“Right now, if you’re not conditioned for the success you want to achieve, it could be looking you straight in the eye and you will not see it. It will be right in front of you, and you’ll be wondering where it’s been hiding all this time.” John Assaraf

Who do you let program your brain?

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous — and how well I know it. (Psa. 139.14; NLT) (”wonderfully complex” translated as “fearfully and wonderfully made” in most other versions)

Three weeks ago now I said that I was going to do an extended series of DGs on the human brain. With a couple of interruptions, I’m still going strong. The feedback from you readers has been very encouraging. Thank you for taking the time to write. Sometimes it gets a little lonely on this side of the keyboard. If you missed the introduction to this little series, I encourage you to take a couple of minutes and go back and read that introductory material. (Click for “The Amazing Brain.”)

Today, the focus is a little more on the RAS or Reticular Activating System. I say a little more because the RAS was the topic of the 10/17/07 DG — over a year ago. What was presented there is still very relevant, so I suggest that’s a good place to start. (Click for “The Rectular Activating System.”)

The exciting thing about the RAS is that this is one function of our amazing brain that you can easily control rather than be its victim. When you master that control, you have an incredible “silent partner” to help you toward your goals. The RAS is all about protecting you from anything and everything that is not important to you. Protecting? Protecting from what?

Good question! Our five senses are literally bombarded with sensory inputs that would drive us absolutely insane if they all registered in our conscious mind. So the job of the RAS is to filter out all those inputs that are not part of what either you have said were important to you or that somebody else has said are important to you. Can you see that if you don’t take charge of your own RAS programming, that you are totally at the mercy of those who are more than willing to install their programs into your RAS.

Let’s look at a couple of simple examples. If you are worried about the economy and not having enough money, you’re RAS will dutifully filter out all the information that is contrary to how bad the economy is and how people are indeed running out of money. This is what our media loves to talk about. Remember, bad news sells. If, on the other hand, you simply tell yourself, thereby communicating with your RAS, that you are open to any and all opportunities that might come your way that will create additional streams of income, your RAS will again dutifully start filtering out things that don’t address the idea of new income streams. Ideas and opportunities that were there all the time will now start registering with your conscious mind and you’ll be receiving fresh (to you) thoughts and ideas.

I’m sure you’ve all heard the value of writing your goals on a piece of paper. The reason that is so effective is because of the RAS. The simple act of writing your goals down is effectively communicating that desire to your subconscious, specifically your RAS. This is so simple that it’s ridiculous. Yet hardly anyone seems to pay any attention to this incredibly important part of our brain. We all walk around as victims rather than responsible. This is all about focusing on what you want rather than on what you don’t want. How many times have you heard me talk about that? Now you understand why it works. It’s not just another one of those woo-woo, positive thinking mind games.

Your RAS is one of your most important allies. Get to know him (or her).

Prayer Power
Lord, it must be difficult for you to see us struggle through issues in life that you fearfully and wonderfully equipped us to be able to handle. Grant us the grace to open our minds and be willing to learn about those things that we don’t fully understand.

Link of the Day
The Reticular Activating System-Your Brain’s Unique Screening Device

Blessings on you as you as you purpose to be more pro-active in programming your own RAS.

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