projects > Pineal Actions

These are a series of performance installations where viewers are invited to physically interact with the work. The name comes from the Latin word for pine nut, pinnea, after which the pineal gland in the human brain is named due to its pine nut shape. The pineal gland sits between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. According to ancient and recent studies on the human brain, it apparently acts as the hinge or connector between the two hemispheres.
The French philosopher and scientist Rene Descartes referred to this gland as the seat of the soul and the place in which mind and body meet. Similarly, yogis are also aware of the significance of the pineal gland. There is a technique called Kechari Mudra where a yogi places the tongue at the back of their mouth and into their nasal cavity near the pineal gland in an effort to achieve a state of deep meditation.