Theosophical astral cosmology
Apparitions at the Time of Death
Leadbeater describes apparitions near the moment of death as possible visits by the dying person’s astral form. He treats the appearance as belonging to a transition rather than necessarily to a long-departed spirit. He also allows that a strong wish to see a friend may produce a thought-form with a similar appearance. The book therefore offers more than one explanation for what an observer thinks they recognize.
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In the sources
Principal account
ReportedLeadbeater describes apparitions near the moment of death as possible visits by the dying person’s astral form. He treats the appearance as belonging to a transition rather than necessarily to a long-departed spirit.
Further detail
ReportedHe also allows that a strong wish to see a friend may produce a thought-form with a similar appearance. The book therefore offers more than one explanation for what an observer thinks they recognize.
Context & interpretation
Leadbeater presents a Theosophical classification based on claimed occult investigation. Its planes, beings, and mechanisms belong to that historical esoteric system; the book’s assurance of reality is an authorial claim rather than independent scientific verification.
Original passages
Source 1
The Astral Plane
to call them .ill vaguely "ghosts." Apparitions at the time- of death are by no means uncommon, and are very often really visits paidOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Theosophical astral cosmology; active reader leaf 106
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0005-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0005-E001-P0106
- Original scan leaf
- 109
- Recorded leaf number
- 109
- Current Reader position
- 102
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 2
The Astral Plane
they are quite likely to be thought-forms called into being by his earnest wish to see some friend once more before he passes intoOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Theosophical astral cosmology; active reader leaf 106
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0005-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0005-E001-P0106
- Original scan leaf
- 109
- Recorded leaf number
- 109
- Current Reader position
- 102
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader