A Journey to Myself: Vol.2
Human nature has a magical and complex structure. There are different hypotheses about the brain, especially in the scientific world. But it is a known fact that the “brain” is our most mysterious organ.
In our brain, there is a small gland under the posterior part of the corpus callosum¹. This structure, called the “pineal gland”, secretes hormones such as melatonin² that help control the circadian cycle of sleep. The pineal gland is shaped like a small pinecone. This cone-shaped structure in the endocrine system³ is the last discovered part of the endocrine system. And it is still known as a “mysterious organ”.
The pineal gland has a very important place in spiritual beliefs and esoteric systems. The pineal gland, called “the spirit molecule”, is considered the seat of the soul. Also known as “the third eye”. From Ancient Egypt to Descartes, the pineal gland has been considered to have a “special meaning”. For Descartes, the pineal gland is the place in the brain where the immaterial soul interacts with the physical body.
At any moment, you have a choice, that either leads you closer to your spirit or further away from it.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
There is some research that the pineal gland produces enough DMT⁴ to produce psychoactive effects⁵. The person who came up with this idea is clinical psychiatrist and pioneering psychedelic researcher Rick Strassman. He addressed this issue in his book “DMT: The Spirit Molecule”.
Strassman injected DMT into 60 volunteers at the University of New Mexico from 1990 to 1995. This research produced mystical and near-death experiences in volunteers. Volunteers said that these sessions were among the most profound experiences of their lives. “His detailed account of those sessions is an extraordinarily riveting inquiry into the nature of the human mind and the therapeutic potential of psychedelics.” ⁶
Clinical psychiatrist Strassman proposed that DMT secreted by the pineal gland is a life force. For both this life and the next life… If we are talking about reincarnation⁷ in this case, it is no accident that it is called “the spirit molecule”.
According to Strassman’s work, DMT, naturally released by the pineal gland, is particularly integral to the experiences of birth and death, the highest state of meditation and sexual transcendence. He also suggests that DMT facilitates the movement of the soul in and out of the body.
Laboratory results show a small amount of DMT in the pineal gland of rats. As mammals, there may be physiological similarities as well as differences between rats and humans. Unfortunately, it is not that easy to directly measure DMT in the human brain compared to rats. Other studies are on INMT, an enzyme necessary for DMT to be produced in the body. In this case, the pineal gland is not the only place that can contain DMT. This enzyme has been found in various parts of the brain and places such as the heart, lungs, adrenal gland, spinal cord and thyroid.
University of Michigan Neuroscience Professor Jimo Borjigin and lead researcher Jon Dean said as a result of their research: “We showed neurons in the cortex contain both enzymes that are essential for DMT production. We believe that the DMT we detected in the brain is produced by those neurons in the cortex.” ⁸
Because we all consume tryptophan in our diets. For example; milk, oats, cheese, nuts and seeds, bread, chocolate, banana, apple. “We all have the enzyme that converts tryptophan to tryptamine, aromatic-L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). The final step that gets you the biosynthesis of DMT from tryptamine is the addition of the two methyl groups. The enzyme that transfers the methyl groups onto tryptamine, a compound with an indole structure, is called indolethylamine-N-methyltransferase (INMT). Where there is AADC and INMT, there should also be DMT. In the study discussed above, Jon Dean and Jimo Borjigin looked for AADC and INMT in the human brain and found it in the neurons of the cerebral cortex.” ⁸
DMT and the pineal gland are still a mysterious and controversial issue. That’s why many of us think it has a mesmerizing effect. Especially if we are talking about an abstract concept such as “the soul”, it is not easy to put it into a certain concreteness. But I think that’s what makes it unique and precious.
The pineal gland has an important place in many spiritual beliefs and cultures. Chakras⁹ are prominent especially in belief systems such as Hinduism and Tantric Buddhism. The third eye chakra is considered to be the sixth chakra in the body. It is related to issues such as perception, awareness and spiritual communication. It is a powerful vibration through which we can feel universal connection, love and peace.
We are all indebted to nature. The blessings that nature offers us are not things that we can quickly consume and forget. Being grateful, feeling part of a whole and living in harmony is already the first step of awareness.
ELVISH offers you a pure, rare golden nectar that comes from nature, untouched by human hands. Each of us has a unique experience in the world. But everyone is also responsible to each other and to those around them. Everyone is interconnected. Therefore, with this experience, whether it is a vision overflowing from your subconscious or a state of deep thought, that eye that you have never met – the third eye – will be opened, which guides you in your awakening.
Maybe this is the source of the happiness you seek, that makes life meaningful. It is just a few minutes to spend with that side of you that you’ve never met. Because in the deepest part of “you” there is already the whole universe itself.
“If you have contact with pure consciousness even for a moment, you are liberated.”
Nisargadatta Maharaj
¹ Corpus callosum: The corpus callosum is a large bundle of more than 200 million myelinated nerve fibers that connect the two brain hemispheres, permitting communication between the right and left sides of the brain.
² Melatonin: Melatonin is a hormone that your brain produces in response to darkness. It helps with the timing of your circadian rhythms (24-hour internal clock) and with sleep. Being exposed to light at night can block melatonin production.
³ Endocrine system: The endocrine system is a complex network of glands and organs. It uses hormones to control and coordinate your body’s metabolism, energy level, reproduction, growth and development, and response to injury, stress, and mood.
⁴ DMT: DMT is a powerful psychedelic drug found in hundreds of plants and every mammal that has been studied.
⁵ Psychoactive : A drug or other substance that affects how the brain works and causes changes in mood, awareness, thoughts, feelings, or behavior. Examples of psychoactive substances include alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, marijuana, and certain pain medicines. Many illegal drugs, such as heroin, LSD, cocaine, and amphetamines are also psychoactive substances. Also called psychotropic substances.
⁶ DMT: The Spirit Molecule by Rick Strassman
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/DMT-The-Spirit-Molecule/Rick-Strassman/9780892819270
⁷ Reincarnation: Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death.
⁸ Jimo Borjigin, Jon Dean
https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/21/02/19356741/does-the-human-brain-make-dmt
⁹ Chakras: Chakras are various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, or the esoteric or inner traditions of Hinduism. The concept of the chakra arose in the early traditions of Hinduism.
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