Wishing Upon a Neuron? No, the Reticular Activating System Won't Manifest Your Dream Life
Sarah McKay
Neuroscientist | Speaker | Author | Consultant | Director of The Neuroscience Academy
In the vast expanse of self-help and personal development literature, few concepts have captured the imagination quite like the law of attraction and manifestation.
Central to these ideas is the belief that our thoughts can directly influence our reality. Or that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences (even Taylor Swift tickets) into your life. Somehow, the notion became anchored in the neuroscience of the Reticular Activating System (RAS).
The Neuromythology of Manifestation
The idea that we can directly control the universe or our destiny with our thoughts, with the RAS as a neurological basis, is a prime example of neuromythology. A myth, might I suggest, that is up there with the lizard brain.
Neuromyths reflect a profound misunderstanding or misapplication of neuroscience. In this instance, they attribute magical capabilities to the RAS—and, by extension, the brain—that are not supported by empirical evidence.
But as is always the case with neuromyths, the concept appeals because it simplifies complex brain functions into easily digestible concepts that promise control over one's destiny.
The Seductive Allure of Neuroscience Explanations (SANE, yes, really) is a phenomenon that happens when you use brain-based mechanisms or neuroscience terminology to explain ideas. It gives those ideas an instant sense of credibility and scientific legitimacy, making them irresistible by appealing to authority and the perceived objectivity of scientific understanding, even if the claims being made aren't actually true.
The neuroscience of the RAS.
The RAS is a network of neurons located in the brainstem — the structure that connects the brain's cerebrum to the spinal cord and cerebellum. This complex system includes several critical nodes, including
The RAS's fundamental role is regulating arousal, sleep?wake transitions, and maintaining consciousness. Some of the identified roles of the RAS (which in textbooks often goes by the 'ascending arousal system') include:
It's important to note that the RAS does play a role in filtering stimuli (via projections to the thalamus) and can influence your focus and awareness. But the leap to asserting that the RAS can be harnessed to manifest your dreams, such as more money in the bank or promotion, is a misapplication of (let's be honest, somewhat dull) neuroscience.
The Misguided Shortcut to Sucess via RAS
Here's an analogy.
Imagine you're at a grand piano, ready to perform. You've been told that understanding the mechanics of the hammers striking the strings inside the piano will empower you to play beautiful music, even if you've never learned to read music or practised playing. By simply knowing and naming the internal workings of the piano, you expect to channel your thoughts into a flawless rendition of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
This scenario mirrors the ridiculousness surrounding the concept of manifestation and the undue emphasis on adding in the neurobiological term 'RAS' in achieving our desires.
Just as understanding the mechanics of a piano doesn't magically impart the skill to play it, knowing that a few brainstem nuclei play a role in attention and wakefulness doesn't grant you the power to manifest your dreams.
Mastery of music requires practice, an understanding of musical theory, and years of dedication. Similarly, achieving personal goals involves effort, planning, and actionable steps. The notion that mental focus alone, guided by a superficial understanding of neuroscience, can shape your reality is as misplaced as expecting to become a virtuoso pianist by simply knowing how a piano works inside.
The Importance of Neuroscience Literacy
The misrepresentation of the RAS in discussions about the law of attraction and manifestation underscores a broader issue of neuroscience literacy.
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As I always tell my students (and remind myself, even after 30+ years working in the discipline) it's essential to recognise the limits of your understanding and resist the temptation to fill gaps with comforting but unsupported theories.
Genuine neuroscience is utterly complex and often counterintuitive and requires absolute humility in the face of the unknown.
As mentioned above, people are naturally drawn to neuroscience explanations for their problems or aspirations because these stories offer the allure of concrete, reductionist solutions to often complex and subjective human experiences.
Critical thinking is an essential tool in navigating the modern world's flood of information, particularly when it comes to understanding our brains.
How did the RAS Become a Self-Help Celebrity?
The association of the RAS with the law of attraction and similar concepts of manifestation does not have a clear, singular origin point (I've looked).
This blending of neuroscience with self-help and manifestation ideologies likely emerged gradually as interest in the power of the mind and neuroplasticity gained popularity in mainstream culture and psychology. The law of attraction gained significant attention with the publication of The Secret in 2006 (Oprah also played a part somewhere!!), which popularised the idea that thoughts can directly influence one's life experiences.
I wish.
Moving Forward
As we navigate the landscape of personal development and self-help, it's crucial to approach popular psychology and neuroscience claims with a critical eye. Understanding the true functions and limitations of systems like the RAS empowers us to appreciate the genuine wonders of the brain without succumbing to the allure of pseudoscience.
As I often say (I'm often saying things!), if people are keen to learn about neuroscience, try to learn from neuroscientists. We'll do our best to steer you down the right path.
Let's commit to promoting science literacy, encouraging a culture that values genuine curiosity, critical thinking and evidence-based understanding over enticing neuromyths.
While positive thinking, visualisation and goal setting are undoubtedly beneficial for personal motivation and psychological well-being, they do not alter the physical world through neural magic.
Sorry to say that manifesting miracles with the RAS is more neuro-nonsense than neuroscience.
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Writer | Content Creator | Online Marketer | Social Media Management
1 个月I don't believe in LOA or manifesting, but I do believe that you can help yourself tremendously by intentionally thinking and acting more positively. There is proof it helps your body handle stress better. I like to call myself "realistically optimistic." https://thebestbrainpossible.com/stress-mindset-health.../
General Practitioner at NHS
1 个月Thank you for sharing your knowledge Sarah ?? May I ask what is the neuroscience behind for example you are considering buying a specific make of car then you start to see lots of those cars as you go about your daily life - I have experienced this and many other examples in my personal life. I have heard this explained using the RAS however what you present goes against this. It would be helpful to know the neuroscience ????
Yoga Instructor at Nomad Yogi
1 个月Better correct ChatGPT: Visualising goals and focusing on what we truly want in life can prime the Reticular Activating System (RAS), making us more alert and attentive to opportunities in our environment that align with our goals. One of its main functions of RAS is to filter out unnecessary sensory information, allowing us to focus on what’s important. When we visualise our goals and repeatedly focus on specific desires or objectives, we essentially "program" the RAS to prioritise information related to those goals. The RAS becomes attuned to noticing relevant information, people, or resources in your surroundings that might help you achieve those goals. While there is limited direct scientific research on the RAS and visualisation specifically, the broader concept of cognitive priming—where focusing on a particular thought or idea increases our sensitivity to related stimuli—is well-documented. This concept underpins practices like visualization and goal-setting, which have been shown to improve motivation and performance.
Founder of The Subconscious Space. Embrace your Authentic Flow l Achieve Your Greatest Potential l Let Go of Burnout, Anxiety and Overthinking ??
6 个月Hi Sarah, this is a fun read. I assume different brains are like comparing different operating systems, which make it genuinely complex. I envision it's like studying roots of the same species. With ever-shifting element's in nature, they can yield different growth to the roots, trunk,etc. I'd like to know where you draw the boundaries to "pseudoscience" - would you then consider quantum physics to be pseudoscience since it's mostly theory based? And would the theory "law of attraction" makes sense, if we pair it with prolonged emotional states to build new synapses? RE: your piano theory - some need less effort to play the piano. Isn't there a way to train the subconscious brain how to use the RAS? Over decades, I've worked on rewiring my own neural responses through meditation. Over time, I've managed to access, a wider range of frequencies. I'm now able to tap into another's subconscious without speech. I've looked into Medium Tyler Henry, who has something similar. His EEG scan shows neurofeedback of going across or accessing different states simultaneously, which makes sense to me. It's documented on Youtube. I use this on my clients and witness very quick transformation and heightened senses. Thank you!
Certified Executive and Leadership Coach, C-Me Accredited
8 个月Hi Sarah, thanks for such a great article! Just a couple of questions... Since the RAS controls some of what the brain pays attention to, would it be conceivable that, if a person wants something (such as a particular job) and creates a vision board or some other such thing and focuses on it often - then they would be more likely to notice a job opening that meets the description? Not through magical thinking, but just because they were 'teaching' their RAS what to pay attention to? Also, if it's not possible to 'train' the RAS - how does this part of the brain 'know' what should be pushed up to our conscious attention and what not? Thanks for your insights!