The Rainbow Body's Inner Cinema: Phosphenes, Ultrasubjective Hyperspace, and a Neurophenomenological Framework for Tibetan Mystical Experience
PsyArXiv June 3, 2025 Jan Marius Keppel Hesselink preprint
The paper proposes a neurophenomenological framework to interpret Tibetan Buddhist accounts of the rainbow body and related mystical experiences. It argues that phosphenes—internally perceived visual patterns—may serve as a neurobiological basis for visionary experiences described in Tibetan traditions. By integrating subjective reports with neuroscience, the framework suggests that meditative practices can induce altered states of consciousness characterized by geometric light patterns, which practitioners interpret as manifestations of enlightened awareness. The authors contend that this approach bridges subjective mystical experiences and objective neural correlates, offering a model for understanding how cultural and contemplative practices shape perception of an 'ultrasubjective hyperspace' without reducing experience to mere brain activity.