Mapping the Mind's Eye: A Graded Guide to Phosphenes and Inner Visions Integrating Neuroscience, Contemplative Practice, and Psychonautic Reports for the Yoga of Inner Light

This paper presents a graded framework for understanding phosphenes—luminous visual experiences generated without external light—by integrating findings from neuroscience, contemplative traditions, and psychonautic reports. The authors synthesize research on the neural mechanisms underlying these inner light phenomena, including cortical excitability and visual system activation, and map them onto practices aimed at cultivating such experiences. The framework proposes a progression from simple phosphenes to complex inner visions, linking each stage to specific neural correlates and contemplative techniques. The work argues that systematic engagement with phosphenes can serve as a tool for self-inquiry and altered states of consciousness, offering a bridge between empirical science and the yogic concept of inner light.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Mapping the Mind's Eye: A Graded Guide to Phosphenes and Inner Visions Integrating Neuroscience, Contemplative Practice, and Psychonautic Reports for the Yoga of Inner Light