Welcome to the Fire Kasina General!>What is it?Fire Kasina is an ancient Theravada Buddhist concentration meditation (one of the 10 kasina practices) where you gaze softly at a candle flame (or similar light source) to generate a bright afterimage/nimitta, then focus on that mental sign with eyes closed. Cycling back to the flame as needed, to rapidly build deep samādhi, access jhāna states, vivid visuals, and profound mystical experiences.>How to do it?1. Sit in a dim/dark room. Place a steady candle flame (or phone LED / small lamp) ~ 1-2 m in front, slightly below eye level.2. Gaze softly at the flame for 30-90 seconds (minimal blinking, relaxed eyes - no strain).3. Close eyes gently. Focus exclusively on the afterimage / mental sign that appears (bright spot, red/golden dot, colors, flame shape, murk, patterns - whatever shows up).4. Hold steady, gentle attention on it. If it fades, drifts, warps, or vanishes notice calmly, reopen eyes, gaze at flame again briefly, then close and repeat.>Why do it?Builds one-pointed concentration stabilizes the nimitta leads to vivid inner light, geometric patterns, dissolution of ordinary perception, rapture, bliss, and potentially full jhāna states.It's one of the fastest and most visual ways to strengthen samādhi, with immediate feedback from the afterimage. Practice daily in short sessions; longer retreats produce profound visionary and non-dual experiences.Share your progress and experiences here.
>>41809206I read Buddhaghosa's Visuddhimagga years ago and always thought that there were incredible passages, including the Fire Kasina part. I started to practice it a few months ago and it helped me to calm down. I had a lot of negative emotions (job, women etc.). I use a candle in a quiet room.and bump.
>>41809568You need to be careful with Fire Kasina. Your state should be stable and free of negative emotions; otherwise, the experience may turn into a bad trip.
>>41809206Bump, this thread is underrated
>>41809568It should be noted that traditionally masters/elder monks introduce younger monks to this practice. when a westerners do it they do it usually as an individual.
>>41809633I was not precise enough: it helped me to get rid of these negative emotions (at least during and shortly before and after the meditation). But yeah, virtues (Pali: sila) are the fundamentals.
>>41809206One of my first experiences with meditation was doing something similar but just with a simple object. I was a teenager and was doing it convinced it's bullshit for weak minded people, then at some point I started to see a perfect purple ball, both with my eyes closed and eyes opened. It scared the shit out of me
>>41809206Hey Dr. K recommended this
>>41810864My progress last night was strange, I can see energy in the dark, it's like pulsing colored light around my dark room
>>41813705are you sure you're not just getting afterimages burned into your retina from staring at candles in the dark for too long?
>>41813916candle luminescence after images likely wouldn't be so profound alone. burned =/= after image
>>41813916no that day I skip the practice, but at the time I normally do it, suddenly I have that pulsing vision. I think if I continue to practice more, it's gonna be getting intense one day.
