Is our pineal gland, once believed to be basically functionless, one of the most important components of our brain?

What is the greatest problem of humanity? War, poverty, hunger, exploitation, tyranny? Sure, those things are all problems. But they also have a root in a common problem: the flaws of the human mind. Do you realize that none of these problems would exist if it weren’t for flawed human minds? This takes place by way of our perceptions. The personal perceptions of each individual have a role in the big picture in the direction humanity is going. Now, you might think that this is not you. That the flawed minds are those people over there. But just about none of us are living up to our true potential and the world is suffering as a result. And we’re conditioned to the negative attitude that there’s nothing we can do. But is that really true?
And does a little gland in the center of our brain, once thought to be vestigial, hold the key to everything we wonder about the most in our personal evolution? I wonder.

But first, what does science know about it?

The pineal gland, so named for its distinct pine cone shape, is located in the center of our brain, directly behind our forehead. It has often been referred to as our unused eye. Like nature forgot to finish this one and it’s just sitting there doing nothing. But scientists are finding that isn’t true. It has retinal tissue and sensitivity to light just like our other eyes.

But perhaps the most unusual thing about it is that’s it’s connected to the visual cortex in the back of our brain, just like our other two eyes. So, by design, we can deduce that it was meant to see something. But, in not having a lens like the other two eyes, what is it supposed to be seeing?

We know that it produces the hormone melatonin in direct response to the amount of light received by the retinas, which may contribute to it being referenced as the “third eye.”  And it plays an integral role in our biorhythms and sleep cycles. It also influences reproduction and the immune system. And it also produces serotonin, the hormone responsible for a calm and happy mental state, which has led many to conclude that the pineal gland has some connection to the soul or self.

The gland itself is filled with water and tiny crystals that, if they become over-calcified or over-fluoridated can cause the functions of the pineal gland to be impeded. But beyond all this, not much is known. And the pineal gland is still mostly a mystery, yet central in scientific study in The Journal of Pineal Research.

Many philosophers have attempted to theorize on its function, like French philosopher, Rene Descartes.  He theorized that the pineal gland was “the primary seat of the soul, and the place in which all thoughts are formed.”

The ancients civilizations assigned a much more ethereal and spiritual significance to this gland that new agers and some modern religions now embrace also. They regard the pineal gland as a bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds. A lot of emphasis is placed on activating it in order to impart a sense of euphoria, to induce a condition of higher knowledge and enlightenment. This has been accomplished in many different ways, but ancient shamans and other spiritual leaders used hallucinogens such as ayahuasca to aid in what they claimed to be the opening of the proverbial third eye in order to observe an alternate reality. So, does the pineal gland play an integral role in our view of reality? All this information is suggesting maybe so.

And curiously, the Egyptian Eye of Horus, or all-seeing eye, resembles a modern diagram of the pineal gland as is illustrated here. Can you see it?



It suggests some kind of correlation, even though the two symbols are believed to have different meanings.

In the 1950’s a Tibetan lama, Lobsang Rampa, wrote in his autobiography about a surgery that was performed on him above the bridge of his nose in the center of his forehead where the third eye is said to be located. Afterward, he claimed to have significantly heightened levels of perception that he had never had before.

This brings me back to my original ideas of perceptions and what this eye without a lens is meant to “see.” Contrary to popular belief, we don’t really see with our two normal eyes. The eyes are really just lenses for the visual cortex in the back of our brain. And the visual cortex assesses these based on what it remembers seeing before. So what we outwardly see is based on our previous experiences and how we perceived them at the time. But what are we supposed to believe about this third eye that is also connected to the visual cortex, but has no visible outward lens? What is it designed to see?

Since it responds to hallucinogens and other stimuli that can activate it, and activation, according to ancients, involves the ability to see an alternate reality or to open up our field of perception. So, does the pineal gland regulate and control our perceptions?

In modern psychology and neuroscience, our perceptions are considered the foremost determining factor in our mental health. How we perceive our world, either positive or negative, is key to our well-being. So, our perceptions are pretty important. They decide whether we’re happy or not. And whether we’re happy or not directly affects our DNA and our overall physical health also. So any gland that might control, regulate or channel our perceptions would become a very important gland indeed.

But another point I might present is that IF the pineal gland regulates our circadian rhythms and sleep cycles, it’s most likely tied to our consciousness in some way, and consciousness has just become a fancy new age word for awake-ness, awareness, or self-awareness, our ability to see things more broadly and think beyond what we’ve been taught and exposed to. And many speculate that our consciousness is what will drive the human race toward a brighter future. After all, it helps if everyone isn’t running around with virtual blinders on, right? Consciousness alleviates that problem. So if the pineal gland is responsible for those functions, then it may very well be one of the most important parts of our brain. And if that’s the case, we need to learn more about it. Maybe the pineal gland really is the legendary “mind’s eye.” Maybe our third eye sees so much more that the other two aren’t able to see. 

The pineal gland is named for its shape like a pine cone.




*********DF




This Post By TCC Team Member Dorraine Fisher. Dorraine is a Professional Writer, photographer, a nature, wildlife and Bigfoot enthusiast who has written for many magazines. Dorraine conducts research, special interviews and more for The Crypto Crew. Get Dorraine's book The Book Of Blackthorne!



This post sponsored in part by

---

Have you had a close encounter or witnessed something unusual? Send us an Email
We Accept Guest Posts - Send Them To Us! (All Submissions Subject to Approval) Send us an Email
Help us!

Help Support The Crypto Crew

---