A Stroke Of Insight
We have the power to choose, moment by moment, who and how we want to be in this world. ~Jill Bolte Taylor
I have watched this video many times now because I am fascinated with Jill Bolte Taylor’s story. I am equally fascinated at the capacity of our brains and the fact that there is such an enormous possibility and yet, we utilize so little of it.
I am also interested in this video and all of TEDtalksDirector videos because as a Toastmaster, I find myself focusing very closely on anyone that does public speaking. I enjoy watching their body-language and hearing their choice of words with which they express themselves with. I love to watch how they are able to manipulate their emotions, coinciding with their tone and volume of their voice, thus drawing their audience into fuller participation of their story.
I am quite certain you will enjoy this video. I am glad Jill was motivated to recover. She gave us a real gift with her “stroke of insight.” Thank you, Jill!
The more time we spend choosing to run the deep inner peace circuitry of our right hemisphere, the more peace we will project into our world, and the more peaceful our world will be. ~Jill Bolte Taylor
This is very, very interesting. Wow. Thanks, Viola. She sure does make her research accessible. The real brain got me, but I learned plenty! She is a poet. I am going to hang to the right as much as possible!
Comment by SandyCarlson — January 7, 2009 @ 11:04 am
Sandy, I was so moved by it as well. Amazing!
Comment by Viola Jaynes — January 7, 2009 @ 12:49 pm
Oh my goodness, amazing is not the word for this — Oh my, to be honest I am speechless. This is so very real for me, it’s like she is inside my head.
Thanks Sandy for sending me here — and thanks Viola for sharing.
Indeed, I am truly not alone!
Comment by Amias — January 7, 2009 @ 1:45 pm
Amias, I just left you a reply for “Self-HOnesty”. Thank you!
Yes, you are right, I found this amazing myself. And I love how open and real she is. Wonderful!
Comment by Viola Jaynes — January 7, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
I thank you for your kindness, Viola. I see you live in Houston too!
Comment by Amias — January 7, 2009 @ 3:11 pm
Jill Bolte Taylor’s book and lecture answered many questions I had about my spiritual experiences.
In my lifetime I have experienced many openings of my right brain, which resulted in the blissful experience of what I call Grace. I had often wondered about the source of these experiences as they seemed super-naural. I knew I had experienced a contact with All That There Is.. the Great Oneness of All Things…..The Source of Love, but wondered why it came to me and why it remained for only a short time. Thanks to Jill Bolte Taylor I now know that we are all capable of experiencing this state, but that it is not a constant because our left brains are needed for the everyday tasks of living and have masked our right brains to a great extent. Many gurus, monks, and holy men have developed the skill of accessing the right brain and the Bliss which resides there almost at will. Most of us, however, will only experience it when the defenses of the left brain have broken down. This seems to occur for me when I am either in deep despair or in the presence of an experience of overwhelming beauty.
That I am not a guru, monk, or holy man and cannot access this bliss at will does not bother me. For me it is enough to know I have been blessed by Grace and Blissful Love many times in my life. It has provided a deep connection with our Creator that surpasses what I have learned from religious/spiritual readings, preachers, and teachers.
Comment by Jimmy J. — January 7, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
Jimmy, you have shared with me before of your experience of “grace” and I think that is so wonderful! You have indeed be blessed!
You know, to access the right hemisphere of our brain is a matter of choice. I think it is simply choosing, as Jill so aptly expresses, what we want to be in this world. Do we want to be compassionate and learn more about humanity through our own pains and disappointments, or do we want to chose to become bitter and blame others and society for our “lot” in life. Though each of us would love to have an experience like Jill has had, or others such as yourself, most simply don’t experience it on that level. That is not to say, though, that they can’t choose more with the right part of their hemisphere. This video only confirms my very deep believe that we know so very little about God, spirituality, and life. Fundamentalists would like us to believe they have their ear on the heavens and that they know so much. I find this to be so utterly untrue.
Jimmy, I always enjoy having you here. Thank you!
Comment by Viola Jaynes — January 8, 2009 @ 3:19 am