One observance by Jill Bolte-Taylor, about her stroke, was that she had attained the state described by many spiritual teachers. Pure bliss without thought. She was one with all, there were no boundaries between her cells and the world around her, nothing had names… and it was wonderful.
Death was life and life was the same as death, and still she choose to come back.
In the spiritual world that’s known as the Bodhisatva vow: a vow to come back after attainment and not quit until all humans are also enlightened. In the world of Buddhism this vow is taken while still a seeker because it’s unlikely to be chosen afterwards (for numerous reasons we’ll get to later.)
This is really interesting because even in her complete right-brain state she still had the abilty to choose. The chooser was active and participating in her consciousness.
One hundred percent right brain is wonderful. Heck, simply having a full right brain experience is wonderful. It’s happy, and connected, with all fear gone. It’s dynamic and loving. It’s what we long for in Rumi poems.
Bliss is a sneaky trick because it’s so easy for the longing to become greed.
Zareen
The problem with this right brain experience is that we’ve all experienced bits of it. It’s that calm moment when beauty is suddenly seen, or we are washed in gratefulness. Because it’s been turned into this lie of spirituality we feel like a failure when we come back out of it.
It was there… you could see it and feel it. Then slowly it drifts away.
Our entire brain is natural and healthy
Much healthier to see this as a balance. A pendulum that is able to swing because of the balance. Drifting in and out of it is the natural state. Once that healthy balance is realized then it becomes easy to manage our states.
Bliss is here, and then logic comes back. All good.
Happiness is here and then sadness drifts back in. All Good.
Suddenly there is fear! My suggestion is to run first and then check it out later!
Hopefully, if you stick with me, you’ll learn about balance. Balance and a full conscious mind is waaaaaaaay better. That’s our birthright. Million year old carbon.
We’ve got to get ourselves back to the garden. Let’s listen to Joni Mitchel, just because I want to.