Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight

Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened -- as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding -- she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story about how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another.

The way she describes her expansion into and one with all resonates with my spiritual awakening experience in 2004. See if it resonates with you, too.   

This video is 18 minutes long and well worth every minute.

See if you are absorbed in Jill's explanation and description as I was. Then let me know what you think.

Susan L. Reid
The original Accidental Pren-her™

Author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

Comments

[Carol McClelland, author of The Seasons of Change]

Hi Susan,

Thanks for sharing that Ted presentation...very powerful! I could tell it took quite a bit for her to share her story. Wow...in light of my recent weeks, with the passing of my Mom who had an all-is-one experience similar to yours...this talk gave me an insight into that experience of hers (and yours). Mom was in the High Sierra at Tuolumne Meadows when she had her experience...it continued to influence her the rest of her life. And now through her poem that we'll read at her service many more will be touched by it.

[The Original Accidental Pren-her]

More and more people are having profound experiences that go a long way to explaining who we are and how we function within and connect to a greater consciousness. Jill's experience changed her life. What she will do with her new knowing will impact and influence us all. Your mother had just this kind of experience.

[Linda at Bookmark This Spot]

What an incredible experience. Jill's explanation of moving from right to left brain is very thought provoking. Does this mean that everyone has access to this spiritual domain? Is it a matter of choice to live in an ego-centric, five-sense world? When one has such an experience such as Jill ( as I recall from your book Susan, you also had a spiritual event) after such a decisive experience, how much of it remains? Or is this a shift in perspective that totally moves one to a new place, removing the previous way of existing? And seeing an actual human brain with the spinal cord attached....all I could "think" at that moment was "Wow, on one hand what she is holding is an incredibly advanced information processor, and yet I could sense the connection we have to early forms of life and how much we as humans have evolved." For as Ms Taylor described it is our access to the spiritual as well as the physical.
Thank you for sharing with your readers such a moving talk.

[The Original Accidental Pren-her]

I loved this question, Linda: Does everyone have access to the spiritual domain. From what we saw of Jill's experience, we are hard-wired with full connection to something beyond just the five senses. Whether we call it spiritual, or consciousness, or Ein Sof, our right hemisphere not only allows full access, it is full access. As such, it never goes away. It always is. That puts a whole new spin on, "we are spiritual beings having a human experience," doesn't it?

[Ellen]

I've been recommending a book by Jill Bolte Taylor called "My Stroke of Insight" to everyone I know. It's an amazing story, both uplifting and powerful on three levels: physical, emotional, and spiritual, but the spiritual aspect alone makes this the best book I've read all year.

How often do you get to hear a neuroscientist describe having a stroke, nearly dying and finding Nirvana, and then making a miraculous recovery so that she's back to teaching medical students!?!

I came away with a renewed sense of understanding, wonder and hopefulness about the capabilities of the human brain. I give "My Stroke of Insight" highest marks!

You can get the book for just $16.47 with free shipping from Amazon!

[The Original Accidental Pren-her]

Thank you, Ellen, for this bit of information. I did not know Jill had written a book on her experience. I will be sure to check it out!

[Sidney]

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.

[The Original Accidental Pren-her]

Thank you, Sidney, for letting us know about The Times two page article. Jill continues to inspire and influence me, greatly.

[Annmarie]

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.

[Esther]

MY STROKE OF INSIGHT was ranked #5 in all books sold on Amazon today and #1 in Memoirs above even Barbara Walters' memoir. Babs had been promoting her book for months in advance and Dr. Taylor's book was self-published.

Then Oprah recommended it. There's the Power of Now, and then there's the Power of Oprah!!

"My Stroke of Insight" is out in Hardcover now for less than the old paperback edition. Amazon has it for 40% off.