The Pineal Gland .... a request

[Anthony Peake]

Hi Everybody,

I am in discussions with one of my publishers with regard to my sixth book. I have decided that what is needed is a book on the pineal gland. This will review the history and beliefs surrounding this mysterious organ and then I will move onto the physiology and neurochemistry. I am already discovering amazing neurological facts about the "Third Eye". As usual I am keen to incorporate first-hand experiences involving the epiphysis cerebri. Can I please therefore request that if any of my fellow Forum members have any personal anecdotes or unusual information regarding the conarium please let me know. It would be great if you can post these on here as I would like to get a real discussion going. However if you wish to contact me privately please do so at anthonyapeake@btinternet.com.

Cheers

Tony

[bobellal]

Hi Tony,

As I discussed in my post re the pineal gland, in many meditative traditions, both in the East and the West, this gland--the so-called "third eye"--is considered to be the source of paranormal abilities such as clairvoyance and telekinesis. Supposedly "energizing" this gland through meditative and visualization practices can manifest these abilities.

Back in the early nineties I began a disciplined practice of qigong, Chinese internal energy meditations, to help me beat four bouts of "terminal" bone lymphoma. Been clear of cancer for 16 years. There's a feather in my cap!

However, as I wrote in my post, over time I began noticing strange "electrical" pulsations in various areas of my body, most notably palms and soles of feet. Also, that very odd “electrical orgasm” I experienced holding that woman’s hands. All related to the idea that “chi” or bioelectricity flows through channels and meridians in the body. And related to meditations that involve visualizing energy flowing into this third eye.

I had been a complete skeptic regarding the paranormal for my first 40 or so years—very much in the “Voltaire camp” (“When he to whom one speaks does not understand, and when he himself who speaks does not understand, that is metaphysics.”).

But after my divorce I lived in two places in which I experienced paranormal phenomenon: the first a small house—the usual cold spots, feeling of a presence behind me—and twice during the year I lived there I felt tiny “fists” beating on the bottom of my bed as I attempted to fall asleep. Frightening. When I moved, however, the landlord said “By the way, do you know that this place is haunted?” I laughed and said “You’re telling me now?” Apparently the former owner sold the house to her for a song—he wanted to get out as quickly as possible. He had accidentally killed with his car a young teenage girl who was crossing the highway at night. Then he started experiencing manifestations.

I consulted a psychiatrist to see if I was becoming delusional; he checked me out and said “No.”

The next place I lived was a writers’ colony, converted from an old munitions factory. When I feel asleep on my futon watching TV I’d be slapped awake—on the shoulder, in the torso. This happened many times. A couple of times I feel asleep in my recliner in the same room and had the most frightening dreams of my life—a demonic presence behind me with its entrails hanging out of its body like sausages. Strange crashes would manifest—as though my entire wall unit with the TV and stereo had fallen. I’d check, but there was never anything askew. Once when sitting in my chair watching “Seinfeld” an explosion rocked the room with the force of both barrels of a shotgun firing. Nothing there.

My tai chi friends told me that perhaps I’d energized my pineal gland and had become more sensitive to psychic phenomenon. I really don’t know. I’ve experienced no strange happenings in the apartment I’ve lived in for the last three years. Strange stuff, indeed.

[Poppy]

Hello Anthony,
You asked for anecdotes about third eye experiences. Mine is very simple, but I cannot help but think that it is an important piece of the puzzle that I have been trying to put together for several years.
Over the past few years, I have been totally fascinated and compelled to learn everything I can about consciousness and the true nature of reality. I feel I have been forced down this path by the sheer force of the strange things that have happened to me (it has taken many years to overcome the prejudice of my materialistic/scientific training). As a part of this process, I think I experienced something to do with my pineal gland.
About two years ago, I started to feel as if someone were pressing their thumb hard against the space traditionally thought of as the third eye. It was a very discrete area and I felt the pressure only in that small spot (about as big as the ball of my thumb). It happened quite often. In combination with night attacks of palpitations and nausea, this sent me scurrying to the doctor's surgery. I was given the all clear. However, these apparently physical symptoms preceded an encounter I had with my daemon (as I related to you in a recent email - you suggested I join this forum): I woke up on that occasion with my heart racing and feeling as if I were having a panic attack and absolutely desperate not to forget what She said. I wonder now if those earlier "panic attacks" were actually caused by similar experiences but that I failed to remember my encounters on those other occasions.
I think perhaps the third eye pressure is just one more marker in a long line of experiences somehow opening up the channels between myself and a greater reality. There is definitely someone trying to get through to me, of that I have no doubt.

[bobellal]

Hey Poppy,

From what I've read and been told by Taoist teachers pressure in the third eye area indicates increased "activity" in the pineal gland, as though it's on its way to "opening." One meditation I do involves a simple visualization: imagining energy gently entering into the pineal area, center of the brain, through the area between one's eyes; then letting the energy "beam down" through the chakras in the body and gather in the dan tien area a few inches below the navel. It can relax this pressure by bringing it "down." My teacher, a disciple of Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming of Boston, taught this to me. Dr. Yang found it in one of the ancient Taoist scrolls he translated. His site is www.ymaa.com.

[Poppy]

Hi Bobellal,
Thanks . I will certainly take a look. What you say about the third eye opening fits in with my experiences and the way they have been escalating. I feel as though I am only getting a little bit at a time so that the clash with my established worldview does not send me over the edge.

[bobellal]

Hi Tony,

I have been practicing a simple "third eye" pineal gland meditation for several years while I practice my Taoist standing post meditation (one holds a posture, knees bent a couple of inches, arms held in front of the chest, palms facing the heart, for 45 minutes). Years ago when I could hold the posture that long (bad knees and hips currently restrict my time) several times I found myself "gone;" eyes open, focusing on the breathing so thoughts actually stop after a while. But then "gone;" it might have lasted ten seconds, maybe one--but I was beyond body/mind and there was nothing. Only a sense of disappointment when I was jarred back into consciousness of my breathing. Most extraordinary. Bliss, I suppose. But bliss seemed to be nothing. A bloody paradox.

About a year ago after a morning of writing I felt exhausted and took a nap in the early afternoon--and I never nap. The weirdest dream of my life--in it I woke up, went into the bathroom and saw bubonic boils on my face--I stuck out my tongue and there was a tiny black frog perched on it. Then I went back to bed and dreamed of being lost in a city, skyscrapers bending and melting towards the ground, asphalt city streets moving up-and-down, destabilizing me. I remember back in college some guys talking about LSD trips; seemed similar. I wonder if it was an isolated DMT experience? That being said, I've never used a drug stronger than weed in college--thirty years ago. And beer, of course, But that's it.

Bob

[Derkein]

Hi Tony,

But then "gone;" it might have lasted ten seconds, maybe one--but I was beyond body/mind and there was nothing. Only a sense of disappointment when I was jarred back into consciousness of my breathing. Most extraordinary. Bliss, I suppose. But bliss seemed to be nothing. A bloody paradox.

Bob

These sort of instances are common. I and a number of folk I know have also had these. We commonly agree it is close to the Nirvana state.

I think for those searching for an inner meaning based on consciousness it is one of the most 'eye opening' and one of the most challenging. There is no I, and no real sense of being. A bloody paradox as Bob very descriptively defines it.

[clearsteam]

Hi,

I feel I connect with my pineal as my inner light, initially found this using raja yoga, mind yoga if you like, meditation connects, being at one with surroundings connects.

I know you are well aware of Tom Campbells work (which I like, however I feel he is getting stuck in the science stuff and not coming to the startling conclusions that are possible.

considering some of Dan Winters work is enlightening,and combining with some of Persinger's conclusions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBnj_iQvhSI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l6VPpDu ... r_embedded

now consider that inner light in the pineal crystal, as a photon in quantum physics, that exists in superposition (in everything, everyone at all places in all times) and yet only in one position when confined to three dimensions at one particular point in time. On our plane of existence, this behaves as a particle, with various other quantum possibilities of the self (the inner light) manifesting as hopes , fears, a too strong a bond with a past instance of the self can cause depression, or a future instance anxiety: hence the importance of becoming centred, being totally present is the mind combining all possible instance of the self through cutting fears , anxiety through love and understanding.

My hypothesis being that when you can be centred and at one in this way, your pineal allows your inner light/particle to behave in wave form and be a part of a single field of consciousness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_HrQVhgbeo

videos related,

linking to the fourth dimension as Carl Sagan explains it so well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnURElCzGc0

past quantum versions of the self that you are too entangled with still, may manifest as orbs, spectres, even when you are still alive. I still have echoes of a woman who was very sad in the house I now live, I know she is still alive.

looking forward to reading your hypotheses,, and apologies for my maybe over simplistic science,, I am trying almost to describe the metaphysical with the metaphorical

[bobellal]

Tony, if the pineal gland is a gateway to higher dimensions it follows that the brain/body is some sort of "resurrection" machine, perhaps the wrong term. Necessary for higher consciousness, not a function of it. Thoughts?

[michaelcarey888]

Hi Tony,

Ever since foolishly participating in a drug experiment about thirty five years ago I've had many apparent 'pineal moments' - two quite significant prophetic visions, an amazing out of body experience and countless intuitions about events that occurred five minutes to a week later.

In 1977 I ingested a near-fatal dose of datura, something I strenuously warn against doing. I subsequently spent three days hallucinating my brains out and when I finally came to I was totally blind for the next day or so. It was after that regrettable experience that it all started.

I find it intriguing that the pineal is evidently the only loner in the entire structure of the brain. As if it has some sort of function over and above that of the rest of the brain. Sleep may therefore be the onset of extra-corporeal mental activity. I don't know if it has any established role in reproduction. Another curious part of the brain is an area called "the mouth of God". It contains a humongous number of nerve tracts that traverse the vertebrae at c1 and c2 on their way to all the areas of functionality in the body. In kriya yoga there is a technique that begins by drawing a light stream from an infinite sky, down through the mouth of god, down the neck and into the chest cavity on inhalation, filling the heart with golden light. On exhalation, light goes back out the way it came to spread back across an infinite sky. A progression of that technique involves directing the light, and by now the primordial sound "om", into the pineal gland and out through the crown chakra. Eventually, respiration de-couples from the light which by now is a "standing wave" rather than a bi-directional flow. The mouth of god is something in the brain known to ancients who presumably had little or no brain anatomy knowledge. Is this area one more singular structure with more functionality than merely serving as a convergence point for brain cells on their way down the neural canal?

I am keenly interested in researching nutraceutical and supplemental ways of stimulating the pineal gland. Forget the hallucinogens, not for this little black duck! I've tried massive doses of melatonin and various recommended food combinations to nil effect. But, there must be some way of doing it.
Tryptophan in controlled does may help but it's so hard to get it in the required doses without the limiting additives.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

Michael.