How to Practice Using the Right Brain to Achieve Levels of Consciousness

Meditation is an easy way to activate the right brain.

The human brain is split down the middle into right and left halves, each of which performs differently. The left half contains our language and reasoning centers, while the right half is the seat of emotions and imagination.

Subjective evidence as well as clinical research suggests that a predominance of left brain activity limits our ability to access the spiritual dimensions of consciousness. Meditation is an easy way to quiet the left brain and activate the right brain.

Meditation is the act of quieting the mind and achieving inner peace. A simple meditation technique that quiets the active left brain and activates the right brain employs both passive awareness and active visualization.

Things You'll Need

• Quiet location
• Music player
• Soothing music

Instructions

Meditation

1. 

   Sit comfortably upright. You can sit cross-legged on the ground or in a chair. Listen to quiet, soothing music or a nature soundtrack if there are distracting noises in the vicinity.

2. 

   Close your eyes and inwardly focus on your breathing. Concentrate on the natural expansion and contraction of your diaphragm as you breath. Don't try to change your breathing pattern: just observe it. If your attention wanders, gently return it to your breathing. Do this for approximately 10 minutes.

3. 

   Visualize an object. This can be as simple as a star, a placid lake or a religious symbol that is meaningful to you. If your attention wanders, gently return it to the object of your attention. Do this for approximately 5 minutes.

4. 

   Feel the peace. When you allow this feeling of peace to envelope you, you will enter non-ordinary, right brain states of consciousness. Observe whatever images that enter your mind. Do not filter them out. Do this for as long as you like.

5. 

   Finish your meditation. Re-activate your left brain with a positive verbal affirmation. This can be in the form of a prayer, an inspiring quotation or some words that spontaneously arise as a result of your meditation.

Tips & Warnings

• A key to success in meditation is "effortless effort." While it usually takes time and practice to achieve deep states of consciousness in meditation, attempting to force results will be counter-productive.

• There are many ways to alter your states of consciousness. Some of these, such as psychedelic drugs, can be dangerous. The right brain is the seat of all emotions, including negative ones. If negative emotions arise in the course of your meditation, just observe them with a sense of detachment.

References

• The Rusty Right Brain
• Free Meditations
• Shambala Sun: How to Meditate

Resources

• Roger Sperry: Split Brain Theory
• Using Your Quantum Brain to Connect to the World
• Jill Taylor Bolte: My Stroke of Insight