Video: The Miracle of the Brain

Our brain is a miracle. That’s what I thought when I watched this video (I embed the video below). In the video (which was suggested to me by Avani from Food for Mind), brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor described her experience when she was hit by stroke. Since she was already a brain scientist at that time, she was able to see things that might be overlooked by other people and describe her experience in vivid details. Watching this video makes me think that:

  1. Having the brain works the way it normally does is a miracle. Behind the scene, there are very complex processes involved we don’t realize.
  2. There are a lot more potential in our brain (especially the right hemisphere) than we may understand.

Watch it yourself (it’s only 18 minutes long) and let me know what you think.

This article is part of May 2008 theme: Mind

7 Comments

  1. Hey … thank you for linking me. 🙂

  2. Avani,
    It’s my pleasure. Thanks for the tip.

  3. This TED talk is unforgettable! Soon after the talk I contacted her with the following question:

    “how you see the connection between areas of the brain and meditation.”

    She answered:

    I think there are many different states reflected by many different
    functions of different areas of the brain. Research supports that in order to reach that space where meditators try to go and prayerful folk reach when they are at one with GOD the left hemisphere brain chatter must become silent. All I know is that this is what happened to me and by the time it came back online, a few weeks after surgery,I had some choices in what circuitry I wanted to run again.

    I wrote about her in the following article: Science and Meditation: Are Mystics Just Having a Brain Wave?

    I think Dr. Jill is a beacon of hope for everyone. It shows how one can overcome even the worst life crisis – and inspire others.

  4. Mary,
    That’s very interesting information, thanks for sharing it.
    I know about spiritual experiences, but its connection with the brain is something I know almost nothing about. So I guess the key is making our left hemisphere brain silent and meditation is a way to do that.

  5. This is so weird…!

    At the moment I can’t watch your video because I get some kind of ‘Maintenance’ message not being able to see your video at the moment.

    It doesn’t matter because I recognised what you discribed and I was almost 100% sure that I recently seen this exact same video somewhere on the web before. I Just ‘Googled’ her name to know for sure, and it indeed is the same person I have seen before telling about her stroke.

    I was impressed by the fun and compelling way that she described her experience. Also liked your question about the connection between areas of the brain and Meditation.

    Since I frequently meditate myself I do recognise a certain control in being able to quieting the Left hemisphere brain chatter a little once in a while. Giving me the impression that sometimes I achieve a somewhat better quality of consiousness.

    All the Best,
    To your Happy Inspiration,
    HP

  6. HP,

    Since I frequently meditate myself I do recognise a certain control in being able to quieting the Left hemisphere brain chatter a little once in a while. Giving me the impression that sometimes I achieve a somewhat better quality of consiousness.

    That perhaps is the most important lesson we can learn from the video. While I already know the importance of the right-hemisphere brain, it gives me new, deeper perspective about it.

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