Thursday, May 01, 2008

Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight

I happened across this video and found it very interesting. If you are interested in a place where spirituality and science meet, you might find it interesting too. I haven't had a stroke (as far as I know), but I think I've become a lot more right-brained lately.

I couldn't help but think of the following verse:

Mat 10:6-7
But rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Seems to be slow to load. Here is the link.

15 comments:

MaryAnn Mease said...

i tried...it just kept "loading video"

is there a link to go to?

MaryAnn Mease said...

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229

Roger said...

Thanks Maryann! I put a link in the text....

MaryAnn Mease said...

interesting...although the religiousiosity in my left brain wishes it wasnt necessarily called Nirvana...but God's Presence...

I love it when my right brain overtakes my left brain!!

Roger said...

You know, I kind of bristled at that too, but I think maybe Nirvana, Kingdom of God, God's Presence etc. might all be talking about the same indescribably beautiful thing....

Unknown said...

Watch it Roger - I think that's Universalism!!!

Cool video. I think I've had this experience before of being energy and not physical - of course mine was pain med induced and I was asleep but it was a very similar theme very bizaar and extremely interesting sensation. I couldn't make heads or tails of the physical realm.

Mama T said...

Wow.. I've experienced these things without a stroke. I could relate to everything she said. I too think it's a great thing to be shared...

Perhaps in eating the forbidden fruit, our left hemosphere was opened and that's how we were seperated from God. We became individualistic and place labels and boxes around everything God created... Hmm.. Thanks Rog...

Roger said...

Lucinda -

If by Universalism you mean:

Generally holding all persons and creatures are related to God or the divine and will be reconciled to God (in some way), and sees the commonalities rather than the differences between religions....

Yeah...I guess.

Dang it! Now I'm out of the club!

MaryAnn Mease said...

i think...little by little science really IS finding that reality that the God-inspired Christians knew all along.
Just need to use the same language or be able to translate from one to the other.
and then we have people with their own filters and belief systems using their language to describe what is going on...like her saying she felt incredible peace and oneness....and i would say..YAH!! I KNOW THAT FEELING!! that is called God's Presence!! and she would look at me and say..uhm....it was "nirvana" because she has the filter and belief system to believe that reality.

i still like and agree with the concept in The Shack that Mack asks (paraphrased) "if all roads lead to heaven" and Jesus says back (paraphrased)"i will travel down ANY road to find my kids"

so its not a matter of all roads leading to heaven....but what road
Papa will run down to meet his wayward 6.5 billion kids. we are ALL His kids that bear the image of the Father, Son and Spirit...just need to find Him again...and He wills that NONE of the 6.5 billion perish but that every knee and and every tongue confess the Truth and see Jesus for Who He really is.

Anonymous said...

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!
Name: Ellen
Email: ellenst@usa.com
Url: http://www.amazon.com/My-Stroke-Insight-Scientists-Personal/dp/0670020745/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210709205&sr=8-4

Anonymous said...

DO NOT SUPPORT THESE TEACHINGS

Listen up! Everything is all wrong! Jill Bolte Taylor does not believe in God, Jesus, or any teachings of the Bible.

Do not support her in ANY way. DO NOT buy her books. She is teaching a new religion with the help of Oprah. They are teaching that Man is God, and this is ALL WRONG. This is what the serpent spoke of in Eden. They are speaking the words of the devil.

So many have already bought into Oprah's religion. PLEASE RESEARCH IT.

Please pray so these teachings will be revealed as the evil teachings they really are! Please!

Roger said...

Dear Anonymous,

I wish you would give us the pleasure of revealing who you are so we could discuss this. It is difficult to have a dialog with a faceless person.

Jill Bolte Taylor is a scientist. She simply described what happened to her and how what happened to her makes sense in her frame of reference. I do not get caught up in the words she uses to describe the experience. I don't know everything she believes either, just thought this was interesting.

If your religious system of thought has to completely discount science to exist, which divorces it from the real world, I'm not interested. Neither am I interested in being the "thought police" for a religious system of thinking. I am more interested to see where there is commonality among different spiritual traditions and beliefs, and how those beliefs describe and interact in our material world.

I would love to continue a dialog with you about this...

Have a great day!

Anonymous said...

Name: Lopez

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.

Anonymous said...

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.

Anonymous said...

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.