When I was experiencing this 'heightened' state, I googled/found on Wikipedia stuff from everyday objects (eg name of mum's haircare product) and it would be meaningful.
Symbols and names persist through times...

I do think in the old times, it was important to read the symbols or 'signs' - many people couldn't read so symbols were even more important.... and even the Bible (or Christian community in general) says something about being able to interpret 'signs of times', if I remember it correctly?

As far as I know right-left brain is an oversimplification, there are differences in a more intuitive or more 'scientific' view, though many scientific discoveries could be said to be 'intuitive' first too... For me, they are just parts of the whole, or a bit different perceptions...