From Flickers to Formless: Mapping Phosphene Trajectories in Tibetan Dzogchen, Christian Mysticism, and Contemporary Meditation

This paper presents a comparative phenomenological analysis of luminous inner experiences—commonly known as phosphenes—as described in three distinct visionary contexts: the Tibetan Buddhist Thögal instructions of Dudjom Lingpa (1835–1904), the Christian mystical visions of Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179), and a contemporary first-person meditative account. Drawing upon a newly developed six-phase taxonomy of inner light phenomena, the study reveals a striking convergence in the structure, progression, and symbolic unfolding of these visions. Each account exhibits a coherent trajectory from simple entoptic elements to complex geometrical formations, visionary narratives, and, ultimately, dissolution into a unified luminous field. While the experiential architecture appears consistent, the ultimate articulation of the final unitive phase is conditioned by the theological and cultural context of the visionary. Hildegard’s visions, for example, approach but do not fully express ontological non-duality, reflecting her Catholic worldview. In contrast, Dudjom Lingpa’s Dzogchen framework and the contemporary account both describe complete collapse into a clear light field. These findings suggest a universal inner architecture of luminous perception that is shaped—but not determined—by doctrinal overlays. The study introduces the concept of the Ultrasubjective Hyperspace (USH) to describe the final stage of this inner trajectory, proposing that phosphenes are not merely optical anomalies but gateways to transpersonal consciousness. This work contributes to comparative mysticism, neurophenomenology, and consciousness studies, while offering a contemplative framework for contemporary practitioners.