Critical Review

Alchemy of the Pineal Gland

by James Portocarrero
(preview version)

NOTE: I wouldn’t normally care to write something like this but I couldn’t resist after Tamid’s respectful
response to my generous rating.

Tamid’s book can be found at http://www.scribd.com/doc/17977107/Alchemy-of-the-Pineal-Gland -- If you

feel the need to let me know where I went wrong, or if my criticism wasn’t vastly more informative than
his book was about the pineal gland, please let me know… I do love a good debate and I can admit when I
am either ignorant, wrong, or crass.

Tamid,

Actually I read all of the pages you have available for preview.

I think that it needs some serious editing before it's ready to be purchased. This isn't the remark of an
"asshole" this is the corrective criticism of an academic who just wants to see you do better for yourself.

If you can tune this up a little bit, I think that you would have a pretty good buy here.

Your introduction alone produces far too many "strange" errors. The aim of the book should be geared
toward your audience not toward yourself. The reader doesn't care if you want to put YOUR conversations
down in words, the reader wants something that engages him on his level. Something like the following
might be more appropriate: The aim of this book is to produce for the reader a clear and personal
understanding of the Pineal Gland through the experiences of myself and countless others who I have
discussed this topic with ad nauseum.
You make the assumption that "There is so much about the Pineal Gland out there, and so little of it is
written from people who have actually gone and Activated theirs." Most of the lit available on the Pineal
that I have read has been written by psychonauts and scientists who have studied the pineal because of their
"activation" of it.

Next, and here provided is a sentence which awkwardly attempts to connect to the previous, "When we say
"Activate" we mean that this Gland now functions as a portal of Cosmic Energy which gives you the ability
to interface and work on higher planes." Do you mean to say interface ON higher planes, or interface
WITH higher planes? This whole sentence is worded awkwardly and only exists to confuse the reader. The
neurological analysis of the pineal gland might provide a deeper metaphysical and spiritual connection to
your work (see Dr. Rick Strassman: DMT The Spirit Molecule) rather than relying on pseudo-spiritual
terms such as Higher Planes and Cosmic Energy which are provided here in capital letters as if to provide
specific titles to dogmatic concepts.

At the beginning of chapter 8 you attempt to discuss the realm of human experiences. At one point you note
"We encompass also the highest levels of consciousness, the force of which permeates ALL things and all
planes" Again, this is awkward. Do we as humans encompass all things or does our perception of
experiences encompass all things and all planes?

The paragraph to follow beginning with: "The term 'mind' here encompass its various levels" etc is horribly
written.... it is the autonomic nervous system which communicates with (and stimulates) the pineal gland
by way of the superior cervical ganglion. The pseudo-spiritual mumbo jumbo of a poorly written run-on
sentence about divinity and intuition does nothing to support the mind or what it does.

What I hate most here is that you present no argument, only affirmations. You do not attempt to prove your
case and nor do you rightly display what your case is. "The causal or higher mental plane is the realm of the
soul, the plane which the soul calls "home."" ::coughBULLSHITcough:: do you even know what "causal"
means? How is it that "causal" refers to a supposed transcendent plane when cause and effect appear to
permeate the realm of every day experiences? Is "causal" the word you really wanted to use to represent a
higher state? In my experience (DMT, LSD, pineal stimulation), it's most certainly not the causal plane in
which my perception operates. A higher plane exists outside of the physical where the word "causal" only
applies to the recognition of phenomena found only in the physical.

I won't even get into your discussion of the astral plane. I will say only this - Where the fuck is the data and
analysis of the god damned pineal gland and how it reacts with the nervous system? This book isn't about
the pineal gland according to the preview pages you have provided. Instead, it is about some new religion
you seem to be promoting.

Provide me with some phenomenological understanding of the pineal and how its role effects the realm of
perceptive reality by presenting a mindful argument about the pineal's biological purpose and capabilities.
What is it? What does it do? What about Melatonin or DMT?

At the end of this, I don't have a fucking clue what your book is about. I gave it a 3 and it was deserving of
so much less but I wanted to support you while offering some fragment of truth in regards to my opinion. I
wanted, here, to stimulate you with corrective criticism.

As for the message you left on my personal page, I thought you were supposed to be "enlightened." What I
think of your book should only effect you to the point of wanting to make change in yourself. Your ego
here appears to be damaged by my rating which proves only that you have a long way to grow.

You should allow people to have their opinions... especially if you plan to become an author. It's a cut-
throat world. People like and dislike so many things these days.