Theosophy, Besant and Leadbeater
Devotional Feeling
Besant and Leadbeater describe a blue cloud associated with a general feeling of devoutness. They contrast this with thoughts of possessions, pleasure and business during outward acts of worship. Their account also identifies rarer forms of more definite devotion and self-renunciation, presenting attention as central to spiritual practice.
Also known as Vague Religious Feeling · Devotion in Thought-Forms · Self-renunciation in Thought-Forms
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In the sources
A general devotional feeling
ReportedThe authors describe figure 14 as a shapeless blue cloud connected with a pleasurable religious feeling. They distinguish general devoutness from more definite devotion.
Attention contrasted with outward attendance
ReportedThe discussion claims that some worship settings show forms associated with possessions and business, while others show earnest devotional clouds. It describes a flower of self-renunciation as a rarer expression.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows the book's discussion of devotional attention rather than judging the sincerity of a congregation or prescribing one form of worship. Its alleged perceptions and spiritual hierarchy remain the authors' claims. The blue illustration belongs to their visual system and is not an independent record of another person's faith.
Original passages
Source 1
Thought-Forms
a sensation of devoutness rather than of devotionOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Devotion: Vague Religious Feeling, printed p. 44
Read directly from the active prepared scan; line breaks and spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0021-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0021-E001-P0027
- Original scan leaf
- 26
- Recorded leaf number
- 27
- Current Reader position
- 27
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
- Location review
- Original scan location confirmed against the reviewed Reader mapping; the earlier recorded number is retained above.
Source 2
Thought-Forms
such a flower of self-renunciation as we see in Fig. 16Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Devotion, printed p. 45
Read directly from the active prepared scan; line breaks and spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0021-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0021-E001-P0028
- Original scan leaf
- 27
- Recorded leaf number
- 28
- Current Reader position
- 28
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
- Location review
- Original scan location confirmed against the reviewed Reader mapping; the earlier recorded number is retained above.
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Self-renunciation in Thought-Forms
The flower-like form that Besant and Leadbeater associate with an act of selfless devotion.
Same subject and traditionAspiration to Enfold All
The meditation on embracing all humanity and drawing it toward an ideal described in Thought-Forms.
Same subject and traditionHelpful Thoughts
The practice of directing supportive thought toward another person, as described and illustrated in Thought-Forms.
Same subject and traditionIntention to Know
The corkscrew-like form assigned to a listener’s determination to understand.