When Media Encourages Our Right Brain

I was watching an episode of ER a few nights ago on TiVo. It was the episode where Dr. Morrison was working with Pratt's brother and remembering his friend Pratt. It brought tears to my eyes and brought up my own feelings of sadness. Sad movies and stories have made me cry. I was curious - why was I reacting deeper than before?

I realized that I thought the characters on the show knew he was a gifted doctor and also tolerated him for being a bragging bit of a jerk. I could see that they appreciated him for being true to himself, in all ways of being human. I never really paid attention before, and now I was seeing a lot more subtle dimensions to the relationships that were being portrayed. Again, it was like being red-green color blind and now being able to see not just the colors but many more shades of red and green. I have always recognized these feelings in others, the difference is now I am experiencing more freedom to feel them myself.

I pulled out my art supplies and started drawing in charcoal and pencil again last night. I have drawn many portraits over the years, and usually gave them away as gifts. I have always been focused on being accurate in my drawings, and capturing the person's image in a lifelike way. For the first time, I started to draw not with an intent of accuracy, but rather, capturing a feeling in the drawing.

A few days ago, I read "My Stroke of Insight" by Jill Bolte Taylor, PhD. She is a neuroscientist who had a stroke. She describes her experience of the stroke, and how different our left and right brain hemispheres are.

• Our left brain is more linear, logical, and concerned with delineating edges as well as promoting our identity and creating separateness.
• Our right brain is our seat of feeling at one with everything, creativity, feeling, in the moment presence and how we blend our existence in the world (the book has way more wonderful detail about this).

Since reading this book, I am much more aware of right brain versus left brain activity, and can see how this sabbatical is an exercise in right brain activity. I was looking at my old watercolor paintings and excited at the prospect of bringing color and light into this activity, of blending and playing not for an accurate rendering but for the sake of creativity and experimentation! My wonderful friend Leigh is always encouraging play in all that we do. LOL! I think she is rubbing off on this curmudgeon.

May you encourage your own creativity and give voice to your right brain!

All the best! ~~ Mj