Fire Kasina #

From a candle flame to an inner world

Overview #

The Fire Kasina is a traditional Theravāda Buddhist concentration practice focused on a single visual object—in this case, a small flame. It is one of a set of Kasina meditations, a family of practices that use elemental or visual objects (such as earth, water, air, fire, or colors) to train concentration and internal visualization. Among the kasinas, the fire kasina is particularly known for producing the most vivid and visionary effects. By concentrating on the afterimage left by the flame, the meditator develops intense focus and begins to experience complex internal visual imagery, eventually leading to vivid, stable mental visions.

Kasina meditation is often linked to the development of “siddhis” – magical abilities such as clairvoyance, bilocation, and telepathy.

Contemporary practitioners also use the Fire Kasina for exploring altered states of consciousness, visual thinking, and even entoptic phenomena (visuals originating within the nervous system rather than the external world).

Fire Kasina is a very effective tool for reaching profound states. In fact, a 2024 study found that practitioners rated Fire Kasina sessions very highly on the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30)—a psychometric tool used to assess the intensity and character of altered states of consciousness. The results were comparable to high-dose psilocybin sessions in terms of reported mystical depth and perceptual richness.¹ The catch is that in order to gain entrance to truly magical dreamscapes, you need to put in the hours.

Theoretical Basis #

In Theravāda manuals like the Visuddhimagga, Kasina meditation is used to develop access concentration and eventually jhānic absorption states. Kasinas are traditional meditation objects that usually correspond to one of the four classical elements (earth, water, fire, air), with additional variants including colors and light. Among these, the Fire Kasina is particularly notable for producing profound visual phenomena and symbolic imagery. It trains the visual field and attention system to stabilize internal images, often called nimitta.

From a neurological standpoint, focusing on an afterimage engages retinotopic persistence, visual cortex pattern completion, and top-down modulation. Over time, the brain begins to project stabilized, internally generated imagery, transitioning from entoptic patterns to fully immersive visualizations.

Step-by-Step Application #

1. Materials Needed: #

• A dark, quiet room
• A candle or other small light
• A comfortable meditation seat
• A journal or notebook (to record visions)

2. Preparing the Environment: #

1. Turn off all lights except the candle.
2. Sit comfortably with the candle placed at eye level, about 2–3 feet away.
3. Take a few minutes to relax and center your breath.

3. The Meditation Process: #

1. Gaze at the flame without blinking for 30–60 seconds.
2. Close your eyes gently and observe the afterimage (usually a bright spot or shape).
3. When the image fades, open your eyes and gaze at the flame again.
4. Repeat this cycle, deepening your focus on the after-image with each cycle.

4. Developing the Nimitta: #

• As the practice develops, the afterimage may evolve into geometric patterns, tunnels, landscapes, or scenes.
• Try to stabilize the image by calmly attending to it without trying to control it.
• Over time, the imagery may become interactive or dreamlike.
• Kasina meditation is a practice that rewards consistency and effort. To begin with, you might want to limit sessions to 20 minutes, but once you get comfortable, start to increase both the volume and frequency of sessions. A good target to aim for might be 10 hours a day for 7 consecutive days. Of course, this is only attainable under retreat-like conditions.

5. Recording and Reflection: #

• After each session, write down or draw what you saw.
• Note the shape, color, duration, transitions, and emotional tone of the imagery.
• Over weeks, patterns may emerge.

Expected Adaptations #

Long-term practice may result in the ability to enter visionary states at will, and increased visual-spatial awareness even outside of meditation.

Risk Considerations #

• Eye strain: Take care not to overexpose your eyes to the flame—keep sessions gentle.
• Overinterpretation: Treat visuals as experiences rather than messages.
• Sleep disruption: Practicing late at night may lead to increased mental stimulation.

Further Exploration #

• Combine with Tatwa Meditation to build symbolic image vocabulary.
• Compare with Dream Imagery: Record how Kasina visuals differ from dreams.
• Explore Entoptic Phenomena: Research visual noise, floaters, and phosphenes.
• Use alongside Mindfulness or Jhāna Practice to integrate states.
• Consider the crossover with Golden Dawn astral projection practices and also Brion Gysin’s Dreamachine, which is seen with the eyes closed.

Call for Reports #

Have you trained with the Fire Kasina? What did you see? Did the imagery evolve over time? Share your observations!