Newsletter, September 10, 2008, David Hino
A year ago, one of the members of our church, mentioned that he had come to the realization that one of the biggest hurdles in moving into the realm of the supernatural is that he had been trained so deeply in the left side of his brain. I decided to spend a few days researching the left and right brain concept and I was fascinated to learn how God has wired our brain. There are actually two separate parts of the brain, the left side of the brain is concerned with languages, numbers, reading and reasoning and the right side of the brain has to do with music, dimensional forms, art, intuition and imagination.
Children begin life with right brain dominance, but through the American educational system which reinforces the left brain training and children turn into adults who become skeptical of their right brain functions. Our educational structure places great emphasis on left brain functions of math, reading and writing and these skills define our identity and our careers. Right brain activities like music, drama and art courses have been become elective or completely eliminated from our schools. A study actually showed that the left brain actually weighed more than the right brain for school children.
I also believe that emotional wounds can also close us to right brain activity. Adults may move into predictable linear patterns of behavior because that is safe and controlled.
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroscientist at Harvard University, had a stroke which damaged the left side of her brain. During the stroke, she is able to see her right brain come alive into a Nirvana type experience. During her recovery she saw tremendous growth of creativity in the right side of her brain. Her powerful story can be seen on video and gives deep understanding in how our brain functions. Click on her link.
Most people today are more left brain but I believe God wants balance in both areas of the brain. In the Bible, when John wrote the book of Revelation, one sees a high level of right brain activity but written with left brain writing skills.
What does this all mean? The person who is too left brain may be unable or unwilling to see the supernatural dimensions of God. The left brain person believes in what they cognitively know and understand and anything supernatural is seen as too weird or unnatural. I believe the right brain is where the still small voice of God speaks. In the right brain, God can bring his thoughts into our thoughts.
Christianity was never meant to be just an intellectual understanding. Christianity was always to be an experience with God. The apostle Paul warned the church of the Galatians that they started in the Spirit but now trust in their human works. Did the Galatians move from a right brain perspective at their conversion to a left brain process in their Christian growth?
Spending time with God in the outdoors can simulate more right brain experiences. A study showed that speaking in tongues was a right brain activity. Speaking known languages is a left brain activity. Worship helps move us into the right brain (see Elisha, II Kings 3:15). Allowing God to speak into your imagination with thoughts and pictures is a right brain activity. This is one of the reasons we are offering the “Art of Hearing God” course in another week. You can still register (see below).
Periodically, children at the church draw pictures and then give them away to people who they believe that God is leading them to. Last Sunday, at the end of ministry time a newcomer was given a picture by a very young child. It was divine coincidence that the child had the same name of the newcomer’s daughter and this fact was unknown to everyone involved. The picture was highly accurate of what the newcomer was going through. Details of prophetic words and signs given minutes earlier to her were also drawn in the picture. Even some of the colors were exactly what she had been seeing for the last few days in her life. She was completely blown away with the drawing. I believe God tapped into the right brain area of the child and created a special message for this adult.
Some internet sites for Right and Left Brain testing. Clink on the link:
· Another test. http://www.wherecreativitygoestoschool.com/vancouver/left_right/rb_test.htm
2 Comments
Ed · January 20, 2023 at 1:47 pm
I totally agree… We need to find ways to help people let go of the left-brain bias and return to God. I am trying to do this through http://www.rightbrainexperience.com; Facebook Right Brain Experience; and Twitter rightbrainex.
Ishtar · September 7, 2023 at 2:30 pm
Have you come across Iain Mcgilchrist work on the asymmetrical nature of the brain,
“The master and his emissary” bring his first book on the matter. Talks about this is extensive detail.
Ive been working on an interpretation of Genesis 2 where the two trees accurately fit the tyoes of Conciousness or behaviour that each brain hemisphere calls forth. Theres something very worth while articulating within this understanding of our brain-god connection which is needed today.