A Stroke of Nirvana

Written by Kathryn Savage

Jill Bolte Taylor was just a "regular neuroscientist working at Harvard’s brain research center when she experienced nirvana." (Link)

How? She had a stroke.

Strokes are not a fast track to harmony, but for Ms. Taylor, the biggest revelation post-stroke was how great she felt. Her stroke damaged “her left lobe — the source of ego, analysis, judgment and context".  She couldn’t recognize her mother, speak, or count. All this came back to her during her recovery phase, and while her left brain was not destroyed completely, she began using more of her right brain. Along with her memories, her ability to use rational thought and recognize friends and family, Ms. Taylor now possesses a sense of well-being that at times alludes us all.

Her message to the world is: slow the chatter of the left brain. “Generally, the left brain gives us context, ego, time, logic. The right brain gives us creativity and empathy.” Ms. Taylor now chooses to “live a more peaceful, spiritual life” by focusing on nurturing right brain activities and “by sidestepping (her) left brain.”

What are Ms. Taylor’s right brain boosting activities?
“She is committed to making time for passions — physical and visual — that she believes exercise her right brain, including water-skiing, guitar playing and stained-glass making.”

(1) comments | Subscribe to this comment's feed

chatter brain
written by Clarice Baggett, June 04, 2008

I have a chatter brain, going over & over again a conversation, argument, happening, etc. or rehearsing for a conversation I might have in the future, until I have to yell in my head "stop". This works for a while but I have to keep doing it. It's hard to turn my brain off to sleep, except by watching an old movie I seen hundreds of times for distraction.

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