When a person's anger response has been triggered, the chemical released by the brain surges through the body and causes a physiological experience; but within ninety seconds from that initial trigger, the chemical component of the anger has completely dissipated from the blood and the automatic response is over. If a person remains angry after those ninety seconds have passed, it's because they have CHOSEN to let that circuit continue to run. Every moment that passes, a person makes the choice to either hook into the negativity which is now something that is past, over and done with or move back into the present moment, and allow that reaction to simply melt away.
You know where I learned this?
Jill Bolte Taylor is a neuroanatomist who ended up having a stroke (at only age 37) and due to her scientific background has been able to identify each part of the brain and mind that was affected as it deteriorated. She ended up functioning for quite a while with only the right side of her brain as the left side was severely affected.
The left side of the brain is where our logical, analytical, ego based thinking comes from; the right side is the creative, spiritual and compassionate side. Jill was able to see what life is like from a purely ego less, compassionate point of view; and learned so much more about the human brain than she ever would have if she'd never had the stroke. Jill is not a Buddhist nor particularly religious; she's a scientist who's learned through first hand experience that we are all connected to the universe as one.
Once Jill's left brain was functioning again, she of course had to re-learn many things. What she was able to do, though, is pick and choose the traits she no longer wanted dominating her thoughts and actions, and she teaches us that we can do this too! We can work at utilising our right brain and become more compassionate, caring people...if we choose to. We have power over all of the choices we make; and you know I'm spreading this out over more than just anger and compassion; we can choose the foods we eat, the exercise we do, the cravings we give in to. We all have the power in us-it's just a matter of making the choice.
So now what do you choose? To be dominated by the angry, ego centered left brain or the happy, compassionate right brain?
Can you guess what I'm choosing? It may not happen over night...but it's a fabulous goal, don't you think?
4 comments:
Hey Raechelle
What an intriguing book! I think I'll have to get it myself and read. Thanks for the book review. She sounds like a very inspiring woman. :)
Does sound very interesting indeed. My late husband had 4 strokes (1 in each quadrant) over 12 years. The first was very severe, and he had to learn to do everything again. From talking to walking and back again. From a marathon runner, squash playing, gym junkie and professional sportsperson, to a stroke victim (and dialysis patient). Very hard road to travel. From his efforts to be "normal" I got a daily lesson in PMA. He was my hero before we married, but he is my inspiration in his death.
I highly recommend it Kerry! It's a fascinating book!
I think you would get allot out of it Laynie-she too had to relearn everything; it took her 8 years to become "fully functional"; and she learned so much more than she would have imagined before the stroke.
what a great and interesting book. thank you for posting, raechelle... oh and make today GREAT~
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