"We are the life force power of the universe with manual dexterity and two cognitive minds. We have the power to choose moment by moment who and how we want to be in the world. Right here right now I can step into the consciousness of my right hemisphere, where – we are - I am - the life-force power of the universe. I am the life force power of the 50 trillion beautiful molecular geniuses that make up my form, at one with all that is. Or, I can choose to step into the consciousness of my left hemisphere – where I become a single individual, a solid separate from the flow" - Jill Bolte Taylor

Brain researcher Taylor was mapping the micro-circuitry of the brain, investigating the difference between control brains and those of people diagnosed with mental illness, when she suffered a major stroke.

A blood vessel exploded in the left hemisphere of her brain, disabling her ability to walk, speak or remember her life. What she could do – was feel the energy all around her. In fact, since her left hemisphere was handicapped (the part of our brain that constructs ego) she WAS all the energy around her. She felt “enormous, expansive…at one with all the energy that was.”

In her TED talk, Taylor asks us to imagine what it would be like, to disconnect from all the brain chatter of our left hemisphere and revel in peaceful beauty.

“We are energy beings connected to one another through the consciousness of our right hemispheres as one human family.  And right here, right now, we are brothers and sisters on this planet here to make the world a better place. And in this moment, we are perfect, we are whole and we are beautiful.”

Taylor says that we’re all just a thought away from Nirvana, and to this end – she intentionally did not fully rehabilitate the left hemisphere of her brain. In her interview with Oprah, she explains that prior to the stroke, her left-brain was dominant, and inhibited the knowledge of the right (that she is at one with the universe and everything in it)—from becoming realized.

How did she rehabilitate only certain circuitry in her mind? She explains it as a simple choice. Like Thay explains watering the seeds of consciousness, Taylor says we all have the ability to control our thoughts. The things she didn’t want to re-wire, she simply chose not to focus on.

“That’s the beauty of it! When you pay attention to what’s going on in your own brain… and take responsibility for the circuitry you’re running, you make the rules of a new game. As soon as you change the way you interact with other people… the game has changed – it demands change…it’s true freedom," says Taylor.

Unsurprisingly, her advice to attaining peace without suffering a stroke: “pay attention to what you’re thinking. And then decide if those are thoughts that are creating the kind of life you want created. If they’re not, change your thoughts… it’s really that easy.”

Consider this -- both our body and brain need proper nutrients to stay healthy. Our thoughts are the mental nutrients that manifest our beings and our lives. What are you feeding your brain?

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