Theosophy, Besant and Leadbeater
Sympathy in the Six Directions
Besant and Leadbeater describe forms generated by a deliberate meditative attitude rather than an external event. Their examples include an effort to feel sympathy and love toward all humanity. The six-direction figure is presented as another version of that endeavour, with a different visual result.
Also known as In the Six Directions · Sympathy and Love for all
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In the sources
A consciously formed attitude
ReportedThe book describes meditation as an effort to adopt a conception or attitude. Figure 37 is associated with sympathy and love toward all humanity, represented through green lines and a rose-coloured glow.
Love and sympathy in every direction
ReportedFigure 39 is described as another endeavour to extend love and sympathy in all directions. The authors explicitly compare its intention with figure 37 while acknowledging a different resulting shape.
Context & interpretation
The entry concerns this specific Theosophical account of contemplation, not a claim that all directional meditations share its history or mechanism. The authors' descriptions of perceived forms remain reported assertions. Their plate illustrates those descriptions and does not independently establish an emitted force or its effect on others.
Original passages
Source 1
Thought-Forms
an attitude of sympathy and love towards all mankindOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Forms Seen in Those Meditating, printed p. 66
Read directly from the active prepared scan; line breaks and spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0021-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0021-E001-P0048
- Original scan leaf
- 47
- Recorded leaf number
- 48
- Current Reader position
- 48
- 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
to extend love and sympathy in all directionsOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: In the Six Directions, printed p. 67
Read directly from the active prepared scan; line breaks and spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0021-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0021-E001-P0050
- Original scan leaf
- 49
- Recorded leaf number
- 50
- Current Reader position
- 50
- 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
Aspiration to Enfold All
The meditation on embracing all humanity and drawing it toward an ideal described in Thought-Forms.
Same subject and traditionDevotional Feeling
The quality of attention during worship that Thought-Forms contrasts with distraction and represents through blue 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.