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Why do we struggle with life, and with old age in particular?  

I believe that the hemisphere hypothesis, as explained by British scholar Iain McGilchrist, offers a fertile framework for thinking about why we suffer mental conflict and confusion. Just as important, it offers guidelines about what we can do to limit our suffering. 

The basic idea of the hemisphere hypothesis is that the two hemispheres of our brain  provide us with two very different ways of relating to the world. One perspective can be characterized as direct experience (sensory) and the other perspective as conceptual.  One experiences the world as it is, the other creates ideas and concepts about the the reality we experience.

When the two perspectives collaborate with each other, our minds work magnificently.  Too often, however, our conceptual mind dominates and suppresses the perspective of the sensory mind. When this happens we live in a world of concepts and lose direct touch with reality. To flkourish, we need to restore collaborative balance between these two perspectives

Learn more about the hemisphere hypothesis and how it influences our ability to flourish in this episode.  

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