ESSENCE: Interdisciplinary- International Journal of Concerned African Philosophers

This article explores the intersection of mental amnesia, reincarnation, and the pineal gland through philosophical, psychological, and religious lenses. Mental amnesia is examined as a potential mechanism that veils memories of past lives, with the pineal gland posited as a key biological and spiritual interface facilitating or inhibiting such recall. Drawing on René Descartes' view of the pineal as the "seat of the soul," Eastern concepts of reincarnation, and contemporary psychological insights into altered states of consciousness, the study integrates perspectives from Prof. Charles Ogunndu Nnaji on theistic and socionomic origins of philosophy and monastic traditions. It argues that activation or dysfunction of the pineal gland may explain phenomena of past-life recall or amnesia, offering implications for consciousness studies, spirituality, and mental health. The research synthesizes historical, empirical, and speculative sources to propose a multidisciplinary framework.

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