LT159: Grey Matter Don't Matter Much

INSPIRATION

It seems important to share the source of my inspiration on some of the ideas shared. Then you can decide if I’m over-reaching or if fate is trying to tell us something. This post has to do with the brain which might have come about from a Science Daily article. Yeah, I read Science Daily…you got a problem with nerds? HA!

And I just finished a Biology class. So maybe this is another one of my far-reaching, over analyzing postings. But let’s dive in anyway…

Oh, and I can’t help but wonder what role Fate played in this topic since when doing the last blog on the “Beatles Hold the Key of F” (F for Failsafe Key)…it was odd that the Hindo god of Harrison’s tune had a third eye. Odd because that was my topic before the last post. Freaky!

Without further adieu, let’s scrub up, crack open a skull and take a peek inside…


PINEAL GLAND

I’m study the endocrine system in Bio class and this gland shows up on the list. It is located smack dab in the middle of the brain which seems to suggest its importance. The location may also explain why it was the last gland for scientist to discover what it does. The location made me think of the Great Pyramid as it is in the center of our planet.


Being that it took a way for modern scientists to determine its function, it is not surprising that pseudo-science was more than happy to offer some alternative theories. One such theory is that it is the part of the brain responsible for telepathic communication. See why it caught my interest in terms of LOST?

Spiritualists have long associated the pineal gland as important in the realm of yoga and Hinduism. The most common alternate term for this gland is The Third Eye. Could this be our inner vision?


LIGHT

Nothing more would thrill me then to discover this pea-sized gland is stimulated by something related to LOST, like light. (Think Daniel’s comment about how the light appears different in some way). Guess what? The pineal gland IS stimulated by light. We’ve discovered that it controls the bio-rhythms of our bodies and works in conjunction with the hypothalamus to determine our again process. Light and Aging – double whopper!

My Biology textbook says the eyes are connected to the pineal gland through the retinohypothalamic tract. Eyes have a significant place in LOST as well as the process of the eyes. For example, the eyes actually “see” the image in reverse – sort of like mirrors. Only in the brain does the image get flipped right-side up.

SIDE NOTE: A baby’s brain does not flip the brain right-side up for a few days after birth, so be sure to lean over the top and look down if you don’t want to confuse the kid.

The retinas carry information to the pineal gland relating to the light and dark of the day. When light is not present, the pineal gland secrets the hormone, melatonin. This makes the Third Eye sensitive to light even as it is buried deep within the brain. And it becomes our bodies’ time keeper. We the help of rats like Eloise we have learned to “reset” our bodies clocks by messing with light and dark patterns.

At this point I’m thinking of the light being flashed in Desmond’s eye as well as Daniel’s test subject, Ben…er, I mean Eloise.


STRUCTURE OF THE PINEAL GLAND

Smart people have discovered that in some cases the pineal gland is structured just like an eye (thus where it mostly likely got its nickname). The evolutionary theory is that the gland has migrated back into the brain over centuries of adaptation. In other words, in the early evolutionary stage, we really did have a third eye in the middle of our foreheads!

Further discoveries have linked the hormone from the gland to hibernation in bears, sexual development and breeding, and various disorders like that seen in the movie Insomnia about people who live in Alaska. I had the displeasure of living there for four winters (we didn’t count the time in years, but in winters). Trust me, seasonal disorders are real.

The other LOST-related point to share is that the Third Eye reacts to electromagnetic (EM) energy. The mystics of science claim that when activated by EM is opens the lines of communication with other and higher planes. One might be able to project outside their bodies, wander into the jungle and tell the next person you see, “The button is bad, don’t push the button.” It would make sense that sense the “eye” sees things in reverse, that you might utter these words in reverse as well. Hmmm…


GOOD VIBRATIONS

As science and faith merge in the study of the Third Eye, a hypothesis is offered: to activate the sensory capabilities that lay dormant in the gland, the pineal and pituitary glands must vibrate in unison. This is where and how astral travel and ESP and psychics gain their abilities it is claimed. The most common method for gaining the good vibrations is through meditation or high exposure to electromagnetic energy. Wonder where our LOST friends could find that?

This all-knowing eye of Shiva (or Siva) is related closely to the Hindu concept of Dharma (or karma).

In short, the requirement is the ability to have a focused concentration on the mental energy and let the ego and physical boundaries slip away. Did I just say “focused concentration”? Hmmm…


SUMMARY

Besides being prepped for your next Biology quiz, this Third Eye might be the scientific theory behind the mythology of LOST. We’ve notice the meeting of faith and religion on the show repeatedly. We’ve seen the focus on the eye and electromagnetism. And it seems coincidental that the Third Eye is associated with Dharma and what we might term “super powers”. Heck, at this point I’m reminded of Ethan appearing a little “too strong” back in Season 1. Well, not if had mastered his inner eye.

Hey, this post was a bit off the beaten path, but one has to wonder just where the writers obtain their basic construct from…and it might be right in front of our eyes…well, right behind them actually, but you get the point.

**

If you enjoyed this post, please click on an ad on the way out. This lets me know what kind of subject matter you enjoy, as well as giving me a few pennies for a posting you really like. And please leave a comment if you have questions or thoughts on a topic.

Thanks for reading!

Enjoy,
KC