Meditation and Pineal Gland

[Zealot]

What do you folks know about the pineal gland? Do you consider it your third eye? What about the abundance of theories about the calcifying of it due to all the toxins we take in and in addition, how does one detox from them? And how does meditation fit in here?

I know, a slew of random questions. Thank you all for your continued compassion!

[Seishin]

Personally, I new nothing of the pineal gland until I googled it. I thought it was "down stairs", who would have thought it was in the brain

The third eye in Buddhism is sometimes called the Urna, which is more a symbol of the third eye rather than the eye itself. The third eye develops during long term deep meditation practice as a side effect rather than something sought after.

Hope that makes sense

It'd be interesting if there has been a connection made.

Gassho,
Seishin.

[Yudron]

Personally, I new nothing of the pineal gland until I googled it. I thought it was "down stairs", who would have thought it was in the brain

The third eye in Buddhism is sometimes called the Urna, which is more a symbol of the third eye rather than the eye itself. The third eye develops during long term deep meditation practice as a side effect rather than something sought after.

Hope that makes sense

It'd be interesting if there has been a connection made.

Gassho,
Seishin.

I've heard people associate the chakras with the various glands Crown--pineal, Throat--thyroid, heart--thymus, navel -- I can't remember, maybe we could say they are roughly at the level of the adrenals, and root chakra-- the ovaries and testes. This was in a new age context, sound like this observation might be gleaned from Theosophy or something.

[Lhug-Pa]

Meditation, Prefrontal Cortex and Dzogchen

From what I understand the original authors of the Tantras mapped out the system of Tsa or Nadis within the human body with their clairvoyance as a guide, and saw that each organ & gland (Pineal, Pituitary, Ovaries & Gonads, Thyroid, Thymus, Thalamus, Hypothalamus, etc.) is a junction of Nadis with its corresponding energetic center or Cakra/Chakra within the Vajra Body.

See also: The Bliss of Inner Fire: Heart Practice of the Six Yogas of Naropa by Lama Yeshe, pages 180 and 277 of Longhcenpa's Mind in Comfort and Ease: The Vision of Enlightenment in the Great Perfection by H.H. the Dalai Lama, and also the DVD that accompanies a book on Tsa-Lung called Awakening the Sacred Body by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (this DVD also has the Inner Refuge prayers for Qualities and Activity related to the Chakras and mentions their corresponding Kaya), and see if you can "connect the dots".

Hint: The Higher Two Truths (not "the two lies"), Seven Kayas, and Seven (main) Cakras.

It is also said that individuals with an abundance of melanin generally have less Pineal Gland calcification, so it seems that us non-melanated folks have to work harder to keep our Pineal Glands in shape (that is get to bed before midnight and have a regular sleep schedule, eat all organically grown food if possible, take herbs, Chulen, Sorig, Dhutse, etc., regularly practice Tsa-Lung or Yantra Yoga, correctly practice Karmamudra or at least follow the sexual-advice of Tibetan Medicine, etc.).

[Zealot]

Hurray! More information than I could possibly read through tonight! I am always glad to be able to learn more Much thanks!

[Jinzang]

The third eye is merely a metaphor for going beyond duality and should not be taken literally or identified with some chakra or physical organ.

[Lhug-Pa]

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu has said that the Third Eye is a symbol of Wisdom (yet I also believe that he has mentioned the Third Eye Chakra at times); and also, I'm quite sure that both the 'Hindu' and Buddhist Tantras are pretty clear on how the Third Eye relates to the Ajna Cakra. Well, how the Crown and Third Eye Cakras relate to one another, and the differences between them, is apparently not always so clear-cut in the various Buddhist-Tantra teachings.

Yes, the Third Eye would also see beyond dualism, or be a symbol for that, however there would be no contradiction in studying endocrinology in relation to the Chakras and Medical Tantras, Kakachakra Tantras, and Tantras in general.

http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Four_joys

Take the Four Joys for example, experiences that can lead to the non-dualistic experience of Clear Light, through Tsa-Lung or Tummo, and also related to the Bardos and the dying process (White Appearance, Red Increase, Black Near-Attainment, Clear Light, etc.)