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[@TheDiaryOfACEO] No.1 Brain Scientist: My Brain Shut Down & I Realised Everything I Believed Was A Lie!

· 6 min read
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@TheDiaryOfACEO - "No.1 Brain Scientist: My Brain Shut Down & I Realised Everything I Believed Was A Lie!"

Link: https://youtu.be/hQaN5w3YwtM

Short Summary​

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a Harvard neuroscientist who experienced a stroke, shares her insights on achieving "whole brain living" by consciously engaging all four parts of the brain (left-thinking, left-emotion, right-emotion, right-thinking). By understanding these distinct functions and practicing mindful awareness, people can shift their perspectives, manage emotions, heal from trauma, and experience greater joy and connection. Ultimately, she advocates for a society that values balance and prioritizes empathy and well-being by fully utilizing all aspects of the brain.

Key Quotes​

Okay, here are 5 insightful and/or interesting quotes from the transcript:

  1. "We are skewed as a society to the two parts of the left brain which focuses on me, the individual. How do I fit myself into a society? And trauma is living in there as is cravings and addiction. And we need this. It protects us. We get in trouble when this is the only portion of our brain that we value because look at the world we currently live in." This quote highlights a societal imbalance and connects it to individual and global issues.

  2. "It took me losing the left side of my brain for 8 years to realize just how how precious this thing is." This emphasizes the value of the wholistic human brain and is even more poignant because it's coming from a neuroscientist who had a stroke.

  3. "Once you know who your four characters are, once you have really thought about them, studied about them, paid attention to what your when they come out in you, what they feel like inside of your body. I can I can jump between all four in an instant because I know them so well." This suggests a level of self-awareness and control that most people don't realize is possible, and outlines the only path to achieving this.

  4. "The purpose of trauma is to say to you, you're a biological creature. You're in the present moment. You're a real human being. You have a life. my life, part of my life is my trauma. And I will bounce from trauma to trauma to trauma to trauma. And if I look at the trauma and say, 'This is a horrible thing.' Well, maybe it was a horrible thing. And maybe that was 30 years ago and that was a horrible thing." This quote offers a unique and empowering perspective on trauma, reframing it as information and a part of one's personal story rather than solely a negative burden.

  5. "The way to heal it is not to get rid of it... I cannot get rid of my trauma from the past. My pain from the past is real and it is mine and it is expansive and it is mine and everybody has their pain from the past, their trauma. We all have trauma." This quote emphasizes acceptance rather than avoidance in the process of healing from trauma.

Detailed Summary​

Here's a detailed summary of the YouTube video transcript in bullet points, covering key topics, arguments, and information discussed:

Key Topics:

  • Understanding the Brain: The video focuses on how understanding the structure and function of the brain can improve mental health and overall well-being.
  • Four Brain Personalities: Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor introduces the concept of four distinct "personalities" associated with different areas of the brain: Left Thinking (Character 1), Left Emotion (Character 2), Right Emotion (Character 3), and Right Thinking (Character 4).
  • Hemispheric Balance: The video emphasizes the importance of balancing the activity and value placed on the left and right hemispheres of the brain, arguing that society is skewed towards the left.
  • Trauma and Healing: It explores how trauma is stored in the left brain and offers strategies for healing by acknowledging it, integrating it with other parts of the brain, and reframing it.
  • Present Moment Awareness: The importance of being present in the moment and the role of the right brain in facilitating this state is discussed.
  • Stroke Recovery: Dr. Taylor recounts her experience of having a stroke in the left hemisphere and her eight-year recovery journey, which profoundly shaped her understanding of the brain.
  • Brain Health: Lifestyle factors that contribute to brain health at a cellular level, including sleep, nutrition, hydration, movement, and learning, are highlighted.

Arguments:

  • Society's Skew Towards the Left Brain: The video argues that society overvalues the analytical, logical functions of the left brain, leading to imbalance and unhappiness.
  • Trauma as a Catalyst for Growth: Trauma, when properly processed and integrated, can become a source of strength and wisdom.
  • Emotions are Fleeting: Emotions are described as temporary physiological loops that last around 90 seconds, unless continually re-stimulated by thoughts.
  • Whole Brain Living: The goal is to achieve "whole brain living," consciously engaging all four "personalities" to improve decision-making, relationships, and overall well-being.
  • The Importance of Hope: The right hemisphere is the key to feeling possibility in a world that has a lot of reasons to fear.

Information Discussed:

  • Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's Background: Her PhD in neuroanatomy, research at Harvard Medical School, and personal experience with stroke.
  • Brain Anatomy: Basic explanations of different brain structures and their functions, including the meninges, medulla, pawns, cerebellum, amygdala, hippocampus, cortex, and visual pathways.
  • The Brain Dissection: The video features a real human brain and spinal cord.
  • The Difference between Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke: A detailed explanation of hemorrhagic strokes is provided to illustrate the presenter's experience with stroke.
  • The Four Brain Personalities (Characters):
    • Character 1 (Left Thinking): Logical, analytical, organized, detail-oriented, controls people/places/time, "me-centered".
    • Character 2 (Left Emotion): Stores past pain and trauma, prone to emotional reactivity, can hold grudges, protects from past experiences.
    • Character 3 (Right Emotion): Present moment experiential, playful, immature, feeling-oriented, not focused on consequences.
    • Character 4 (Right Thinking): Wisdom, peace, connectedness, gratitude, holistic perspective, focuses on "we" not "me".
  • Practices for Shifting Brain States: Techniques for consciously shifting between the different brain states, including being aware of the moment, meditation, focusing on breath, going to the gym, getting massages, and manipulating light exposure to stimulate different brain hemispheres using glasses.
  • The importance of a healthy sleep schedule, diet, exercise, and hydration on cellular brain health.
  • Trauma healing: Trauma can be healed by acknowledging the importance of the information it offers and pulling energy into different areas of the brain.

In summary, the video advocates for understanding and consciously utilizing the different parts of the brain to achieve a more balanced, fulfilling, and connected life. Dr. Taylor's personal experience and insights provide a unique perspective on mental health, healing, and the potential of the human brain.