Arcing Spheres of Light - Visual Phenomenon

[ronko]

Wilhelm reich called them orgone :-)

[NotVoid]

Hi ronko. I have heard of Reich and his concept of orgone. Did he describe orgone as ever being like small moving spheres dancing around?

[asunthatneversets]

Hi ronko. I have heard of Reich and his concept of orgone. Did he describe orgone as ever being like small moving spheres dancing around?

Also, the small moving spheres are the thigles, wasn't sure if I said that specifically. But they manifest in varying sizes, array, color and number, depending on the circumstances.

 

If you google image search 'Dzogchen' you will see that the common iconography (though not limited solely to) predominantly consists of imagery related to this phenomena.

 

But very interesting to hear about the different interpretations of this phenomena from culture to culture. The Aboriginal 'dreamtime' art has always struck me as very similar in appearance. Such imagery is very universal when it comes to entoptic phenomena.

[Tibetan_Ice]

Hi, I have been seeing those little orbs of light since I was a kid. It is some kind of physical phenomenon. Sky gazing on a bright day at the clear blue sky with the sun at your back reveals them quite easily. Yes I've heard that it may be orgone. The little orbs appear, are visible for a split second and then disappear. They seem to travel in arcs. They leave a short trail as they flit about. I don't think they are related to thogal visions though.

Here is a link to true thogal visions. Check out the preview...

http://www.amazon.com/Luminous-Heart-Inner-Radiance-Drawings/dp/0983194505

 

[NotVoid]

Thanks asunthatneversets.

 

Tibetan_Ice, yes, what you describe sounds similar.

My impression is that what I am seeing is not an external phenomenon separate from me. Whether it is just a physiological effect or qi/energetically related I don't know. I am more inclined to think that what I am seeing is a physiological effect however.

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2014 by NotVoid

[asunthatneversets]

Here is a link to true thogal visions. Check out the preview...

http://www.amazon.com/Luminous-Heart-Inner-Radiance-Drawings/dp/0983194505

 

That is that couple who practiced under Lama Drimed Norbu and were convinced they completed the visions, even though Lama Drimed told them they had not. And then they went and published drawings of their visions in a book. Apparently not even mentioning their teacher or lineage, which is that of the venerable Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche.

 

Ridiculous.

Edited February 28, 2014 by asunthatneversets

[asunthatneversets]

My impression is that what I am seeing is not an external phenomenon separate from me.

Yes, it is not separate, but nothing truly is external, that is the point of the teachings being referenced here. When said energy in these practices is brought to its culmination, the delusion which is responsible for the experience of being a subjective entity which is relating to an external universe is exhausted.

[asunthatneversets]

Anyway, with that I bow out of this discussion. Not an appropriate topic to be discussing openly, for me at least.

[Tibetan_Ice]

That is that couple who practiced under Lama Drimed Norbu and were convinced they completed the visions, even though Lama Drimed told them they had not. And then they went and published drawings of their visions in a book. Apparently not even mentioning their teacher or lineage, which is that of the venerable Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche.

 

Ridiculous.

But did they paint valid thogal visions for level three? Apparently they practiced for over 9 years...

[silent thunder]

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?

 

I've been experiencing these for many years.

 

It's very clear they are not on the eye, when they pass behind/beyond the window I am gazing at them through.

The last time I really noticed them was aboard a plane, I became aware of them as I was watching the Rockies pass by underneath, then picked one at a time and watched its path until it would pass outside the window.

 

Interesting.

[C T]

On a number of retreats i have attended in the past, i have heard of participants reporting such visions. They tend to get quite animated, speak about it all day long to anyone willing to listen, intending to seek confirmation that they'd attained certain levels, or had blockages removed resulting in said visions, and tend to become adamantly convinced that some very profound thing had occurred. They would even stubbornly insist on personal time with the visiting Teacher to verify their clinging to said experience, which was quite funny, i thought.

 

As i recall, Teachers mentioned not to read too much into these sorts of experiences. They are only useful for verifying that certain practices (which a student have received empowerment for) are progressing on the right track. If they occur independently, or spontaneously, free of any ascribed sadhanas, which they sometimes do, then its viewed no differently than any other sensory apprehension, according to same Teachers. Then the advice given is to simply let them come, watch the display, and when the vision ends, just allow for that, without attempting to regroup the mind to try to recreate the same circumstances which brought the experiences about.

 

I cant say much more because i never quite got past the novice stages of preliminary practices yet. Hanging in there though.

[asunthatneversets]

But did they paint valid thogal visions for level three? Apparently they practiced for over 9 years...

Allegedly only second vision.

 

Malcolm wrote:

"In fact, the Old's had their experiences confirmed by their teacher, Lama Drimed, up to the second vision. But they mistakenly concluded they were finished with the four visions when they had not actually finished the second vision, or so the story runs. Then there was a disagreement and they left Lama Drimed after having spend nine years in retreat.

 

At this point, apparently, they do not even consider themselves Buddhists, and perhaps never did."

 

Everyone has varying capacity and karmic constitutions so the amount of time it takes also varies.

 

I have heard stories of exceptionally rare beings who completed the practice in less than a year, and then others like Malcolm's teacher Kunzang Dechen Lingpa who took seven years in strict retreat to accomplish third vision. For some it can take decades. I've heard of another young Lama who accomplished the path and was in his early twenties. So it all depends.

[NotVoid]

Hi C.T. I don't view what I am referring to here as visions. I think it is most likely just an artifact of the way our vision works. What you are referring to seems to be something different.

Edited February 28, 2014 by NotVoid

[C T]

Hi C.T. I don't view what I am referring to here as visions. I think it is most likely just an artifact of the way our vision works. What you are referring to seems to be something different.

Ok!

[asunthatneversets]

Hi C.T. I don't view what I am referring to here as visions. I think it is most likely just an artifact of the way our vision works. What you are referring to seems to be something different.

'Vision' in reference to this type of thing is just a suitable English translation of whatever the original Sanskrit and/or Tibetan terms are. Doesn't mean they are truly visions in the sense we might generally think of the term. Still it is a suitable title in my opinion.

[NotVoid]

Thanks to everyone who commented. It looks like a few people have noticed a similar sort of visual effect. My opinion is that this particular effect is most likely just an odd effect that is due to the way our vision works. I think this because this effect requires looking against a bright background such as the blue sky or even the bright, light colored background of a computer monitor screen, to see it clearly. It is a bit subtle at first, but once you notice it and focus in on it, it is then that you can see that the little circles are glowing white and appear to be brighter closer to their outer edges.

 

Another interesting effect of the way our vision works is that even in a very dark room, when looking at the darkness I personally notice it is actually made up of a gazillion miniscule little black dots interspersed with a lighter color, and if you observe more closely you may see that there are other effects in their as well such as brighter points and areas and some other things can be observed in there as well, including something similar to the little circles moving around described above, but a lot more subtle in the dark.

[suninmyeyes]

Not Void , I see these things in light and in darkness I see even more patterns and /or colours , so as I have mentioned before -- just really observe it and meditate on it and you will definetly come to know if you are seeing floaters ,your own energetic field or "light"patterns that everything is made of or some sort of optical illusion .

Edited February 28, 2014 by suninmyeyes

[NotVoid]

Hi suninmyeyes. Thanks for the comment. Yes, what I was discussing is definitely not floaters, as that is something which appears much different than I have described. I do see those as well, as most people probably do, and they are much more obvious. Ok regarding observing this sort of thing even further. There is no doubt that some very interesting things can be seen when you observe in this way, and it does seem that the more you observe it the more you are able to notice. It seems things which are very subtle and hardly noticed become much more noticeable and you start to see a lot more details as you focus in, in this way.

[suninmyeyes]

Yes . By deep observations between these and yourself and possible connection -- it is possible to discern wherther it is your energy field ( which would be influenced by current state of mind ), more subtle vision developing or something else .

I also believe that this is how vision works and it is not mystical , it just that light is like a skeleton of more condensed physical plane .

 

Van Gogh saw it too ..

 

Edited February 28, 2014 by suninmyeyes

[Aeran]

When you say 'spheres' exactly how big do you mean? Out of nowhere about 2 - 3 weeks ago I started noticing bright white sparks flickering in and out of existence across the sky whenever I looked upwards during the daytime. Watching hundreds of these sparks swirl around is quite captivating, but I've got no idea what they are other than a comment I remember a teacher making about 'sparks of etheric energy' or somesuch a while back. Is that the same as what you're describing?

[ralis]

Whphenomenonu say 'spheres' exactly how big do you mean? Out of nowhere about 2 - 3 weeks ago I started noticing bright white sparks flickering in and out of existence across the sky whenever I looked upwards during the daytime. Watching hundreds of these sparks swirl around is quite captivating, but I've got no idea what they are other than a comment I remember a teacher making about 'sparks of etheric energy' or somesuch a while back. Is that the same as what you're describing?

 

Wilhelm Reich called that Orgone or life force. I see that phenomenon all the time.

 

[NotVoid]

Hi Aeran. I described it in a lot a detail in my comments in this thread already, but the little circles appear very tiny to the eye, appearing maybe only about 1mm in diameter very roughly. What I see is not dependent on looking at the sky, as I can see the same thing when I look at a bright, light colored computer monitor screen, such as a screen with a white background. What I am referring to seems to be an effect related to the way our vision works.

[rex]

Fascinating account NotVoid. I suppose one way to fathom whether this is a physical phenomenon or some sort of thogal vision is by looking at your dreams and dream state. Do you have dreams of clarity?

[NotVoid]

Hi rex. From what I could gather, the thigle experiences are experiences related to particular systems, and seem to be indicators when someone has achieved a fairly high level of accomplishment in those systems, from what I read anyway. Therefore that doesn't appear to me to be related at all to what I have been describing here. What I have been describing is a visual effect which I think most anyone may be able to see, as it appears to be an effect of the way our vision works, from what I can tell. Regarding your question, my dream state does not seem out of the ordinary.

 

 

Edited March 1, 2014 by NotVoid

[rex]

Hi rex. From what I could gather, the thigle experiences are experiences related to particular systems ..... Regarding your question, my dream state does not seem out of the ordinary.

 

 

 

Ok thanks NotVoid. I train in a particular system but my dream states are very ordinary

 

Edit: multiple tpyos

Edited March 2, 2014 by rex