Some Glimpses Of Occultism, Ancient And Modern

Some Glimpses of Occultism, Ancient and Modern is a book by C. W. Leadbeater, first published in 1903. The work collects a series of lectures and essays given around 1902–1903 and offers a clear, introductory survey of Theosophical ideas and occult topics for the general reader.

Leadbeater explains and contrasts ancient mystery traditions with contemporary spiritual currents, treating subjects such as the ancient mysteries, Theosophy and Christianity, Buddhism, the astral and devachanic planes, clairvoyance, and the inner life in accessible, often illustrative prose.

Written by one of the most prolific — and controversial — Theosophical authors of the early twentieth century, the book functioned as an approachable primer that helped bring Theosophical vocabulary and concepts into wider circulation.

Its concise, lecture-based format and practical tone made it useful to newcomers seeking an organised overview of occult principles, and it subsequently influenced later popular occult and esoteric writers who drew on Theosophical frameworks for topics such as the planes of consciousness, karma, and psychic development.