Science, Spirituality, and the Power of Belief
If you’ve followed my blog or read my book, Your Time Is Now, you know of my deep passion and commitment to understanding the mind's powerful, built-in ability to shape our lives. Over the years, my passion for exploring this subject has only intensified, fueling the insights I’m excited to share here. Inspired by my recent studies, this article boldly delves into what some consider a controversial topic—Manifesting, or the Law of Attraction.
Manifestation, often considered a mystical concept, has fascinated people for centuries. But while pop culture and pseudoscience sometimes paint it as a magical ability, recent studies reveal that manifesting relies on processes embedded in neuroscience.
The ideas of manifestation, mindfulness, and self-perception have often been thought of as spiritual concepts. But while pop culture and pseudoscience sometimes paint it as a magical ability, recent advances in neuroscience reveal that these concepts are scientifically grounded in our brain’s functions.
Pioneering researchers have shown us one of the most powerful insights into the human mind: the remarkable inherent power of our brains to shape our reality. Dr. Ellen Langer, a social psychologist, is known for her influential work on mindful aging, especially through her Counterclockwise experiment. Dr. Jim Doty, a neurosurgeon and neuroscientist, and his insights on how intention shapes brain function. Dr. Tara Swart, a neuroscientist and former psychiatric doctor, explores optimum brain function and how manifestation really works. Together, their research highlights how much control we have over our lives by harnessing the natural capabilities of our minds.
Their work reveals that our thoughts and intentions do more than shape our mindset—they can transform our physical health and reality. Together, their work demonstrates how intentionally managing perception, mindfulness, and intentional practice can lead to profound changes in your life.
The Neuroscience of Spirituality: Dr. Tara Swart’s Perspective on Manifestation
Dr. Tara Swart, a neuroscientist and former psychiatric doctor, adds depth to the concept of manifestation, arguing that practices often seen as mystical—like visualization and the Law of Attraction—are actually rooted in neurobiology. In her book The Source, she describes how selective attention and “value tagging” help prioritize goals, drawing on ancient wisdom and framing it within a modern scientific lens. According to Dr. Swart, setting an intention activates what she calls the “salience network,” which directs your attention to relevant opportunities and keeps you focused on your goals. Once activated, this network brings together the task-positive and executive control networks, which help you recognize and act upon opportunities that align with your intentions.
Dr Swart emphasizes a multisensory approach to embedding intentions. In other words, you should engage all of your sensory pathways—writing, visualizing, and repeating intentions. This strengthens the neural pathways associated with goals, reinforcing the intention as part of your cognitive and emotional priorities. Her approach provides a scientific foundation for practices traditionally regarded as being only spiritual, positioning them as effective cognitive strategies for creating big changes in your life.
Aligning Science and Spirituality: Consciousness as a Bridge
A unique aspect of Dr. Swart’s work is her openness to blending science and spirituality, considering consciousness as both a scientific and potentially transcendent phenomenon. She suggests that consciousness might extend beyond neural activity alone, framing it as a universal source of creativity and intention.
This view parallels many indigenous and ancient philosophies that regard the mind and body as interconnected, reinforcing the fact that engaging your mind’s full capacity requires integrating emotional, physical, and cognitive health.
Similarly, Dr. Langer’s and Dr. Doty’s research emphasizes self-awareness, underscoring that changing mental habits can lead to measurable outcomes in your health, relationships, and well-being. By examining how the mind influences the body, they invite us to consider whether perception, mindfulness, and self-belief serve as bridges between science and spirituality, allowing us to reshape our experiences actively.
Demystifying Manifestation: Dr. Jim Doty’s Approach to Manifesting Intentions
The notion of manifestation traces back to early philosophies like hermeticism, which asserted that thoughts shape reality. This belief has continued to thrive in our modern culture, sometimes leading to questionable practices or oversimplified interpretations.
Dr. Jim Doty explains that manifesting isn’t magic, nor does it rely on supernatural forces. Instead, it’s rooted in the brain’s ability to filter and prioritize information to pursue what you deem important. Dr. Doty defines manifesting as embedding intentions deeply within the subconscious to increase their likelihood of coming to fruition. This involves setting a clear intention and (just like Dr. Tara Swart) using sensory engagement—writing it down, reading it aloud, and visualizing it repeatedly—to form and strengthen neural pathways in your brain.
This process activates specific regions in your brain, such as the Default Mode Network (DMN), which controls mind-wandering, self-reflection, and narrative formation. For instance, if you struggle with negative self-talk, these self-defeating narratives can embed themselves in your DMN. However, by consistently focusing on positive intentions, it’s possible for you to reprogram this network, creating space for self-affirmation and constructive thinking. This scientific approach emphasizes that manifesting operates more like cognitive training than mysticism, shifting the focus from magical thinking to the power of conscious thought.
Spirituality or Science? A Fusion of Perspectives
Both Dr. Doty and Dr. Swart acknowledge that while manifesting can feel mystical, the underlying mechanism is scientific. As Dr. Swart explains, many of the world’s religious or spiritual practices tap into basic brain functions that amplify focus, determination, and resilience. Meditation, prayer, gratitude, and visualization are all known to engage the DMN and other key networks, which promotes a shift from stress-based responses to more constructive, goal-oriented behaviors.
By grounding these practices in science, these neuroscientists put forth the idea that manifestation can be understood as a universal human capability, not something magical or reserved only for the super-spiritual.
Something that I appreciate about Dr. Tara Swart (because I feel similar) is that she leaves room for a perspective that’s spiritual without being supernatural. She describes the brain as the “Source,” suggesting that our ability to manifest may reflect an innate drive for growth and connection, which many people view as deeply spiritual. And I also love her openness to blending science and spirituality, considering consciousness as being both a scientific and potentially transcendent phenomenon
Dr. Swart’s idea of the brain as a “creative tool” aligns with the notion of a “higher self,” but she frames it as a natural drive rather than a mystical force. I think this approach kind of bridges science and spirituality, allowing us to engage with manifesting in a way that resonates with our personal beliefs, whether rooted in faith, psychology, or self-improvement.
Practical Steps to Manifest (using Neuroscience):
I put together some practical steps inspired by my studies. It’s action time!
Set Clear Intentions: Define what you want to achieve, whether it’s a goal, skill, or quality. Being specific helps the brain recognize relevant opportunities when they arise.
Engage Multiple Senses: Write down your goal, read it aloud, visualize it, and even pair it with a physical action. This multi-sensory engagement strengthens neural pathways.
Practice Consistency: Like building any habit, consistency is key. Regular visualization and affirmation sessions reinforce neural connections and maintain focus on your goals.
Use Positive Self-Talk and Compassion: Dr. Doty emphasizes self-compassion in the face of setbacks or negative self-talk. Instead of letting these thoughts dominate, practice reframing them, allowing space for both positivity and resilience.
Build a Vision Board or Journal: Create visual or written reminders of your goals to keep them “salient.” Dr. Swart suggests using these tools to anchor intentions in daily life, reinforcing your brain’s focus on these aspirations. She also sometimes uses the term “action board” instead vision board.
Reflect on Progress: Reflection reinforces the brain’s sense of achievement, encouraging further action. This step aligns with how the executive control network reinforces progress through active engagement.
The Power of Perception: Dr. Ellen Langer’s Counterclockwise Experiment
Dr. Ellen Langer, a social psychologist at Harvard University, demonstrated the profound impact of perception on aging and physical health in her Counterclockwise study in 1979. This experiment absolutely fascinates me!
She took a group of elderly men to a retreat designed to mimic the year 1959. She encouraged them to act as if they were literally living in that era. Over the course of the study, these men engaged in activities and discussions as if they were younger versions of themselves, surrounded by the music, decor, and media of their younger days. Remarkably, the results revealed notable improvements in physical strength, flexibility, eyesight, and cognitive function.
Dr. Langer’s findings suggested that, because the participants believed that they were younger, it actually helped reverse signs of aging, putting a spotlight on how mental states can directly influence your physical health. This experiment revealed that changing self-perception can bring about physical transformations. This directly challenges traditional ideas of aging. Dr. Langer’s work ultimately emphasizes that your beliefs and the narratives you tell yourself can have a powerful effect on your body. This set the foundation for what we now call “mindful aging” and scientifically demonstrated the value of “acting as if” in self-perception. It blows my mind that this all went down in 1979!
Final Thoughts
For me, the journey of exploring how our minds shape our realities is a fascinating one, deepened by insights from pioneers like Dr. Ellen Langer, Dr. Jim Doty, and Dr. Tara Swart. Their work wonderfully illuminates how our brain’s capabilities, combined with intention and perception, can create very real and tangible changes in our health, mindset, and life overall. The potential within each of us to harness the brain’s inherent power is both awe-inspiring and entirely accessible by everyone, provided we’re willing to take action and put in the work.
As science digs deeper into the brain, it continues to reveal abilities that earlier generations might have considered magical or mystical. Yet, neuroscience hasn’t fully unraveled the mystery of consciousness, which remains one of the greatest unknowns. This “hard problem of consciousness,” as philosophers call it, suggests that there is something beyond our physical brains at work in creating our sense of self and purpose.
For now, “manifesting” sits at an interesting crossroads. On one hand, it relies on scientifically proven methods—like building neural pathways and engaging certain brain networks—that explain why focusing on an intention can guide us toward action. On the other hand, the very existence of these mental capacities invites questions about a purpose beyond mere survival. Perhaps our ability to manifest change, growth, and connection is evidence that consciousness itself has an intentional quality, a drive toward harmony and creativity that transcends physical explanations.
In the end, the origin of our brain’s ability to manifest may remain one of life’s great mysteries. While neuroscience shows us how to use these abilities, it doesn’t fully explain why we find such meaning in them. Maybe manifesting is simply a bridge—a way to align ourselves with a deeper current of life that we sense is there but cannot fully understand.
Whether we view manifesting as a biological advantage, a divine gift, or a bit of both, it offers us a way to actively participate in shaping our lives.
P.S. I’m excited to share that I’ve ordered Dr. Tara Swart’s book, The Source, and will be exploring her perspectives even further. Stay tuned for more reflections on these concepts and how they might deepen our understanding of manifesting, mindfulness, and the bridge between science and spirituality.
Hi Keith - My first visit here. I too am fascinated with manifesting and appreciate your connecting it with science, a field too the too often is seen as exclusive of spirituality. I've read a little of Eckhart Tolle's writing about putting one's intentions out there to the Universe. My understanding and putting this into practice is a work in progress...