolourscouldnotbeshown,foritwillbeseenbyexperimentthatifan attempt be made to draw fine violet lines close together upon a yellowbackground a grey effect at once appears, and all likeness to the original isdestroyed.Butwhatcannotbedonebyhandmaysometimesbeachievedbythesuperior accuracy and delicacy of a machine, and it is in this way that the

drawing was made from which our illustration is reproduced,—with someattempt to represent the colour effect aswell as thewonderful delicacyof thelinesandcurves.

FIG.38.ANASPIRATIONTOENFOLDALL

IntheSixDirections.—TheformrepresentedinFig.39istheresultofanotherendeavour to extend love and sympathy in all directions—an effort almostpreciselysimilartothatwhichgavebirthtoFig.37,thoughtheeffectseemssodifferent.Thereasonsforthisvarietyandforthecuriousshapetakeninthiscaseconstituteaveryinterestingillustrationofthewayinwhichthought-formsgrow.Itwillbeseenthatinthisinstancethethinkerdisplaysconsiderabledevotional

feeling,andhasalsomadeanintellectualefforttograsptheconditionsnecessaryfor the realisation of his wishes, and the blue and yellow colours remain asevidence of this. Originally this thought-form was circular, and the dominantideaevidentlywasthatthegreenofsympathyshouldbeupontheoutside,facinginalldirections,asitwere,andthatloveshouldlieatthecentreandheartofthethoughtanddirectitsoutgoingenergies.Butthemakerofthisthought-formhadbeenreadingHindubooks,andhismodesofthoughthadbeengreatlyinfluencedbythem.StudentsofOrientalliteraturewillbeawarethattheHinduspeaks,notof four directions (north, east, south, andwest), as we do, but always of six,sinceheverysensiblyincludesthezenithandthenadir.Ourfriendwasimbuedfromhisreadingwiththeideathatheshouldpourforthhisloveandsympathy"in thesixdirections";butsincehedidnotaccuratelyunderstandwhat thesixdirectionsare,hedirectedhisstreamofaffectiontowardssixequidistantpointsinhiscircle.Theoutrushingstreamsalteredtheshapeoftheoutlyinglineswhichhe had already built up, and so instead of having a circle as a section of histhought-form,wehave this curioushexagonwith its inward-curving sides.Wesee thus how faithfully every thought-form records the exact process of itsupbuilding,registeringineffaceablyeventheerrorsofitsconstruction.

FIG.39.INTHESIXDIRECTIONS

AnIntellectualConceptionofCosmicOrder.—InFig.40wehavetheeffectofanattempttoattainanintellectualconceptionofcosmicorder.ThethinkerwasobviouslyaTheosophist,anditwillbeseenthatwhenheendeavourstothinkofthe action of spirit upon matter he instinctively follows the same line ofsymbolismasthatdepictedinthewell-knownsealoftheSociety.Herewehavean upward-pointing triangle, signifying the threefold aspect of the Spirit,interlacedwith thedownward-pointingtriangle,whichindicatesmatterwith itsthree inherent qualities. Usually we represent the upward triangle in white orgold,andthedownward-pointingoneinsomedarkerhuesuchasblueorblack,butitisnoteworthythatinthiscasethethinkerissoentirelyoccupiedwiththeintellectual endeavour, that no colour but yellow is exhibitedwithin the form.Thereisnoroomasyetforemotionsofdevotion,ofwonder,orofadmiration;theideawhichhewishestorealisefillshismindentirely,totheexclusionofallelse.Stillthedefinitenessoftheoutlineasitstandsoutagainstitsbackgroundofraysshowsthathehasachievedahighmeasureofsuccess.

FIG.40.ANINTELLECTUALCONCEPTIONOFCOSMICORDER

TheLogosasmanifestedinMan.—Wearenowcomingtoaseriesof thoughtswhichareamongtheveryhighestthehumanmindcanform,wheninmeditationupon the divine source of its being.When theman in reverent contemplationtries to raise his thought towards the LOGOS of our solar system, he naturallymakesnoattempt to image tohimself that augustBeing;nordoeshe thinkofHimas inanywaypossessingsuchformaswecancomprehend.Neverthelesssuchthoughtsbuildformsforthemselvesinthematterofthementalplane;anditwillbeofinterestforustoexaminethoseforms.InourillustrationinFig.41we have a thought of the LOGOS as manifested in man, with the devotional

aspiration that He may thus be manifested through the thinker. It is thisdevotionalfeelingwhichgivesthepalebluetingetothefive-pointedstar,anditsshape is significant, since ithasbeenemployed formanyagesasa symbolofGodmanifestinman.ThethinkermayperhapshavebeenaFreemason,andhisknowledgeofthesymbolismemployedbythatbodymayhavehaditsshareintheshapingofthestar.Itwillbeseenthatthestarissurroundedbybrightyellowraysshiningoutamidstacloudofglory,whichdenotesnotonlythereverentialunderstandingofthesurpassinggloryoftheDeity,butalsoadistinctintellectualeffortinadditiontotheoutpouringofdevotion.

FIG.41.THELOGOSASMANIFESTEDINMAN

TheLogospervadingall.—Our next threeFigures are devoted to the effort torepresentathoughtofaveryhightype—anendeavourtothinkoftheLOGOSaspervading all nature. Here again, as in Fig. 38, it is impossible to give a fullreproduction,andwemustcalluponourreadersforaneffortoftheimaginationwhich shall to some extent supplement the deficiencies of the arts of drawingandprinting.ThegoldenballdepictedinFig.42mustbethoughtofasinsidetheotherballofdelicatelines(blueincolour)whichisdrawninFig.44.Anyefforttoplacethecoloursinsuchintimatejuxtapositiononthephysicalplaneresultssimplyinproducingagreenblur,sothatthewholecharacterofthethought-formis lost. It is only by means of the machine before mentioned that it is at allpossibletorepresentthegraceandthedelicacyofthelines.Asbefore,asingleline produces all the wonderful tracery of Fig. 44, and the effect of the fourradiatinglinesmakingasortofcrossof light ismerelyduetothefact that thecurvesarenotreallyconcentric,althoughatfirstsighttheyappeartobeso.

FIG.42.THELOGOSPERVADINGALL

FIG.46.THETHREEFOLDMANIFESTATIONFIG.45.ANOTHERCONCEPTIONFIG.44.THELOGOSPERVADINGALLFIG.47.THESEVENFOLDMANIFESTATION

Another Conception.—Fig. 45 exhibits the form produced by another personwhen trying to hold exactly the same thought.Here alsowe have an amazingcomplexity of almost inconceivably delicate blue lines, and here also ourimaginationmustbecalledupontoinsertthegoldenglobefromFig.42,sothatitsglorymayshinethroughateverypoint.Herealso,asinFig.44,wehavethatcuriousandbeautifulpattern,resemblingsomewhatthedamasceningonancientOrientalswords,orthatwhichisseenuponwateredsilkormoireantique.Whenthisformisdrawnbythependulum,thepatternisnotinanywayintentionallyproduced,butsimplycomesasaconsequenceofthecrossingoftheinnumerablemicroscopically fine lines. It is evident that the thinkerwho created the formupon Fig. 44 must have held in his mind most prominently the unity of theLOGOS,whilehewhogenerated the form inFig.45has as clearly inmind thesubordinatecentresthroughwhichthedivinelifepoursforth,andmanyofthesesubordinate centres have accordingly represented themselves in the thought-form.

TheThreefoldManifestation.—Whentheformemployed inFig.46wasmade,its creator was endeavouring to think of the LOGOS in His threefoldmanifestation.Thevacantspaceinthecentreoftheformwasablindingglowofyellow light, and this clearly typified the First Aspect, while the Secondwassymbolised by the broad ring of closely-knitted and almost bewildering lineswhichsurround thiscentre,while theThirdAspect is suggestedby thenarrowouter ringwhich seemsmore looselywoven.Thewhole figure ispervadedbytheusualgoldenlightgleamingoutbetweenthelinesofviolet.

TheSevenfoldManifestation.—In all religions there remains some tradition ofthegreattruththattheLOGOSmanifestsHimselfthroughsevenmightychannels,oftenregardedasminorLogoiorgreatplanetarySpirits.IntheChristianschemethey appear as the seven great archangels, sometimes called the seven spiritsbeforethethroneofGod.Thefigurenumbered47showstheresultoftheefforttomeditateuponthismethodofdivinemanifestation.Wehavethegoldenglowin thecentre, andalso (thoughwith lesser splendour)pervading the form.Thelineisblue,anditdrawsasuccessionofsevengracefulandalmostfeatherlikedoublewingswhichsurroundthecentralgloryandareclearlyintendedasapartofit.Asthethoughtstrengthensandexpands,thesebeautifulwingschangetheircolourtovioletandbecomelikethepetalsofaflower,andoverlaponeanotherinanintricatebutexceedinglyeffectivepattern.Thisgivesusaveryinterestingglimpseintotheformationandgrowthoftheseshapesinhighermatter.

Intellectual Aspiration.—The form depicted in Fig. 43 bears a certainresemblancetothatinFig.15;but,beautifulasthatwas,thisisinrealityafarhigherandgrander thought,and impliesmuchmoreadvanceddevelopmentonthepartofthethinker.Herewehaveagreatclear-cutspearorpencilofthepurepalevioletwhich indicatesdevotion to thehighest ideal,and it isoutlinedandstrengthenedbyanexceedinglyfinemanifestationofthenoblestdevelopmentofintellect. He who can think thus must already have entered upon the Path ofHoliness, for he has learnt how to use the power of thought to very mightyeffect.Itwillbenotedthatinboththecoloursthereisastrongadmixtureofthewhitelightwhichalwaysindicatesunusualspiritualpower.

FIG.43.INTELLECTUALASPIRATION

Surely the study of these thought-forms should be a most impressive object-lesson,sincefromitwemayseebothwhattoavoidandwhattocultivate,andmaylearnbydegreestoappreciatehowtremendousisourresponsibilityfortheexercise of this mighty power. Indeed it is terribly true, as we said in thebeginning, that thoughts are things, and puissant things; and it behoves us torememberthateveryoneofusisgeneratingthemunceasinglynightandday.Seehowgreatisthehappinessthisknowledgebringstous,andhowgloriouslywecan utilise it when we know of some one in sorrow or in suffering. Oftencircumstancesarisewhichpreventusfromgivingphysicalhelpeitherbywordordeed,howevermuchwemaydesire todoso;but there isnocase inwhichhelpbythoughtmaynotbegiven,andnocaseinwhichitcanfailtoproduceadefinite result. Itmayoften happen that at themoment our friendmaybe tooentirelyoccupiedwithhisownsuffering,orperhapstoomuchexcited,toreceiveandacceptanysuggestion fromwithout,butpresentlya timecomeswhenourthought-form can penetrate and discharge itself, and then assuredly oursympathywillproduceitsdueresult. It is indeedtruethat theresponsibilityofusing such a power is great, yet we should not shrink from our duty on thataccount. It is sadly true that therearemanymenwhoareunconsciouslyusingtheirthought-powerchieflyforevil,yetthisonlymakesitallthemorenecessarythat those of us who are beginning to understand life a little should use it

consciously, and use it for good. We have at our command a never-failingcriterion;we can nevermisuse thismighty power of thought if we employ italwaysinunisonwiththegreatdivineschemeofevolution,andfortheupliftingofourfellow-man.

HELPFULTHOUGHTS

TheFiguresnumbered48to54weretheresultsofasystematicattempttosendhelpfulthoughtbythefriendwhohasfurnisheduswiththesketches.Adefinitetimewasgiveneachdayatafixedhour.Theformswereinsomecasesseenbythetransmitter,butinallcaseswereperceivedbytherecipient,whoimmediatelysentroughsketchesofwhatwasseenbythenextposttothetransmitter,whohaskindlysuppliedthefollowingnoteswithregardtothem:—

"Inthecoloureddrawingsappendedthebluefeaturesappeartohaverepresentedthemoredevotionalelementofthethought.Theyellowformsaccompaniedtheendeavourtocommunicateintellectualfortitude,ormentalstrengthandcourage.The rosy pink appeared when the thought was blended with affectionatesympathy. If the sender (A.) could formulate his thought deliberately at theappointed time, the receiver (B.)would report seeing a large clear form as inFigs.48,49,and54.Thelatterpersistedforsomeminutes,constantlystreamingits luminous yellow 'message' upon B. If, however, A. was of necessityexperimenting under difficulty—say walking out of doors—he wouldoccasionallyseehis'forms'brokenupintosmallerglobes,orshapes,suchas50,51,52,andB.wouldreporttheirreceiptsobrokenup.Inthiswaymanydetailscouldbecheckedandcomparedasfromoppositeendsoftheline,andthenatureoftheinfluencecommunicatedofferedanothermeansofverification.UpononeoccasionA.wasdisturbed inhisendeavour to senda thoughtof theblue-pinkconnotation,bya feelingofanxiety that thenatureof thepinkelement shouldnotbemisapprehended.ThereportofB.wasthatawell-definedglobeasinFig.54wasfirstseen,butthatthissuddenlydisappeared,beingreplacedbyamovingprocessionoflittlelight-greentriangles,asinFig.53.Thesefewdrawingsgivebut a slight idea of the varied flower-like and geometric forms seen, whileneitherpaintnorcrayon-workseemscapableofrepresentingtheglowingbeautyoftheirlivingcolours."

FIG.48.HELPFULTHOUGHTS

FIG.49.HELPFULTHOUGHTS

FIG.50.HELPFULTHOUGHTS

FIG.51.HELPFULTHOUGHTS

FIG.52.HELPFULTHOUGHTS

FIG.53.HELPFULTHOUGHTS

FIG.54.HELPFULTHOUGHTS

FORMSBUILTBYMUSIC

Beforeclosing this little treatise itwillperhapsbeof interest toour readers togive a few examples of another type of forms unknown to those who areconfined to thephysical sensesas theirmeansofobtaining information.Manypeople are aware that sound is always associatedwith colour—thatwhen, forexample,amusicalnoteissounded,aflashofcolourcorrespondingtoitmaybeseenbythosewhosefinersensesarealreadytosomeextentdeveloped.Itseemsnot tobe sogenerallyknown that soundproduces formaswell as colour, andthat everypieceofmusic leavesbehind it an impressionof this nature,whichpersists for some considerable time, and is clearly visible and intelligible tothosewhohaveeyestosee.Suchashapeisperhapsnottechnicallyathought-form—unlessindeedwetakeit,aswewellmay,astheresultofthethoughtofthe composer expressed by means of the skill of the musician through hisinstrument.

Somesuchformsareverystrikingandimpressive,andnaturallytheirvarietyisinfinite. Each class of music has its own type of form, and the style of thecomposer shows as clearly in the form which his music builds as a man'scharacter shows in his handwriting. Other possibilities of variation areintroducedby thekindof instrument uponwhich themusic is performed, andalsoby themeritsof theplayer.The samepieceofmusic if accuratelyplayedwillalwaysbuildthesameform,butthatformwillbeenormouslylargerwhenitisplayeduponachurchorganorbyamilitarybandthanwhenit isperformeduponapiano,andnotonlythesizebutalsothetextureoftheresultantformwillbeverydifferent.Therewillalsobeasimilardifferenceintexturebetweentheresultofapieceofmusicplayeduponaviolinandthesamepieceexecutedupontheflute.Again,theexcellenceoftheperformancehasitseffect,andthereisawonderful difference between the radiant beauty of the form produced by thework of a true artist, perfect alike in expression and execution, and thecomparativelydullandundistinguished-lookingonewhichrepresentstheeffortof the wooden and mechanical player. Anything like inaccuracy in renderingnaturallyleavesacorrespondingdefectintheform,sothattheexactcharacteroftheperformanceshowsitselfjustasclearlytotheclairvoyantspectatorasitdoestotheauditor.

Itisobviousthat,iftimeandcapacitypermitted,hundredsofvolumesmightbe

filled with drawings of the forms built by different pieces of music underdifferent conditions, so that the most that can be done within any reasonablecompassistogiveafewexamplesoftheleadingtypes.Ithasbeendecidedforthepurposesofthisbooktolimitthesetothree,totaketypesofmusicpresentingreadily recognisable contrasts, and for the sake of simplicity in comparison topresent them all as they appeared when played upon the same instrument—avery fine churchorgan. In eachof ourPlates the church shows aswell as thethought-formwhichtowersfarintotheairaboveit;anditshouldberememberedthatthoughthedrawingsareonverydifferentscalesthechurchisthesameinallthreecases,andconsequently the relativesizeof thesound-formcaneasilybecalculated.Theactualheightofthetowerofthechurchisjustunderahundredfeet, so it will be seen that the sound-form produced by a powerful organ isenormousinsize.

Suchformsremainascoherenterectionsforsomeconsiderabletime—anhourortwoatleast;andduringallthattimetheyareradiatingforththeircharacteristicvibrations ineverydirection, justasour thought-formsdo;andif themusicbegood, theeffectof thosevibrationscannotbutbeuplifting toeverymanuponwhosevehiclestheyplay.Thusthecommunityowesaveryrealdebtofgratitudeto themusicianwhopours forth suchhelpful influences, forhemayaffect forgood hundreds whom he never saw and will never know upon the physicalplane.

Mendelssohn.—Thefirstofsuchforms,acomparativelysmallandsimpleone,is drawn for us inPlateM. Itwill be seen thatwehavehere a shape roughlyrepresentingthatofaballoon,havingascallopedoutlineconsistingofadoubleviolet line. Within that there is an arrangement of variously-coloured linesmoving almost parallel with this outline; and then another somewhat similararrangementwhichseemstocrossandinterpenetratethefirst.Bothofthesesetsoflinesevidentlystartfromtheorganwithinthechurch,andconsequentlypassupwardthroughitsroofintheircourse,physicalmatterbeingclearlynoobstacleto their formation. In the hollow centre of the form float a number of smallcrescentsarrangedapparentlyinfourverticallines.

PLATEM.MUSICOFMENDELSSOHN

Letusendeavournowtogivesomecluetothemeaningofallthis,whichmaywellseemsobewilderingtothenovice,andtoexplaininsomemeasurehowitcomes into existence. It must be recollected that this is a melody of simplecharacterplayedoncethrough,andthatconsequentlywecananalysetheformin

a way that would be quite impossible with a larger and more complicatedspecimen.Yeteveninthiscasewecannotgiveallthedetails,aswillpresentlybeseen.Disregardingforthemomentthescallopedborder,wehavenextwithinitanarrangementoffourlinesofdifferentcoloursrunninginthesamedirection,theoutermostbeingblueandtheotherscrimson,yellow,andgreenrespectively.Theselinesareexceedinglyirregularandcrooked;infact,theyeachconsistofanumberofshortlinesatvariouslevelsjoinedtogetherperpendicularly.Itseemsthateachoftheseshortlinesrepresentsanoteofmusic,andthattheirregularityoftheirarrangementindicatesthesuccessionofthesenotes;sothateachofthesecrookedlinessignifiesthemovementofoneofthepartsofthemelody,thefourmoving approximately together denoting the treble, alto, tenor and bassrespectively, though they do not necessarily appear in that order in this astralform.Hereit isnecessarytointerpolateastillfurtherexplanation.Evenwithamelodysocomparativelysimpleasthistherearetintsandshadesfartoofinelymodulated to be reproduced on any scale at all within our reach; therefore itmust be said that each of the short lines expressing a note has a colour of itsown,sothatalthoughasawholethatouterlinegivesanimpressionofblueness,andtheonenextwithinitofcarmine,eachyetvariesineveryinchofitslength;so thatwhat is shown is not a correct reproduction of every tint, but only thegeneralimpression.

The twosetsof four lineswhichseem tocrossoneanotherarecausedby twosectionsofthemelody;thescallopededgingsurroundingthewholeistheresultof various flourishes and arpeggios, and the floating crescents in the centrerepresent isolated or staccato chords. Naturally the arpeggios are not whollyviolet, foreach loophasadifferenthue,buton thewhole theyapproachmorenearlytothatcolourthantoanyother.Theheightofthisformabovethetowerof thechurch isprobablya littleoverahundred feet;but since it alsoextendsdownwardsthroughtheroofofthechurchitstotalperpendiculardiametermaywellbeaboutahundredandfiftyfeet. It isproducedbyoneofMendelssohn's"LiederohneWörte,"andischaracteristicofthedelicatefiligree-workwhichsooftenappearsastheresultofhiscompositions.

The whole form is seen projected against a coruscating background of manycolours,whichisinrealityacloudsurroundingituponeveryside,causedbythevibrationswhicharepouringoutfromitinalldirections.

Gounod.—InPlateGwehaveanentirelydifferentpiece—aringingchorusbyGounod.Since thechurch in the illustration is thesame, it iseasy tocalculate

that in this case the highest point of the formmust rise fully six hundred feetabovethetower,thoughtheperpendiculardiameteroftheformissomewhatlessthan that, for the organist has evidently finished some minutes ago, and theperfected shape floats high in the air, clearly defined and roughly spherical,thoughratheranoblatespheroid.Thisspheroidishollow,asareallsuchforms,for it isslowly increasing insize—graduallyradiatingoutwardfromitscentre,butgrowingproportionatelylessvividandmoreetherealinappearanceasitdoesso,until at last it losescoherenceand fadesawaymuchasawreathof smokemight do. The golden glory surrounding and interpenetrating it indicates asbefore the radiation of its vibrations, which in this case show the dominantyellowinmuchgreaterproportionthandidMendelssohn'sgentlermusic.

PLATEG.MUSICOFGOUNOD

The colouring here is farmore brilliant andmassive than in PlateM, for thismusicisnotsomuchathreadofmurmurousmelodyasasplendidsuccessionofcrashingchords.Theartisthassoughttogivetheeffectofthechordsratherthanthatoftheseparatenotes,thelatterbeingscarcelypossibleonascalesosmallas

this.Itisthereforemoredifficultheretofollowthedevelopmentoftheform,forinthismuchlongerpiecethelineshavecrossedandintermingled,untilwehavelittlebutthegorgeousgeneraleffectwhichthecomposermusthaveintendedustofeel—andtosee,ifwewereabletosee.Neverthelessitispossibletodiscernsomethingoftheprocesswhichbuildstheform,andtheeasiestpointatwhichtocommence is the loweston the lefthandasoneexamines thePlate.The largeviolet protrusion there is evidently the opening chord of a phrase, and if wefollowtheouter lineof theformupwardandroundthecircumferencewemayobtainsomeideaof thecharacterof thatphrase.Acloseinspectionwill revealtwootherlinesfurtherinwhichrunroughlyparalleltothisouterone,andshowsimilarsuccessionsofcolouronasmallerscale,andthesemaywell indicateasofterrepetitionofthesamephrase.

Careful analysis of this naturewill soon convince us that there is a very realorderinthisseemingchaos,andweshallcometoseethatifitwerepossibletomakeareproductionof thisglowingglorythatshouldbeaccuratedownto thesmallest detail, it would also be possible patiently to disentangle it to theuttermost,andtoassigneverylovelytouchofcoruscatingcolourtotheverynotethatcalled it intoexistence. Itmustnotbe forgotten thatvery far lessdetail isgiven in this illustration than inPlateM; for example, eachof thesepoints orprojections has within it as integral parts, at least the four lines or bands ofvarying colour which were shown as separate in Plate M, but here they areblendedintooneshade,andonlythegeneraleffectofthechordisgiven.InMwecombinedhorizontally,andtriedtoshow,thecharacteristicsofanumberofsuccessive notes blended into one, but to keep distinct the effect of the foursimultaneouspartsbyusingadifferently-colouredlineforeach.InGweattemptexactly the reverse, for we combine vertically, and blend, not the successivenotes of onepart, but the chords, eachprobably containing six or eight notes.Thetrueappearancecombinesthesetwoeffectswithaninexpressiblewealthofdetail.

Wagner.—No one who has devoted any study to these musical forms wouldhesitate inascribing themarvellousmountain-rangedepicted inPlateWto thegenius ofRichardWagner, for no other composer has yet built sound edificeswithsuchpoweranddecision.Inthiscasewehaveavastbell-shapederection,fullyninehundred feet inheight, andbut little less indiameter at thebottom,floatingintheairabovethechurchoutofwhichithasarisen.Itishollow,likeGounod'sform,but,unlikethat,itisopenatthebottom.Theresemblancetothe

successively retreating ramparts of a mountain is almost perfect, and it isheightenedbythebillowymassesofcloudwhichrollbetweenthecragsandgivetheeffectofperspective.Noattempthasbeenmadeinthisdrawingtoshowtheeffectofsinglenotesorsinglechords;eachrangeofmimicrocksrepresentsinsize,shape,andcolouronlythegeneraleffectofoneofthesectionsofthepieceofmusicasseenfromadistance.ButitmustbeunderstoodthatinrealityboththisandtheformgiveninPlateGareasfullofminutedetailsasthatdepictedinPlateM, and that all thesemagnificentmasses of colour are built upofmanycomparativelysmallbandswhichwouldnotbeseparatelyvisibleuponthescaleonwhichthisisdrawn.Thebroadresultisthateachmountain-peakhasitsownbrilliant hue, just as it is seen in the illustration—a splendid splash of vividcolour,glowingwiththegloryofitsownlivinglight,spreadingitsresplendentradianceoverallthecountryround.Yetineachofthesemassesofcolourothercoloursareconstantlyflickering,astheydooverthesurfaceofmoltenmetal,sothat thecoruscationsandscintillationsof thesewondrousastraledificesarefarbeyondthepowerofanyphysicalwordstodescribe.

PLATEW.MUSICOFWAGNER

Astrikingfeatureinthisformistheradicaldifferencebetweenthetwotypesofmusicwhichoccurinit,oneproducingtheangularrockymasses,andtheothertheroundedbillowycloudswhichliebetweenthem.Othermotifsareshownbythebroadbandsofblueandroseandgreenwhichappearatthebaseofthebell,

and the meandering lines of white and yellow which quiver across them areprobablyproducedbyaripplingarpeggioaccompaniment.

InthesethreePlatesonlytheformcreateddirectlybythesound-vibrationshasbeendrawn,thoughasseenbytheclairvoyantitisusuallysurroundedbymanyotherminorforms,theresultofthepersonalfeelingsoftheperformeroroftheemotionsarousedamong theaudienceby themusic.To recapitulatebriefly: inPlate M we have a small and comparatively simple form pourtrayed inconsiderabledetail,somethingoftheeffectofeachnotebeinggiven;inPlateGwehaveamoreelaborate formofverydifferentcharacterdelineatedwith lessdetail, sincenoattempt ismade to render theseparatenotes,butonly to showhoweachchordexpresses itself informandcolour; inPlateWwehaveastillgreaterandricherform,inthedepictionofwhichalldetailisavoided,inorderthatthefulleffectofthepieceasawholemaybeapproximatelygiven.

Naturallyeverysoundmakesitsimpressionuponastralandmentalmatter—notonly those ordered successions of sounds which we call music. Some day,perhaps,theformsbuiltbythoseotherlesseuphonioussoundsmaybepicturedforus, though theyarebeyond thescopeof this treatise;meantime, thosewhofeelan interest in themmayreadanaccountof themin the littlebookonTheHiddenSideofThings.[1]

Itiswellforusevertobearinmindthatthereisahiddensidetolife—thateachact and word and thought has its consequence in the unseen world which isalways so near to us, and that usually these unseen results are of infinitelygreater importance than thosewhicharevisible toallupon thephysicalplane.Thewiseman,knowingthis,ordershislifeaccordingly,andtakesaccountofthewholeoftheworldinwhichhelives,andnotoftheouterhuskofitonly.Thushesaveshimselfaninfinityof trouble,andmakeshis lifenotonlyhappierbutfar more useful to his fellow-men. But to do this implies knowledge—thatknowledge which is power; and in our Western world such knowledge ispracticallyobtainableonlythroughtheliteratureofTheosophy.

Toexistisnotenough;wedesiretoliveintelligently.Buttolivewemustknow,andtoknowwemuststudy;andhereisavastfieldopenbeforeus, ifwewillonly enter upon it and gather thence the fruits of enlightenment.Let us, then,wastenomore time in thedarkdungeonsof ignorance,but come forthboldlyinto the glorious sunshine of that divinewisdomwhich in thesemodern daysmencallTheosophy.

ByC.W.Leadbeater.

BRADFORD:REPRINTEDBYPERCYLUND,HUMPHRIESANDCO.LTD.

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