One of the key shots in the series was a close up of a single eye
opening. It usually signaled a character change, a flashback, or new
story tangent. What does an eye represent?
The phrase "mind's eye"
refers to the human ability for visualization,that is the experience of
visual mental imagery; in other words, one's ability to "see" things
within one's mind.
The biological foundation of the
mind's eye is not fully understood. MRI studies have shown that the
lateral geniculate nucleus and the V1 area of the brain's visual cortex
are activated during mental imagery tasks. Scientists have found that
this visual pathway is not a one one street. Higher areas of the brain
can also send visual signals back to neurons connected in the lower
areas of the visual cortex, also creating the ability to see or have a
perceptual experience in the absence of actual visual imput from a
person's eyes.
Deeper studies of the brain have shown
that below the neocortex (where the center of perception exists), the
thalamus has been found
to be discrete to other components in that it processes all forms of
perceptional data relayed from both lower and higher components of the
brain. Damage to this component can produce permanent perceptual damage,
however when damage is inflicted upon the cerebral cortex, the brain
adapts to neuroplasticity
to amend any occlusions for perception. It can be thought that the
neocortex is a sophisticated memory storage warehouse in which data
received as an input from sensory systems are compartmentalized via the
cerebral cortex. This would essentially allow for shapes to be
identified, although given the lack of filtering input produced
internally, one may as a consequence, hallucinate - essentially seeing
something that isn't received as an input externally but rather internal
(i.e. an error in the filtering of segmented sensory data from the
cerebral cortex may result in one seeing, feeling, hearing or
experiencing something that is inconsistent with reality).
Other
studies theorize that the pineal gland may be the source of the mind's
eye. Researchers think that during near death experiences and dreaming,
the gland may secrete a hallucinogenic chemical known as DMT which
could produce internal visuals when external sensory data is occluded.
The pineal gland
is a light sensitive gland that is located deep in the brain at its
hemispheric division. It produces the serotonin derivative melatonin, a
hormone that affects the modulation
of wake/sleep patterns and seasonal functions in a person's body cycle.
Because of its location and light sensitive properties, many
philosophers believe this gland is the gateway into enlightenment beyond
mere dream states. Some people believe that this gland is the gateway
to the soul or spiritual world.
This is best described as "the third eye" (or the inner eye)
in Hinduism. The third eye is a mystical concept referring to a
speculative invisible eye which provides perception beyond ordinary
sight. The third eye refers to the gate that leads to inner realms and
spaces of higher consciousness.
In New Age
spirituality, the third eye often symbolizes a state of enlightenment
and process of mental images having deeply personal spiritual or
psychological significance. The third eye is often associated with
religious visions, clairvoyance, the ability to observe chakras or
auras, precognition and out-of-body experiences. People who are claimed
to have the capacity to utilize their third eyes are sometimes known as
seers.
In ancient Egyptian religion, the Eye of Horus contained powerful symbolism. Horus was a sky god usually depicted as a falcon.
His right eye was associated with the sun god, Ra. The eye symbol
represents the marking around the eye of the falcon, including the
"teardrop"marking sometimes found below the eye. The mirror image, or
left eye, sometimes represented the moon and the god Djehuti (Thoth,
the scribe and holder of magical powers). In one myth, when brothers Set
and Horus were fighting for the throne
after Orsiris's death, Set gouged out Horus's left eye. The majority of
the eye was restored by either Hathor
or Thoth (with the last portion possibly being supplied magically).
When Horus's eye was recovered, he offered it to his father, Osiris, the
god of the underworld,
in hopes of restoring his life. Hence, the eye of Horus was often used
to symbolise sacrifice, healing, restoration, and protection.
Besides
the close ups of eyes, John Locke had a similar scar across his right
eye like in the story of Horus. Locke's goal on the island was succeed
Horus, and later Ben, in the leader of the natives. Locke was the person
who found and interacted with the (holographic or repetitive image) of
Horace near Jacob's cabin.
Also, in Season 1, Jack,
Locke, Sun, Claire, Boone, Michael, Charlie, Sawyer and Jin all had eye
close ups which led to flashback story lines. This is strong evidence
that even though a clever foreshadowing device to get back stories
started, it may have served a more compelling clue that in each case,
the eye that was "opening" was the character's inner eye, or mind's eye -
- - the gateway to inner, magical or spiritual realms.
It
would also explain why so many people appeared to be uninjured despite the plane tearing apart and falling from 35, 000 feet. They were, but it was their minds that
were creating a new perception of the world around them when they were
in shock, or in a coma, or having near death experiences. The story structure then is a patchwork quilt of the passengers own perceptions if they survived the plane crash.
It is a collective story telling through the portal of individual
pineal glands set off by the unique electromagnetic energy of the island
(which gives life, death and rebirth.) While it seems that it would be one consistent story, each individual character was in his or her own dream state. This could be why there are drastic mood and alliance changes during the series because we do not know who is the actual projector of that story line.
So when Christian tells Jack that all the people in the church, his fellow passengers, were the most important people in his "life," it was his pre-purgatory limbo that his mind's eye shared with the other island crash victims, in order to sacrifice, heal, restore, and protect their spiritual souls so they could move on in the after life together by reconnecting in the church realm. The toll to pass to the church realm was to work out one's material, selfish, and sinful nature in order to redeem the goodness trapped in one's soul. That is the true escape from the island, through each person's inner eye.