Electric Storm: Art and Epilepsy

Krishnamurti wrote that the all abiding Silence is the Roots of Heaven. The end of a separate self can be healthy and painful. Yet, the West got individuation right. Identity isn't an easy attainment for many. Right brain intrusions can diminish a person's self-worth, and writing can boost the self-narrative. Meditation increases the volume of grey matter in the brain, and can make the senses come alive. The daydreaming mind and relaxed aware mind are using different parts of the brain's anatomy. How do we cultivate the silence? 

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Shannon experiences a set back. She and Steve discuss contributing factors like intense lights and a change of the season. What is the Ayurvedic perspective on this time of year, for a vata or winter type body? How can you tell if a helping professional is right for you? Shannon relays her bright vision of angles unifying heaven and earth. 

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Joan of Arc had temporal lobe epilepsy. She said, "Whatever I have done that was good, I did at the bidding of my voices." Did temporal lobe epilepsy give Joan of Arc access to supernatural information? How did she accomplish so much in such little time? Shannon and Steve explore the extraordinary and yet practical connection that Joan of Arc had to the other side.  Join us as we discuss this tender, brilliant, and brave leader. 

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In this interview with Charles Gilliam, who plays a crucial role in Shannon's healing process, we dive into the mechanics of Craniosacral Therapy and what happens to a Epileptic brain during these sessions. We're introduced to Charles's unique blend of work, which he calls Quantum Dance.  Also covered is possible help for birth-traumatized infants and children labeled with behavior disorders. Charles explains how tissues of the body hold memory, and how he looks for every imbalance. He corrects it through manipulation and reorients people with their innate energy- the wind in their sails.  

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Shannon describes Michelangelo’s painting of the brain, and why she put it in her picture of an oncoming ecstatic seizure. Do people hear what the birds are saying? The intellect is one arm of the psyche- only a part of it. Nonordinary states enrich life. People with excitable temporal lobes are more emotional- can artists leave a relic of their deep feeling in their work? Persinger and his assistant Todd Murphy found that mystical and paranormal experiences can compromise the sense of self. Writing can help.  They cover Geshwin Sydrome, the epilepstic personality.  Visit website at: shannonmccarthy.com

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Is there a lotus in the brain? We discuss Shannon's Superorganism painting, renowned drummer Mickey Hart, and the healing power of music. Shannon describes the watery impressionable brain, and how she sees a lotus in the inner brain, home of the salience network. She shares how people with seizures can lose executive function, praises Bono, and sings "You'll Never Be the Sun" by Dolores Keane.  Visit website at: shannonmccarthy.com

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Shannon and Steve discuss temporal lobe epilepsy and what it's like to have it. Also covered: the highly sensitive person, influential artists and visionaries with TLE, seizures and art making, the intracardiac nervous system, and the Yale Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. Shannon shares how regular craniosacral therapy has been integral to her healing, and how a teacher helped her set aside her epileptic identity. Visit website at: shannonmccarthy.com

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