Arcing Spheres of Light - Visual Phenomenon

[NotVoid]

For a number of years I have noticed an interesting visual effect which can be most easily seen when I look up at a bright blue sky, but in a direction of the sky away from the bright sun, so it is not too bright. When I look up at a fairly bright blue sky this way I always see many little clear circles or spheres which appear in diameter of say roughly just a millimeter or so in my visual field, and which when observing them have a dark line-like border around them. These little circles or spheres (not at all like floaters which I also see) are constantly in motion and move at different speeds, and can move in fairly straight lines for a short distance but are usually overall moving in arcs or a wave-like motion in my visual field. If I focus on these little moving spheres for more than a few seconds they start to appear to be glowing with white light. Sometimes I will see one or more of these little spheres with very bright white light move across my visual field when I am just sitting reading or working on the computer or whatever. It is sort of like the effect of 'seeing stars' when this happens, but only one or two might drift by in my visual field, and maybe not as bright as seeing stars.

The most obvious explanation is that this is just some sort of characteristic of the way the eye works, but I am wondering if anyone else sees the same sort of thing when looking up at the blue sky as described above or similar, and if so, do you see this similarly to how I see it, or differently?

Edited February 27, 2014 by NotVoid

[GreytoWhite]

The most obvious explanation is that this is just some sort of characteristic of the way the eye works, but I am wondering if anyone else sees the same sort of thing when looking up at the blue sky as described above or similar, and if so, do you see this similarly to how I see it, or differently?

 

 

It's just crap floating around in your aqueous fluid.

[NotVoid]

Hi GreytoWhite. Thanks for the reply. I did already point out however that this is quite different than floaters, which are usually quite a lot larger and dark in color and shadowy in appearance, and of all sorts of shapes. Here I am taking about little tiny perfect circles or spheres which are usually moving quite quicky (their movement is not dependent on whether the eye is in motion or stationary) and which glow with white light when you observe them for a few seconds. An individual sphere will appear and then move in an arc-like (the motion can look like squiggles ) motion in my visual field, and then fade out. They do not appear like floaters at all, as floaters move around slowly as you move your eye, but do not fade out and go away. This is definitely different than floaters.

Edited February 27, 2014 by NotVoid

[Nungali]

Yes, I have similar I thought they were (blood ?) cells that move in tiny capillaries across the eye.

 

Mine are outlined in a defined mostly sperical shape with a paler interior and some appear to be joined in a chain.

 

However I do not know what a 'floater' is, so it might be a version of that. It is much more distinct when looking at a clear blue sky.

[Nungali]

I looked them up and this is perhaps what I see at times, but they are not dark. Floaters are said to be shadow caused by the particles on the retina ... hence dark. Maybe when they are light we are seeing through them an it is a different process to observing the shadow ? ... just a guess.

 

Are they in the centre of your field of vision or off to the side? That is, if they are off to the side and your eye moves to track their movement, what happens then ?

 

Perhaps if they off to the side they are refracting light into your eye ... and when in the centre thats when they cast a shadow? ... again; a guess.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Nungali

[soaring crane]

I've been told that they're angels.

 

I've also been told that they're portals to other dimensions.

 

Some people just call them the generic 'sparks of energy'.

 

They are, however a natural result of staring at a bright surface.

[NotVoid]

Hi Nungali. What I am seeing is definitely not floaters, as I have explained. What I am seeing does not change its movement pattern or direction as I move my eyes around like floaters do. The little circles move the same way whether my eyes are stationary or moving. What I see are very tiny little moving circles which are right across my field of vision and each little tiny circle moves in its own path and direction and speed. It could very well be just some effect of how the eyes work, but I really don't know what it is. When I focus on seeing these little tiny circles, they appear to glow white, and appear to be glowing whiter around their outside edges. It is not easy to view them clearly however as each individual little circle is very fleeting and only lasts for a second or two before they fade out. I see a constant stream of these little tiny circles. They do not appear to be following clear paths like as if they were following a blood vessel or something. Very squiggly paths going in all sorts of directions. Do the little circles you see sound similar to what I am describing here?

Edited February 27, 2014 by NotVoid

[asunthatneversets]

The most obvious explanation is that this is just some sort of characteristic of the way the eye works, but I am wondering if anyone else sees the same sort of thing when looking up at the blue sky as described above or similar, and if so, do you see this similarly to how I see it, or differently?

 

This type of phenomena, including gazing into the blue sky, are common in Buddhist teachings such as Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen. However it isn't appropriate to discuss these practices here.

 

You are correct about them not being floaters though. They are called thig le (pronounced 'tee-glay') or vajra chains [rdo rje lu gu].

[Nungali]

Mostly - except they appear in lines or chains and the chains sort of slowly wiggle and change shape and the spheres dont appear and disappear, they sort of float away out of the range of vision. If I move my eye to and fro they react to that ... in a delayed response , as if they are in a liquid - when I stop my eye movement, they continue a bit then stop, when I start it again they move after my eye has moved .

[Nungali]

This type of phenomena, including gazing into the blue sky, are common in Buddhist teachings such as Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen. However it isn't appropriate to discuss these practices here.

 

You are correct about them not being floaters though. They are called thig le (pronounced 'tee-glay') or vajra chains [rdo rje lu gu].

 

BINGO!

 

yes ... they are deffinatly chains ... I thought cells or even strands of DNA ... but thought my imagination was running away with itself: They seemed associated with my eye movement so I thought it was a in my eye.

 

" Vajra chains – “Indestructible chains of light, reality or awareness”. It is described as strings of connected Thigle that make up the various forms of so-called ‘external’ objects of reality. According to the Buddha Brats expression of Dzogchen, the exact form and experience of the Vajra Chains may differ from person to person depending on their cultural or personal predilection. For example, Adamas experiences them as a combination of DNA-like structures with some type of runes embedded in them. For Anri it takes on the form of cellular structures similar to that of plants, animals or people. It is uncertain at this point whether the Vajra chains stay the same in appearance to each person, or whether it evolves with time and increased insight. Once again it is imperative to remember that everything seen as ‘out there’ is merely a projection of the ‘self’ onto the screen of space so the Vajra chains are in essence a visual experience of ones own true Natural State. Compare to Thigle, Dakini, Thogal and Natural State.

..... "

 

http://okarresearchterms.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/chains-of-light.html

 

 

 

 

"Don't believe the human eye

In sunlight or in shade

The puppet show of sight and sense

Is the Devil's Masquerade."

 

---Robert Anton Wilson, 'Masks of the Illuminati'.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Nungali

[NotVoid]

Hi Soaring crane. OK, on that. What I am seeing however is like a constant 'meteor shower', except the little tiny circles are not moving in straight lines like meteors, they are sguiggling around all over the place, and there is a whole lot of them.

 

Coincidentally, after I finished some meditation earlier today, I got up and as I was walking away I saw 'stars' for about 15 or 20 seconds. The stars I saw are somewhat similar, but they were bigger moving points of light that I saw around my whole upper body, not just right in front my eyes, and the 'stars' are much brighter, but did move around randomly somewhat like the little circles I am seeing.

 

Perhaps the little glowing circles are just some odd effect of the eyes, but I was just curious if other people have noticed this, and if they see it the same way.

[NotVoid]

Hi asunthatneversets. I will keep a look out for info on this thig le, to see if it sounds similar to what I am seeing. I don't recall hearing about thig le before however, so I am not at all familiar with this.

 

Edit: Found this, but this sounds different than the 'meteor showers' of tiny little glowing circles which I am seeing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lh%C3%BCndrub_T%C3%B6gal

(excerpt from: Pettit, John Whitney (1999). Mipham's Beacon of Certainty: Illuminating the View of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection. Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-157-2, p.80)

"In the four visions of all-surpassing realization gnosis manifests spontaneously as visions of spheres of light containing mantric syllables and images of buddhas, "vajra chains" (rdo rje lug gu rgyud), and buddha paradises (zhing khams). After these visions reach the limit of diversity and completeness, all appearances recede in the ground of reality (dharmatã, chos nyid), and the perfection of the three buddha bodies is attained [trikaya]."

Edited February 27, 2014 by NotVoid

[suninmyeyes]

Bear in mind that everything is made out of different patterns and light and can be visable to some people . Different places , objects , trees , people , empty spaces even thoughts have all different vibrations and light patterns .

 

If observing carefully it is possible to find out how and whys .

Edited February 27, 2014 by suninmyeyes

[asunthatneversets]

Perhaps the little glowing circles are just some odd effect of the eyes, but I was just curious if other people have noticed this, and if they see it the same way.

 

Again, they are not an odd effect of the eyes.

 

As a side note; the traditions which incorporate this type of phenomena into their practices also warn against grasping at these visions and giving significance to them. Otherwise if you get caught up in these types of displays it can be dangerous, as you have the possibility of becoming fixated on visions and sidetracked indefinitely. But I suppose since you aren't involved in those traditions insight of that nature is somewhat irrelevant.

[soaring crane]

Hi Soaring crane. OK, on that. What I am seeing however is like a constant 'meteor shower', except the little tiny circles are not moving in straight lines like meteors, they are sguiggling around all over the place, and there is a whole lot of them.

 

I understand, but it's still something completely physical and earth-bound, not of any ethereal plane or anything. I use to believe otherwise ...

[asunthatneversets]

Thigle in tibetan, bindu in sanskrit.

[NotVoid]

Mostly - except they appear in lines or chains and the chains sort of slowly wiggle and change shape and the spheres dont appear and disappear, they sort of float away out of the range of vision. If I move my eye to and fro they react to that ... in a delayed response , as if they are in a liquid - when I stop my eye movement, they continue a bit then stop, when I start it again they move after my eye has moved .

(heh, usually the quote feature does not work for me in IE 11, but sometimes it does work. Strange that the quote feature works intermittently in IE 11. )

 

Nungali, what you are describing sounds like floaters, which move the way you describe, and which are usually much bigger than what I am referring to (very, very tiny little circles).

Edited February 27, 2014 by NotVoid

[asunthatneversets]

Hi asunthatneversets. I will keep a look out for info on this thig le, to see if it sounds similar to what I am seeing. I don't recall hearing about thig le before however, so I am not at all familiar with this.

 

Edit: Found this, but this sounds different than the 'meteor showers' of tiny little glowing circles which I am seeing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lh%C3%BCndrub_T%C3%B6gal

(excerpt from: Pettit, John Whitney (1999). Mipham's Beacon of Certainty: Illuminating the View of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection. Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-157-2, p.80)

"In the four visions of all-surpassing realization gnosis manifests spontaneously as visions of spheres of light containing mantric syllables and images of buddhas, "vajra chains" (rdo rje lug gu rgyud), and buddha paradises (zhing khams). After these visions reach the limit of diversity and completeness, all appearances recede in the ground of reality (dharmatã, chos nyid), and the perfection of the three buddha bodies is attained [trikaya]."

 

Yes that would be the same, there are myriad ways those visions occur, increase and decrease, so while your experience may not match the brief description in that link, it is the same thing.

 

But again as I am closely involved in these traditions and these practices are very secret, requiring initiation and transmission from a qualified teacher, this isn't something I would discuss beyond the light referencing that has gone on in this discussion thus far.

[NotVoid]

I understand, but it's still something completely physical and earth-bound, not of any ethereal plane or anything. I use to believe otherwise ...

Sure, I am making no assumptions about what I am seeing...

[NotVoid]

Hi asunthatneversets. Ok on that. Thanks for the information about this.

Edited February 27, 2014 by NotVoid

[NotVoid]

...

Edited February 28, 2014 by NotVoid

[ralis]

Has the OP been sungazing? Vitreous detachment can cause arcing or flashing lights in the field of vision.

[NotVoid]

Hi ralis. What I am referring to is not fiber-like or floaters at all. It is also not arcing or flashing lights really, but little tiny spheres which appear like a meteor shower and which have a white glow when I focus in on them.

[Nungali]

(heh, usually the quote feature does not work for me in IE 11, but sometimes it does work. Strange that the quote feature works intermittently in IE 11. )

 

Nungali, what you are describing sounds like floaters, which move the way you describe, and which are usually much bigger than what I am referring to (very, very tiny little circles).

 

yeah, thats what I assumed ... except for that time when I was with Aborifinal elder/ shaman friend . We were on top of a mountain and my 'floaters' started to form an overlaying pattern on the landscape .

 

A the article said, they may vary according to 'culture' ?

 

 

 

The more traditional forms of their art doesnt seem to correlate with the landscape ... in this case, I was tiold, they are maps or patterns of the sacred sites and dreaming tracks or 'song-lines', in 'country'.

 

 

Edited February 27, 2014 by Nungali

[NotVoid]

Nungali, nice pictures!