The Gateway To Super-Consciousness: The Profound Spiritual Significance Of The Medulla Oblongata

In the spiritual sense, the Medulla Oblongata represents a profound gateway or door through which individuals can receive cosmic instructions from the “one consciousness.” The Medulla Oblongata is a crucial part of the human brainstem, located at the base of the skull, and is responsible for various vital autonomic functions, such as regulating heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure. However, in the realm of spirituality, it is believed to possess a deeper significance.

Medulla Oblongata – The Spiritual Gateway

Spiritually speaking, the Medulla Oblongata is often regarded as a powerful channel that connects our physical bodies with the divine or universal consciousness. It is seen as a focal point where the individual consciousness merges with the cosmic consciousness, allowing for profound insights, guidance, and revelations to be received. Just as the physical functions regulated by the Medulla Oblongata are essential for our survival, its spiritual role becomes equally significant in nurturing our connection to the higher realms.

By accessing the Medulla Oblongata in a spiritual context, individuals are said to tap into a vast reservoir of divine knowledge and wisdom. It is believed to be a portal through which cosmic instructions and insights flow, providing guidance, inspiration, and a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all things. Through this connection, one may experience a profound sense of unity and alignment with the universe, transcending the limitations of the individual self.

Receiving cosmic instructions from the “one consciousness” through the Medulla Oblongata implies that there exists a universal intelligence or higher power that orchestrates the workings of the cosmos. This concept aligns with various spiritual traditions and philosophies that recognize the presence of a supreme consciousness from which all existence arises. By opening ourselves to this divine guidance, we invite the flow of universal wisdom, allowing us to align our thoughts, actions, and intentions with the greater purpose of existence.

It is important to note that the spiritual interpretation of the Medulla Oblongata and its role as a door to receive cosmic instructions may vary across different belief systems and practices. While some may perceive it as a literal doorway through which communication with the divine occurs, others may see it as a metaphorical representation of our receptivity to higher guidance. Ultimately, the understanding and exploration of the spiritual significance of the Medulla Oblongata serve as a means for individuals to deepen their connection to the universal consciousness and explore the infinite potential of their own spiritual journey.

The Yogi’s Perception of Medulla Oblongata

The medulla oblongata, located at the base of the skull, is considered by yogis to be the center of the self. It represents the opposite pole of the greater Self’s consciousness. The center of more advanced manifestations of one’s sense of self is where the positive pole resides.

The Spiritual Eye is located here at a parallel distance, and it serves as a mirror for the energy that continuously flows into the body from the cosmos via the medulla. You can’t make up the Spiritual Eye. It’s something that may be witnessed firsthand during meditative states when the mind is calm and the intellect is free to operate at its own, more intuitive level.

People practicing Kriya yoga have often opined that they’ve had spiritual experiences, including seeing the Spiritual Eye during meditation. When observed intently, the Spiritual Eye appears as a golden halo of blue or violet light with an outer ring of bright golden yellow. A five-pointed white star sits at the center. Sometimes as mentioned by numerous devotees, the Spiritual Eye appears as a pale violet light with a faint circle of yellow light around it and a fainter dot in the center while engrossed in meditation.

It has been mentioned in Ramakrishna‘s “Kathamrita” that the Shri Ramakrishna Paramahansa often said that by focusing on the Spiritual eye while meditating, your consciousness can reach the state of ecstasy.   The attainment of superconsciousness while doing the sadhana actually routes through the medulla oblongata and is visualized through the kutastha.

If you want to focus on the area between your brows, raise your gaze so that your eyes slightly converge, as if you were staring at a thumbnail held aloft. Instead of looking around, concentrate on that spot in the middle of your forehead. Rather than trying to focus your eyes physically, focus your mind on that spot and let the Spiritual Eye absorb you.

My guru’s great-grandmaster, Lahiri Mahasaya, advised that one first focus on the area around the medulla oblongata before moving the focus to the Spiritual Eye. Often, people’s sense of self is diffuse and located all across their bodies through the six chakras. Ego-consciousness getting totally abolished transforms one towards attaining self-realization by merging into the cosmic void and being guided to its own higher octave by consciously locating it in its right seat, at the Sahasrara Chakra.

The heart can take over as one’s new seat of consciousness once superconsciousness has destroyed the ego. At this juncture, one’s consciousness is lifted by intuitive emotion through the Spiritual Eye and into Infinity.

Swami Vivekananda shared with us that Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa had taught him to maintain his thoughts and sight fixed at the point between the eyebrows at the kutastha as much as possible, something that the sage originally found challenging to practice. However, this method is useless unless coupled with genuine commitment.

Focusing on the third eye, or ajna chakra, can increase one’s willpower, but if compassion isn’t present, it can also make one cold and heartless. Great happiness is the result of strong willpower coupled with love.

During ripening, the jackfruit’s molecules rearrange themselves, changing the flavor and taste from sticky, raw, and bitter to sweet and juicy. Likewise, the same action happens to humans who practice spiritual meditation as well. When the “molecules” of opposite urges are rearranged in a linear fashion, the same effect occurs in human nature, leading to enlightenment. Focusing their energies in a single direction—either toward the super or the “ONE CONSCIOUSNESS”—can grant tremendous spiritual power.

However, the north-south polarity of the spine is the only way to ensure that all of our “molecules” are in harmony with one another due to the deeper truths of human nature and the fact that the very way our bodies are constructed reflects those truths.

The spiritual eye is the “doorway” to infinity, and hence all our hopes and dreams must point skyward.

What is medulla Oblogata according to modern science?

The Medulla Oblongata is a vital structure located at the base of the brainstem, connecting the spinal cord to the higher brain regions. It serves as a critical relay station and control center for numerous essential autonomic functions that are crucial for our survival and well-being. The primary functions of the Medulla Oblongata include regulating important processes such as respiration, cardiovascular activity, digestion, and reflex actions.

One of the key roles of the Medulla Oblongata is controlling the respiratory system. It houses the respiratory centers that coordinate the rhythm and depth of our breathing. These centers receive input from chemoreceptors that monitor the levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH in the blood, ensuring that the body’s respiratory needs are met to maintain a stable internal environment.

Additionally, the Medulla Oblongata plays a vital role in cardiovascular regulation. It contains the cardiac centers that regulate heart rate and the vasomotor centers that control blood pressure. These centers receive input from various sensory receptors and adjust the activity of the heart and blood vessels to maintain proper blood flow and oxygen delivery to different organs and tissues.

Furthermore, the Medulla Oblongata is involved in the control of various reflex actions. It houses the nuclei responsible for coordinating reflexes such as swallowing, coughing, sneezing, and vomiting. These reflexes are crucial for protecting the airway, expelling irritants, and maintaining the integrity of the digestive system.

The Medulla Oblongata also serves as a relay station for sensory and motor signals traveling between the spinal cord and the higher brain regions. Sensory information from the body, such as touch, pain, and temperature, is transmitted to the Medulla Oblongata, where it is processed and further relayed to the appropriate regions of the brain for perception and interpretation. Similarly, motor commands originating from the brain travel through the Medulla Oblongata to reach the spinal cord and ultimately control voluntary and involuntary movements.

Overall, the Medulla Oblongata plays a crucial role in regulating vital autonomic functions necessary for our survival. It serves as a control center for respiration, cardiovascular activity, reflex actions, and the relay of sensory and motor signals. Without the proper functioning of the Medulla Oblongata, the body would struggle to maintain homeostasis and carry out essential physiological processes that are fundamental to human life.

What has Vedic science to offer on the medulla oblongata?

Vedic science, rooted in ancient Indian scriptures known as the Vedas, provides a holistic understanding of the human body and its connection to a larger cosmic reality. While the Vedas do not explicitly mention the Medulla Oblongata, they offer profound insights into the spiritual aspects of human existence and the interconnectedness of the body, mind, and consciousness.

According to Vedic philosophy, the human body is considered a microcosm of the macrocosm, reflecting divine principles and cosmic energies. The Vedas describe the existence of subtle energy channels known as nadis, through which prana (life force) flows, nourishing and sustaining the body and mind. These nadis, particularly the central channel called Sushumna, are said to traverse the spinal column, aligning with the general area where the Medulla Oblongata is located.

In the Vedic tradition, the focus is often on awakening and balancing the energy centers, or chakras, which are believed to be associated with specific physical and spiritual aspects of our being. While the exact correspondence of the chakras with anatomical structures may differ in various interpretations, there is a correlation between the higher chakras and the upper regions of the body, including the brain.

In this context, the Medulla Oblongata can be seen as a vital junction point where the physical and subtle energy systems converge. It is considered a crucial gateway to higher states of consciousness and spiritual experiences. Through practices such as meditation, breathwork, and yogic techniques, individuals seek to activate and harmonize the energy centers, including those in the upper regions of the body, which may indirectly influence the functioning of the Medulla Oblongata.

Vedic science also emphasizes the concept of unity consciousness, which suggests that there is an inherent oneness that permeates all of creation. The Medulla Oblongata, as part of the brainstem, is closely associated with our primal survival functions. In Vedic philosophy, it is believed that by aligning our individual awareness with the universal consciousness, we can transcend the limitations of the individual self and experience a profound sense of interconnectedness and unity with the cosmos.

While Vedic science does not provide specific instructions or practices focused solely on the Medulla Oblongata, its teachings offer a broader framework for understanding the interconnected nature of the body, mind, and spirit. By engaging in practices that promote overall well-being, spiritual growth, and the expansion of consciousness, individuals can potentially cultivate a deeper awareness of the subtle energies flowing through the body, including the region where the Medulla Oblongata is located, and their relationship to the cosmic whole.

The medulla oblongata plays a central role in yogic conceptions of creation. The medulla oblongata is thought to form at the site of fertilization, and from there, energy is distributed to produce the remainder of the body. The medulla is the sixth cerebral-spinal center responsible for distributing cosmic energy throughout the body and housing the ego.

In order to increase prana flow, awareness in meditation shouldn’t be focused on the medulla oblongata per se; rather, it should be channeled through the medulla and allowed to move on to more refined points of focus, such as the Christ center.

Should We Call the Medulla Oblongata “The Seat of the Ego”?

We are divine energy, not heavenly energy, and we take on human form in response to our own desires. Superconsciousness merely involves a temporary expansion of the ego beyond the body and its confines until- nirbikalpa samadhi is achieved.

As it merges with the material world, the spirit takes on myriad shapes and manifestations. These shapes, including the human shape, must necessarily incorporate the traits of self-awareness and uniqueness. Each of us possesses this special quality, and yet we are all also individual sparks of the Infinite Mind.

We take on the human form because we can’t resist the pull of our unsatisfied wants (and worries). Because of all the times our spirits have chosen to go their own way rather than follow God’s will, they are now estranged from the divine.

Because the ego (“the soul identified with the body and personality”) is the source of our uniqueness, it is located in the medulla oblongata. The medulla contains the embodied essence of our self-identity and reason for incarnating; hence, any surgery on it would be fatal.

The subtle energy centers along the central nervous system, known as the chakras, also house components of our karmic matrix (software). However, these are merely embellishments that the ego places on itself.

Step by step, we must release the seeds of karma that lie throughout the spine until we reach the medulla, the seat of the ego, the final “frontier,” the final delusion, the final big spiritual test: relinquishing the ego back into God, and then we will have completed the journey back to our home in Infinity. There is no sacrifice here, only the gain of Infinity. There is no loss of identity because everything that ever was, is, or will exist in Infinity. Nothing about our former lives, for example, changes; what does change is our sense of self-identity as the agent behind our acts.

Bhishma symbolizes pride in the Mahabharata. The blessing bestowed upon Bhishma was immunity to death and destruction. So, as he is riddled with arrows from the war and unable to touch the ground, he delivers his famous speech on leadership (kingship) on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. However, he will perish only when he decides to do so. This is the ego at work; only the ego can accept what seems like death but is actually the path to eternal life.

The medulla, or ego, is the starting point and final destination of our unique identities. The compulsions of the ego lead us into the body, and samadhi opens the doorway to enlightenment, which is located between the eyebrows.

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The author’s views are his or her own. The facts and opinions in the article have been taken from various articles and commentaries available in the online media and Eastside Writers does not take any responsibility or obligation for them.

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