Gregory Tillett

Charles Webster Leadbeater (1854–1934) was a significant figure in the Theosophical Society, a prolific author on occult subjects, and a co-initiator of the Liberal Catholic Church. Originally an Anglican priest, his interest in spiritualism led him to join the Theosophical Society, where he became a close associate of Annie Besant and rose to a high leadership position. He remained a central member until his death, authoring over sixty books and pamphlets and frequently speaking on esoteric topics.

Leadbeater's early life included a period of self-education and clerical work after his father's death. His clerical path led him to ordination in the Anglican Church, but his growing fascination with spiritualism, particularly the work of Daniel Dunglas Home, shifted his focus. His involvement with Theosophy began after reading A. P. Sinnett's "Occult World," and he soon met Helena Blavatsky, becoming her pupil and later traveling to India. There, he claimed to have received training from the "Masters" central to Theosophical teachings. He also served as the first headmaster of a school in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) which later became Ananda College. After returning to England, he became closely associated with Annie Besant and dedicated himself to writing and speaking for the Society.

Born in Stockport in 1854, Charles Leadbeater's early life was marked by the early death of his father and financial hardship. After leaving school, he worked in clerical roles while pursuing extensive self-education in subjects like astronomy, French, Latin, and Greek. Influenced by his uncle, an Anglican cleric, Leadbeater was ordained as a priest in 1879. He served as a curate and was remembered as a kind and cheerful man. Around this time, his interest in spiritualism was ignited by accounts of mediums like Daniel Dunglas Home, prompting a deeper exploration of the occult.

Leadbeater joined the Theosophical Society in 1883, inspired by A. P. Sinnett's "Occult World." He soon met Helena Blavatsky, who accepted him as a pupil, and he adopted a vegetarian diet. A pivotal moment came when he traveled to India in 1884, where he reported receiving instruction from the "Masters" believed to guide the Theosophical Society. This marked the beginning of his extensive career within the organization. He later served as headmaster of the English Buddhist Academy in Ceylon, which eventually evolved into Ananda College. Following Blavatsky's departure, Leadbeater claimed to have developed clairvoyant abilities.

Throughout his life, Leadbeater authored over sixty books and pamphlets, many of which explored esoteric and occult themes. His writings delved into subjects such as the nature of the soul, reincarnation, karma, the development of psychic abilities, thought forms, and vegetarianism. Two of his notable works, "Astral Plane" and "The Devachanic Plane," examined the realms of consciousness after death. He presented his work on clairvoyance as a detailed investigation into perception beyond ordinary sight, describing phenomena and methods for developing such abilities through focused meditation and mental control. He also discussed the potential for clairvoyance to aid in scientific and historical research by allowing observation at microscopic levels or into the past.

After H. P. Blavatsky's death, Leadbeater returned to England and became closely associated with Annie Besant, who led the Theosophical Society. He became a prominent speaker and held the position of Secretary of the London Lodge. However, in 1906, controversy arose when it was revealed that Leadbeater had advised young boys under his care on managing sexual thoughts. While he defended his actions as an attempt to address a taboo subject openly, the revelations led to calls for his resignation and proceedings within the Society. Annie Besant later defended him, characterizing the proceedings as unjust.

“For the first time among occultists, a detailed investigation had been made of the Astral Plane as a whole, in a manner similar to that in which a botanist in an Amazonian jungle would set to work in order to classify its trees, plants and shrubs, and so write a botanical history of the jungle. For this reason the little book, The Astral Plane, was definitely a landmark, and the Master as Keeper of the Records desired to place its manuscript in the great Museum.”

“Let a man choose a certain time every day—a time when he can rely upon being quiet and undisturbed, though preferably in the daytime rather than at night—and set himself at that time to keep his mind for a few minutes entirely free from all earthly thoughts of any kind whatever and, when that is achieved, to direct the whole force of his being towards the highest spiritual ideal that he happens to know. He will find that to gain such perfect control of thought is enormously more difficult than he supposes, but when he attains it, it cannot but be in every way most beneficial to him, and as he grows more and more able to elevate and concentrate his thought, he may gradually find that new worlds are opening before his sight.”

“The so-called trial of Mr Leadbeater was a travesty of justice. He came before Judges, one of”