👁️ The Reticular Activating System and the Power of Peripheral Vision: Why an Open Gaze Supports an Open Mind

Have you ever noticed how your thoughts soften when you're watching the sunset? Or how your perspective shifts when you’re gazing out across a wide, open field?

This isn’t just poetic—it’s physiological.

In my continued exploration how ancient practices and modern science intersect — one of the bridges between the two is the Reticular Activating System or RAS—a powerful network in your brainstem that filters perception, supports focus and helps determine what you notice… and what you don’t.

What is the Reticular Activating System?

The RAS, is a powerful network of neurons located in the brainstem, woven through an area called the reticular formation. It is almost like a gatekeeper for your brain and plays a central role in regulating wakefulness, alertness and our sleep-wake cycles—but its influence goes far beyond that. At any given moment, you’re surrounded by thousands of sensory inputs—sounds, sights, smells, body sensations, internal thoughts. If you had to consciously process all of them, it would be overwhelming. The RAS therefore acts like a filter for the brain, deciding which sensory information gets passed on to the conscious mind.

Whether it’s the sound of your name in a noisy room or the sudden feeling of calm in a safe environment, the RAS helps prioritize what’s most relevant based on your focus, emotions and surroundings. Its ascending pathways activate the cortex (influencing thought and awareness), while descending pathways help with posture and movement. Essentially, the RAS is the bridge between your inner and outer worlds—shaping not just how awake you feel, but how you perceive reality itself.

So the RAS filters incoming information and determines what’s relevant based on your beliefs, focus, and perceived needs. It helps you “tune in” to what matters—while tuning out the rest.

For example:

• Ever bought a new car and suddenly see that model everywhere? That’s the RAS at work.

• Focusing on danger? The RAS will highlight threats (real or imagined).

• Practicing gratitude? The RAS will help you notice beauty and connection more often.

In other words, what you pay attention to… grows.

Vision Shapes Awareness

Here’s where it gets really interesting: Your gaze can influence your state of mind.

When you're in focused vision—like staring at a screen or zeroing in on a to-do list—your nervous system leans into alertness. You become more narrow, more urgent, more tense.

But when you shift into peripheral vision, like softening your gaze to take in the whole room or the landscape around you, your nervous system begins to settle. The body interprets wide-angle seeing as a signal of safety—because if you have time and space to see broadly, you’re probably not in immediate danger.

This is a profound doorway into presence.

By softening your gaze and inviting in more of your surroundings visually, you also expand what’s possible in your thinking. Creativity, calm, and openness increase. You become more receptive—not just visually, but emotionally and mentally too.

Try This: A Simple Peripheral Vision Reset

1. Find a comfortable place to sit or stand.

2. Let your gaze rest softly at a point in front of you.

3. Without moving your eyes, bring your arms up in front of you, palms touching, now slowing begin to extend your arms to your sides while gently wiggling your fingers

4. Allow your visionary awareness to expand to your periphery—extend your arms as far to both sides as you can while still keeping the gentle movement of your fingers in view, then hold your gaze and notice any other shapes, movement, or light at the edges of your vision.

5. Breathe slowly and allow your shoulders to drop — take moment here.

   
   

Just 30 seconds of this can regulate your nervous system and shift your mental focus.

This practice is simple—but it’s also profound. It can support you when you’re:

• Stressed or overfocused

• Feeling stuck in looping thoughts

• Wanting to reconnect with a sense of wholeness

Peripheral vision isn’t just about seeing more—it’s about being more. More grounded, more open, more aware.

What This Means for Healing

In many awareness-based healing traditions, what we see and how we perceive the world are inextricably linked. By inviting softness in your gaze, you invite softness in your thoughts. By expanding your field of vision, you make room for expanded possibilities in how you relate to yourself, others and the world.

If the RAS is the filter, peripheral vision is one of the levers that helps re-train it—subtly telling your brain, It’s safe to relax. You don’t have to guard so tightly. You can open.

And with that openness… healing begins.