Welcome

Welcome to the site dedicated to exploring the ancient practice of the Fire Kasina, described in detail in places such as the Visuddhimagga and Vimuttimagga, commentaries on the Pali Canon. It is a meditative practice in which, in its simplest form, you stare at a candle flame (or other source of flame, such as a lamp, or even the LED from a phone), close your eyes, and pay attention to what you actually see. It is the basis of deep concentration states, fascinating visual and other magickal experiences, and can also serve as a basis for insight and awakening. It can also be done eyes open, as well as standing, walking, laying down, etc.

This practice has a wide range of remarkable benefits, potentially producing insights and awakenings, blissful and peaceful states (jhanas), experiences of magic and “the powers”, realms, entities, energetic experiences, healings, improvements in the visual system, and a wide range of other remarkable and surprising effects.

It can also produce challenges of a wide variety, including states of mind that are confusing, disorienting, agitated, fearful, dark, heavy, hard to process, and profoundly altered in ways that may mildly, moderately, or severely impair function for at least the short to medium term, and potentially longer.

One of the first talks that has occurred at most of these retreats is an acknowledgement that this practice is not entirely safe, and we don’t know how to make it entirely safe. See this Safety Page here for some recommendations, realizing this is an evolving discussion, and we are still learning about this practice and how to maximize benefits while minimizing risks. If you do these practices, take responsibility for your own actions and their consequences. Keep your wits about you, and, if you need help, please find it.

Duncan, Florian and myself (Daniel) undertook two weeks of 12+ hours per day of meditative practice, most of which was candle-flame (fire) kasina practice in Scotland in a rented tower (The Tower of Hallbar)  in February, 2015. We discovered all sorts of things we wished to share with others, who might want to take up these practices or have done them and want to compare notes, so we started this site, on which we hope to explore what happened, compare it to the old texts, and give advice on how to do something like we did.

Shannon undertook her own 25-day solo retreat exploring the same techniques. Chad Atlas, John Finnell, Chris Miller and Gabe Hill did a 9-day retreat.

In late 2017, Elizabeth went on retreat with Culadasa. Recorded summaries and audio diaries from both retreats are available in the Diaries section.

We have also produced a written commentary on the Vimuttimagga, which seeks to elucidate in detail how this technique is practiced.

In November, 2017, Shannon and Daniel published a free book called The Fire Kasina about Shannon’s fire kasina retreat.

In February, 2017 Daniel saw light everywhere…

In April, 2018, nine skilled practitioners went on retreat in France and gave very helpful reports and advice. 

🔥 In the Fall of 2018, there was a retreat at Denman Island hosting up to about 20 practitioners for a month of fire kasina, whose Frequently Asked Questions project should be most helpful.

In the Spring of 2019, another two-week retreat happened in France.

In the Autumn of 2019, a two-week retreat happened at Bryngarth in Hereford, UK.

In January of 2020, a three-week retreat happened in Bavaria, Germany.

In February of 2020, a three-week retreat happened again at Bryngarth found here.

In March of 2022, Melissa did a three-week fire kasina retreat and made a video about it found here.

In September of 2022, David Germano and Daniel Ingram discussed elemental practices at UVA found here.

In early 2023, Teodora did a 2.5 week fire kasina retreat and made a video about it found here. She made a later video with Shawn here.

Rena talks about her fire kasina retreat in Thailand in 2023 here, and Lisett reports on that retreat here.

In July of 2024, 10 brave adventurers went on a fire kasina neurophenomenology research retreat here.

In the Summer of 2022, Dor Konforty went on a 22-day fire kasina retreat and made a video about it here, posted now in March 2025.

May this site serve as a basis for great practice,

Daniel & the Fire Kasina Denizens