Trying to eliminate trauma is counterproductive. Instead, reframe its role by acknowledging it as a protective mechanism in your left brain. Thank it for its information, then consciously shift focus to other brain regions to self-soothe and move forward.
Society prioritizes the left brain's focus on the individual "me," logic, and social norms. This creates an imbalance, neglecting the right brain's capacity for connection and presence. This neurological imbalance contributes to widespread issues like individualism and unhappiness.
While preserved brains feel like a pork roast, a living brain is much softer, like "tough jelly." A neuroanatomist can easily poke a finger into it. This visceral description highlights the profound physical fragility of our most critical organ and the importance of protecting it.
The right hemisphere of the brain doesn't define a separate "you." It experiences the world as a unified whole, integrating all sensory input into one big picture. This is the neurological basis for "flow states" or feelings of transcendence, where the boundary between self and the world dissolves.
The ego, or our sense of being an individual "I," is not just a psychological construct. Neuroscientist Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor explains it is a function performed by a specific group of cells in the left hemisphere. Her stroke temporarily shut these cells down, causing her sense of self to dissolve.
The stroke that wiped out Dr. Bolte-Taylor's left hemisphere, the seat of ego and linear goals, was ultimately liberating. It freed her from the confines of societal expectations and the pressure of "climbing the Harvard ladder," revealing a more profound, connected existence.
Dr. Bolte-Taylor suggests reflecting on the astronomical odds you beat to be born. From being one of 400,000 egg cells to multiplying at 250,000 cells per second in gestation, this perspective can generate profound awe and gratitude, counteracting feelings of meaninglessness.
According to neuroanatomist Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor, the brain's left emotional system stores past pain, trauma, and addiction. This isn't a flaw; it's a protective mechanism designed to trigger reactions based on past negative events. Healing involves understanding this system, not erasing it.
A thought triggers an emotional and physiological response that naturally lasts less than 90 seconds. To feel an emotion like anger for longer, you are actively re-thinking the thoughts that re-stimulate the emotional circuit. This reframes sustained moods as a series of choices rather than an uncontrollable state.
By selectively blocking light from the outer part of your visual field, you can preferentially stimulate the opposite brain hemisphere. Blocking the right eye's lateral vision stimulates the left hemisphere (focus), while blocking the left eye's lateral vision stimulates the right (relaxation).
Neuroscientist Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor posits our brain's four distinct anatomical parts function like different characters. By understanding these "personalities" (e.g., logical left-brain, playful right-brain), we can consciously choose which to activate, rather than letting them run on autopilot.