Left Brain Logic, Right Brain Bliss

In college, I learned about the functions of the left and right brain. The left brain is logical, methodical, and uses language, among other things. The right brain is creative, intuitive, and experiences the world in pictures. Blah, blah, blah. This was so dry that I memorized it, filed it away in my left brain, and haven’t thought about it since: until Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor. In 1996, this neuroanatomist suffered a stroke and underwent this catastrophic event from the perspective of a brain scientist. Her account of the experience is absolutely beautiful and can be watched at http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229.
Jill Bolte Taylor brilliantly describes the limitations of experiencing our world with only our left brain. She recounts the life-changing moments of her stroke, which revealed to her that although many left-brain functions such as intelligence, academic achievement, and linear thinking are revered in this culture, there is much more to life as human beings. Dr. Bolte Taylor’s recollections, moment by moment, can help us recognize our left brain’s sometimes false logic and our right-brain’s sublime perceptions.
Begin to notice if you’ve been mostly experiencing your life from your left brain. Are you constantly listening to the same thought patterns swirling around in your head? Do you find that you’re always thinking, rather than simply being? What you’re experiencing is left brain chatter. Our left brain is responsible for the things we tell ourselves, based on what we believe about who we are, who others are, and how the world is. Some of what we tell ourselves about these things simply isn’t true. Thus, our left brain is responsible for our flawed perceptions. This reminds me of a bumper sticker I once saw that read, “Don’t believe everything you think.” In addition to logic and perceptions about the world, the left brain is responsible for our illusion of separateness. It creates our sense of ourselves as individuals and our way of thinking of ourselves as “I”. This false sense of being separate from others can sometimes leave us feeling rejected, lonely, and isolated.
Deep down, we all long to feel loved and loving, to belong, and to feel accepted just as we are. These feelings of connection and acceptance bring excitement and elation. Isn’t that why we do the things we do? We work long hours for more money. We end relationships that don’t seem to be working in order to find a new partner with whom romantic love feels wonderful. We spend on new gadgets, clothing, and luxury items to feel excited and powerful. We take vacations to relax and just ‘be’. We join clubs and organizations for a sense of belonging. We strive to achieve our physical or career goals in order to finally feel ‘good enough’. And, for some, we have children to finally feel loved and cherished. What if we stopped trying so hard to achieve all of these things as individuals? What if we blocked out all of the left brain chatter that tells us we need to do all of these things to feel good? What if we let our right brains take over for a while?
Our right brain functions are the doorway to experiencing bliss, connection, and love. With the right brain, we can experience ourselves not as individuals, separate from everything else, but rather as one with the universe. We are a connected piece of many interrelated parts. Many long-term meditators describe their experience in meditation this way. These individuals are able to transcend what they thought they knew and reach who they truly are through the right brain experience. This is another reward of therapy. I teach clients to identify what they’re telling themselves (left brain chatter) and to examine if these messages are helping them become who they want to be. My clients learn to relax and slow down and, in the process, open themselves to their right brain experience. Feelings of peace and connectedness come alive. Their true selves, in all their magnificent glory, are revealed to them. Imagine: the answer to feeling bliss, connection, and love lay within us this whole time.