Hi folks.   :-)


I've been working The Mind Illuminated for the past year, about 80 minutes a day on average. I'm in solid Stage 6 territory, and plan on continuing to do at least 1 hour of that per day, but man, I could use a change of gears to energize my mind and spirit, and to reinvigorate my passion. I'd heard of Fire Kasina meditation before, but never looked into it until listening to Daniel and Michael Taft talking about it on Deconstructing Yourself after work last evening. Daniel advised listening to some of his Q&A sessions on Firekasina.org, so I also gave that a listen before doing a 30-minute maiden voyage with my candle. I'd say it went OK; I was happy and encouraged to at least temporarily see a red dot which was replaced by a black dot, but isn't that just normal ocular physiology that every human should experience? I do have a few other questions, though, if you have time to help.


1) The red dot and subsequent black dot were gone after 5 minutes. After that, I could still see faint colors coming and going. These were the same sorts of subtle moving colors that I've fallen asleep while watching since I was a kid, so they didn't seem like.....anything. Does seeing those moving colors mean that I should keep my eyes shut and not revisit the candle flame? 


2) If what I just described is The Murk, should I be trying to DO anything with it, or just stay alert and passively watch?  


3) In the audio Q&A, Daniel and the others talked about using a mantra in the FK practice. I've done some mantra meditating before, but is this something I should wait to add to my FK sits? As my concentration has improved with TMI, I've become almost constantly aware of an inner sound in my ears/head. I let that sound ground me during last night's FK sit. Good idea?

4) They also used the word "dose" quite a bit. What does this refer to? Sit time? 


5) Speaking of sit time, what's the suggested duration?  I would imagine that as a person starts to have things happen, they naturally want to increase the sit time. Right now, 30 minutes is totally workable in the evenings.

I know I had a few more questions, but I can't remember them right now. If you can help with any of these, I'd sure appreciate it. Thank you, thank you!   :-) 


6) I remembered another question: is there a certain candle you'd suggest for this practice? I just used a scented Yankee candle last night. Apple cinnamon.....smelled great, but I'd sacrifice that for the right flame size and shape LOL.

Hey


1) The red dot and subsequent black
dot were gone after 5 minutes. After that, I could still see faint
colors coming and going. These were the same sorts of subtle moving
colors that I've fallen asleep while watching since I was a kid, so they
didn't seem like.....anything. Does seeing those moving colors mean
that I should keep my eyes shut and not revisit the candle flame? 

It depends. Stay with them if they can hold your fascination. Typically, one would get to that point several times and start over refreshing the after image and then try to stay with it longer. They key is staying with the detail of what you see whatever that may be.


2) If what I just described is The Murk, should I be trying to DO anything with it, or just stay alert and passively watch?  

Again, it depends. If I am working on concentration, I will start trying some control. If I am working on insight, I would pay very close attention to what is there and let it do its own thing noticing the change. However, there is quite a bit of overlap.

If there is purple, for example, set the intention to see more purple then let it go. However, it may require more hours than you are doing for that to occur but maybe not.

3)
In the audio Q&A, Daniel and the others talked about using a mantra
in the FK practice. I've done some mantra meditating before, but is
this something I should wait to add to my FK sits? As my concentration
has improved with TMI, I've become almost constantly aware of an inner
sound in my ears/head. I let that sound ground me during last night's FK
sit. Good idea?

When I was on retreat with Daniel, he encouraged using the mantra. He states the benefits in the fk book as well. I have experienced them myself.
That said, I have done what you are talking about. Usually towards the end of the 3rd vipassana jhana, I will swap the mantra for the ringing of the ears and bring in the bodily sensations when awareness of the first two sense doors are stable. At that point, it is not really fk any more. It is a good insight practice though.

4) They also used the word "dose" quite a bit. What does this refer to? Sit time? 

Yes. More is better.


5)
Speaking of sit time, what's the suggested duration?  I would imagine
that as a person starts to have things happen, they naturally want to
increase the sit time. Right now, 30 minutes is totally workable in the
evenings.

I know I had a few more questions, but I can't remember
them right now. If you can help with any of these, I'd sure appreciate
it. Thank you, thank you!   :-) 

Duration is up to you. I have gotten good effects from 1 hour a day and 16 hours a day. More is better.


6) I remembered another
question: is there a certain candle you'd suggest for this practice? I
just used a scented Yankee candle last night. Apple cinnamon.....smelled
great, but I'd sacrifice that for the right flame size and shape LOL.

It doesn't matter. I use a led light. I have also used these: UCO Original Collapsible Candle Lantern


Good luck. Remember, that paying attention to the detail is most important.

Jason, thank you....that was helpful!

Hi


1. I don`t think that`s the murk. First of all you didn´t mention the yellow/white dot with the red halo, so it is unlikely that you are already in the murk phase. In the Murk you will see different 3d shapes.. So yes, refresh the dot.
2. You passively watch, after you have some mastery you can focus in either color or form.

3. You should use a mantra since now. It really helps with concentration.

4. Yes

5. The longest you can do in your daily life. I usually do 1-2 hours a day.

6. 100% beewax candles since paraffin is bad for your health.

Good luck.

It's not necessary to have white/yellow dot with red halo. It can be other colors, or just one color. Sometimes for me, the dot is always red for days, but then for some other days, it starts red and turns into a green/yellow, or starts yellow and turns into red.

After the afterimage, if the dot is stable and relatively bright, that would be the first jhana. Then if the focus continues, often the dot becomes brighter and develops other features, like another colors inside it, or dark tiny dots or other shapes inside it that are moving or spinning, and some colors around the dot, as a ring or border around the dot, or sometimes there is all of that, and there are a round area around the dot with some other colors, often with movements and fine pixelation. And in this phase, less effort is needed to keep the dot bright and stable. That would be the second jhana.

The transition after that for me is that, the dot. red or yellow, often starts to turn into a bright green dot, a green area develops from the bottom of the dot, and after a little while, fills the whole surface of the dot, and the red or yellow disappears, and then the dark dot arises and replaces this green one. Sometimes there isn't any green dot, and the red dot turns directly into the dark dot.

The dark dot, sometimes has a defined shape, a little black dot, or dark green dot, but other times it's not defined, instead there is a black/dark area in the center of the visual field. Sometimes none of these may appear, but this phase is the murk. It doesn't require to have 3D images or shapes. 3D shapes may never appear. But the field in this phase is wider than the dot screen, with some depth and 3D aspect to it.

The glossary of Fire Kasina website has clear descriptions.


https://firekasina.org/glossary/

Thank you for the responses! I will give it a go!