Jill Bolte is a neuroanatomist who actually has had the opportunity to experience what it feels like to have the 'left hemisphere' of her brain switched off.

In this talk Bolte explains the feeling of oneness that she experienced when as a result of a massive stroke part of the brain that controls the 'brain chatter' or 'ego' seemed to temporarily disconnect.  She explains a feeling of peace, timelessness oneness with the universe that results from the right hemisphere being dominant. 

I wasn't sure what to make of Bolte at first but I think she is genuine, the talk is very dramatic and hippyish but I get the impression that this is calculated.  I suppose it is hard to express what I would consider to be the kind of very personal 'right hemisphere' experiences that occur in kind of wordless state, how do you explain a feeling of spiritual awe without using spiritual language.  So perhaps when Bolte, a Scientist, talks about being an 'energy-being' it may be her attempt to express the feelings she experienced.

Her conclusions are that we are often too dominated by logical 'left hemisphere' thinking that obsesses about the past and the future - and we might be more able to live happy fulfilled lives if we could live in the right hemisphere states more often.  Particularly interesting is the comments section on the site, it is interesting to compare the frustrating polarisation  between the "I had an experience like this on mushrooms" type comments and the "no one would get any work done if they spent to long in the right hemisphere of the brain" comments.

I have always been fascinated by the idea that it is possible to experience a temporary loss of ego and find it refreshing to hear someone with a scientific background talk about the experience.

Follow the link below to take a look for yourself...

TED | Talks | Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight (video)