The Reticular Activating System

The reticular activating system (RAS) is a network of neurons located in the brain stem that project anteriorly to the hypothalamus to mediate behavior, as well as both posteriorly to the thalamus and directly to the cortex for activation of awake, desynchronized cortical EEG patterns.  From: Textbook of Clinical Neurology (Third Edition), 2007

The reticular activating system spans an extensive portion of the brainstem. Most of the neurons comprising the midbrain reticular formation lie dorsal and lateral to the red nuclei. Complex interactions between multiple neurotransmitters modulate the action of the reticular activating system with both cholinergic and adrenergic neurotransmission having key roles. The reticular activating system's fundamental role is regulating arousal and sleep−wake transitions. The ascending reticular activating system projects to the intralaminar nuclei of the thalami, which projects diffusely to the cerebral cortex. The ascending projections of the reticular activating system enhance the attentive state of the cortex and facilitate conscious perception of sensory stimuli. Additionally, the collective role of the brainstem reticular formation is to regulate autonomic function, muscle reflexes, and tone. From:  Encyclopedia of the Neurological Sciences (second edition)

According to The Pacific Institute, the reticular activating system regulates mental motivation and the subconscious movement towards a goal or a destination through not just positive affirmation but actually believing that you deserve the goal...  I know this for a fact because I was sent to a 3 day class by my employer that was being taught by employees of The Pacific Institute.

Positive Affirmations

 Dinsa Sachan of Discover Magazine writes:

“Do you see this?” my dentist said, pointing a scaler to a section of my gums that was popping out between two teeth. “Yeah,” I said nonchalantly, looking into the mirror he handed me. My gums had been bleeding severely in March of last year, but before I could get them checked, India went into total lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It took me until the first week of November to walk into a dental clinic. The gum infection had understandably worsened.

The dentist said I might need a surgical procedure to fix the problem. To begin with, he recommended a rigorous oral hygiene routine — massaging my gums with an ointment and rinsing my teeth with a prescription mouthwash — that I diligently followed. When I returned for my follow up three weeks later, my gums had healed so well the dentist ruled out surgery.

I wondered if an intervention that my therapist had introduced me to played a role in my astonishing recovery. At her behest, I had reluctantly started using affirmations in 2019. But, frankly, I found it too woo-woo at the time — and gave up. Lying to myself, “I remain healthy,” when I clearly wasn’t, seemed appalling.

During the pandemic lockdown, my interest in affirmations was renewed when I started doing creativity exercises in Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, with an online group. Cameron’s a huge champion of affirmations. I restarted my affirmation practice a few weeks before my first dental appointment. Initially, I tried writing out affirmations and combining them with my “morning pages” — a journaling practice that's essential to Cameron’s program. For me, this involved examining my emotional struggles before veering into more uplifting topics, such as things I was grateful for and plans for achieving various goals. Later, I switched to a verbal style.

As I began my dental treatment, I added some gum-related statements for fun: “My gums are healing quickly.” And to my surprise, that's exactly what happened.  READ MORE

Our Reticular Activation System (RAS)

What is the Reticular Activating System?
The reticular activating system (RAS) is a network of neurons located in the brain stem that project anteriorly to the hypothalamus to mediate behavior, as well as both posteriorly to the thalamus and directly to the cortex for activation of awake, desynchronized cortical EEG patterns.

The main function of RAS --  The reticular activating system (RAS) denotes that part of the brainstem reticular formation which performs a crucial role in maintaining behavioral arousal, consciousness, and motivation.

"Our brains are incredibly complex. We can sift through billions of bits of data at any given time. And somehow, so we don’t short circuit, we have to organize that information. The Reticular Activating System helps with that.

The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a bundle of nerves at our brainstem that filters out unnecessary information so the important stuff gets through.

The RAS is the reason you learn a new word and then start hearing it everywhere. It’s why you can tune out a crowd full of talking people, yet immediately snap to attention when someone says your name or something that at least sounds like it.

Your RAS takes what you focus on and creates a filter for it. It then sifts through the data and presents only the pieces that are important to you. All of this happens without you noticing, of course. The RAS programs itself to work in your favor without you actively doing anything. Pretty awesome, right?

In the same way, the RAS seeks information that validates your beliefs. It filters the world through the parameters you give it, and your beliefs shape those parameters. If you think you are bad at giving speeches, you probably will be. If you believe you work efficiently, you most likely do. The RAS helps you see what you want to see and in doing so, influences your actions.

Some people suggest that you can train your RAS by taking your subconscious thoughts and marrying them to your conscious thoughts. They call it “setting your intent.” This basically means that if you focus hard on your goals, your RAS will reveal the people, information and opportunities that help you achieve them."  SOURCE:  Personal Blog of Tobias van Schneider

THE PACIFIC INSTITUTE (TPI) agrees with this and for the past 40 years TPI has been improving productivity and profitability in organizations around the world, like but not limited to:  City College, Fonterra, Sasol, Scotia Gas Works, Unilever, National American University, Coca Cola, Fresenius, Schneider, and Midland...

And, they do this using a training program that they developed focused around and using THE RETICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM...  and, I know this as being TRUTH because I participation when I worked for a proprietary college in Kentucky and not only did I participate in the program but I taught it as well to other employees...  and, if you seriously apply the principles, it works.

It's True Yawl...

Around 10 years ago, I had the opportunity to work for a Proprietary College in Kentucky just across the river from Cincinnati and while it did not last very long, I learned the most powerful message of my entire life...  may be hard to believe but it is true.

The Pacific Institute (TPI) was hired to present an unusual program to the entire workforce of that organization...  and the program focused a small organ at the base of the brain called the RAS or Reticular Activating System.

The reticular activating system (RAS) is a network of neurons located in the brain stem that project anteriorly to the hypothalamus to mediate behavior, as well as both posteriorly to the thalamus and directly to the cortex for activation of awake, desynchronized cortical EEG patterns.

The ascending reticular activating system (ARAS), also known as the extrathalamic control modulatory system or simply the reticular activating system (RAS), is a set of connected nuclei in the brains of vertebrates that is responsible for regulating wakefulness and sleep-wake transitions.

The reticular activating system is a short, pencil-sized piece of the brain located just above where the spinal cord is attached to the brain. It acts as the gatekeeper of information between most sensory systems and the conscious mind.

Basically, if you think positive thoughts then there is a high degree of probability that not just good things will happen to you but that your goals will be achieved...

FROM THE PACIFIC INSTITUTE - Lou Tice (above)

AUGUST 27, 2018

THE PACIFIC INSTITUTE
THE WINNER'S CIRCLE

Did you know that you have a built-in screening device that either admits or blocks information? Yes, we do, and it’s another “natural superpower” each of us already owns.

The human nervous system, at the base of the brain, contains a marvelous network of cells called the reticular formation, or Reticular Activating System – RAS for short. Its primary function is to screen out unimportant information that comes to you through your senses. Because of the work the RAS does for us, we are not aware of most of the information bombarding our senses every second of every day.

A parent with a new baby in the next room will sleep through jet planes screaming overhead, but will wake in an instant if that baby starts to cry. The airplane is louder, but not important, so it doesn’t get through because the parent’s RAS keeps it out. Only information that is important – valuable or threatening – gets through.

Now when you set a goal, you declare a new significance – you make something important. And suddenly, information that never got through before is all around you. Did you ever decide to buy something – maybe a new HD television – and the next day all you see are advertisements for HD TV’s? They were there all along, but now they’re important to you, so the RAS lets the information through and you notice them.

Or you decide to take a vacation, and all of a sudden you are seeing vacation specials in your emails, online or in the newspapers and periodicals. They were there all along, you just deleted or recycled them, because you weren’t thinking “vacation.”

So when you set a goal and declare its importance, you’ll find yourself noticing opportunities to help you achieve that goal that you never knew were there before. Try it. You will be surprised at how efficiently your RAS works for you.

And it operates 24/7/365…YOU MUST DECIDE FOR YOURSELF IF THIS IS WORTH LOOKING INTO...  Positive Affirmations can change your life...  what have you got to lose?