The Mystery of the Pineal
  
THE MYSTERY OF THE PINEAL
Ac. Karunananda Avadhuta  
 
Since ancient times, the yogiis have referred to the pineal gland as the physiological "seat of consciousness" whereas the pituitary gland is the "seat of unit mind" However both these glands are only a subset of the entire glandular system in the human body. In the early days the endocrine glands were looked upon as an isolated group of structures, secreting substances which, in some strange ways, influenced, the human organism.  In the light of modern knowledge, however, the endocrine system of glands is not an isolated system at all, but rather, an essential and controlling mechanism of all the other systems; indeed, together with the nervous system, this is the integrator of biochemistry and physiology in the living organism. 

Among all the glands, the pineal is still the most mysterious. Although anatomic details of a pineal like thymus, have been known for a long time, its physiologic role, until the past few years, have been obscure. Yet, the interest in this structure has been very great. Mammals, birds, many fishes, and amphibians have a single pineal located deep in the brain. In lizards the embryonic pineal structure is made up of two parts - one part is called the pineal and the other part is known as para-pineal, as it is an out pouching from the pineal. It is very superficial, lying just beneath the epidermis of the head. In some lizards this pineal structure is highly differentiated into a small, eye like organ, with lens and retina and is called the parietal eye or 'third eye' in human beings, the pineal gland is 8 mm. long. Its fresh weight varies from 100 to 200 mg. It's dry weight from 20 to 40 mg.
  
From the biochemical standpoint, the pineal gland has unique features. It appears to be the only organ in which melatonin is made. The formation of melatonin from serotonin through N-acetyl serotonin * and subsequent methylation takes place in the presence of hydroxy-indolomethyl tratisferase (HIOMT). Like melatonin, HIOMT is made only in the pineal gland. The presence of melatonin in peripheral nerves, where no HIOMT is found, suggests that it is a neuro-hormone released by the pineal into the general circulation and subsequently taken up by nerves. Other biologically active substances found in the pineal gland include norepinephrine, serotonin, 5-nethoxyindole acetic acid and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid. Further, blood flow through the pineal is very great, being second only to the kidney on a weight-for-weight basis. Radio-iodine (I131) and radio-phosphorous (P32) are taken up faster by the pineal gland than by any other part of the brain. The iodine uptake, on a per-gram basis is second only to that of the thyroid gland. In rats, the administration of melatonin inhibits ovarian growth and the incidence of estrus. 

From evidence of many studies, it appears that the pineal gland plays an important role in neuro-endocrine control in mammals. A British anatomist I.
Z. Young has recently shown that melatonin and serotonin, twa neuro-hormones, among many other functions, directly control all of the bio-cycles.  A recent study has shown that this tiny organ controls the daily rhythm of skin colour changes that lamprey and lizards undergo. Dr. Sarada Subramaniam has also recently shown that very small magnetic fields influence the pineal gland.  Applying a magnetic field of half-a-gauss or less, will increase or decrease production of pineal melatonin and serotonin. Other groups have observed physical changes in the glands cell in response to such fields.  Shining a light on the head somehow modifies the gland's hormone output even though it is buried so deeply within the head in most vertebrates that, as far as we know, it cannot react to the light.  

Taking cue from these studies, we can safely say that kapalikas who do meditation at night might also be influencing the pineal gland, Thus, there appears to be some substance to the popular belief among yogiis that the pineal gland is the physiological centre for psycho-spiritual changes.  However, the Ananda Marga sadhana (meditation) touches a deeper aspect of the brain-minds-spirit spectrum, It opens the door of the subjective-physical realm and takes us unto the supreme-synthetic-subjective-proposition (SSSP) - the stance of omni-telepathy, pinnacled devotion and eternal peace. 

References : 
1. Robert Becker and Gary Selden, "The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life". 
2. Shri P. R Sarkar, "Bio-psychology". 
3. Ac Shambhushivanada, "The Body-Mind-Spirit Spectrum". 

* YOUNG IM, LEONE RM, FRANCIS P, et al. Melatonin is metabolized to Nacetyl serotonin and 6-hydroxymelatonin in man. J Clin Endocrinol Metab.
1985;60:114-119.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=3964785