Woman who has stroke experiences still mind and ecstatic states of consciousness

[Michel]

Interesting 20 minute Ted Talk video about neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor who experiences a still mind and divine ecstatic states of consciousness after a brain hemorrhage in her left cerebral cortex:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyyjU8fzEYU

[Frederick]

I saw this a while ago.

I can't wait to hear what deep meditater's opinions on this.

From the get go, it bothered me, but I'm not sure why.

[Jhanananda]

Thank-you, Michele, for posting a link to Jill Bolte Taylor's stroke of insight interesting video.  I have heard of this women's report for years, and we have dialoged on it one one or more of the GWV forums.

From this video it seems clear to me that Jill Bolte Taylor was able to critically observe a stroke, which does have some resemblance to a genuine religious experience.  However, it appears that the skillful meditation practice is about developing access, and facility with the right brain hemisphere, while most 'normal' people function on left brain hemisphere only.  However, just because she had this experience does not mean that she has figured out a path to nirvana, or that she had a full nirvanic experience.

The report of Jill Bolte Taylor's stroke of insight reminds me of Richard Alpert's report of his stroke, except Jill Bolte Taylor is far more articulate about the experience of a stroke than Richard Alpert was.

[Michel]

The interesting thing about Jill Bolte Taylor, is that when she was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, she was asked if she meditated, she replied no, that she didn't have to. She mentioned also that she could maintain a still mind most of the time. That's all she said. She made no reference to being capable of producing a religious experience. So what does that imply? It seems to me that one would want to re-experience the religious experience having had a single direct experience of it.

PS - To avoid confusion, Jeffrey, you should spell my name as "Michel" and not "Michele." "Michele" is feminine. "Michel" is masculine.

[Jhanananda]

The interesting thing about Jill Bolte Taylor, is that when she was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, she was asked if she meditated, she replied no, that she didn't have to. She mentioned also that she could maintain a still mind most of the time. That's all she said. She made no reference to being capable of producing a religious experience. So what does that imply? It seems to me that one would want to re-experience the religious experience having had a single direct experience of it.

As we should all keep in mind, we know a tree by its fruit.  So, she thinks she can still her mind.  If she does not meditate, then she never dove below the surface mind.

PS - To avoid confusion, Jeffrey, you should spell my name as "Michel" and not "Michele." "Michele" is feminine. "Michel" is masculine.

Sorry, Michel, just chock it up to increasing memory loss.  I expect I will be drooling out of the side of mouth soon.  You will know when there is a long silence.

[Frederick]

Yes, this was my feeling as well.

I was a bit upset about how amazed people were.

I fee, also, that there's an opportunity lost. If she had been a skilled meditator she might have been able to give us more insight.

She could have told us how here stroke contrasted with a real religious experience.

I fear that like many, she is reductionistic about religious experience and she does not believe really put them into context. They are merely process of the brain to her.

[Jhanananda]

We should keep in mind that other than my work, there is no clear description of the religious experience in the English language.  There is only the Varieties of Religious experience, which only showed the William James had no idea what religious experience was.  It is all just a collective denial system.  And, my life is proof, anyone who makes an effort to describe the religious experience will be demonized for it.