Experiencing nirvana is something that most humans will never
achieve. However, neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor, CR4's
woman of the week , did just that – by having a stroke.
On December 10, 1996, a blood vessel in Dr. Taylor's brain burst,
causing a piercing pain behind her eye. Within minutes, the left lobe of her
brain began to fail. As her sense of rationality, analysis, and logic faded,
Jill Taylor felt great. She no longer had to think about the everyday stressors
in her life; rather, she says that her perceptions had changed. "My perception
of physical boundaries was no longer limited to where my skin met air", she
writes.
While her spirit felt like a "genie liberated from its
bottle", Jill Taylor had a golf ball-sized clot in her head. The failure of the
left side of her brain took away her ability to speak, understand numbers and letters,
and recognize her mother. After surgery and eight years of recovery, however, Dr.
Jill Bolte is alive and well. Her desire now is to speak to others about achieving
nirvana – the reason, she says, that her spirit returned to her body.
Not Your Typical
Stroke Patient
Injuries to the left side of the brain rarely lead to bliss.
Often, the result of a stroke is the
exact opposite of what happened to Dr. Taylor. Stroke is the number two cause
of death world-wide, and third in the United States alone. Potentially, a
stroke can cause permanent neurological damage, complications, and even death
if not immediately diagnosed and treated. Luckily for Dr. Taylor, the left side
of her brain was not completely damaged. This is the reason doctors believe she
was able to make a full recovery.
For Jill Taylor, it wasn't faith that saved her, but
science. She now brings her personal insights to the study of the brain. Science
knows that the two lobes of the brain have different "personalities". The left
brain gives us logic and rationality, while the right side is known for
creativity and emotion. For most people, the left side is dominant as it
processes language. Yet Dr. Taylor says that it doesn't have to be like this.
Rather, Taylor believes
that people can sidestep the left brain to live a more spiritual and peaceful
life.
In February, Dr. Taylor spoke to the Technology,
Entertainment, Design (TED) conference for presenting innovative scientific
ideas. See the video here.
Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroke
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/fashion/25brain.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ei=5087&em&en=72f0660cfb53889d&ex=1212120000
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/229
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