>phosphenism rss September 15th, 2010 09:06:10 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing PHOSPHENISM is learning how to transform the enrgy of light into mental energy. http://phosphenism.com/ uk Alchemy is an age-old « science » which goal was to produce the Philosopher's Stone, a much lusted-after object for centuries. This Stone was supposed to transform base metals into gold, and, beyond the dust thrown in the uninitiated's eyes, it allowed to manufacture of the Elixir of Life, a substance that gave access to immortality. Relegated to the rank of superstition, Alchemy nevertheless had its moment of glory, and certain scientists studied it with attention, sometimes advocating it like Leibniz or Newton. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_alchimy.html The influence of Phosphenism in human history is significant. To truly understand its importance, one needs to be familiar with its main concepts. The phosphenes are all the subjective sensations of light. To obtain a phosphene, one simply needs to focus on a white, opaline, 75 watts light bulb for thirty seconds at a distance of two meters. The post-phosphene that is consecutive to focusing lasts for three minutes. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_martial_arts.html Astrology is a set of systems of belief that are based on the observation of celestial phenomena and that have been designed to find information about earthly matters. Astrology is extremely popular but also very debatable. Certain astrologers limit their practice to the description of the personality, while others define the main orientations of a destiny or even predict the future. The planets rotate around the sun in the same geometrical plane called the Ecliptic plane. A 17° strip is thus defined : the zodiac. It is within this strip that the movements of planets take place. The zodiac has been divided in twelve equal parts that correspond to the astrological signs. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_astrology.html For 2 000 years, the legend of Atlantis has aroused many varied speculations. According to Plato (4th century BC), this story came from the archives of the Egyptian priests of the city of Saïs. Plato was the first writer to mention Atlantis in two dialogues : the Timaeus and the Critias. He sets the tragic end of Atlantis in the years 9 500 BC. In the Timaeus, Plato presents the tale of the fall of Atlantis as a true story. The philosopher then uses this event to develop a utopian vision of the ideal city, triggering many controversies : is his story actually based on historical facts, or does it simply serve as a background for a philosophical discussion ? September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_atlantis.html You do not have to practice Phosphenism to observe colors in your field of vision. In the dark, laying on your bed with your eyes closed, relax and observe your field of vision. Generally, after half an hour a glow starts to appear followed by clouds of colors : blue, pink, yellow or purple. Dr Lefebure calls these patches of light the diffuse glow. In order to observe this phenomenon, certain tibetan lamas remain in an entirely dark room for months, or even years... The purpose of this practice is to perceive a light that is neither physical nor imaginary : a spiritual light. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_aura_perception.html Carlos Castaneda, a young ethnologist from the University of California, wanted to write a thesis about the hallucinogenic plants of Mexico. During a trip to this country, he met Don Juan, an old Yaqui sorceror who initiated him to the Toltec tradition. Castaneda relates his initiation in a series of very popular books that go way beyond the academic framework of ethnology. Within these books, Castaneda mentions different exercises that his master taught him, and that he later compiled in a method that he called "Tensegrity". In this brief article, we would like to analyse one of these exercises in the light of the discoveries in cerebral physiology of a French researcher, Doctor Francis Lefebure. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_castaneda.html Les chacras principaux sont au nombre de sept. Ils sont alignés verticalement de la base de la colonne vertébrale au sommet du crâne. Chaque chacra est associé à une couleur particulière et à des fonctions physiologiques et psychologiques Le Phosphénisme, méthode d’enseignement initiatique mise au point par le Docteur Francis LEFEBURE, médecin et chercheur français, reconnaît aussi l’existence des chacras et propose des exercices visant à les faire travailler. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenisme.com/z_chacras.html The Hindu tradition defines the chakras as vortices of energy located on various points of the human body. The term chakra comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "wheel". A similar principle can be found in other traditions : chinese medicine, tantrism, tibetan buddhism, the kabbalah or sufism, for example. Phosphenism, a method of initiatory development designed by Doctor Francis LEFEBURE, a french physician and scientist, also recognizes the existence of the chakras and provides exercises for practicing with them. We will develop about this method later in this article. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_chakras.html Channeling is usually understood as the communication of information by a spirit or some other supernatural entity through the means of a person (medium or channel). Channeling is part of the rituals of many religions such as shamanism, voodoo, candomble, etc. Channeling is now part of the New Age culture and there are many books on the subject. The psychologist C.G. Jung wrote theories on channeling. These theories focus on the concept of collective unconscious, an ancient memory preserved for the whole history of humankind in the form of symbols that can appear in dreams, out of body experiences, channeling experiences, etc. The interpretation of these symbols depends on the culture and the person. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_channeling.html Chromotherapy or color therapy is an alternative medicine. It is used to balance personal energy, on a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual level. The standard method of diagnosis used in chromotherapy was developed by Dr Max Luscher in the beginning of the 20th century. Chromotherapy dates back to ancient times, probably to the beginning of ayurvedic medicine. The indian tradition associates colors to the chakras. There are also traces of the therapeutic use of colors in the ancient Chinese civilization. Traditional Chinese medicine associates a color to each organ. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_chromotherapy.html There are different ways to develop clairvoyance.The most efficient one is focusing on a source of light : the flame of candle, the light of the moon, the reflection of the sun on water… The clairvoyants who use a crystal ball, one of the most popular media, often place candles behind their crystal ball. Focusing on the reflection of the candles in the crystal ball produces a phosphene. It is within this phosphene that they perceive visions. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_consulting_a_clairvoyant.html The head of the School of Dr Lefebure, Daniel Stiennon, practiced the exercises of static tension for many years. In the following text, he relates his experiences of astral projection, from the early stages of his training to the production of highly spiritual phenomena. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_out_of_body_experiences.html The Kirlian effect is : "the transformation of the non electrical properties of an object or a body into electrical properties with the transfer of charge from the object or the body to a photographic emulsion". September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_kirlian_effect.html Emotions are complex reactions to our view of the world. We actually create our own emotions, even though they seem to be beyond our control. Indeed, the data coming from our environment is processed through a certain number of filters that operate unconsciously. We would not be able to survive without sorting the massive input of information coming from the external world. These filters delete information, transform or generalize it. These filters include our language, of beliefs, our values, our memories, our modes of sorting and stocking data… September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_emotions.html Folk stories mention many cases of bewitchment or curses. In the light of Doctor Francis Lefebure's discoveries in cerebral physiology, it is possible to understand the mechanisms that govern the exchanges of energy between human beings and to distinguish reality from fiction. Dr Lefebure, a French physician and scientist, based his research on the systematic use of the phosphenes. The phosphenes are all the subjective sensations of light, i.e. those which are not directly provoked by light hitting the retina. They can be produced by focusing shortly on sources of light. Dr Lefebure and his collaborators practiced many experiments of phosphenic telepathy and discovered unknown laws of cerebral physiology. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_bewitchment.html What happened in the small portuguese village of Fatima in 1917 ? Mystical manifestation, suspension of the laws of nature, collective hallucination or hoax, much ink has been spilled on the "solar prodigy" of Fatima. The passionate quarrels that took place at the time between the believers and their detractors, might seem exaggerated. But, a phenomenon experienced by 70 000 people at the same time is everything but common. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_fatima.html Feng shui is a chinese taoist art that allows the revitalization of one's environement by optimizing the circulation of the chi, a process that brings health, well-being and prosperity. For ages, the Chinese have used it for the implantation, the construction and the lay-out of their houses and workplaces. There is a positive chi that ought to be stimulated and a negative chi that needs to be corrected. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_feng_shui.html A few years ago, an anthropological essay was written by Mircea Eliade, under the title of Blacksmiths and Alchemists. A blacksmith is a person who transforms iron or steel, or any other metals into tools and weapons, using fire and metalwork. So, the smith is an alchemist, a transformer, that uses primary materials provided by the earth, works on them, manipulates them, imprints them with his energy. With help of the fire, of the anvil and the hammer, blacksmiths materialize their ideas in the shape of tools, weapons or any other type of objects. This capacity to transform the materials that the earth provides into tools for humanity is an alchemy. That is one of the causes why blacksmiths have always been considered as alchemists and mystics, according to Eliade's book. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_blacksmiths_and_alchemists.html Geobiology can be defined as the study of the influence of the earth on living beings. A science, an art and a technique, geobiology studies various parameters stemming from the ground, the atmosphere or from forms that can be perceived by our sensitivity, like underground streams, geological faults, telluric networks, cosmo-telluric conduits, the sacred network, the Hartmann network, the Curry network... These networks form a more or less regular grid on the ground : in general, they consist in bands a few tens of centimeters wide that can sometimes be situated several meters apart. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_geobiology.html The classical ‘haiku’, as it has been presented to us, is organized on a seventeen syllable rhythm. This is not due to chance. The Goncourt brothers introduced the ‘haiku’ to the western world in the 19th century. The incredible success at being able to transpose the ‘haiku’ into other languages quickly made us forget that it is one of the classic traditions demonstrating the genius of the Japanese people. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_haiku.html Phosphenism is opposed to hypnosis for the following reason : during the presence of a phosphene, and even more if one is practicing Phosphenic Mixing, one is more lucid, much more conscious than usual. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_hypnosis.html In the past few years, the public's interest for iboga has considerably developed. There are now many Internet sites on the subject. It is at the same time considered an hallucinogenic drug that is banned in certain countries, a cure for addictions (heroin, cocaine, alcohol) and an initatory plant used by the Bwiti tradition in Africa. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_iboga.html Can someone be influenced at a distance ? Theoretically, no. But practically yes, as human nature is weak. The only way to influence a person is to enter their mental structure, their psychological pattern. When a person is near another person, their energy fields interpenetrate, though they keep their integrity and can separate. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_influence_at_a_distance.html nsomnia is a condition characterized by the inability to fall asleep or to remain sleeping at night for a reasonable length of time. Insomnia usually involves sleepiness during the day. Some types of insomnia can be efficiently treated with the practice of Phosphenism, particularly insomnia that arises from psychological causes.  Solutions other than Phosphenism must be found for physically induced insomnias such as sleep apnea, and nocturnal polyuria. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_insomnia.html The practice of fasting is ancient. Its healing properties have been known since the antiquity. Hippocratus prescribed fasting. Socrates and Plato used to find it essential for a good physical and mental balance. They used to fast regularily, sometimes for periods of 10 days. Pythagorus fasted for 40 days before passing an exam at the University of Alexandria and he required his students to do the same before accepting them. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_fasting.html The term "karma", which Sanskrit root means "action", is a word that defines the cycle of causes and consequences related to the existence of living beings. The karma is the sum of all an individual has done, is doing or will do. The results of these actions are called karma-phala. The karma is not a mechanism of punishment or vengeance, but a kind of teaching, supposed to allow individuals to understand how to evolve to a higher state. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_karma.html The Sanskrit word kundalini means "coiled" or "coiled like a snake". There are other translations like "the power of the snake" that illustrate the energetic nature of the concept. Certain authors suggest a connection between Kundalini and the Caduceus, a Greek symbol constituted by two coiled snakes. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_kundalini.html Becoming a good magnetizer does not require many years of study. There is no need to read entire libraries ; one simply needs to practice. Thanks to practice, sensitivity is increased and one can become aware of the "invisible world”. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_magnetism.html Many traditions use graphic representations, not only to symbolize the sacred, but also for inspiration or even direct communication with that realm. Generally, the studies of Western academics remain on a purely intellectual level as they consider all these representations to be metaphors. Similarly, certain pseudo-esoteric studies only lose themselves in conjectures when the power of symbols, runes and mandalas is actually real. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_mandalas_and_runes.html In the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, a mantra (from the sankrit "sacred formula") is a set of syllables arranged in a given order, that is repeated many times along a certain rhythm. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_mantras.html The term meditation encompasses a large number of varied practices with a different purpose. But, most authors agree that meditation consists in reversing one's attention towards the inside and to observe the mind and its functioning. For a long time, meditation has been considered to be exclusively oriental. Today, meditation is widely spread in the West, mainly thanks to the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_meditation.html Many traditions believe in a process of examination of consciousness that takes place after death. Similarly, the persons who have experienced states of near-death often relate that they have conducted a recapitulation of their life before being resucitated. Accepting death is not fatalism, on the contrary. Leaving life peacefully is beneficial. The individual does not hold any grudges, nor does anyone have a grudge against them. Their demons have been exorcized and they feel ready to die. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_accompanying_the_dying.html All forms of spirituality use music : from the ancient shamans to the Celtic bards ; from the African drummers to Western sacred musics, the connection is obvious. Everywhere, music is used as a medium for healing and for communicating with the sacred. The discoveries of Doctor Lefebure on the phosphenes and the cerebral rhythms have allowed him to explain, in a scientific manner, the physiological processes underlying these practices. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_musicotherapy.html Dr Lefebure's research belongs to the domain of neurosciences, and more particularly to the domain of cerebral physiology, though its framework reaches beyond the purely materialistic point of view of neurophysiology. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_neurosciences.html Much has been written about the prophecies of Nostradamus (1503-1566). Their interpretation is still difficult and confusing and seems to be a waste of time. Nevertheless, the Centuries (the compilation of Nostradamus' prophecies) comprise some interesting passages that describe the mode of operation that he used to produce visions. Visions that he not only perceived himself, but that the queen Catherine of Medici perceived too. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_nostradamus.html a French physician and researcher (Doctor Francis Lefebure) designed a set of techniques, a "scientifically improved yoga", from a comprehension of human physiology based on the systematic use of the phosphenes. The phosphenes are all the sensations of light that are not directly provoked by light stimulating the retina. They can be produced by focusing shortly on sources of light. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_vital_energy.html The mantra OM or pranava mantra is the primordial mantra. Its use is common to various traditions like buddhism, zoroastrianism or celtic druidism though they are very distant in space and time. This fact has been lost in translation. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_om.html Visions or mental images are different from pathological phenomena like hallucinations. They remain mysterious for today's science. The discoveries in cerebral physiology of Doctor Francis Lefebure, a French physician and scientist, have allowed him to understand scientifically the mecanisms responsible for the production of mental images (hypnagogic visions that appear while one is falling asleep, dreams, mystical visions). His works are based on the systematic use of the phosphenes. The phosphenes are all the subjective sensations of light, i.e. those which are not directly caused by light stimulating the retina. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_ufo.html The key concept of NLP is modelization. Thanks to which we can install a new behavior, the same way one installs a new software in a computer. Besides, NLP stems from the modelizations of exceptional therapists like Milton Erickson. Bandler and Grinder observed his practices, extracted its essential principles and constructed a permanent model allowing the accurate reproduction of observed behaviors. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_nlp.html Qigong is an ancient traditional chinese gymnastics which purpose is to achieve control of the inner energy called Qi or chi (pronounced tchee). It is based on the following concept : the energy of the universe and the energy of human beings interact and combine themselves. It is possible to stimulate this energy and to make it circulate with movements, breathing and visualizations. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_qigong.html The word radiethesia means : human sensitivity to radiations, to the influences that emanate from all that is. It is a particular way to understand or to perceive things, different from using the five senses. You cannot see an underground stream, nor a person localized thousands of miles away. Radiesthesia can give you precise and exact informations about an underground stream (localization, map of its run, direction of its flow, width, depth, quantity of water flowing, drinkability…), as well as help you locate the position of a person on a map, even from a far distance. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_radiesthesia.html Doctor Francis Lefebure, a French physician and researcher, has designed a revolutionary method of cerebral development : Phosphenism. Practicing this method increases personal energy in a significant way. Radionics devices have analysed the effects of phosphenic exercises on people. The results are clearcut : practicing Phosphenism considerably increases the energy potential of the individual. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_radionics.html Reiki and Phosphenism can be combined efficiently. The following testimony desmontrates this fact. Phosphenism is a method of development of personal energy designed by Doctor Francis Lefebure, a French physician and researcher. This method is based on the systematic use of the phosphenes. The phosphenes are all the subjective sensations of light, i.e. those which are not directly generated by light stimulating the retina. They correspond to what ophtalmologists call images of retinal persistency or post-images. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_reiki.html In Initatory Experiences Vol 3, Dr Lefebure, a French physician and researcher, sheds a new light on reincarnation, the belief of the survival of the soul after death. This belief, expressed by the building of tombs and the creation of funerary rites goes back at least to the neanderthal era (80 000 BC). In one form or another, funerary rites have been practiced by all cultures at all times, a proof of the universality of the belief in the other-world. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_reincarnation.html Simply doing a phosphene is relaxing, anglers are a good example. Indeed, they spend many hours contemplating their float, and thus producing phosphenes thanks to the reflection of the sun or the bright sky on water. Many anglers assert that this activity relaxes them more than any other. One can notice that the simple presence of the phosphene brings a state of calm of mind. It is thus relaxing. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_relaxation.html In his 1966 book, Rhythmic Breathing and Mental Concentration, Dr Lefebure shows how breathing is related to our environement. The rhythm of our breathing is always changing, according to our environement : slow and regular when we sleep, it accelerates under the influence of emotions and, in some cases, it can even stop completely under the stressful influence of bad news. Dr Lefebure the notices that "of all our vegetative vital functions, breathing is the only one that we can consciously control". Consequently, breathing establishes a connection between our psyche and the outside environement. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_breathing.html Phosphenism, a method of personal development designed by Dr Lefebure, helps understanding the mode of operation of most techniques of relaxation and meditation. We will study the massaging techniques in the light of these discoveries. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_shiatsu_and_massage.html These techniques are based on the systematic use of the phosphenes. The phosphenes are all the subjective sensations of light, i.e. those which are not directly produced by light stimulating the retina. They correspond to what ophtalmologists call images of retinal persistency or after images. They can be produced by focusing on sources of light for short periods of time. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_stress.html This method is called sungazing, i.e. Focusing on the sun. This practice, kept up to date by Hira Ratan Manek (HRM) since 1992, allows the stimulation of the brain thanks to the energy of the light of the sun. The sungazers, who focus on the rising or setting sun, obtain various benefits: health, serenity, well-being, develoment of spiritual abilities. All these benefits are presented by Dr LEFEBURE in his scientific practice of Phosphensim: more than ten years before HRM, he already described exercises that consist in focusing on the sun… September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_sungazing.html In 1963, at the same period Lozanov discovered suggestology, a French physician and scientist, Doctor Francis Lefebure, published Phosphenic Mixing Applied to Education, a book that demonstrates the influence of light on mental processes. By focusing on a source of light for approximately thirty seconds (for example, the phosphenic lamp he designed), one can produce a phosphene, i.e. a subjective sensation of light that persists for several minutes. This operation in itself is relaxing. Also, learning during the presence of the phosphene is much more efficient. Indeed, the phosphene channels the attention of the student on the subject of study and favors associations of ideas. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_superlearning.html There are two main branches of tantrism : physical tantrism and mental tantrism. Only mental tantrism is initiatory, it consists in transforming sexual energy into mental energy. Various traditional techniques produce this result. For example, indian yogis visualize a goddess (or Shakti) dancing in rotation on one of their chakras (women can of course use a male image). Through concentrating like this on godesses, they end up making love to them in the astral plane in ecstatic experiences during the night. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_tantrism.html The definition of phosphenic telepathy, or initiatory telepathy, is different from the definition of telepathy that is usually accepted. Dr Lefebure’s research demonstrated that rhythmic thinking, when it has been developed by practice, is easy to transmit to other people. Thus, the term “phosphenic telepathy” means “transmission of rhythmic thinking". September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_telepathy.html There are a number of connections between the Templars, the Cathars and Phosphenism that appear clearly in certain documents, certain traditions and even in the architecture of the time. We will refer to several of these sources in the course of this study. The Cathars (or Albigenses) used to pray while focusing on the sun. They stated that Jesus Christ had taught such a pratice. The castle of Montségur, their sanctuary, was built as a solar temple, an architectural fact that can still be observed today. Indeed, on the summer solstice, the 21st of june, sunlight goes through two thin slits in one of the walls, producing two parallel rays of light that the local legends call "the parallels of Montségur". These two slits look like embrasures for firing arrows, but their location cannot serve this purpose. This particularity of the castle of Montségur shows how important the sun was to the Cathars. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_templars.html Let us now briefly describe Phosphenism, in order to demonstrate that it goes in the same direction as this "theory". In 1959, Francis Lefebure, a French doctor and researcher, had the idea to check the efficiency of the initiatory exercises that had been taught to him, by using the phosphenes. The phosphenes are all the subjective sensations of light, i.e. those which are not directly caused by light stimulating the retina. This is how he discovered the importance of the rhythm of two seconds. He realized that when he swayed his head laterally at this pace, the phosphene followed the movements of his head. On the contrary, when he swayed his head faster or slower, the phosphene remained fixed. Building from this discovery, he studied what would happen with two phosphenes and developed the award-winning Cerebroscope. This device allowed him to monitor cerebral rhythms in a new, revolutionary way. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_string_theory.html It is thanks to the systematic use of the phosphenes that Dr Lefebure has been able to study the cerebral mecanisms that are responsible for the production of states of trance. The phosphenes are all the subjective sensations of light, i.e. those which are not directly produced by light stimulating the retina. They correspond to what ophtalmologists call " images of retinal persistence" or "after images". The phosphenes follow their own particular rhythms. Thus, producing a phosphene by focusing on a source of light also induces these characteristic rhythms in the subject's thoughts. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_trance.html Dr Lefebure defined a certain number of parameters that come into play in phenomena of clairvoyance. The production of phosphenes using sources of light is systematic. For this purpose, clairvoyants use varied supports. Placing a candle near a crystal ball, for example, creates lighting conditions suitable for clairvoyance. The use of a fire, the moon or of the reflection of the sun on water produce the same kind of effects. September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_clairvoyance.html Dr Lefebure demonstrated that the phosphene is a reversal of the sense of sight towards the inside, the same way the acouphene is a reversal of the sense of audition towards the inside. In fact, to each physical sense corresponds an inner sense, forming together a second sensory system : the phenic system. Mixing a thought with a phene is the basic exercise of Phosphenism. We believe this constitutes the true meaning of Pratyahara or reversal of sensory activity towards the inside. There is also a phene related to breathing, the pneumophene, that can be stimulated by maintaining a slight "thirst for air". September 15th, 2010 20:15:16 GMT PHOSPHENISM Publishing http://www.phosphenism.com/z_yoga.html