I have medical problems, which lead to a lot of testing with my body.. an MRI and CT scan of my brain shows over double the perceived normal amount of blood flow to my Pineal gland in my brain.. Does anyone have any evidence that supports this as being a cause of enhanced psyche? I rarely discuss my abilities, but I can look at something, like a picture, and know specific details about people in pictures, and even looking at people in real life, that isn't apparent to most people.. things in their past, etc.. Also, I have frequent clairvoyant dreams. Could this be related?
Nope, because to prove a link between pineal gland activity and psychic ability, first the existence of psychic ability would have to be proven, and so far, nobody has been able to do that. So, first demonstrate your claims. Then we can talk about causes. I'll post a picture of myself as soon as I can get one uploaded, then you tell me something that I haven't revealed online.
SaPHz: clairvoyant dreams, that is, dreams that resemble events that happen later, are pretty common. Nearly everyone has had one or two such dreams, mostly because our dreams are complex and multivariate, and address many subjects - eventually one will appear to fit a later event. Being able to sense things about a person by looking at them or a picture of them is also something that most people can do, although whether they pay attention to what they notice is another matter; some people are just dull, and don't bother to recall or analyze what they think when they look at another person. Generally these have nothing to do with psychic phenomena - their causes are usually much more mundane. If present psycho/neuro/endocrinological theory is to be believed, extra blood flow should just indicate an increase in the activity in that part of your brain, whatever it does. I don't know what the pineal gland is thought to do in this field...
phlogistician... Why do you come to this section, if the whole idea is ridiculous to you? Let alone participate... This is why I don't talk about it. Lets continue this post with only people who can conceive of the possibility of people being unique in a way outside common perception of human abilities and properties.. My question wasn't if I was psychic or not, nor was it if psychic ability exists; it was whether or not enhanced psyche has been linked to this sort of disorder. Opinions like that of yours certainly don't make this a better place for people to discuss ideas. Go yell at those people talking about cloaking fields, how is that any easier to conceive? BigBlueHead... Not everyone has extensive diagnostic testing, and not much research is completed in the field... Everyone who has clairvoyant dreams (no matter how common it is) doesn't get MRI's or CT scans on their brains on a regular basis, but of the people who have, it would be interesting to note any similar irregularities.
To offer a scientific perspective, for one. Perhaps to help people realise they may be deluding themselves. Also it amuses me to hear the claims people make. Yes, I got that, maybe you didn't understand my answer? For there to be a link between two phenomena, both have to be proved first. The extra blood flow has been measured, so next the 'psychic' phenomena must be measured, and then a relation established between the two. As any measurement of the latter has so far not been established, the answer is of course no, no link has been established. Really? I offered you the chance to prove you psychic abilities by looking at a picture of me, and telling me something I haven't revealed online. Do you want to take up the offer?
Though I understand what you mean here, there's a couple of things you need to consider. First, I am not surprised that you differ physiologically from other people - it's pretty well known that there's a wide degree of variation between individual humans, even in pretty basic things like number of muscles, bones, teeth, and so on. Brain physiology is probably similarly variable. If other people were given various medical scans, I have no doubt that this would produce a wide variety of different brain physiologies. However, the two examples of unusual ability that you've described - clairvoyant dreams and inference from photographs - are not unusual at all, in fact nearly all people have had a few experiences of these types. They are more a product of the way that the human mind works than of any psychic ability. So, your neurophysiology may be unique, or at least unusual, but your psychic ability, from your description, sounds about average. Is there anything else you can do? Here are a few other mundane things that people sometimes believe are paranormal abilities: 1) Time sense - "I can/always wake up at 6:37 in the morning". 2) Numeric synergy - "Whenever I look at the clock it reads doubled numbers: 1:01, 2:02 and so on." 3) Sympathetic pain - "I felt a pain in my hand. Later I talked to my relative, and the very same time I felt the pain, they burned their hand on the stove." 4) Close prediction - "I was thinking of my friend. At the very same time I thought of them, the phone rang, and it was them." 5) Weather/temperature sense - "Even in a heated/air conditioned house I can look outside and tell the temperature by sight to within two degrees. I can also predict local weather, within minutes, up to twenty-four hours ahead of time." (As a kid I could do this, and also knew several other people who could. I'm out of practice now.) 6) Animal empathy - "I always know what my dog/cat/fish is thinking." 7) Human empathy - "Sometimes I know exactly what my boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse was thinking, as clearly as if I'd heard them say it." All of these are mundane, that is, explainable without the need for psychic phenomena to fill in the blanks. If you have any other sorts of ability, I'd be glad to hear about them.
SaPHz; I refer you to Dr. Rick Strassman's excellent book entitled DMT: The Spirit Molecule. The central thesis of this book (based on controlled scientific experiments) is that DMT, a neurohormone produced at the pineal gland, is the center of the spirit, psychic abilities, and a bridge to extra-dimensional reality including OOBE, near-death experiences, and even the alien abduction phenomena. Check out this book if you haven't already as I believe it will... 1.) Reassure you. 2.) Amaze you.
The pineal gland is a link to the reptile brain at our base. I'm sure you know that in more primitive animals the pineal gland is located in the skull so as to actually receive light. That this is how it is the "third eye." Now, since reptiles make so much more use of the pineal gland than we, are they psychic?
Not sure if reptiles are psychic. Can you say that they are not? I do know as a physician that the function of the pineal gland in human is completely unknown. It does produce small quantities of Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) which when given in larger doses IV or inhaled, supposedly produces intense mystical experiences indistinguishable from recorded near death experiences. This has been documented in a strictly controlled research setting.
DMT being a psychadelic, a hyperactive pinal gland wouldn't be producing any real effect, but could cause hallucinations. So the answer is again no, a causal link between pineal malfunction and delusion, probably.
: Melatonin is happily produced by processes in the Pineal Gland. Suppressed Melatonin production has been directly linked to a higher instance of breast cancer. Large doses of Melatonin have been known to cause remission. Children in municipalities with fluoridated drinking water reach puberty earlier than those with unfluoridated water. The Pineal Gland being a calcifying gland draws fluoride to it in amounts that would be toxic if found in your bones. Good thing your bones don't have the constant blood flow like your Pineal Gland. The pineal gland gets encrusted with calcium and fluoride from drinking water over time to the point of drastically inhibiting melatonin production. phlog's right. overactive pineal glands have been linked to instances of delusion. Or to what the commonplace can only explain away as being delusion.
Amusingly, it seems that those who make the the most definitive statements tend to be the least enlightened! Back to the topic . . . . It was recently depicted that epiliptic seisures originating in the top and forward part of the brain being associated with spiritual/religious preoccupation/abilities. I'm not sure but I think I saw it on the PBS station.
That's an interesting variation. I hope it does not impede on the quality of your life. Never heard of increased pineal gland blood flow enhancing a 'psyche' (of course I am not sure which definition of the word is being used). [/QUOTE] Would you mind demonstrating either of these abilities? I will offer $500 USD for a successful demo.
SaPhZ: There is a certain level of knowledge and understanding that is generally attained by mankind. Those who need proof virtually never excel beyond that level. This is no accident. Various diety have mentioned a concept called "faith". Although faith can be in vain in a specific instance, it is the vital link to evolving beyond the common level. Please be encourge to continue in your effort to learn and understand more and to not be distracted by those requiring proof. As I mentioned in a previous link, please see below: "On the night of our honeymoon on indian land I had a sureal dream about an old indian: I saw a pile of hair & bone fragmentss. Out of that pile proceeded a silverish thread going to a pile of haIr & bones & skull. Out of the fore-top of the skull proceeded a silverish thread going to a half-dead old indian. Out of the top of the half-dead old indian's head was a silverish thread going to a healthy old indian who briefly greeted me with a few words. I don't remember the words right now."
I agree. I would describe that level as truth, and those 'who need proof' will probably never excel into falsity.
Dear wordsmith(Crunchy Cat): Language is an essential cerebral passage but not the end goal. Eventually, understanding will be more important than any phrase or the validity thereof. I should be more careful not to step on others toes. Please accept my apology. best regards.
I agree again, the 'meaning' of a linguistic message is the most important part. While my post was not in response to being offended, the meaning of it was clearly understood and even processed emotionally to some degree. I appreciate the apology and please know that no offense was taken in the first place.
