In case you have not come across this video presentation I wanted to post it because it ties in with Vincent's blog, "The Visionary Eye." I learned about this video from my speech course. I don't want to say anything about it, so that you can see it fresh. It's almost 20 minutes, but well worth it.
p.s. Vincent, if you see this post, I love your recent blog that made me post the link to this video here. I wasn't sure if it would be ok for me to post it on your blog, and I'm still digesting your blog. Great discussion going on at "The Visionary Eye."
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html
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Thanks Rebb, I just watched the video. Extremely interesting. I think that Jill's interpretation of her experience was very individual as opposed to scientific.
Compared to Jill, I've only had minor experiences of brain not functioning right, but they may be worth mentioning here.
I used to see a hands-on therapist who did a form of shiatsu and various other techniques. One day coming out from a session, I got into my car and couldn't remember which side of the road to drive. I saw from other drivers what to do, but I lacked the usual implicit knowledge.
On several other occasions, especially after a prolonged hot bath, I've found myself not knowing the date, not even the year or century. I've had to laboriously reconstruct this knowledge, including my own age, when I was born etc, through intense introspection, arithmetic and observation.
Fortunately it doesn't happen often and doesn't take long to recover.
I’m glad you found the video interesting, Vincent. That’s what is so lovely about Jill’s interpretation is that as you say, it’s very individual, and she offers credibility to her experience as a scientist who was able to observe all of these things going on in her—and her conclusion is so powerful. I’ve watched the video about three times. I watched it again yesterday after I posted it—mostly I listened, but I did watched the last five minutes of it and it flooded me with tears—good tears. I’m amazed that this video still moves me so.
Thank you very much for sharing your experiences, Vincent. Do you think that the shiatsu and other techniques caused this shift in you? It sounds very scary. I knew a woman once who was having a massage therapy session—I’m not sure which modality, but I believe the therapist was Taiwanese. Anyway, she was a highly intuitive, sensitive type, and she said that when the session was over, she felt as though he had taken her apart and left her there bare. I wonder if in her case, he wasn’t in line with his energy or had some power issues and it turned out the way it did. I had thought about looking into Reiki for curiosity as an alternative to healing. However, after reading about your experience, you’ve reminded me that I must be careful when allowing other people’s energy into my sphere. I’m usually aware of this, but if I go out to seek it, then I should be even more cautious.
It’s very fascinating, Vincent, that you’ve experienced these moments of “not knowing.” I’m glad that you were able to reconstruct the knowledge. You don’t have to answer, but on the other occasions, were these states brought on by anything in particular besides the hot bath—like meditation or anything like that?
Very happy to hear it doesn’t happen often and you can recover quickly. I can see how it would make you view the world with an added degree of sensitivity and awareness. Thank you again for sharing, Vincent.
No, I hadn't done meditation for several years. It might have been small blood clots reaching the brain. I was still constrained by CFS from taking exercise and so I might have been at constant risk from some form of thrombosis. But odd that a similar functional area suffered each time.
Rebb,
I read something like this time to time. The fact that she is an expert in the field interested me. Her speech put emphasis on the separation of right and left brains. But more she said it, more I thought of the power of their connection.
Vincent,
About hot baths, there must be an optimum temperature and duration for each individual. Obviously, too hot is not good for us. Reading your comment, I’m concerned about the image westerners have in Japanese baths, shiatsu, or other Asian health related things. Maybe I don’t need to worry about you since those episodes are temporary and since you seem to research well on everything, but I tend to worry. Excuse me. Anyway, many Japanese including myself have had misconceptions about healthy habits. And westerners, I noticed that they are much stronger to cold. Once, Japanese employees begged our American boss in Tokyo, and he had to shut down his air condition unit and open his window. All the employees were Japanese. He later complained to me that something must be wrong with our Japanese bodies. He was wiping his forehead with his handkerchief. I’m sure many international couples have similar problem. For instance, westerner husbands sleep near an air conditioned unit while Japanese wives curl up under blankets. So, what I want to say is that our bodies are quite different, so treatments must be different, too.
It really goes to show how sensitive our bodies are, Vincent, and how we also don’t always know quite what is what until it occurs—and even then it’s not really black and white. I tend to get pre-migraines right before it rains. I feel the pressure changes.
Keiko, Yes, I agree. The power of connection between right and left stands out to me too.
I also enjoyed reading your response to Vincent, Keiko. I am very sensitive to temperature. For me I prefer natural temperature. I don’t mind air conditioners in stores when it’s hot outside, but in the office where I work, in the afternoon it starts to make me not feel so good. I need to go outside when that happens and warm up. I also don’t like the idea of bad air circulating from everywhere. I loved when I worked in an office where we could open our windows. That is rare these days. Most office windows are sealed shut. I don’t have an air conditioner at home either. I do use the heater. My body and face do not like it when it’s too cold—that’s my weakness. I had never even considered temperature difference in terms of culture. Thanks for bringing that up. It really is quite interesting.
Rebb,
My children use heater, too. I think it’s because I used to use heater while they were growing up because other families here use it. And I couldn’t get them wear socks or sweater at home because other children didn’t. People in Southern California wear similar clothes in summer and winter. The people like me appreciate this easy living, but people born here take that for granted. After my kids are gone from the house, I haven’t turned my heater on.
Maybe this is not surprising, but I heard about high failure rate in international marriages in Japan. Probably, this kind of issues plays quite large role. Can you imagine such stress in daily life, especially if we live in a small apartment?
By the way, I joined a poetry club. Yesterday was my first meeting. It was so much fun.
Keiko, That’s funny about socks. I think I remember also enjoying wearing no socks. I keep forgetting that since you live in Southern California, you get more constant warm weather. Is that right? I’ve wanted to visit Catalina Island for a long time. I think it’s only about a two hour plane ride and then a hop on the ferry. One of these days.
It would be interesting to know what other factors play a role in failed Japanese international marriages, but yes, I can imagine that living in close quarters would pose added stress with temperature differences.
That’s great news, Keiko. I’m happy to hear you joined a poetry club and had so much fun on your first meeting. Do you write and study poetry in the club? I look forward to reading your poems.
Rebb,
Catalina Island is close to the ports in Southern California, so I went there four or five times by ferry. And once, I landed on the island by a small airplane. In my memory, the runway was half all-sky and ocean that led to the other half which was a short strip of runway off the cliff. You can imagine how breath taking the view was. Thinking about it, I feel dizzy in a good way.
About the poetry club, I intend to learn from the members and by writing my own. Last week, one of the members wrote a poem about his hometown. It was short and made me feel home. But something was vague, so we discussed about it. The charm of the poem was in a simple but confusing name, so to keep that confusion and make the confusion clear at the same time was a hard task. I love that poem. I probably will never forget that poem. I was so inspired by it that I made a poem of my name. After I bring it to the club this week, I’ll edit it and show it to you.
Keiko, That sounds great. You’re so close and you’ve gone so many times. Yes, I can imagine the breath taking view…how lovely.
I love the process, Keiko, and hearing you describe it here, is music to my ears. It’s so much fun to read other people’s poetry and to see how each person relates or interprets. I look forward to reading your poem(s).
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