My stroke of insight

Morning Fog · Jan 26, 2015

If this was posted before ... I apologize as this is from 2008. Has anyone seen this? I'm very curious what many of you might think of Jill Bolte Taylor's stroke experience. I'm still processing and wondering what her "ism" worldview is after this experience. It's an interesting story.

http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight#t-1047037

http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight/transcript?language=en

From the transcript ...

8:29 "And I'm asking myself, "What is wrong with me? What is going on?" And in that moment, my brain chatter --my left hemisphere brain chatter -- went totally silent.Just like someone took a remote control and pushed the mute button. Total silence. And at first I was shocked to find myself inside of a silent mind. But then I was immediately captivated by the magnificence of the energy around me. And because I could no longer identifythe boundaries of my body, I felt enormous and expansive.I felt at one with all the energy that was,and it was beautiful there."

Max_B · Jan 26, 2015

Morning Fog said:

If this was posted before ... I apologize as this is from 2008. Has anyone seen this? I'm very curious what many of you might think of Jill Bolte Taylor's stroke experience. I'm still processing and wondering what her "ism" worldview is after this experience. It's an interesting story.

http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight#t-1047037

http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight/transcript?language=en

From the transcript ...

8:29 "And I'm asking myself, "What is wrong with me? What is going on?" And in that moment, my brain chatter --my left hemisphere brain chatter -- went totally silent.Just like someone took a remote control and pushed the mute button. Total silence. And at first I was shocked to find myself inside of a silent mind. But then I was immediately captivated by the magnificence of the energy around me. And because I could no longer identifythe boundaries of my body, I felt enormous and expansive.I felt at one with all the energy that was,and it was beautiful there."

It's some time ago now, but I enjoyed listening to her experience on TED, and I bought her book shortly afterwards... She did a later presentation, which shows some development of her ideas...

Craig Weiler · Jan 26, 2015

I read the book. It was quite good.

Morning Fog · Jan 26, 2015

Max_B said:

Thanks Max. The latest video is interesting. But her VOICE!!!!!
Anyway ... I think I may check out her book.

Vault313 · Jan 26, 2015

Thanks for the links guys! I was going to get her book some time ago but never got around to it. Refreshing to see a neuroscientist that acknowledges our ability to choose who we are.

Nassim · Jan 27, 2015

Interesting . I have just downloaded the audio version of the above mentioned book .
The following story of this amazing woman is no less interesting : mind-blowing in fact : she was able to literally change her brain (self-directed neuroplasticity ) and hence overcome her severe disabilities with which she was born , thanks to her mindful determined informed work on herself via developing and applying specific brain exercises to herself and to others.She was inspired by the work of the Russian neuroscientist Alexander Luria via his "The man with a shattered world " book .The story of a Russian soldier who was shot in the head during WWI , i guess .The resulting brain damage and the resulting disorders of that soldier were comparable to the disabilities Barbara suffered from ... .She even helps disabled kids in her school : wonderful woman : a real inspiration :

http://www.barbaraarrowsmithyoung.com/

The power of the human mind is limitless ...

Vault313 · Jan 27, 2015

Awesome. I'm glad she learned eventually to not accept the limitations others placed on her and found her own solutions when the "experts" failed to do so.

Doppelgänger · Jan 28, 2015

Thanks, all, for the information. I will check out her book.

politicaljunkie · Jan 28, 2015

If conscious action or effort can change the physical structure of the brain, at the very least it shows consciousness is not an illusion. It does not mean the brain isn't a producer, but it does mean to my mind that consciousness does have agency to change the source of its creation.