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Comment by taneq | Hacker News Reader

> I can also conjure some low-level hallucinations when "looking at the back of my eyelids" when falling asleep.

Sounds like a closed-eye hallucination (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed-eye_hallucination) caused by the Ganzfeld effect (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganzfeld_effect). I get these too, usually just if I concentrate. I think they've been easier to get since I tried mushrooms a couple of times, but I did get them before as well.

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Wow, good find. I had no idea that there was a name for it.

One hop away from that page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_cinema

> Others have noted a connection between the form the lights take and neolithic cave paintings.

That's a really great way to explain it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_painting#/media/File:(1)J... is pretty accurate for me

This is absolutely fascinating. Not too long ago I thought that everyone experienced level 3, and occasionally level 4 effects, but I learned that my friends did not. The first link says that it's rare without psychedelic drugs. I've never tried any psychedelics, but I regularly experience level 3 effects, and occasionally level 4 ones too. I can't remember a time when I didn't.

I also frequently experience/remember hypnagogia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnagogia), which I previously did not know the name of. I absolutely love experiencing it, as it's often euphoric, although it can sometimes be terrifying and stressful.

I can conjure 4 when I want (and I do when I cannot fall asleep); I would say that is because I did try psychedelics a few times decades ago and the trick to ‘see things’ still works like that.

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