During Term 3 our focus has been on the chakra system, starting at the base and working up to the crown. This week our focus has been on the 6th chakra or “Third Eye", which is physically related to the pineal gland, pituitary gland, nervous system, brain, eyes, ears. Several people have commented on how much they have enjoyed this focus in class and found my recent newsletter very interesting, so I thought I would share here.
The pineal gland is fascinating! Throughout history and in almost every culture around the world a great deal of attention has been given to the pineal gland, which is symbolically represented as a pinecone, because it looks like one. Once you “get your eye in” (pun intended) it shows up in so many places, including the Vatican flag. Seventeenth century philosopher and scientist, René Descartes, dedicated a lot of his time to the study of the pineal gland, which he called the “principal seat of the soul”. He said it was the link between the physical and spiritual world. Many other traditions throughout the world credit experiences, such as spontaneous spiritual experiences, out of body experiences, and ‘flow’ states (that state of joy, creativity and total involvement, where everything else seems to disappear, including time, and where there is an exhilarating feeling of transcendence) to this little gland.
In terms of physiology, this tiny gland sits in the geometric centre of our brain and is intimately linked to our body’s perception of light. Interestingly, it contains rods and cones, just like our eyes, to receive light. Through the production of biochemicals, melatonin and serotonin, it regulates our daily and seasonal circadium rhythms, our sleep-wake patterns, that then determine our hormone levels, stress levels, and physical performance. What a great focus for this trans-seasonal time as we are receiving more light moving out of winter and into spring. Worthy of mention, serotonin is also a relaxation, pleasure, learning and memory biochemical. I’ll have more of that little molecule, thanks! Another interesting fact... the pineal gland receives a higher percentage of blood flow than any other organ of the body except the kidneys.
Also worthy of note… while I was at university studying anatomy and physiology, a fellow student presented his research findings on the inhibitive affect of wearing sunglasses on the pineal gland function, specifically on the production of melatonin.
How you sleep, think and feel every day depends on your pineal gland!
We can powerfully activate the 6th chakra (and pineal gland) on the dance floor through movement - by focusing on head and eye movements (one of Nia’s 52 moves), using repetitive twisting and turning moves, activating the brow through touch (also one of Nia’s 52 moves), and yoga poses. Let’s do it!