Charles Webster Leadbeater was a well-known clairvoyant and theosophist who dedicated his life to the dissemination of Theosophy. He left his position as a clergyman in the Church of England in 1884, travelling with Madame Helena Blavatsky to India to help her in her work for the Theosophical Society. He was accepted as a chela (disciple) by Mahatma K.H., one of HPB’s Adept-Teachers, in a letter (part two) written by him to the young Leadbeater while the latter was still in England.
His investigations into the unseen dimensions of life have had a far-reaching influence on the contemporary world, one of them being the discovery of the young J. Krishnamurti on the Adyar beach in Madras, India, in April 1909, who would later become one of the most respected and insightful spiritual teachers of the twentieth century.
This website makes available aspects of CWL’s vast literary output as well as biographical information, some of which hitherto unpublished in academic works about him. Also included are the charges and accusations against him, his work for the Theosophical Society and the Liberal Catholic Church, and a comprehensive list of his books, written over a period of several decades. CWL World also shows a number of photographs, letters, rare archival material and key testimonies, by those who knew and worked with him, about his life, his character and his helpfulness.
A young Charles Webster Leadbeater with his mother, Emma.
CWL World: A Primary Source Archive for the Life and Work of C. W. Leadbeater
T. Subba Rao was an initiated Chela of the Mahatmas. CWL was a member of his esoteric group in Madras in the mid-1880s.
A. P. Sinnett, through whose agency CWL joined the Theosophical Society in 1883.
Betrand Keightley, who prosecuted CWL at the Advisory Board meeting in London, May 1906, presided by Col. Olcott.
A young J. Krishnamurti in Madras,1910,
after his First Initiation.
Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, in a photograph of 1884, in London, the year she first met CWL.
http://www.cwlworld.info/html/madame_blavatsky.html
Dedication written by H. P. Blavatsky on the copy of her book The Key to Theosophy, which she presented to C. W. Leadbeater in London.
Letter from Mahatma K. H., one of the inner Founders of the Theosophical Society, accepting C. W. Leadbeater as his Chela (disciple). It was received in London, at midnight of 31st October 1884, through the occult agency of Madame Blavatsky. He would later travel with her to India.
https://theosophy.wiki/en/Mahatma_Letter_to_Leadbeater_-_LMW_1_No._8
The Idyll of the White Lotus: A Commentary by T. Subba Row NEW
Annie Besant and the Judge Case
Was C. W. Leadbeater a Sodomite?
C. W. Leadbeater’s Work for the Buddhist Revival Movement
in Sri Lanka - a Compilation (42 pages)
Transmigration of Life-Atoms by H. P. Blavatsky
An Attack on Bishop Leadbeater by A. G. Vreede
God, Religion and Evil: From the Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett
A Mahatma Unveils the Esotericism in the TS Seal
Interview with The Rt. Rev. Christopher Bannister:
Krishnamurti, Bishop Leadbeater, TS and LCC
Sydney Police Investigates C. W. Leadbeater (contains historical evidence)
Can Women Become Adepts? Damodar K. Mavlankar
Krishnamurti’s Experiences in Ojai, California, 1922
The Higher Psychism by James I. Wedgwood
Reminiscences about the Beginnings of The Liberal Catholic Church by Bishop Leadbeater
Can a Theosophist Be a Christian?
Harming Someone by Thought?
An Essay on Theosophical Fiction
A Wise Elder Brother - Testimonies about C. W. Leadbeater
by Those Who Knew Him (104 pages, with photographs)
Theosophy
The Theosophic Life by Annie Besant
A (Pathless) Truth Beyond all Religions?
After Listening to Krishnaji by Dr C. Kunhan Raja
(The Theosophist, April, 1934)
H. P. Blavatsky on the Nature of Magic
Occult Chemistry by Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater (online edition)
http://home.exetel.com.au/murdoch/TPH_OCTC.HTM
Reminiscences About Adyar by N. Sri Ram
A Day in the Life of Adyar (2009)
Light on the Path: Paradoxes of the Mystical Life
Understanding Self-Centredness
The Occultism of Southern India by T. Subba Rao
(from The Theosophist, January 1889)
Karma and Grace by Virginia Hanson
The Esoteric School of Theosophy
On God and Evil: An Extract from The Mahatma Letters
Thought-Forms by Annie Besant (1896)
Radhaji: A Tribute by Sri S. Harihara Raghavan
Memory in the Dying by Madame Blavatsky
How to End Obsession by Rt. Rev. C. W. Leadbeater
A Recent Conversation with the Mahatmas by Col. Henry S. Olcott
Col. Olcott’s Last Letter to C. W. Leadbeater - January 1907
Col. Olcott, Annie Besant and CWL at Adyar, 1905
How are we influenced by public opinion by C. W. Leadbeater
The Catholic and the Puritan Spirit in the TS by Annie Besant
Places of Pilgrimage in India by T. Subba Row
Understanding Violence by Pedro Oliveira
The Spiritual Path and the Phoenix Mystery by Linda Oliveira
Blavatsky and Krishnamurti: A Timeless Dialogue
Annie Besant in India - online edition
The Battle of Theosophy by Pedro Oliveira
The Failure Archetype by Pedro Oliveira
Magic and the Left Hand Path: from the writings of Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater
Articles Written by the Masters and Published in The Theosophist:
Mary K. Neff
“The Hidden Side of The Theosophist”: Mary K. Neff
Annie Besant and The Secret Doctrine
Why do we Belong to the Theosophical Society? by Linda Oliveira
Introduction to Annie Besant in India
‘Drawn into the Vortex of Probation’ (as described in The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett)
Who was Djual Khool? by Pedro Oliveira
Annie Besant in India - Book Review by Michelle Osborne
Why is Religion part of the Second Object of the Theosophical Society?
Elementals and Elemental Essence by C. W. Leadbeater and Betrand Keightley
Has Theosophy Become a Creed?
The Future of the Theosophical Society
Annie Besant, J. J. van der Leeuw and C. W. Leadbeater
Fragments of Autobiography of Russell Balfour-Clarke
An old associate of C.W. Leadbeater recollects aspects of his own life and his work with CWL.
The Attitude of the Enquirer by C. W. Leadbeater
Conversations with Radha Burnier
The Octagonal Bungalow at Adyar, where CWL developed clairvoyance.
Bio
The Leadbeaters: Brief Biographical Information by Pedro Oliveira
The Birth of a Clairvoyant: Charles Webster Leadbeater by Ricardo Lindemann, Ph.D.
CWL in Brazil: Further Evidence
Dora van Gelder Kunz and Fritz Kunz audio recording about C. W. Leadbeater
Connection with Madame Blavatsky
Madame Blavatsky and C. W. Leadbeater: A Timeline
T. Subba Rao, Col. Olcott, Mohini Chatterji, CWL and others at the 1885 TS Convention at Adyar.
When C. W. Leadbeater Met Madame Blavatsky: First Impressions
CWL Travels with Madame Blavatsky
At Cairo and Madras by Isabel Cooper-Oakley (On the Coulomb Case)
Charles Webster Leadeater’s Essays and Lectures on Freemasonry:
http://www.cwlworld.info/The_Light_Of_Luxor_Special_Edition-2__1_.pdf
Letters from the Master
First Letter of Master K.H. to CWL (1884) - with facsimile of the original document
The Turning Point in CWL’s Life: Second Letter from Master K.H.
CWL Receives his third Letter from Master K.H.
The Maha-Chohan’s Letter - historical renderings
A ringing chorus by Gounod (from Thought Forms, 1901.)
Clairvoyance
T. Subba Row, CWL and Esoteric Teachings
The Mystery of C. W. Leadbeater’s Clairvoyance
An Hour with Mr Leadbeater by Ernest Wood
Death of T. Subba Row - Article by H. S. Olcott
The Akashic Records (1897)
The Aura by C. W. Leadbeater (1895)
G. R. S. Mead’s Review of Man Visible and Invisible by CWL
Work for Buddhism in Ceylon with Col. Olcott
Col. Olcott, CWL, and Buddhist leaders in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), 1889.
The Buddhist Curate: C.W. Leadbeaters Contribution to Buddhist Education in Ceylon by Pedro Oliveira
Writing and Lecturing
Two Leading Students of HPB Review C. W. Leadbeater’s Books
CWL’s Books in the Digital Age
C. W. Leadbeaters Teachings by Alfred Taylor
A Comprehensive List of C. W. Leadbeater’s Books
Occult Chemistry
‘Occultism and the atom: the curious story of isotopes’ by Jeff Hughes
(the influence of Occult Chemistry)
(reproduced by permission)
The Story of Occult Chemistry by Elizabeth W. Preston
Occult Chemistry by Annie Besant
Accusations and Allegations
Views on E. L. Gardner’s Criticisms of C. W. Leadbeater
A Few Hours at Adyar And What They Were Made to Reveal by T. H. Martyn
CWL Speaks: a few praises and criticisms
The Cipher Letter: Historical Background by Pedro Oliveira
Facts and Testimony concerning Bishop Leadbeater by E. L. Gardner
1906 and 1908 - A letter from Annie Besant to the Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
From Exile: C. W. Leadbeater’s letter to Fritz Kunz, August 1906
C. W. Leadbeater - The Received Tradition
Freedom of Thought by Dr Hugh Shearman
C. W. Leadbeater: Various Testimonies
The book CWL Speaks – C. W. Leadbeater’s Correspondence concerning
the 1906 Crisis in the Theosophical Society is now online. You can read it here.
The Discovery of Krishnaji
Testimony of One of Krishnamurti’s Tutors at Adyar, 1909
Krishnamurti: Ninety Years of Theosophical Ripples
Krishnamurti Speaks About His Discovery
Krishnaji and CWL
A group at Taormina, Italy, 1912
The Custody Case
Ernest Wood’s letter regarding C.W. Leadbeater (1913)
For Private Circulation (1913 Madras Court Case)
Moving to Australia
The Liberal Catholic Church http://www.cwlworld.info/html/liberal_catholic_church.html
Police Investigation
Sydney Police Investigates C. W. Leadbeater
A group at Mackays residence, Sydney, 1922.
At the Request of Annie Besant, Moves to Adyar
C. W. Leadbeater’s letter to a correspondent: Annie Besant, HPB Centenary (1931)
and the “Back to Blavatsky” movement, plus Bertram Keightley at Adyar
Dies in Perth, 1 March 1934
Harold Morton: CWL’s Last Days
A Requiem Eucharist for Bishop Leadbeater, Perth, Western Australia, March 1934.
CWL Speaks - full text
Copyright © 2025 Pedro Oliveira
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