Thought Forms

"As knowledge increases, the attitude of science toward the things of the invisible world is undergoing considerable modification. Its attention is no longer directed solely to the earth with all its variety of objects, or to the physical worlds around it; but it finds itself compelled to glance further afield, and to construct hypotheses as to the nature of the matter and force which lie in the regions beyond the ken of its instruments.

The fact is that science has pressed its researches so far, has used such rare ingenuity in its questionings of nature, has shown such tireless patience in its investigations, that it is receiving the reward of those who seek, and forces and beings of the next higher plane of nature are beginning to show themselves on the outer edge of the physical field."

First published in installments in Lucifer, the book Thought Forms was brought out by theosophist and activist, Annie Wood Besant in 1905.

I have only limited public liability coverage and as I cannot guarantee that space cadets readers are wearing a properly fitted tinfoil chapeau, I feel duty bound not to elucidate upon the meanings of these illustrations.

• The images here were beamed to me from fulltable who are hosts to an incomplete but large-ish format display of example illustrations from Thought Forms.
• All 58 images as well as a full transcript of the text is available to cautious teleporters at the AnandGholap site.
• Alternatively Project Gutenburg will ensure you become enlightened.

Addit: I've possibly come across as disparaging Annie Wood Besant unfairly with my flippant remarks. She is certainly much more complex and her accomplishments much more tangible than this singular work might otherwise suggest. She was in fact a groundbreaking feminist, trade union organizer and political reformer in both the UK and India; beyond any slanted attitudes her adherence to the Theosophical Society might inspire. More at Victorian Web.