Part 2 —The four brain characters and the wisdom of two brains
In Part 1, I introduced you to the truth that the two hemispheres of our brain are actually like two different minds or personalities that work within us and cause big problems if they don’t work together. Harvard-trained neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor learned firsthand about how the two hemispheres of the brain work when she suffered a massive stroke in her left hemisphere. Once he recovered, he wrote the book, The stroke of my insight, who recounted her experiences and what she learned and a recent book, Whole Brain Living: The Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters That Drive Our Lives, which I found very helpful in my life after my wife’s recent stroke.
Knowing your four brain characters
“There is now convincing neuroanatomical evidence for the existence of four brain characters,”
says Dr. Taylor.
“The surgical separation of the two hemispheres of the brain has shown us scientifically that they are not simply two anatomically separate halves of a whole. Instead, the two halves of our brains host completely different character profiles that each exhibit unique desires, dreams, interests, and desires.”
Dr. Taylor found that in each hemisphere of the brain there is one thinking character and one emotional character.
“Neuroanatomically these four groups of cells make up the left and right thinking centers of our upper cerebral cortex, as well as our left and right Emotional centers of our lower limb system,”
says Dr. Taylor.
He goes on to add:
“The better you know your Four Characters, the easier your life will be.”
Since all information comes to the brain first through our emotional centers, Dr. Taylor says we all are “Feeling beings that think, instead of thinking beings that feel.” The philosopher, the saying of Rene Descartes cogito, ergo sum(Latin: “I think, therefore I am”), whose views have greatly influenced our culture, demonstrates the imbalance toward our thinking centers that have come to overshadow our emotional centers.
Character 1. This logical character in your left-brain thinking is amazingly gifted at creating order in the outside world. This part of your brain defines right/wrong and good/bad based on its moral compass. He is also our Left Brain Trait 1 that triggers our stress response as he is a perfectionist in everything he does.
Dr. Taylor suggests naming each of our brain characters as a way to begin to become familiar with these unique characters within us. He calls her character 1, Helen.
“It’s hell on wheels and it does things.”
I call my character 1, Jaydij For Just Do It, Jed. This character is action oriented, takes no prisoners. He is impatient and jumps into creating solutions, often before he understands all the facts. Instead of taking his time – On your mark, get ready, go – he often “goes off” quickly, never having to get ready or prepare. This can and often does cause problems in relationships.
As you get to know your own character 1, you’ll find your own name and learn its characteristics. Dr. Taylor lists some of the characteristics of Character 1 as follows:
- It organizes and categorizes everything.
- It divides people into we and these.
- It is protective of him Our people and suspected of these people.
- Plan well.
- He respects authority.
- He critically judges right and wrong, good and bad.
- I am interested in details and differences.
- It measures everything.
Character 2. The emotional nature of the left brain raises a vital question: “Am I safe?” This is the key issue for any intimate relationship, as well as our very survival in our long evolutionary history. Making a wrong decision was literally a matter of life and death, especially for women. Choosing an unsafe mate put women at risk of sudden death from predators, from males from other tribes who could harm her children, and from a potentially unreliable mate. For men, the danger also existed, but the threat of death was less imminent.
The 2 character is often fueled by a familiar feeling of restlessness stemming from either a traumatized or out-of-control past. As a result, this Character 2 part of our brain can end up feeling either “less than” or “undeserving.” It can also cause fears of abandonment. That’s why I call Character 2 part of my brain, Aban.
Many of the conflicts I have had in my relationships stem from my fears that my security needs were being threatened.
Dr. Taylor says some of the most important features of character 2 include:
- He gets angry and yells when upset.
- He feels guilty.
- It internalizes the shame.
- He loves conditionally.
- Negative self-righteousness.
- He experiences great anxiety and worry.
- Egocentric.
- He blames others.
Where characters 1 and 2 deal with issues of our past and future and how we can use things and people, our right brain characters 3 and 4 are about the present moment and being able to connect with others and appreciate their uniqueness.
Character 3. The emotional right brain is our experiential self that looks for similarities rather than differences with other people. She wants to connect, explore and have adventures with others. The way you feel in the present moment is wonderful, and sharing time, having fun, or connecting deeply through empathy can be enjoyable for everyone.
I call my character 3, jedi, my wife’s lovely name, Carlin, calls me when we’re feeling most connected and playful. Jedi is like a big, happy puppy. He is spontaneous, exuberant, unrestrained. He may unexpectedly jump into your lap and lick your face. He may also overwhelm you with his barks of pleasure and may even pee now and then when he’s overexcited.
Dr. Taylor says some of the most important features of Character 3 include:
- Lenient.
- Awe inspiring.
- Playful.
- Empathic.
- Creative.
- Cheerful.
- Curious.
- Promising.
Character 4. The right-brain thinking character that exists as our most peaceful, open and loving self. Our character 4 is here, right now, and fully invest in celebrating the gift of life with immense gratitude, acceptance, openness and love. I call my character 4, Lovers. My tarot deck says card VI, Loversis
“Symbolized by the united male and female, it is the law of union – unity through the marriage of opposites.”
Along with the right-brained feeling of Character 3, Character 4 is what Dr. Taylor experienced in all its glory when the left side of her brain was incapacitated by the cerebral hemorrhage.
“This is the part of our consciousness, the right thinking brain that we share with each other and with all other life.”
says Dr. Taylor.
“I see the brain cells under our Character 4 as the gateway through which the energy of the universe enters and feeds every cell in our body. It is the omniscient intelligence from which we came, and it is how we embody the consciousness of the universe.”
Dr. Taylor says some of the most important traits of Character 4 include:
- Awareness: I am connected to all of this.
- Expansive: I am open to possibilities and appreciate the big picture.
- Acceptance: I am curious about what it is and accept all life experiences.
- Embrace change.
- Authentic.
- Generous of Spirit.
- Vulnerable.
- Connected: In cosmic flow consciousness I embrace the timeless, omniscient part of myself that is connected to all that is.
Life in the Second Half: Learning to Embrace Our Right Brain Characters
Dr. Taylor points out that our entire world is out of balance and we are too focused on left brain thinking and feeling. When she had her stroke that compromised her left brain of thinking and feeling, she immediately learned the beauty and power of right brain characters.
I liken the experience to shutting out the sunlight completely so we can live for a while in the beauty of the night sky with its billions of stars. It took Dr. Taylor years to regain full function, and her gift to us is a detailed and in-depth understanding of the four characters that make up who we are.
In many ways, I have found that the power and beauty of old age can allow us to live more fully in the here and now, in our sensual and playful 3 Character, and to have our lives guided and enriched by the worldly and expansive 4 character. whole brain, Dr. Taylor has a chapter on what she calls, “The Brain Huddle: Your Power Tool for Peace.” I’m used to brainstorming to allow my characters to talk to each other, especially when I’m feeling scared and insecure.
As we grow older, we all have to face the reality of death, our own as well as our spouse and loved ones. I have found Dr. Taylor’s guidance and the wisdom of my four brain characters working together to be a source of great wisdom for creating true comfort and joy in my life.
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