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Nibbana without meditation, via a stroke.

jlljll Veteran
in Buddhism Basics

Jill Bolte Taylor had a stroke. when she recovered, she became enlightened.

Comments

  • ToraldrisToraldris   -`-,-{@     Zen Nud... Buddhist     @}-,-`-   East Coast, USA Veteran

    Where's the meat?

  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran

    To be clear she didn't become enlightened, correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think she is even making that claim. What she had was a profound 'spiritual' experience during her stroke that gave her a different perspective on the world.

    BhikkhuJayasaralobsterVastmindBuddhadragon
  • jlljll Veteran

    i believe she is vegan...

    @AldrisTorvalds said:
    Where's the meat?

  • BhikkhuJayasaraBhikkhuJayasara Bhikkhu Veteran

    yes I'm with @person I've seen this neat video before and she was never awakened or claimed to be.

    At least its not a video of someone claiming to have nibbana experiences while tripping on LSD lol.

    ivonnesong
  • ToraldrisToraldris   -`-,-{@     Zen Nud... Buddhist     @}-,-`-   East Coast, USA Veteran
    edited April 2014

    @jll said:
    i believe she is vegan...

    Ha! I meant more information. Most people aren't going to watch a 20-minute video with just "Jill Bolte Taylor had a stroke. when she recovered, she became enlightened." to go on. :)

    Here's a Wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jill_Bolte_Taylor

    ...and one about her book: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Stroke_of_Insight

    And this is the blurb for the book from Amazon.com:

    "On December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven- year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist experienced a massive stroke in the left hemisphere of her brain. As she observed her mind deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life-all within four hours-Taylor alternated between the euphoria of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace, and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized she was having a stroke and enabled her to seek help before she was completely lost. It would take her eight years to fully recover.

    For Taylor, her stroke was a blessing and a revelation. It taught her that by "stepping to the right" of our left brains, we can uncover feelings of well-being that are often sidelined by "brain chatter." Reaching wide audiences through her talk at the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference and her appearance on Oprah's online Soul Series, Taylor provides a valuable recovery guide for those touched by brain injury and an inspiring testimony that inner peace is accessible to anyone."

    VastmindjllBuddhadragon
  • anatamananataman Who needs a title? Where am I? Veteran

    I've listened to her TED talk and it is fascinating to hear her experience of the stroke, however, when you listen to anyone who has directly experienced something and can communicate it well, then, well I think we can all make up our own chattering on that one.

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator

    @jll, I really don't know how many more times I have to ask you - POLITELY - to post videos with at least some personal commentary or information, rather than a one-liner which (when watching video) is redundant or obvious anyway.

    Otherwise, believe it or not, it's classified as spamming
    .

    @AldrisTorvalds makes my point perfectly.
    You have been asked before, and from now on, I will simply 'dump' even if others have been gracious enough to fill in for you.

    (Besides, this story is so old, it's been on this forum at least 5 times already, since it happened.)

  • BuddhadragonBuddhadragon Ehipassiko & Carpe Diem Samsara Veteran
    edited April 2014

    @person said:
    To be clear she didn't become enlightened, correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think she is even making that claim. What she had was a profound 'spiritual' experience during her stroke that gave her a different perspective on the world.

    Totally agree. People use the term "enlightened" too casually these days, to the point where it is virtually beginning to degenerate into something it is not.
    You may gain in perspective on your outlook on the world, but defining yourself as "enlightened," to me, it would mean that you are close to perfection, and that is something other people should say about you, not you go about the world announcing "I'm enlightened! I'm enlightened"
    As soon as you define yourself as "enlightened" it's a positive sign you are not.

  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran

    I listened to her TED talk. It's an amazing story and points to how our brains functioning is a huge part of who we are. The feeling of bliss or euphoria she felt might be what a lot of people are wishing for, but as pointed out it's not enlightenment. It's as artificial in this case as the high from that first hit of heroin.

  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran

    @Cinorjer said:

    The feeling of bliss or euphoria she felt might be what a lot of people are wishing for, but as pointed out it's not enlightenment.

    I do _expect _some bliss though.. :p

    anataman
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