fascinating story

If you are not familiar with the story of Jill Bolte Taylor, author of My Stroke of Insight, it is absolutely fascinating and definitely worth exploring. I was first introduced to her story through Oprah's Soul Series on XM radio, which I believe is still available to download. She is a guest on Oprah today, and I once again am in absolute awe when listening to her story.

Jill Bolte Taylor is a Harvard trained brain scientest who suffered a stroke. Essentially, she describes how the left side of her brain (the side that deals with present and past, thinking, and speaking) stopped functioning--her life and identity as she knew it was stripped away. She was left living with only the right side of her brain (the side that deals with "being", with presence, and with pictures). She couldn't walk, talk, and didn't know her name. But, she describes how she was in a state of total bliss. She knew she was alive. She knew she was life. She knew she was whole and well. She has made a full recovery and written a book describing her experiences. I have not yet read her book, but in listening to her discuss her experiences and feelings of "being" rather than "identifying," I find many, many connections with Eckhart Tolle's philosophy in the book The New Earth. I am definitely adding My Stroke of Insight to my "must read" book list!

Here is a yoga mantra for the day--repeat it five times minimum (and as much as needed throughout the day):

"I am alive. I am life. I am whole and well."

Namaste'

Yogadiva