I am a trained neuroscientist. I was teaching and performing research at Harvard Medical School when a blood vessel exploded in the left half of my brain. On the morning of this rare form of stroke I became vegetative, an infant in a woman's body in that I could not walk, talk, read, write or recall any of my life. It took eight years for me to completely rebuild the left half of my brain. During this experience, I gained true insight into the difference between our left and right cerebral hemispheres.
At an anatomical level, we have two emotional and two thinking modules of cells - one in each hemisphere. Each of these different groups of cells results in not only very specific skill sets but comparable personalities. While rebuilding my left emotional and left thinking cellular networks, I learned that we have the power to choose moment by moment which of these Four Characters we want to embody and let lead our lives.
We can use the tool I call the BRAIN Huddle to create a conversation between the different parts of our brain, thus allowing us to choose who and how we want to be. We have the power to step out of the emotionally reactive parts of our brain, giving us the ability to live our life on purpose.
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This book is a magnificent collection of what research has taught us about our left and right brains over the last 70 years. It is a fascinating account of what we know and how our brain has shaped the condition of our world.
This is a fascinating exploration into the consciousnesses and personality differences between our left and right hemispheres through the lens of our potential for psycho-pathology. Dr. Schiffer is a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School and shares with us innovative ideas about how to unravel the complexity of our psyche.
This therapeutic technique is designed as an evidence-based treatment program that trains the reader how they have the ability to not only recognize the different parts of their brain but how they have the ability to embody those different aspects of their character. This program is designed to help people heal their injured parts so they can live a healthier life.
This is my favorite children’s book of all time. Miss Alice Rumphius is taught by her loving grandfather that there are 3 things she must do with her life: She must travel the world, live in a place by the sea, and finally do something to make the world a more beautiful place. This book teaches children that a life well lived is a life that contributes something beautiful to humanity and this is something we can choose to prioritize in our lives.
This is a beautiful and inspiring book that helps us find our way into the right thinking part of our brain that is focused on our ability to love one another. I truly believe that our number one job in life is to love one another and we each have that capacity if we choose to make it a priority. This book is designed to help us find our way back into the consciousness of the best part of ourselves which is to love.
5,888 authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about the brain, spirituality, and aunts.
We think you will like Good Strategy Bad Strategy, Living with Awareness, and The Essential Sangharakshita if you like this list.
From Ngan's list on that get you thinking.
There are thousands of strategy books, from personal success strategies to business strategies to financial strategy. This is one of the best I’ve read so far. It’s insightful, colorful, to the point, and paints a very vivid picture of what it takes to develop a good strategy, a concept that is not too easy to define. Precisely what is strategy? This book demonstrates that it is the skilled approach and the ability to move resources and people to achieve an objective. While the book uses many business examples, I think the lessons can be deducted for any industry if you have a desire to get ahead.
From Maitreyabandhu's list on Buddhism, meditation, and philosophy.
There’s a lot of writing out there about mindfulness and meditation, but this book is really the place to start. Sangharakshita writes with a depth of clarity that manages to be inspiring, philosophical, and practical all at the same time. I can find books on mindfulness worthy and dull. This book is neither. My copy is covered with highlighter pen!
From Maitreyabandhu's list on Buddhism, meditation, and philosophy.
Buddhism is still misunderstood in the modern world. It can seem all fuzzy ‘being-in-the-moment’ meditation or a rather cold, analytical non-self philosophy. Sangharakshita is the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and my own teacher (I knew him personally). This book collects together some of his essential teaching and thought, illuminating ancient Buddhism wisdom for a modern world.