My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey | Jill Bolte Taylor

My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey | Jill Bolte Taylor | A First-Person Account of Physiologically-Facilitated Ego-less-ness!

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My Stroke of Insig...

	My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey Jill Bolte Taylor Lulu.com, 2006 - 188 pages average customer review:based on 107 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

MY STROKE OF INSIGHT

THIS BOOK GOT ME TO "STEP TO THE RIGHT" AND DECIDE TO DONATE MY BRAIN TO THE HARVARD BRAIN BANK WHEN I DIE. IT ALSO GAVE ME KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW THE BRAIN WORKS AND HEALS ITSELF. IT IS A MUST READ FOR ANYONE. IT IS WRITTEN IN LAYMAN'S TERMS AND IS A SPIRITUAL BOOK AS WELL. THANK YOU, DR. TAYLOR, FOR WRITING IT. NAMASTE.

A First-Person Account of Physiologically-Facilitated Ego-less-ness!

"My Stroke of Insight" - at this point in time (2008) - requires no introduction or endorsement for that matter. It's a uniquely executed concept predicated on a too-common-of-a-story that had been beginning to be told. And finally has been...

What I would like to emphasize in this brief review is its unintended explanatory value for understanding meditational experiences, namely, that of ego-less-ness.

As such, "My Stroke of Insight" makes a nice reading companion to James Austin's (neuroscientist too) "Zen and the Brain." Whereas Austin provides a first-person narrative of his meditational experiences through a neuoroscientific lens, Dr. Taylor, of course, narrates the experience of a left-hemispheric stroke through the lens of her education. When read together, these two books offer a rather intriquing "triangulation" of the underlying neurophysiology of the meditational experiences.

"My Stroke of Insight" - as a book - will likely enjoy a long half-life in the market-place of books. My prediction is that it will enjoy an even longer life as supplemental reading to any student of neuroanatomy and/or meditation.

This is a triumphant anthem to brain plasticity!

Pavel Somov, Ph.D.
Author of "Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time" (New Harbinger, Nov. 2008).

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stirring story

What a great story by a wonderful stroke survivor. Just another person who went on to prove medical experts wrong. I too am a survivor and I felt a lot of emotion reading many instances in Jill's story as some things were very similar. This book should be read by medical people.

Educational

The author, a trained brain scientist (neuroanatomist) experienced a stroke when a blood vessel broke in the left (rational, detail and time-oriented) side of her brain. Meanwhile, the right (intuitive, kinesthetic, nonverbal communication) side felt euphoric. That observation may be very helpful for others understanding what may be happening to them, and in choosing the correct reaction.

It took the author eight years to fully heal. At first she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life. The ensuing confusion and memory losses were illustrated by her taking 45 minutes to call for help, and inability to speak intelligibly. She also experienced great difficulty understanding what people wanted, and were saying to her. She gave up after several hours trying to answer "Who is President of the U.S.?"

The good news is that recovery began almost immediately. At the end of day two she could roll over and stand up - with support. Her mother became her caretaker. A friend brought over children's books and puzzles - while helpfully, at first they were very frustrating (could not do a 12-piece puzzle). She slowly learned to read again, learn the ins and out of walking (the edge of a sidewalk could be a danger, lines in the middle were not).

Important needs included people talking confidently about her recovery, focusing herself on recovery - its work, and takes one away from serenity, requirement for plenty of sleep for healing, needing goals, and focusing on achievement and not disability. After three months the author learned to drive again, and in six months was able to make a limited professional presentation. However, it took until the fourth year until she could handle additional again.

The downside to "My Stroke of Insight" is an over-focus on feelings and emotion, rather than rational analysis and presentation - undoubtedly because it was the rational part of her brain that was damaged.

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Last part of the book meanders

I thought that this book started off very well. Her description of the stroke itself and her inner "analysis" of what was happening to her was quite novel. Her frustration at other people's inability to understand what was happening to her was revealing. But then it all seemed to turn into New Age gunk. I am not unfamiliar with left brain-right brain logic vs. intuition (although her explanations are somewhat oversimplified), and believe that there is clear validity for this concept. However, the last chapters (when she describes engaging her right brain) are very repetitive, almost like she really can't clearly describe what it is she's trying to say (not enough left brain?). It got quite boring, and I found myself skimming pages.

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