Heal Pain Naturally has MOVED

Heal Pain Naturally has moved to its new location -- please click link to visit and bookmark new location at Jenny Mannion.com. While you are there PLEASE also visit the Heroes of Healing Group Writing Project!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Jill Bolte Taylor -- Stroke of Insight -- A Brain Researcher who had a stroke and studied it as it happened -- A Must see TED talk

When Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, neuroanatomist (brain researcher) realized she was having a stroke she decided to study the experience. Her talk at the TED conference brings to light the difference between the right and left brain hemispheres and also has surprising correlations with consciousness and ego. She watched and was aware as her ability to talk, decipher speech, use her limbs and recognize things disappeared and experienced what happened when the right side of her brain took over. Her story is a miraculous one and is very in line with a lot of the studies I have been doing the last 18 months on consciousness and being. Please watch the following video -- I assure you that you have never heard anything similar and it will stay with you.



Dr. Taylor decided she wanted to study the brain because of her brother who suffers from schizophrenia. She worked in the Harvard Department of Psychiatry and was a also an advocate for NAMI (The National Alliance on Mental Illness). She wanted to know and understand the biological differences between the brains of those who are "normal" as opposed to those diagnosed with schizophrenia and similar illnesses. She was also studying how the cells and the 2 hemispheres of the brain communicated. Through her stroke she was able to experience this first hand.

LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN/
EGO VS. CONSCIOUSNESS



Her hemorrhage was in the left side of her brain which controls linear and methodical thinking. The left side of your brain uses your past experiences to categorize, it picks out details of your experiences and makes associations and also projects thoughts about the future. The left side will also send you messages as "remember to go shopping" and is your constant mind chatter and self talk. The left side is essentially what Eckhart Tolle calls "the ego" and always makes sure that you know you are "separate from others".

The right side of your brain is about now, or as Eckhart Tolle calls it "consciousness". The right side of your brain thinks in pictures and it learns kinesthetically through the movement of our bodies. It is our senses but is NOT our language and our labels on everything. It is silent and is energy and it is what connects us to everyone else.

You have to watch the video and listen to Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's explanation of all she went through to save herself during her stroke. All the realizations she came across and all the distinctions she was able to make. Her profession as a brain researcher allowed her to recognize what was happening each step of the way. It took her 8 years to fully recover from her stroke and now she is spreading her message which is a very important one.

Eckhart Tolle in "A New Earth" talks about the importance of being in the now and quieting the mind chatter. When Jill suffered her stroke her mind chatter was suddenly silenced for her. In "A New Earth" Mr. Tolle talks about trying to observe things but not label them rather just experience them and feel their energy. Jill Taylor lost all perception of where her body ended and the world around her began -- she was one with the other energy around her. When you listen to Eckhart Tolle speak you can sense his peacefulness and how present he is. When Dr. Taylor's left brain hemorrhaged she was thrust into the silence and beauty of being present only through how the right brain perceives the world.


During Dr. Taylor's eight years of recovery she needed to relearn how to read, walk, talk and write again. She goes into her recovery in detail in her book, "My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey". What stayed with Dr. Taylor was the experience and the importance of the right brain to us all. She points out that we are two very different entities just as Mr. Tolle does. Mr. Tolle talks about the ego and consciousness and she describes it as your left and right brain functions. By reading "A New Earth" and other readings and practicing the methods within you can begin to experience moments where your right brain is in control or "consciousness". I have experienced moments of this and boy is it beautiful. Dr. Taylor ends her speech by acknowledging we can all decide which side of the brain we want to live out of -- the left which is how our ego identifies, labels and separates us or our right which is peace, consciousness, being aware of our senses in the now and our connection with everyone.

By taking the Oprah and Tolle FREE Webinar -- you learn about this and about awakening as they take you chapter by chapter through "A New Earth". The course only has 2 weeks left but they leave all the lessons on the Oprah site for free or you can download them right to your IPOD. I highly recommend listening to this course however you can and joining the millions world wide who have already done so.


Jill Taylor made this amazing talk at the TED conference this year. If you have not visited the TED site or signed up I highly recommend doing so. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design and gathers the top people in these areas to one conference to talk about "An Idea worth Spreading" and they each have 20 minutes to do so. I have seen some of the best speeches in my life by watching talks in the TED library. It is free to sign up and if you like inspirational or thought provoking videos -- be warned -- you might spend hours mesmerized and unable to leave this incredible site!

I am actively coaching although I have limited time slots available. You can contact me for a free 1/2 hour consultation. I am always available for comments, questions and suggestions either right here or by emailing me at jennymannion@yahoo.com. Please share this video with others.

13 comments:

Ray said...

Amazing - I think it goes to show that being aware of pain and illnesses is the first step to successfully recovering as you did. It sounds like she removed herself from the experience - her pain body and was able to come back and heal herself - just like you did!

Jenny Mannion said...

Hey hon (oops I mean Ray) ;-),
I wouldn't quite give me the credit of 8 years of rehabilitation like coming back from a stroke -- but Dr. Taylor's motivation to recover was strong, like mine and she knew she had an important story to tell (as did I). Miss you and can't wait to talk about some of this stuff on a longggg walk! xxxxx Jenny

Peter said...

Jenny,

In recent weeks I have been reading A New Earth and following the Oprah/Tolle podcasts, so this ego vs. consciousness stuff is definitely of interest to me at the moment. Will be back to watch the vid in full when I have a bit more time :)

Peter

Jenny Mannion said...

Hi Peter,
Thanks for stopping by and I look forward to you finishing the video -- it is truly amazing. I'd love to discuss this stuff with you any time! Gratefully, Jenny

Anonymous said...

I read "My Stroke of Insight" in one sitting - I couldn't put it down. I laughed. I cried. It was a fantastic book (I heard it's a NYTimes Bestseller and I can see why!), but I also think it will be the start of a new, transformative Movement! No one wants to have a stroke as Jill Bolte Taylor did, but her experience can teach us all how to live better lives. Her TED.com speech was one of the most incredibly moving, stimulating, wonderful videos I've ever seen. Her Oprah Soul Series interviews were fascinating. They should make a movie of her life so everyone sees it. This is the Real Deal and gives me hope for humanity.

Jenny Mannion said...

Hi, I agree -- Her Soul Series interview was just as inspiring and more in depth than the TED talk. I am grateful for the work she is doing and am happy to be spreading information on her work. Thanks for commenting. -- Jenny

Anonymous said...

The New York Times Sunday Newspaper on May 25 had a great two page article on Jill Bolte Taylor and her book, "MY STROKE OF INSIGHT". Her book is a must read and this NY Times article - called "A Superhighway to bliss" is worth checking out too.

Anonymous said...

Jenny,

The video is amazing! It's so interesting how a scientist like Dr Taylor explains spirituality. . . and wow, I'm impressed with the real human brain in her hands . . .

We have both the right and left sides of brains. This means, I think, both are important for us. The conscious right brain is not necessarily superior -- it's just we have ignored it too much and have over-relied on the left brain.
(We do want to talk, dial the phone, and drive, right?)

Jenny Mannion said...

Hi Akemi, Yes, Dr. Taylor is amazing and her holding the brain was very shocking but interesting and relevant.

I agree that both sides are important but that we have been neglecting the right side... I hope by Dr. Taylor and others spreading this message people start to want to open up the communication with the right side -- it has much to show us!

Yep, too many distractions these days and "Peace" without phones, tv, computers, cell phones, media -- is an effort to get to instead of a natural event. I find nature walks help me to recenter and shut out the external "noise" we are so often surrounded by.

Thanks for commenting!

Love, Jenny

soft cialis said...

Dr.Jill contact with the study of the hemispheres of the brain was moved and inspired by his brother first and then the person is a role model

Cris said...

This information is very interesting, I really enjoyed, I would like get more information about this, because is very

beautiful, thanks for sharing! costa rica investment opportunities

Cris said...

This information is very interesting, I really enjoyed, I would like get more information about this, because is very

beautiful, thanks for sharing! costa rica investment opportunities

Cris said...

This information is very interesting, I really enjoyed, I would like get more information about this, because is very

beautiful, thanks for sharing! costa rica investment opportunities

Please Consider Donating

If you have found this site useful please consider donating. Your generosity will ensure my ability to keep it updated with new articles and information. Thank you!

Google Search

Google

Technorati

Add to Technorati Favorites
Powered by WebRing.

Wholistic Healing

Subscribe Today to IJHC
 
Feed Shark