Since we’ve covered all Four Characters described by Jill Bolte Taylor in Whole Brain Living, let’s get to the “That’s interesting, but so what?” part of the equation! The action you take to utilize your Four Characters to (potentially) improve the quality of your life is called “The Brain Huddle.”
The steps are B-R-A-I-N:
Breathe
Recognize
Appreciate
Inquire
Navigate
Here’s a link on Dr. Taylor’s website that describes the process in detail: https://www.drjilltaylor.com/the-brain-huddle/
Here’s a nice graphical representation (I’ll screenshot the most salient part and include it below): https://www.drjilltaylor.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BrainHuddle-Infographic.pdf
Per Dr. Taylor, when the Four Characters have even minimal awareness of one another, “we can actually choose how we want to be and which character we want to show up as in the next moment.”
Of note, Dr. Taylor recommends initially practicing the Brain Huddle first thing in the morning (or at some other neutral time). Much like any other strategy one can utilize to manage or modulate their own behavior, it is easier to try this when you are not in the middle of a thought storm or emotional crisis.
This is how my (developing) Brain Huddle looks in practice:
B(reathe): When I become aware that I am not showing up as my best, most effective self, I stop and BREATHE. If I can close my eyes safely, I’ll often do that. Sometimes I count the breaths like I do in meditation. I do this for as long as it takes to come back to the present moment.
R(ecognize): I carefully search my thoughts and feelings (body sensations and emotions) to figure out which character is present at that moment. If I stop to do a Brain Huddle because I am feeling constricted, stressed, or in abject misery, I inevitably say, “Hello!” to either Angela (Character 1) or BB (Character 2).
A(ppreciate): To me, this is a critical step. Once I greet the character in charge, I say, “Thank you,” and express my appreciation for them and what they’re trying to accomplish. If it’s Angela, I give her warm, professional gratitude for all her hard work. I picture giving her a friendly two-handed handshake, and remind her that she is a valuable member of the team. If it’s BB, I wrap her up with a mental hug and tell her how much I appreciate that she is trying so hard to keep me safe. I imagine stroking her hair and rocking her for a little while (if she’ll let me). Showing genuine, explicit appreciation for the character causing what looks like a “problem” is a vital step in maintaining peace and harmony within myself. Without each of these Four Characters, I would not be Angie. They all have a part to play!
I(nquire): Once everyone has settled a bit, I invite all Four Characters into the huddle. This is often where I insert a self-inquiry process (e.g., “The Work” of Byron Katie) or take a long, unwavering look at the deeper thought or belief that is at the root of my “problem.” This is a time where I can lean in and dive straight into whatever feelings are arising. I am able to welcome whatever it is, because I know I am fully supported by all of my body-mind (and beyond). I can softly wander around my thoughts and feelings with childlike curiosity. What are these thoughts and feelings even made of? I am finding that even in pain, exhaustion, and bubbling anger, there is much more space to be than I could ever have imagined. And yes, I do still feel all kinds of feelings!
N(avigate): After I feel a bit more settled (even if there are still residual negative thoughts or feelings present), I can go about the business of moving on with my next task with a bit more clarity. The culmination of a Brain Huddle usually results in me feel a bit lighter, more powerful, more “in control,” and definitely more like myself. And if not, that’s OK, too. I know I will have more opportunities to practice soon!
‼️ FUN FACT: When you have a reaction to something, let’s say, a stranger shouting an insult at you, there’s a 90-second chemical process that happens inside the body. So, from the moment you have the thought that there’s a threat and that circuit of fear or anger gets triggered, it will stimulate the emotional circuitry related to it (i.e., the fight/flight/freeze response). That will then result in a physiological dump of a chemical (usually norepinephrine) into the bloodstream. That chemical dump will flush through you and flush out in less than 90 seconds. Any remaining emotional response is just your body-mind staying in that emotional loop (whether by habit, lack of awareness, or choosing to believe your thoughts).
