Right Brain

I recently saw a TED Talk about a woman who had a 'stroke of insight" watch it here. She was a brain scientist who studied how brains functioned in connection to reality. Then, she had a stroke. Experiencing this through the perspective of a scientist, she is able to describe physiologically what happened and how it had a profound impact on her spiritual awareness.

She speaks about the right side of the brain being COMPLETLY present. It is what connects our energy to reality of the created matter around us in ONLY the present moment, this is where creativity, emotions, and many other things come from. The left brain however is a huge storehouse of information about the past and synthesizes data for the future. It is compliantly logical and linier. It is what reminds you that you need to pick up eggs on the way home.

As she was having her stoke, her left brain would completely shut down for minuets at a time, she was in a euphoric state of energy, where she could not feel where her body ended and the world began, she thought only on the immediate present and the beauty around her. Intermittently he left brain would reload and she would realize she was having a stroke, feel out of sequence and know she needed help. She did get help, and eventually recovered with a huge spiritual respect for her right brain.( I do not believe she was a Christian, and I think her conclusion of almost deifying the right brain is ultimately the wrong spiritual and scientific conclusion, but part of her journey in 'left brain' dominated field of science to hopefully her finding the truth).

I was awed at how complex and beautiful our bodies are, how God made or minds. In my own spiritual journey right now God is teaching me a lot about what it means to truly live in the present. I have been reading older Church fathers and saints to balance out my very young and sheltered evangelical bents. Who knew the church didn't begin at the second great awakening? I have been very blessed by delving back into old school theologians and saints active closer to the time of the early church.

Specifically, I have really soaked up the truths and figures of the contemplative and incarnation traditions. The Contemplative tradition focuses on the inner life of our mind and soul in our Christian journey through prayer, meditation and worship. The Sacramental or Incarnation tradition remind us that every moment is sacred, miraculous and way to connect to God. That the baker of bread is as holy as the pastor. That acts become holy by our the intention of our hearts towards worship. Both of these disciplines were sorely lacking in my life until this season.

 I have also seen this theme in two books I have reread recently Brother Lawrence's Practicing the Presence of God, as well as Ann Voskamp's 1000 Gifts. Both these books and traditions are begging us to activate out right brain for the Glory of God. I am not suggesting that one side of the brain is more spiritual than the other, but that God gave us them both to reflect his glory.  
 

“That we need only to recognize GOD intimately present with us, to address ourselves to Him every moment, that we may beg His assistance for knowing His will in things doubtful, and for rightly performing those which we plainly see He requires of us, offering them to Him before we do them, and giving Him thanks when we have done.”
― Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God

 

“I want to see beauty. In the ugly, in the sink, in the suffering, in the daily, in all the days before I die, the moments before I sleep.”
― Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

  “Gratitude for the seemingly insignificant—a seed—this plants the giant miracle.”
― Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

 

I, personly, tend to hang out in my left brain. Always planning, synthesizing, judging, and thinking about the NEXT moment. I Find that my self-righteousness, legalism, and judgmental thoughts are often activate my left brain tendencies. I struggle with disciplines of meditation, quiet contemplation, and worship throughout the seemingly mundane moments of my very sacred life. When I stop thinking, planning, and plodding, When I soak up the moment of the now, of God's grace, of natures beauty, of the grass outside my kitchen window, the curl of my baby's hair, I realize...

 that moment is always there, Gods presence is always consuming, His beauty always ever-present, colors are always that vibrant, it only requires a unity of myself with the now. 

 

                                                                                  'right brain' Dre 2014

I was thinking how much God was trying to bless and teach me this season through art, music, and contemplation and living in the moment. I was thinking we as western Christians need to slow down and give God our whole minds, even when it is uncomfortable. Even when contemplation, rest and painting a picture for him SEEMS less urgent. I have found many a sacred moments while scrubbing pots lately. This should have been the loneliest, bland, and difficult seasons of my life so far, but here has been immense joy in the seemingly mundane.

Worship is in the NOW, gratitude is in the HERE. Glory is in this PLACE. Let us Renew our whole minds to Him.