My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey

Taylor wants to recover her abilities and memories without the negative associations she used to experience with them. For example, she hopes to understand how to use money without feeling greed or remember her family without negative emotional baggage. She ponders how the left hemisphere, which is perceived as rational and clever, is often more valued than the right hemisphere, which is viewed as overly emotional and primal (133). She hopes that her “stroke of insight” will help others adopt a “balanced-brain” approach and recognize that both their left and right hemispheres are very valuable (133). Most people can describe the differences between their logical mind, or left hemisphere, and their “heart” or “feelings,” which originate in their right hemisphere (133). Taylor values her ability to use both parts of her brain and feel aware of which part is influencing her actions. She believes that compassion for others is rooted in the right hemisphere of the brain and hopes that people will help this part of their character grow.

While both sides of the brain must collaborate to ensure smooth progress through tasks, they do offer unique qualities and support certain functions. While many people achieve a kind of balance between their hemispheres, others are more “unilateral” in their thinking, having “extreme” left brain or right brain thinking patterns (138).