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Originally posted by Astrocyte
Since ancient times, man has been differentiated from animals because he had the power of speech. Being able to speak made humans "spiritual" - it in fact enables the world we've created; society is essentially the natural consequence of language.
During the 49'th day of gestation, the pineal gland forms in the fetus. It is borne from tissue in the mouth, from the very region which will later on make the human more than animal. This is a pretty impressive symbolism.
Our sense of self, our sense and awareness of a cosmic wholeness, is a central aspect of the human experience. After forming from fetal mouth tissue, the Pineal decides to migrate to the very center of our seat of consciousness - the brain. Another impressive symbolism.
What do we make of these symbolisms? What does it suggest about everything else around us? Is the physical world and all we experience symbolic? Is the world as the ancients assumed it was - a physical representation of Gods mind?
All vertebrates possess pineal glands. I'm not sure I've seen symbols come out of any other species.
However I agree with your overall premise, that symbolism and language arise biologically, like some universal grammar as Chomsky proposes.
I think claiming the pineal gland produces D-MT isn't entirely true; I don't think biologists know for sure whether it does or not, but I could be wrong. It produces mostly melatonin among other things.
I'm not sure how familiar you are with various spiritual systems, but, I'd like to point out an interesting overlap.
The Presences delivered the Book of Loagaeth to Dee and Kelley in 1582, I'm not sure if our understanding of biological processes was advanced enough at that time to know that the Pineal develops on day 49, and then migrates to the brain.
The significance of 49 would be the the interrelations of each of the 7 sephiroth.
Numbers in general seem to fascinate mystics, particularly multiples of 7. So based on this alone, I don't think there's any organic connection between the Kabbalahs fascination with 49, or Buddhisms ideas of 49, or Enochian Magics conception of 49. This seems to be coincidental.
Maybe you can help clear up the confusion for me. Where does the idea of only 7 Sephiroth come from?
Genesis 32
30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."
Originally posted by Wandering Scribe
If, as your facts seem to indicate, the Pineal gland produces chemicals that cause spiritual experiences, then it would follow that spirituality is not a part of the Earth/Universe, but is in fact a projection of the mind. This would support my own personal stance that spirituality (religion, mysticism, magic) are not meant to be proselytized, or forced upon others', but simply experienced by you, the self.