Anthony Metivier's Blog, page 25

4 Powerful Ways to Use the Pegword Method [10 Examples Included]

The pegword method is a simple memory technique for remembering lists of information.

I’m talking about lists filled with:

Vocabulary
Study keywords
Names (people, countries, foods)
To-do list items
Historical dates
Medical or legal terminology
Computer programming documentation
… and anything that can be organized into a list

There are a few variations to this technique. We’ll discuss 4 of them on this page.

But first, this is important:

Each pegword system involves three easy stages:

1) Setting up and remembering the system

2) Encoding new information with the system

3) Recalling the information by triggering the system

In the first stage, people learn a standard set of peg words. These “pegs” can be number-rhyme pairs or letters of the alphabet.

The Many Types of Peg System

There are different types of peg systems you can choose from. All of them use the same method: the use of a concrete object to represent each number. What’s different is how you choose the object.

We can divide these approaches into the following categories:

The rhyming method
The meaning method
The alphabet method
The look-alike method

Let’s talk about the rhyming pegs first:

1. The Number Rhyme System

Some people call this approach “the One is a Gun” technique. Many people using this approach have a pre-memorized list like this:

One is a gun
Two is a shoe
Three is a bee
Four is a door
Five is a hive
Six is drum sticks
Seven is Evan
Eight is a gate
Nine is wine
Ten is a hen

As you can see, when using the rhyming method, you create pegs that rhyme with a number to create a pre-memorized list.

In the next stage, memorizers visualize the information they want to remember and mentally link it with the rhyming word.

A High Precision Tutorial On How To Make The Links

Ideally, you don’t make your associations in the void of your mind.

Instead, I suggest you create them in a well-formed Memory Palace.

For example, if you have previously committed “two is a shoe” to memory, you can set a rule that every Magnetic Station in a Memory Palace features that shoe.

Then, when you meet a group of people and the second person tells you her name is Rose, you can instantly see a rose growing out of the shoe.

Mnemonic Example of using the pegword method to memorize the name Rose

Of course, Rose gets special treatment in your Memory Palace after you’ve shot Paul McCartney in the chest on the first station of your Memory Palace.

This will help you remember that someone new goes by the name Paul. On station three, you use the its peg to interact with an image for the next name, and so forth. This scenario is just one example, and very powerful when or other events.

Powerful, isn‘t it?

It gets even better if you’re interested in number systems, but for now, let’s press on.

The Scientific Term For This Kind Of Mnemonic

Some researchers of memory and learning call the product of linking one word to another a composite image or picture.

In today’s example with Rose, I have brought together the peg, the given name and a part of a Memory Palace.

This process creates a singular, mental image that is easy to recall later – especially because I naturally made the image strange, vibrant and drew upon all the Magnetic Modes while creating it.

To put the process more simply, information like Rose‘s name gets ‘pegged’ to certain images. And as you‘ve seen, my preference is to also “peg” information to a Memory Palace at the same time. Everything is co-created in one fell swoop, as much as possible.

Why There’s No Need To Follow The Order

Here’s a very cool feature of this technique:

It is not dependent on retrieving the items you memorized in sequence.

For example, if you want Rose, you don’t have to start with the first piece of information and work your way through the whole sequence. You can access her name or any item on the list simply by thinking of the number rhyme.

To achieve this flexibility, initially, all you have to do is to prepare a list of peg words that can be easily retrieved and link them with other items.

How To Memorize Your Pegs

If you’re using the number-rhyme system, it‘s really quite easy. Rhyming does most of the work.

As a pro tip, always make each object specific.

For example, I don‘t use an abstract gun, but a very specific gun from the movie Videodrome.

A gun from David Cronenberg’s Videodrome. It’s exactly the kind of strange imagery that makes memory techniques work so well.

For 2, I don’t use just any old shoe. I use my favorite shoes from when I was a kid. (They had velcro pockets for holding coins.)

My friend Evan

In each case, try to make each rhyme you choose concrete and specific. For 3 is a bee, I use Jerry Seinfeld from The Bee Movie. For 7, I use my friend Evan instead of something abstract like heaven.

It might take you a few minutes, or even a few hours over a weekend to land on the most specific option possible. It will be worth the effort!

If you’re struggling, you can adopt the Mind Mapping examples here for creating your imagery too. There’s always a way!

How To Mix Your Pegs With The Major System

This method is useful for many things beyond remembering names, shopping lists and errands on your to-do list.

You can use it for remembering new concepts, foreign language vocabulary, ideas, dates, potentially for verse numbers and anything you organize in a linear manner, but that doesn’t necessarily require linear recall.

To remember a date like 1789, you use would use the Major Method or the Dominic System to create images for these numbers.

Then you would link the images to one of your pegs. If assigned to your sixth peg and you are using drum sticks, you might have Tucker Max (17) pounding on a viper (89) with the drum sticks.

Mnemonic Example with Tucker Max and the Green Day Drummer drumming on Cobra Commander

Because I focus on specificity, it’s not just any drum sticks, but the sticks used by the Green Day drummer. It’s not just any viper, but Cobra Commander from GI Joe.

I‘m giving you my specific mnemonic examples for a simple reason:

Making the images concrete and based on real things that have been interesting or important to me in life is part of what helps the memory techniques work better and faster.

You might never have heard of Green Day or played with GI Joe toys. But surely there is a drummer you find interesting and an appropriate image you can use for each of the digits from 00 to 99.

It’s really not rocket science. It just takes a small amount of focus and time after completing a memory course.

2. The Meaning Method

In the meaning method, you create pegs that help you recall the sound and meaning of the words you want to recall later.

For example, to remember the word ‘exploration’ with the rhyming pair (one is a gun), you can visualize ex-cops with guns patrolling an area where oil exploration is taking place.

Take the word “quadrangle,” to give you an additional example.

The most immediate and obvious association is a quad bike. Since a quadrangle has four sides and a quad bike has four wheels, it generally works to cover both sound and meaning.

This approach becomes incredibly streamlined the more you practice. It’s great for language learning, medicine, law, philosophy and any learning area rich with semantic meaning. This method is best used with a Memory Palace.

There is another type of widely used peg system. It uses alphabet letters as pegs.

Let’s check it out:

3. The Alphabet Peg System

Although this technique is essentially a variation on the Number/Rhyme method, it gives you more pegs. You can use it to remember longer lists of items in a specific order.

True, it takes more time to learn than a number-based technique, but rest assured that some people love this approach so much, they have multiple alphabet lists. And having more than one list is one of the core teachings in M.A. Kohain’s underground memory improvement book, Mnemotechnics: The Art and Science of Memory Techniques.

How to Use the Alphabet Method

In this technique, you will associate objects or people based on each letter of the alphabet. Later, you will link these alphabet associations with information you want to memorize.

Please note how I am applying the rule of specificity to each of these examples:

A – Apple laptop (the one I‘m typing this article on)

B – Batman (Michael Keaton version)

C – Chocolate (My favorite kind)

D – Dracula (As played by Bela Lugosi)

E – Elephant (Edgar, who you may have seen on my YouTube channel)

F – Fish (I use Kami the fish)

Kami the Fish, one-time mascot of Kamloops, B.C., Canada

G – Goat (I think of The Jesus Lizard album by this name)

H – House (The movie by this name and its poster)

I – Igloo (specifically the one Pingu built)

J – Jelly (as in the band, Green Jelly)

K – Kangaroo (Hippety Hopper from the Warner Bros. cartoons)

L – Lantern (from Green Lantern)

M – Mouse (Mickey Mouse)

N – Nose (as seen on Michelangelo‘s David)

O – Orange (A Clockwork Orange)

P – Pan (Peter Pan)

Q – Queen (The rock band)

R – Rat (Splinter from Ninja Turtles)

S – Shore (as in Pauley Shore)

T – Turkey (the country on a map)

U – Umbrella (in the hands of Chauncey Gardiner)

V – Van (the one from A-Team)

W – Wagon (Stagecoach, starring John Wayne)

X – Xylophone (I loved the one I had as a kid)

Y – Yarn (my mom knits)

Z  – Zed (from Pulp Fiction)

Once you have associated your images with the letters, you will then peg them to the items you wish to remember. Suppose you have to remember the following list of 10 gift items.

A watch
A DVD of the TV show “Friends”
Camera
A shoulder bag
A scarf
Perfume
A tennis racket
A pen
A tea set
A dress

Next, you will mentally link these items with the images that represent the letters of the alphabet. I suggest you follow the order of letters. For example, the numeric equivalent of the alphabet, a, is 1; b is 2; c is 3, and so on.

Read the list and link them with the images described above, ideally in a Memory Palace. Notice how I am making each example dramatic, dynamic and either exaggerate through action or strange.

10 Mnemonic Examples For The Alphabet System

A – Apple laptop: A watch: Think of Steve Jobs smashing your favorite watch (or a very expensive one) with a laptop.
B – Batman: Imagine this iconic superhero using A DVD of the TV show “Friends” as a replacement weapon to his Batarang.
C – Chocolate: Camera: Human-shaped chocolates are dancing seductively during a photo shoot. The camera nearly melts because it‘s so shy.
D – Dracula: A shoulder bag: Dracula tries to suck blood from a shoulder bag.
E – Elephant: A scarf: An elephant chewing on a scarf as if it were hay.
F – Fish: Perfume: The fish is using the perfume like pepper spray to keep a shark away.
G – Goat: A tennis racket: The Jesus Lizard album “Goat” enters a tennis court and interrupts the game. The tennis racket tries to scare it away by blasting it with music.
H – House: A pen: You use a pen to sign the lease to your dream house… Except it‘s a haunted hose and eats the pen!
I – Igloo: A tea set: You are enjoying a cup of warm tea with your family inside an igloo as Pingu crashes into it.
J – (Green Jelly): A dress: The singer of this band spoils a dress you are about to buy by spreading it with a huge jelly stain.

Recalling the items is easy.

Just bring back the image you associated with each letter. With a bit of practice, you will become a pro.

Remember: You always have multiple chances to recall the target information:

1) You have both image you associated with the letter of the alphabet

2) You have the image for the letter of the alphabet

3) You have the interaction between the two taking place in a Memory Palace

4. The Look-Alike Method

Now, before we conclude, you might be wondering…

Where the heck does this clever memory technique come from?

The Number Shape Peg System

(Origins of the Pegword Method?)

Some people attribute the first peg system to Henry Herdson. He wrote instructions on mnemonics and memory back in the mid-1600s. In Ars Memoriae (1651), Herdson suggested linking each digit from 0-9 with an object that resembles the number.

Examples Of The Number Shape Peg System

For example:

1 = candle

Mnemonic Example of a number shape for 1

2 = duck

3 = mustache

4 = sailboat, and so on.

Herdson’s images don’t sound very specific.

But even if Herdson didn’t use the Magnetic Memory Method, I suggest that you do.

For example, I think of a candle I had burning when I nearly accidentally burned down the house. This specificity makes everything stronger when I use the candle to memorize numbers.

You can find more number image examples in the Magnetic Memory Method Course How to Memorize Math, Numbers, Simple Arithmetic and Equations.

And if you feel like you don’t remember enough of your life to make each image specific enough, try these autobiographical memory exercises:

How Will You Use The Pegword Method?

As you can see, there are a lot of ways you can make pegs. You could use your favorite superheroes and then turn their bodies into Memory Palaces.

For example, Batman could be segmented into his head, shoulders, arms and legs.

There’s no end to the pegs you can create. And never forget:

Every peg can be combined with a Memory Palace for maximum effect.

So what do you say? Are you ready to create some pegs and memorize information?

The post 4 Powerful Ways to Use the Pegword Method [10 Examples Included] appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

Improve Short Term Memory: 7 Easy Steps To Better Memory For Life

Even if it feels like trying to capture the entire cosmos in a jar, it’s actually pretty easy to improve short term memory.

Would you like that?

If so, that’s what you’ll learn to do on this page. Read every word for the facts and some simple memory exercises that will help you improve your overall memory quickly.

But first, we need to establish the nature of this unique memory problem.

What exactly does a problem with short-term memory look like?

A Shocking Portrait Of Short-Term Memory Loss

Imagine the following scenario, inspired by the true-to-life novel about early onset dementia, Still Alice:

You’re in the kitchen, preheating the oven to make a batch of your world-famous brownies. You’ve assembled your ingredients on the counter to prepare your batter… and then the unthinkable happens. You only have one egg left in the carton and the recipe calls for two.

At least… that’s how you remember it.

Frustrated, you grab your keys and head to the store. You remember you’re low on paper towels and need batteries for the TV remote, so you put those in your cart as you navigate the aisles. (Perfect opportunity to create a Memory Palace, isn’t it?)

You pay for your items, load up the car, and drive home. You walk back into the kitchen and feel happy when you see that the oven’s temperature ready for your brownies. And then you realize you forgot the eggs you went to the store for in the first place!

It happens to the best of us. Our short-term memory can be seriously lacking at times. Stress, depression, lifestyle habits like sleep, diet, and exercise, even medications, can cause short-term memory difficulties.

So what do we do? Do we resign ourselves to list-making and app dependency to remember daily bits of information? Are we glued to the smartphone or pen and paper as our lifeline against forgetfulness?

Don’t lose hope. There is a better way. I’ve assembled a step-by-step guide that can help you improve your short-term memory so your next baking session goes off without a hitch.

Keep reading to discover: an actual means of improving short-term memory and examples of short-term memory at work.

A Brief Definition Of Short Term Memory

While we could dive straight into the techniques of improving memory so as to not risk getting bogged down by terminology, it’s important to first define what short-term memory actually is.

We must first note that there is a difference between short, long term, and working memory. And it’s important to note the different memory problems that emerge from each.

While long term and working memory are more complex, short-term memory is simpler, with a two-fold function.

Short term memory is:

An ability to understand sentences, spoken and written. It is, at its most basic, tied closely to comprehension.


The ability to remember small sequences of numbers, such as telephone numbers.

Short-term memory is the type of memory that helps you understand what you are reading.

Without it, you‘d be constantly confused when studying, saying “What did I just read?”

It is also the type of memory that when you see an infomercial on television lets you remember the telephone number to call and order your Flex-Seal or airbrush makeup kit for only three easy payments of $19.95.

The Zen of Improving Short Term Memory

Because memory is so central to our overall brain function, to improve it, we must improve all of our types of memory.

This means tapping into:

Episodic memory
Figural memory
Procedural memory
Semantic memory
Spatial memory and even autobiographical memory. Like this:

The name of the game is comprehensive improvement. Isn’t that what we really desire anyway?

If not, we should.

Why?

Because when we focus on a complete enhancement of all aspects of our memory we will do more than improve our short-term function. We will also transcend the textbook definitions of memory.

And it feels like “Zen” because, once you’re into the rhythm of working on your memory, you’ll wonder why you never did it before. It’s so much fun!

How Anyone Can Hold Far More Than 5-8 Digits In Memory With Ease

We need to look no further than memory competitors who blur the lines of what short-term memory is defined as. The textbook definition suggests one can only keep five to eight digits in memory at once.

Yet, using a simple number system, World Memory Champions like Alex Mullen can memorize a deck of cards in seconds. Although he doesn’t use the Dominic System, I imagine Alex learned a lot from that approach, as can we all.

Memory athlete Alex Mullen

 

Now, you might be looking at the photo above and thinking… Alex is so young!

You’re right, but check out Lynne Kelly who wrote The Memory Code. She’s one of many mature members of our society who do very well in memory competition.

Lynne Kelly, author of The Memory Code

Plus, please understand this important point:

This practice is not just about playing cards and numbers.

When I‘ve given memory demonstrations, I have memorized 20 to 30 names in only the amount of time it took to hear them.

Thus, the boundaries of what short-term memory is called in textbooks is not so strict, so rigid or so limited.

Now that you know that these memory feats come from specific kinds of brain training, it‘s worth repeating this simple fact:

You need a holistic, comprehensive memory training program, ideally one that leads to long-term memory benefits that offer you predictable recall.

How Comprehensive Memory Training Helps (Quickly)

In order to give you long term, predictable recall, the first step is to exercise your spatial memory.

This is where the Magnetic Memory Method and using a robust Memory Palace Network comes into play:

Next, we have elaborative encoding, which I call Magnetic Imagery (sometimes called mnemonic imagery). This mnemonic skill must be sharpened.

How do we become great at creating associations so we can remember more?

There’s no shortcut or quick-fix here. Daily, creative repetition is the key to building a strong foundation on which to build your short-term memory comprehensively.

If you take the time to create your Memory Palaces, then encode them with real and relevant information that is important to your life, you will be far ahead of the game.

Next, practice decoding, or Recall Rehearsal. Used inside a Memory Palace for a meaningful learning project, your short-term memory will be sharpened, improved and ready for use at the drop of a hat.

Step One:

Eliminate The Digital Brain Games

Can apps help improve your memory?

The short answer:

It‘s unlikely.

The longer answer:

Relegating your memory improvement to a device is only marginally beneficial. One of the former leading memory improvement software companies, Cogmed, promised big results with completion of problem-solving and training tasks.

Although some improvement occurred, there was no evidence these results were lasting. In this digital age there is still the need for real, human interaction. In other words, personal, one-on-one training, not artificial intelligence or a simulation, for real, durable results.

This is true for language learning as well. Sure, you may find that you can remember a list of vocabulary or read fluently in a second language with learning software, but true results and comprehensive fluency include conversation. This cannot be accomplished with software alone.

The general rule is to get off apps, not more into them. We are almost glued to our smartphones, immersed in virtual reality, out of touch with the real world. Why add one more notification or thing to be tended to for the computer in our pocket?

Turn off the TV and write a story. Don’t see yourself as an author? …Just try. Put pen to paper and don’t be afraid to suck.

By simply writing a short narrative, you will manage character names, locations and other details in your short-term memory. It’s very powerful.

Step Two:

Keep A Snapshot Journal

Do you remember the rant from Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl?

“Musicians should go to a yard sale and buy an old … drum set and get in their garage and… just suck. And get their friends to come in and they’ll suck, too. And then they’ll …. start playing and they’ll have the best times they’ve ever had in their lives and then all of a sudden they’ll become Nirvana.”

Great advice, but get this:

You don’t have to be a virtuoso to be a musician and benefit from mnemonics for music.

Likewise, you don’t have to be an author to write. When it comes to memory, all you have to do is record the things you enjoy about your life.

The Snapshot Journal I’m using

I’ve recently taken up using a Snapshot Journal, which lets you compare five years in the same diary on a single page.

Since writing is known to improve memory and I love the simple passive memory exercise of remembering a few things from the day before, I snapped one up and have used it daily ever since. It makes a difference.

As a tip, keep your Snapshot Journal open and in a high traffic part of your home. I keep mine by my desk and use it to list movies I‘ve seen, the livestreams I‘ve held and my accuracy with memorizing cards.

Flip back through the pages regularly and see if you can think of things to add.

Again, this is comprehensive memory training. It might not see to relate to short term memory, but by focusing in the present moment deep into your past memory, you are practicing the practice of linking focus and concentration together.

Like writing a bit of fiction, writing about your own life is one of the best and fastest ways to start remembering more in the short term. It improves this aspect of your memory for a simple reason:

Because it’s using it.

Step Three:

Read Daily From Print For Better Memory

Speaking of writing, reading is a great memory exercise.

Walking and reading in Denmark

You retain your focus to comprehend what you’re reading. If you lose the details of what you just read, or you’re constantly having to go back and reread a few paragraphs, don’t fret or turn it into a problem. Simply read again with more purpose and intention. Over time, you can improve your short-term memory by focusing in this way.

And when you find your mind wandering, go with it! Instead of beating yourself up about it, go for a walk and pay attention to the world, untethered from all devices. Simply notice the world and the details of nature. 

This suggestion is just one of the many Alex Pang makes in Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less.

If you don‘t like to think of walking as a positive mind wandering generator, incorporate Recall Rehearsal into the journey. Take advantage of being unplugged to journey through your Memory Palaces as you walk.

Understand that real short-term memory is focused attention and meditation plus mindfulness and memory is true short term memory power.

And to get that focus going, you need to read on an old fashioned device that won’t interrupt you. It’s called a physical book.

If you don’t believe that reading on your phone or from Kindle is ruining your memory, read the facts from this piece on Digital Amnesia.

Step Four:
The Ultimate Memory Exercise for Short-Term Memory “Stretching” 

It’s easy and fun:

Get in the habit of .

Not just the names of the people you meet. Also:

Authors
Musicians
Actors
Politicians
Doctors

Memorizing names is hugely powerful for three reasons.

1. You start consciously paying more attention to names.

This will improve your social skills and create a better first impression on others. (I’d say that’s a pretty great side effect.)

2. Everything you memorize is a name. Every foreign language word or number is effectively a name for an object or concept. If you can memorize names, you can memorize anything.

3. The rapid encoding of names is useful in translating your short-term efforts into long-term results.

Why You Should Memorize Names In Private First

Start this as a private exercise before you attempt this rapid encoding and recall in public.

Go to Wikipedia and press the “random” button until you have a list of 10 names assembled. Or scroll through IMDB and review cast and crew lists of movies.

Or work with the names you already have in your memory. Try to recall lists of past Presidents, or famous composers or poets. The sky’s the limit, so get creative.

Once you’re feeling confident in your work in private, go semi-public. When you see workers with name-tags at the store, or office workers’ desk plaques, make a note of these names in your memory journal and test yourself.

Approached this way, you’re not stressing yourself out. There’s no stakes and you can always win.

When you quiz yourself and you remember a name, give yourself a pat on the back (or post on our memory improvement forum so our community can).

Or if you’re having and make a mistake, just treat it for what it really is: An opportunity for improvement. Win-win.

As you build this skill you’ll be able to eventually take this along as a fun little party trick (that’s also beneficial to your memory).

Anthony Metivier memorizing and recalling names at a memory demonstration in Brisbane

As you meet people, commit their names to memory, then when goodbyes are being said you can announce:

“I memorized everybody’s name here. Would you like to see a fun demonstration?” then recall all the partygoers to everyone’s amazement.

Don’t limit yourself to just names though. You can use this same rapid encoding practice with memorizing prices at the store, playing cards, and, of course, your 00-99 configuration. Take the same principles of recall and use them across the board, as they are truly universal.

Step Five:
The Best and Most Practical Way to Practice Improving STM

Without question, the best and most practical way to improve short-term memory is memorizing names in real time, in public. There are endless opportunities for you to do this:

Meetup.com (joining Meetup groups with like-minded people who share your interests in memory)
First day of school (memorize your classmates names)
Film credits in movies (test as soon as you get home with your date)
Discussions (memorize your “opponent’s” points during arguments so you can refer back to what they said and how they said it.)

As you engage in this exercise in real time you’re not only improving your memory, but human connection as well. You’re honoring the person you’re speaking with by truly paying attention, instead of having a distracted interaction.

Step Six:
Extended Exercises for Long-Term Memory Stretching

Translate this focused attention to the long term by shifting your focus. Instead of small pieces of information, like names, think of large projects that need your attention.

Try learning a foreign language. Use mnemonics to help you memorize both vocabulary and phrases.

Or learn to memorize scripture, poetry, quotes, speeches, and song lyrics.

Try “mixing and matching” this information for even greater benefits.

For example, your goal may be to become fluent in Spanish. Along with your learning of Spanish vocabulary you may memorize works from Spanish poets like Pablo Medina or Martin Espada. When you’re feeling burnout with memorizing poetry, work with your vocabulary and vice versa.

You can also learn to memorize numbers, and go on to number your Memory Palace Network. Anytime you want to increase the challenge, you can.

Step 7: Fix Your Lifestyle

Finally, check out these general memory tips that will help you with both your short and long-term memory.

We often overlook the obvious when it comes to memory wellness, which is tending to our overall wellbeing. I cannot underestimate the benefits of physical health to brain health. There have been numerous studies linking mind and body wellness, and therefore, when exercising our memory, we must remember to care for our bodies as well.

Sleep

This means getting an adequate amount of sleep. Try sleeping without electronic devices in your bedroom and hold yourself to a “computer curfew.” You may be surprised at how much more restful your sleep truly is.

Diet

Evaluate your diet. Eat memory friendly foods and avoid those that destroy memory. If we’re truly honest with ourselves none of us eat as healthily as we should.

Blueberries are just one of several memory boosting foods

Our busy lives often lend themselves to convenience foods or fast foods, rather than true, whole foods that are nourishing to our bodies (and therefore our minds).

Socialize

Also, socialize. Take opportunities to be with other people and often. Speak with them. Pay attention to them and what they’re saying, not only for the short-term memory benefits we discussed, but for yourself. If you’re truly engaged with others, that investment feels good. We crave that interaction as social creatures, so make it count.

Meditate

Meditation is not only a proven way to improve your memory. It sharpens your concentration too.

When I meditate, I recite a lot of material, as well as focus on breathing and a few other exercises.

It is powerful because of the self-observation skills it creates. When you’re in the world, engaging with people and information overwhelm, that extra bit of awareness gives you an edge and you capture more information.

If you’re not a meditator yet, I suggest you give it a try a.s.a.p. and give it at least 4x a week over 3 months before you assess the results.

Conclusion:

“Forget” Short-Term Memory 

To improve short-term memory, you need to practice multiple levels of memory.

The best way to do that is to use comprehensive memory techniques daily. The Memory Palace technique is especially great because it helps you combine all the levels of memory in a streamlined manner. You might even start to experience something like flashbulb memory.

Remember not to get too hung up on the terminology of memory training. Learn it as you go.

Finding the balance between encoding and decoding makes it all simple.

And who knows, maybe your next batch of brownies won’t call for two trips to the corner market.

The post Improve Short Term Memory: 7 Easy Steps To Better Memory For Life appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

An Abundance Of Powerful “Monkey Mind” Meditation Tips with Ben Fishel

We all deal with it. The never ending to-do lists, rushing here, there, and everywhere in our daily lives, like a hamster on a wheel.

From work, to school, family obligations, and social and extracurricular activities we never stop.

But it’s not just our physical bodies that are “all over the place.” It’s our minds as well. It’s like a “monkey mind” is running the show up there!

Unless, of course, you have some of the best monkey mind meditation tips out there.

The kind that show you the way to quiet the noise, perhaps even to silence this uncontrollable, restless mind that haunts our global civilization. 

Think about it…

What if you could exercise self-control mentally in order to make more rational decisions, your best decisions, calmly?

Good news:

You can.

On this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, I sit down with Ben Fishel, author of the upcoming book Project Monkey Mind.

Hanging out with Ben at my favorite Memory Palace, The Menagerie

Ben is a meditation teacher, habitual traveler, and freelance writer.

His blog, Project Monkey Mind, helps professionals boost their creativity and relax their minds. His work has been featured on The Huffington Post, HighExistence, Tiny Buddha, and Pick The Brain.

In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, we discuss the problems of the modern day monkey mind and how, through meditation, self-inquiry and self-discovery you can take steps to quiet it.

Ben shares some principles from his soon-to-be released book, especially regarding his Pyramid of Self and the need for knowing one’s self to make a transformation in your life.

Until the book comes out, grab his 7 Hacks for Monkey Mind Calm Cheat Sheet.

7 Hacks for “Monkey Mind Calm” Cheat Sheet

 

Having control over your mind is possible, peace of mind is possible, and mental clarity, calm, and focus are all within your reach. 

To learn how, all you have to do is scroll up, hit play and discover:

The difference between real change as compared to our expectations of change
Authentic self-help versus spirituality junk and the spiritual junkies it creates
The importance of self-inquiry to discover both who you are and who you aren’t
How a “hyper-egoic” consciousness due to social media can be detrimental to quieting the self-referential mind
The benefits of finding a balance between goals and the karma yoga idea of letting go of outcomes
Ben’s Pyramid of Self, a relationship between ego, narratives about yourself, your biology, and higher cause
How the ego can provide a false sense of being bulletproof, and the drawbacks to such an attitude
Why we should always be skeptical, or critical of gurus as the end all, be all to answering life’s big questions
The human condition of coping (or not) with uncertainties
How freedom and individual sovereignty are related and how to achieve them
How meditation brings a needed silence that doesn’t come to the body naturally

 

Further Resources on the Web, This Podcast, and the MMM Blog:

Ben’s guided meditations on InsightTimer

Ben’s YouTube Channel

Walking Meditation: 3 Memory Improving Ways to Walk Yourself Into Bliss

How to Improve Concentration and Memory Buddha Style

The Wise Advocate: Become A Better Leader of Your Memory

How to Stop Punishing Yourself When You Say Stupid Things

The post An Abundance Of Powerful “Monkey Mind” Meditation Tips with Ben Fishel appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

Katie Kermode On Memory Competition and Casual, Everyday Mnemonics

Do you ever wonder how memory competitors get so good at their craft?

Do they have some secret method that the Average Joe can’t begin to comprehend?

Is there a memory secret society that’s only available to those who participate in the competition world that you and I would never be able to access?

Good news:

Memory competitors are just like you. They have their strengths, weakness, and, believe it or not, have the time to have a life outside of memory training!

On today’s episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, I sit down with Katie Kermode, a memory champion and competitor from the United Kingdom, to discuss her memory journey.

Competing for over two decades, Katie is ranked 16th place in the world for memory competitors and is a four time memory world record holder.

She is also a professional translator and proofreader, memory coach, and is the creator of memorization and recall software used at the IAM World Memory Championships in 2018.

If you are struggling with finding the time to devote to memory training…

If names or dates elude you in information memorization…

Or if you think the end all, be all to strengthening your memory is a memory system just out of reach for the everyday memory improvement enthusiast…

This podcast is for you.

Click play above now and discover:

The “right” age to begin memory techniques with children and how to motivate them to use these techniques from a young age
How to make the most of limited time for memory training
Using natural association patterns to
Variances in techniques from memory competitors to casual users of mnemonics (and why there is no singular approach to memory training that is “best”)
Having a memory system vs. memory principles to build your own method
The benefits of memory software for memorization and recall
How to revolutionize attitudes about memory training in the digital age (without developing Digital Amnesia)
Memorization in competitions versus real life application
The benefits of attaching information to people along a Memory Palace journey

Further Resources on the Web, This Podcast, and the MMM Blog:

– Katie Kermode’s Official Website

– Katie Kermode’s Twitter

– Katie Kermode on Nelson Dellis’s Mind Show

– The International Association of Memory

– IAM on Facebook

– Katie’s Memory Software

– Next Level Memory Training Secrets with USA Memory Champion John Graham

– Nelson Dellis on the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast (episode referenced in this one)

– Idriz Zogaj’s Discussion on Memory Training Apps

Stats about Katie (Records and Memory Titles):

World Record in 5-minute Names (105)
World Record in 15-minute Names (224)
World Record in 15-minute Words (318)
World Record in Memory League Words (50 in 51.31 seconds)
MSO Memory Champion 2018
MSO Memory Champion 2017
UK Memory League Champion 2016
UK Memory Champion 2012

About Katie’s Software:

This memory training software features these competition formats:

National Standard
International Standard
World Championship Standard
 Includes free memory training across these memory disciplines:

numbers
names
5 minute words
dates
cards
images
binary

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Flashbulb Memory: When, Why And How Vivid Recall Seizes Your Mind

Do you have a “flashbulb memory“?

Here’s a simple memory test:

Do you remember where you were and what you were doing during the 9/11 attacks?

If so, in how much detail… exactly?

After all, 9/11 was one of the most mentally impacting world events millions of people not only remember. They remember it vividly.

What does vivid mean in this context?

For example, you might recall exactly what activity you were performing when you learned about the attack. Myself, I was in Stong College on the York University campus, just before a class.

It’s an irrelevant detail in the overall scope of my life, but the fact that I remember so much minutia is precisely the point.

For example, I was in the cafeteria reading that morning. My phone rang and my friend Andrew said, “Find a TV.”

I remember it vividly, down to the fact that my eyes traced the sky through the window and instantly fell upon an airplane.

But here’s the problem:

This memory I have about seeing an airplane through the window might not be accurate.

In fact, chances are that it’s a flashbulb memory. Just like the time I spent with Tony Buzan, which we’ll talk about in a minute.

But before we define this concept and talk about some powerful memory exercises, let’s look at the history of this term:

Flashbulb Memory Defined

The term flashbulb memory refers to a long lasting vivid memory of the circumstance around the time of receiving a shocking or surprising piece of news or event.

Coined as a metaphor in the 1970s, it refers to the feeling of mentally capturing a complete scene in a single moment.

But more than just feeling like you‘ve taken a mental snapshot, the idea is that your mental image includes a ton of information. I‘m talking about everything from the most crucial details to the most mundane ones.

Even more:

It’s the feeling that the memory will last indefinitely, almost as if it were a photograph.

These memories have intrigued memory researchers for decades. Some consider flashbulb memory as a kind of autobiographical memory, which is the recollection of events you have personally experienced.

Typically, individuals involved as subjects in memory studies feel extremely confident about their recollections of events like 9/11.

However, in reality, researchers find that flashbulb memories are mostly haphazard and incomplete.

Why? Because many factors affect your memory. These may include:

Shock
The personal importance you place on the event
Emotional states
Surrounding objects
People in the environment
Locations
Activities at the time

These factors and more condition the subsequent ways you might experience flashbulb memories.

Why People Encode Memories “In A Flash”

When your brain experiences something traumatic, it often establishes a sharp mental image of that particular event.

Keep in mind that “mental imagery” is not necessarily visual. Yet, many people do describe being able to re-envision detailed information. It’s almost as if their memory of an event is like photograph.

When you consider the kinds of things that become flashbulb memories, our brains usually base them on traumatic events.

More often than not, they are public events.

This tendency means that people around also us experienced the events. As a result, they wind up being discussed often.

You not only experience such events via television or on the Internet, but you re-experience them multiple times while talking about them in multiple places with multiple people.

Of course, not all such memories involve tragedy.

Some other examples of flashbulb memories might include the birth of your child, college graduation, or getting your first job. These events might stand out as monumental events or milestones in your life.

For example, meeting Tony Buzan is a personal example from the world of memory training.

The reason why is that I was so overwhelmed by many emotions, especially given the personal attention he paid to me.

But that doesn’t mean my memories of the time we spent together are accurate. Far from it!

A Quick and Simple Memory Exercise

Have you ever met someone famous who touched your life?

Go ahead and think it through.

Even if you just saw them from a distance, take note of the memory and describe it.

Then think more about the memory. Think about all the times you told the story to others. You’ll probably have experienced it multiple times.

When it comes to celebrity encounters and historical events, you almost always discuss them multiple times with different people in a variety of locations.

I have another flashbulb memory from working with celebrities Dominic Purcell, Edward Furlong and director Uwe Boll

The conclusion is therefore simple:

If flashbulb memories like these have the tendency to last for life, it is because our sharing behaviors ingrain them in our minds.

The Truth About Flashbulb Memory

Aside from being referred as a type of autobiographical memory, many researchers now believe these memories are prone to many fallacies and errors.

Why?

As mentioned, our feelings, emotions, and multiple repetitions change the actual accounts of the events in memory.

As much as we would like to think that our memories regarding numerous events are accurate and foolproof, multiple studies show the opposite. We now know that flashbulb memories alter with time as we go through more life experiences.

As memory expert Stephen Kosslyn has shown in The Case for Mental Imagery, the locations of or memories also change location in the brain.

Therefore, recollections that might appear certain, vivid and clear have almost certainly been “tainted” by external occurrences and factors.

Don’t worry. As we’ll see, this fact is not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to memory improvement training.

Flashbulb Memory Vs. Eidetic Memory

Consider the following study:

Researchers asked 54 undergraduate students to record their memory regarding the 9/11 attacks.

They asked how and where participants learned about the attack, what were they doing and if they were with someone when they heard the news.

This is not the “eidetic memory” image most people have of 9/11. What’s yours?

The scientists also asked about how clearly participants could envision their memories. They wanted to know just how certain people were about their recollections being accurate.

Next, they asked the participants the same questions about other memorable events.

Time Changes Your Memory!

Finally, the researchers compared how ordinary memories and flashbulb memories change over time.

To do this, they asked the same questions after one week, one month and then following seven months.

The researchers concluded that, while the ordinary memory and flashbulb memory were consistent for a week, the passing of time significantly reduced consistency.

Strangely, participants believed that their flashbulb memory was more accurate as compared to their ordinary memory.

In fact, some people even believed that they were experiencing eidetic memory (often called photographic memory).

Eidetic memory refers to an individual’s ability to vividly recall information from memory with minimal exposure and without using any mnemonic devices.

Whereas some people use the terms photographic memory and eidetic memory interchangeably, they can be distinguished.

Eidetic memory is the ability to view an image for a few minutes and then recall it with detailed precision. Photographic memory on the other hand, is the mythical ability to recall text or numbers in great detail.

To be clear:

Eidetic memory seems to be real. Photographic memory, on the other hand, has not been found to actually exist, at least not in humans.

Moreover, while flashbulb memories are often inaccurate, some studies have found that eidetic memories can be accurate.

Can You Really Enhance Your Eidetic Memory?

Even though eidetic memory is rare among individuals, you can try to enhance it, or at least boost your overall memory through various memory improvement exercises. Here are the three main techniques that might help in enhancing your memory:

The Memory Palace

The Memory Palace is a mental recreation of a familiar building or place. The main aim of the Memory Palace is to assist your ability to retain important information by placing symbols in a sequence in that imaginary building. I call these symbols “Magnetic Imagery” and each image is built from the “Magnetic Modes.” There are many terms for the Memory Palace technique, ranging from:

Roman Room
Method of Loci
Journey Method
Mind Palace

…and many more that essentially describe “location-based mnemonics.” Overall, there are more similarities than differences, so please don‘t get hung up on the terminology.

As one of the greatest memory exercises ever invented, the Memory Palace lets you leave behind information you want to remember in specific areas of the mental building through a process of association.

For instance, you will use familiar rooms or objects you can easily link to the target information. The technique works because it transforms semantic information into a sequence of images, primarily by tapping into your episodic memory.

All of this happens while you also associate both the target information and the mental imagery to a physical location. In other words, you are tapping into spatial memory as well.

There are numerous Memory Palace exercises that can help you in boosting your memory. I suggest you experiment with as many as you can.

The Memory Peg

The Memory Peg technique is like the Memory Palace.  This technique includes a two-stage method.

The first stage involves learning a standard set of peg words that are typically 10 number-rhyme pairs.

The second stage includes visualizing the information you want to remember and linking it with the rhyming word. Memory expert Bruno Furst was a major proponent of this technique.

Memory Boosting Brain Exercise

These exercises can potentially help in improving your eidetic memory. Or you can try following these steps:

Closing your eyes and imagine that you are looking at a famous painting. It might be the Mona Lisa or Girl with the Pearl Earring.
Focus on what happens in your mind when you imagine this painting.

Ask yourself: Do you really need to picture every small detail to get a clear impression? In most of the memory training exercises, visualization is actually not necessary.


Next, I want you to shift gears.  Focus on the last conversation you held with someone.
Start filling in the details of that conversation in your mind. Think of the phrases you used, the words, the features of that person, as well as the location and any other details you can bring to mind.
Observe how your memory works and changes as you complete the exercise.
Perform this same exercise with a piece of music.

You will soon realize that the whole notion of eidetic memory really doesn’t matter. Nor should attaining an eidetic memory definition be your goal.

What matters most is that you exercise your recall abilities and explore what “vivid memory” means to you. You don’t need eidetic memory or anything else if you just focus on exercising your memory as you experience it.

Memory expert Gary Small has even more memory tips that will help you prove it for yourself. Or you can just get this free memory course:

Context Is The Key

In sum, flashbulb memories are usually tied to monumental events and historical milestones. But these aren’t what create them. They are generally created when events come loaded with a certain emotional or personal link that leads to multiple exposures over time.

This combination of events plus repetition in multiple contexts makes them stand out from the mundane features of everyday life. Flashbulb memory has as much to do with your perception of the world and your social setting following events as it does with memory.

For example, if I had met Tony Buzan, but had no interest in memory or people to speak about memory week after week, it is quite likely that I would not experience a flashbulb memory every time I hear his name.

The depth of memory comes from multiple contexts that naturally involve repetition. And the emotional nature of the meeting must be kept in mind when thinking about how accurate I remember it. Luckily, I kept in touch with Tony via and was honored to review his book, Mind Map Mastery.

If you want to keep accurate details of the major events and milestones of your life, try this:

Instead of focusing on forming eidetic memory or photographic memory, take up the memory exercises we teach on the Magnetic Memory Method blog, vlog and podcast.

Doing so will increase the likelihood of enjoying a more accurate memory that helps you easily recall more information throughout your life. All without worrying when your memory has altered with passing of time.

It will, and that’s not a bad thing at all.

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The Dominic System: What It Is And Why People Love It

Dominic O’Brien suffered from ADD and dyslexia.

But that didn’t stop him from winning the World Memory Championships… not once but eight times.

Memory accomplishments like these are not very common!

Even less common is going on to develop a memory system that changes the entire world.

Where does this ingenious system come from?

O’Brien developed the Dominic System after getting inspired by watching Creighton Carvello memorize a card deck on television.

O’Brien’s innovative mnemonic system has since become popular because of how it allows people to utilize their minds for accomplishing outstanding feats.

As a result, O’Brien is considered one of the world’s foremost memory experts. He has been reaching individuals, and helping them utilize their memories through his various books and training programs, for decades.

What is the Dominic System?

A mnemonic system, the Dominic System is utilized for remembering sequences of numbers that are similar to the mnemonic major system.

O’Brien built his approach on a core arrangement we usually call the Major System. You’ll learn more about that in a minute.

All such systems work by helping people associate numbers with something else. And a core innovation Dominic O’Brien brought to the game was focusing on individuals in place of objects. He changed this focus because individuals are much easier to remember than objects.

In this system, sometimes called “Hotel Dominic,” the mnemonist (i.e. you) converts numbers into letters. These letters are utilized to create people’s initials. Each individual’s name is then linked to an action.

How is it Different from the Major System?

The Major System is usually ideal for basing words on numbers linked to consonants. Like this:

For instance, the number 12 might be ‘tin’, which is not easy to remember than ‘Al Bundy’. The number 84 could be ‘fire’ which means the sequence 1284 would mean ‘a tin on fire’.

Of course, one perceived weakness of the Major is that it only lets you encode two-digit numbers.

This is actually not a problem. For example, you can combine the Major with a number shape system, as I’ve done here with 358:

A Major System Mnemonic Example for the number 358

In this example, a famous mailman is shoving the mail into a snowman. (In the Major, 35 suggests the word “mail” and 8 looks like a snowman.)

Notice that I am using a very specific mailman. (Let me know in the comments if you recognize him.)

Why?

Because the brain is much more likely to react to the increased level of specificity. That’s why I suggest you always selecting characters to link with a number on the basis of familiarity no matter what system you use.

Is It Worth The Time?

True, covering 00–99 with familiar characters and names will require effort and time.

But it will be worth it! Having any kind of system will help you save the struggle and time in the future when you want to remember a sequence of numbers. Numbers like:

Bank accounts
Credit card numbers
Insurance numbers
Birthdates of family members
Emergency numbers
Numbers involved in programming
Historical dates
Applications in memorizing music
Tools for learning numbers in foreign languages with greater ease

Simply put, it only makes sense to learn a number system.

But it’s worth repeating:

Be specific.

The mnemonic imagery of many beginners can be bland and abstract.

Avoid this mistake.

Boring imagery makes it too complex to exaggerate. That’s the major reason people struggle.

Why is such imagery so difficult?

The answer is simple:

It is not easy to associate an abstract idea with a vague image in a sequence. (Unless you have these visualization exercises.)

For instance “a pen fights with a bottle” will never be as memorable as “Thor fights with George Bush.”

Mnemonic Example of the Dominic System with Thor and George Bush

When utilizing specific individuals, your brain has the ability to visualize them in a more effective way. You can further enhance your ability of getting a mental image with the memory systems by performing visualization exercises.

The emphasis O’Brien placed on being specific when selecting the character has helped many people. memorize longer sequences of numbers.

However, this point is important:

This Is A P.A. System, Not A P.A.O. (Person Action Object) System

The Dominic System is a Person-Action system. If you want to learn a full P.A.O. please watch this video about creating your first P.A.O. list:

How Does The Dominic System Work?

In the Dominic system, you have to break long numbers into two digits. Each pair of digits represents an individual doing a certain action. The numbers are converted into letters for number by utilizing the rules mentioned below for easy remembrance:

The digit 0 is O
Initial five digits (1 – 5) become the initial five alphabets (A –E)
The digit 6 is S due to similar sounds
The digits 7 and 8 becomes G and H
The digit 9 becomes N due to similar sounds

With a little effort, you will be able to learn these substitutions, making it easier to learn this system. Here it is visualized

When you memorize this table, go on to learn the next step.

Determining Names for Digit Pairs

Start by noting down the numbers from 0 all the way to 99. Review all these numbers and mentally translate them into Dominic letters. Notice if any initials are suggesting anything. For instance, the digits 20 become BO. It might suggest a Buddhist meditating under a Bo tree. It might suggest something else to you.

Typically, the pairs have no associations or meetings. However, there are some exceptions.

For example, 07 can be associated with James Bond, 13 can be associated with bad luck, 100 can be associated with a century, 16 can be associated with sweet sixteenth birthday, and so on.

Always utilize whatever the first link is formed in your mind when you look at the pairs as this will be the most effective way to continue this system.

Assigning Actions to Names

The character you select must also have an associated action, which is unique throughout your list of 100 names. Therefore, if you have utilized Serena Williams for 60 then avoiding using Andre Agassi for 11. Since for both you will associate playing tennis as an action.

The Dominic system distinguishes actions from characters in order to remember longer numbers. Therefore, the action you select must be “performable” by other selected characters. Therefore, select the actions that are obvious and distinctive for an individual.

How Do You Make This Memory System Work?

In order to make this system work for you, it is best to create the list of names with a mixture of celebrities, your friends and family members.

There would be certain letters that will give obvious solutions. For instance “Ho” suggests Santa Claus riding his sleigh.

If you get stuck thinking of characters and associated actions, you can look at sample lists for ideas.

However, keep in mind that it is better to create your own names and associations. Copying someone else’s list would be difficult for you to remember, unless the list includes famous characters and associated actions that you are pretty familiar with.

Here is a list of possible characters you could create using this technique:

00 (Olive Oyl) – going on a date with Popeye
22 (Bugs Bunny) – stealing a carrot
86 (Hans Solo) – on his spacecraft

You can assign names to each digit and then associate a relatable action to help you remember.

For more, check out the 3 Most Powerful Memory Techniques for Memorizing Numbers.

Memorizing Two Digits

So, if you want to remember the house number of your friend which is 86, all you have to do is imagine Hans Solo piloting his spacecraft to your friend’s apartment’s roof. It crashes on the roof or laser cannons are being shot to save the people from an alien invasion. This will make it rather easy for you to remember the house number.

Memorizing Three Digits

You can easily memorize three digits by linking the image you have created for the initial two digits with the shape or rhyme of the third digit. For instance, 244 could be something like Bugs Bunny stealing a carrot. For the action, Bug could be running away using a boat! Just imagine the glee on Bugs Bunny’s face as he successfully sails his boat with a carrot in his mouth.

Memorizing Four Digits

You can memorize four digits by simply splitting the numbers in pairs. Utilize the image of the character you have assigned to the first digit with the associated action for the second digit. For instance, if you want to memorize the sequence 8042 (Santa Clause) and (David Beckham), you can picture Santa Clause trying to help David Beckham score the winning goal!

Memorizing Longer Numbers

Memorizing longer numbers is easy too since you can simply break them down into pairs and a single digit, if any is left over. You can utilize a sequence of a character, associated action, character action, and then form a story through these images in mind.

For instance, you want to remember a café’s phone number 68221656. There here: 68 will be Sherlock Holmes, 22 (action) will be Olive Oyl (dating), 16 will be Arnold Schwarzenegger, and 56 (action) will be Scissorhands (cutting bushes).

You can now form a story with these images that can be linked to the phone number of the café. For instance, Sherlock Holmes is sitting in a restaurant dating Olive Oyl and Arnold Schwarzenegger enters the café with Edward Scissorhands and starts cutting off the plants in the café.

Who wouldn’t remember such a story?

Pitfalls You Must Avoid

Believe it or not, people search the internet for a Dominic system generator.

But that’s not the real skill here.

The skill is to use the system to match what you already have in your memory with a phonetic number system that allows you to translate numbers into letters.

Put in the work and you will receive the benefits. Otherwise, you risk deskilling your creativity and locking yourself outside of the very same skill you’re trying to develop.

Dominic O’Brien about to memorize a deck of playing cards

Memorizing a Deck of Cards

While the Dominic system is utilized to memorize longer numbers, you can also use it for remembering other sequences like deck of cards.

This works by systematically associating numbers with cards.

For instance, if you associate the nine of clubs with 39 then you can associate Chuck Norris (3+9) in a story where he is using 9♣ in an active way.

This is definitely a powerful memory technique that you can use to your advantage if you have any of these 13 reasons to memorize cards.

But of course, you will have to invest a good deal of time and effort to prepare the sequence beforehand to fully benefit from the Dominic system.

It might be the right memory system for you, however, so get some training materials and learn how to complete a memory course with these tips.

Should You Use The Dominic System or The Major System?

Now that you know the difference, you have more insight that will help you choose.

But, at the end of the day, it’s entirely up to you.

I personally find the Major a more direct method of creating relationships between numbers and letters that leads to more solid word and image creation.

Yet, I’ve heard from many people who absolutely love the Dominic System. Some people are even able to use O’Brien’s images without creating any of their own. David Thomas is one example I’ve heard from. He broke the Guinness World Record for memorizing Pi in 1998 (22,500 digits) using “Hotel Dominic” virtually unchanged.

That is not only utterly amazing.

It’s also a demonstration of just how powerful O’Brien’s contribution to the art, craft and science of memory improvement this number memorization system has been.

 

Recommended Readings

O’Brien, Dominic. (1994). How to Develop a Perfect Memory. Trafalgar Square

O’Brien, Dominic. (2000). Learn to Remember : Practical Techniques and Exercises to Improve Your Memory. Chronicle Books

O’Brien, Dominic. (2003). How to pass exams. England: Duncan Baird Publishers.

O’Brien, Dominic. (2014). How to Develop a Brilliant Memory Week by Week: 50 Proven Ways to Enhance Your Memory Skills. Watkins Publishing

O’Brien, Dominic. (2016). You Can Have an Amazing Memory: Learn Life-Changing Techniques and Tips from the Memory Maestro. Watkins Publishing

The post The Dominic System: What It Is And Why People Love It appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

How to Rapidly Complete A Memory Course: Tips And Guidelines

Ever signed up for a memory course or read a memory improvement book and thrown your hands up in the air?

If so, that frustration ends today. You’re about to learn some simple guidelines for completing and benefiting from any memory training course you take.

I’ll show you how to cross any barriers or obstacles you encounter along the way too.

What kind of barriers?

How about the ugly situation where someone takes many classes and loses their notes on a computer?

I’ll share that story with you in a moment.

Better:

I’ll show you how to never lose your precious notes from the courses you take again – a hard learned lesson I hope no one ever has to suffer!

But first…

You Deserve A Big Compliment!

Let me pay you a compliment and congratulate your for your interest in completing a memory improvement course.

In fact, I’d like to pay you that compliment in person with this video:

Why the compliment?

Simple:

Not everyone is so considerate to the long-term health of their brain, nor the short-term benefits that come from learning how to train your memory.

These benefits include more than just remembering information and having more “memory power,” after all.

You’ll also experience:

Enhanced focus and concentration
Mental clarity
Improved confidence
Boosts in your professional competence
Improved emotional control
Increased critical thinking skills

And that’s just for starters.

The Key Reasons People Do Not Complete The Courses They Begin

The question is…

How are you going to get yourself to complete the course? From beginning to end? And why do you need to complete the course in such detail?

These are important questions, and luckily there are answers.

First, let’s understand the key reasons people do not complete courses.

It’s rarely a lack of discipline or a problem with the courses.

In fact, the first problem usually comes from the fact that people want to instantly have the skills they hope to acquire.

And when they see that there’s still some distance to go between wanting the memory skills and having them, the brain can feel overwhelmed.

The Brain Pain Secret Behind Failing To Complete Courses

According to learning and memory expert Barbara Oakley in Mindshift, the insular cortex of the brain fires off a pain signal.

It’s possible the brain creates a pain response to the sight of anything that requires effort to cause you to preserve energy.

We don’t know exactly why our brains do this, but the Savanna Hypothesis would suggest that we are evolutionarily designed to preserve energy for when we need to quickly move for survival.

This would explain why pain is usually only a motivator when we’re suffering so much we have no choice but to take action.

But when the pain subsides by doing nothing, we’re instantly satisfied with the return to a state of no pain.

How to Deal With Overwhelm

Now, it might be hard to understand why what I’ve just said can help you complete a memory training course.

But here’s the thing:

Knowledge truly is power.

And the reason I include relaxation training in all of my memory courses is because I once felt that pain too.

Fortunately, I knew about the body’s propensity to create pain and the Savanna Hypothesis.

This insight into why the brain makes things that should be so simple seem so difficult has helped me immensely in many areas of life.

So the first thing you should do is learn to first recognize when a learning task has triggered overwhelm.

Then learn to associate that overwhelm with relaxation. I suggest meditation, which also improves focus and concentration.

How the Internet Has Corroded Our Ability To Learn

Second, it’s important to understand that the Internet has changed how we look at information.

Whereas we once appreciated the structure of books that a variety of thinkers innovated over hundreds of years, now we scroll and swipe through content.

These behaviors have changed how we perceive content and created something called “dual path readership.”

This term means that we’re often grazing through content. That’s absolutely no way to help us improve our focus and concentration whatsoever!

The Internet has created many genius innovations that help us quickly perceive what an article is about, but at the cost of making it difficult for our eyes to focus on what used to be normal paragraphs. Now we call them “walls of text.”

Likewise with videos.

Anything over ten minutes seems like an eternity.

Worse, we’ve often trained ourselves to watch videos at 2x speed while we have 32 other tabs open and are engaged in other activities, often on other devices.

It’s not uncommon for people to also have a smart phone or tablet beside their laptop while both of them chime and draw our attention away from the training that will help us the most.

This learning environment creates Digital Amnesia.

Why The “Hunter-Gatherer” Impulse Is Ruining Our Brains

Finally, it’s important to realize that the Internet has switched on our the gatherer part of our “hunter-gatherer” nature. We scour the net and bookmark information or download PDFs we’ll read later.

All too often, later never comes because we’re already off gathering a bunch of resources for the next subject we want to learn about. The promises of hypertext that are still truly rewarding and powerful have also become the enemy.

So, given this “new normal,” what do we as learners of memory courses do?

We’re going to protect our schedule, shield ourselves from interruptions of all kinds and use a bit of ancient technology to help guide our path.

And as soon as you know how to do these things, I want you to register for this:

How To Protect Your Schedule When Completing A Memory Course

Let’s talk about protecting your schedule first.

This practice is quite easy.

Count the time

If you enter a video course, first count all the videos. You can either estimate or count the minutes required for all the videos and add them up.

You now have a picture of how much time you need to go through the content.

Plan of attack

Next, if you want to memorize information fast, design a plan of attack.

For example, if the video course amounts to an hour, get out your calendar and plan out 4, 15 minute viewing sessions.

If it’s 6 hours, figure out how you can get through the content over a week in short blasts of time that are right for you.

Scale back

As a pro tip, whatever you think you can handle, scale back by five minutes or so. If you think you can sit and watch a video without interruption for 20 minutes, scale back to fifteen minutes.

I make this suggestion because many people overestimate their discipline.

They often underestimate it too, and I personally find that this technique makes sure I’m more or less in the middle of what is the true amount of time I can sit through a video course.

Being realistic is one of your best weapons when it comes to organizing your time.

After that, it only makes sense to go through a course from beginning to end without skipping around. We’ll talk more about how to do this in just a bit.

How To Shield Yourself From Distractions

Next, you’ve got to shield yourself from distractions.

First, you have the environmental distractions of where you watch your memory training courses.

If there are people moving around and making noise, you won’t be able to concentrate.

Perhaps you can get away with watching video courses in a cafe, but I’ve always preferred a quiet corner of a library.

The human traffic is minimal and it makes it easy to take quick breaks by looking at interesting books or just gazing out the window for a while.

Why You Must Turn Off The Competing Devices

Second, you have the distractions of your devices.

Personally, I like to leave my smart phone at home.

I can’t always do it depending on how I might need to connect with my wife, but usually she’ll know where to find me and those sessions without being tethered to technology are pure bliss.

Not only will no one be able to interrupt me via the phone. I won’t be able to interrupt myself because there is no device to look at.

Browser tabs are a bit trickier when watching an online memory course.

But you can still close all of your tabs and have just the one needed for your course open.

I love a Chrome extension called OneTab for rapidly funneling all of my tabs into a single tab for opening again later when a project requires me to have a bunch of them open.

How to Guide Your Own Path Through An Online Memory Course

Third, you need to guide your path through the course.

I use an ancient device called a “notebook” for note-taking.

And it’s very simple to open up to a fresh page and write down the words “video one.”

Underneath that heading, jot down the notes pertaining to that video before moving on to “video two.”

I know this is painfully obvious and complete common sense. But I’m making the suggestion precisely because common sense just isn’t that common.

My Top Secret Video Course Index Card Method

The great thing about this note taking strategy is that it helps you keep track of where you are in the course in a linear format and look back through your notes in the order of the videos you watched.

I don’t always use this technique, however. Sometimes I will use index cards.

For the notes pertaining to video one, I will place “V1” in the bottom right corner. Then for all the cards pertaining to video 2, I’ll put “V2” and so on.

Like this:

This course-taking technique is useful for two purposes.

First, if I want to memorize anything from the course, it’s easy to flip quickly through the cards and pull out just the ones with information I want to memorize.

The index cards can then be placed in a logical order or order of preference for any number of reasons and corresponded with Magnetic Stations in a Memory Palace.

Secondly, if I later want to write an article, I can likewise pull out whichever cards I might like to refer to in the article.

In both cases, it’s an easy matter to reassemble the cards according to the video they belong to because they’ve all been marked.

And if you’re worried that you’ve lost the exact order in which you took the notes, don’t be.

You can always add another digit, such as “V1.1” to indicate that a card belongs to video one and is the first note you took from that video.

Likewise, “V2.7” would indicate the seventh note you took from the second video.

The Amazing Re-Assembled Note Taking Trick

In this way, you’ll easily be able to reassemble your notes. And in case you’re wondering, yes I do this and it is in fact exactly how I researched my dissertation, multiple scholarly articles and many of my books.

And to keep the individual books and video courses I took notes on cards together, I stored them in individual ziplock baggies and then arranged these inside of shoe boxes.

Super low tech and kind of nerdy, I know.

But back when I wrote my dissertation, backing up your computer wasn’t so easy and there was no such thing as “cloud computing” (at least not to my knowledge).

The Horrible Grad Student Story You Don’t Want To Experience

More than once, I saw my fellow graduate students lose hundreds of hours of work because they had pumped their notes into computers they didn’t back up on floppy disks and they had to start again.

One person I recall even dropped out of the doctoral program altogether because the devastation of starting over again was just too much to handle.

That tragic story aside, the point here is to give your mind something to do while focusing on the memory course and have a powerful means of revisiting your notes.

Plus, by handwriting your notes, you’ll get several additional learning benefits.

As Gary Dean Underwood, one of our cherished MMM Mastermind members recently noted:

The same principle applies to any memory course you take, and indeed any training you might invest time, money and energy into completing.

Focus Is The Key

So what do you say?

Do you think these simple recommendations might help you dive into a course and complete it over a few days or less?

Myself, I had to learn these tactics and strategies through a ton of trial and error. Like everyone else, I love shortcuts and anything that lets me skip to the head of the line.

But I learned long ago when watching how my fellow university students struggled with their books that the shortcut is often just buckling down and getting the reading done.

It never takes nearly as long as one thinks, and it’s really the bouncing around from one thing to the next that takes up most of the time.

Focus, my friends, and understand how and why focus falls apart. Knowledge truly is power, but only when it’s applied.

You really cannot afford to not finish the courses you start, so let me know if this helped you and keep the conversation going below.

The post How to Rapidly Complete A Memory Course: Tips And Guidelines appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

How to Memorize Scripture And Verse Numbers In 5 Minutes Or Less

Need help memorizing scripture and want an easy and fast way to do it?

You’re in the right place.

On this page, you’ll learn how to memorize scripture quickly and make it stick for the long-term.

All by spending no more than 5 minutes per day.

Better:

You’ll learn to create a robust Memory Palace Network to do all the heavy lifting.

You’ll also learn how to create effective associations to use within your Memory Palaces. This “Magnetic Imagery” will pop any verse back into your mind almost instantly.

You’ll next learn how to follow-up for long-term recall and the bad memory habits you must avoid.

Are you ready?

Great – let’s go!

Why Memorize Scripture?

Before getting started with your strategy for memorizing scripture, it will be helpful to put some thought into why you’re doing it.

Here are some reasons:

Memorizing scripture creates an internal source of inspiration
By having scripture memorized, you will feel closer to your traditions
Memorizing even just one more verse can make you feel incredibly closer to your source
Deeply internalized knowledge can help heal spiritual wounds
Having scripture memorized potentially makes you a better contributor to your community

Experiencing even more benefits is guaranteed, such as an increased ability to interpret and explain scripture.

Please post any additional reason you can think of in the comment section below.

What To Do Before Memorizing A Single Verse

Once you know why you’re embarking on a scripture memorization journey, it’s important to plan.

Your plan should include:

A Memory Palace Network
Practice time
An arrangement of the material you plan to memorize on your first outing

If you’re missing any of these essential ingredients, you likely won’t experience the outcome you seek.

For finding practice time, follow my P.E.A.C.H. formula (practice encoding at calm hours):

The Memory Palace Network for Scripture and Verse Numbers

Think you can memorize a ton of scripture without a Memory Palace Network?

Many people do.

Others think it can be done with just one Memory Palace.

But without several in play, success is highly unlikely.

The truth is that your brain is going to be challenged.

The best way to manage that challenge is the Memory Palace technique.

How does the Memory Palace technique help with that?

Simple:

By reducing the cognitive load. It’s like having a canvas to paint on, instead of trying to paint on thin air. Do that and you risk having your colors splash on the ground in a mess.

What Is A Memory Palace?

A Memory Palace is a scientific tool used for transmitting any kind of information into long term memory as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Unfortunately, few teach this ancient mental tool in this way, which is sad. More people will get better results when someone just tells them the simple truth.

Here it is laid out in the form of a simple free memory course:

What To Do During Scripture Memorization

Once you know how to create a Memory Palace Network and have it in place, it’s time to learn how to associate words and phrases with locations.

The course covers everything in detail, but as a quick example, let’s use these wise words:

Proverbs 18:13 (NIV): “To answer before listening — that is folly and shame.”

How to memorize the book and chapter will be covered later. For now, let’s focus on the verse itself.

Focus on the words themselves

Personally, I’m a quick study. As a result, I usually I don’t spend a bunch of time on the meaning of a passage. That comes after I’ve memorized it.

However, you might benefit from understanding the meaning first, If that’s you, be sure to reflect before you start memorizing the exact words.

Next, sort out the keywords. In our example verse, they are:

Answer
Listening
Folly
Shame

If I may explain the process from example, here’s what I did next:

I asked myself…

Who do I know who relates most closely to either the form of the verse or its meaning.

My friend’s sister Andi comes to mind.

In a Memory Palace, it’s easy to see her typing out an email. Like this:

What kind of email?

An email in response to an episode of Faulty Towers she’s just seen on television. She does this before she even heard the end of the sentence that offended her, and as a result, feels ashamed.

Why Faulty Towers?

Because it has a sound similar to “folly” in it. Note that I thought of and chose Andi as my “Bridging Figure” for this verse because I was focusing on the first word “answer.”

The “an” in Andi and the “an” in answer “magnetically” attract each other. Weave these associations together in a Memory Palace and one will “trigger” the other.

By looking for natural parallels that are already in your memory and imagination, you can often come across just the right set of images. This happens much more quickly than if you try to create abstract associations.

Abstractions in your associations must be avoided as much as possible.

They’re difficult to recall, create weak associations and cause more frustration than they’re worth.

How To Memorize All Those Little Connecting Words

Now, I know what you’re thinking.

What about “to,” “before,” and “is”?

Before you spend time memorizing them, stop and think it through.

Do you really need to memorize them? Or can you allow your mind to fill in the blanks?

In my experience, most people do fine with letting their mind fill in the blanks, provided they follow the rest of the steps on this page.

But if you need to come up with associations for all these little words, I suggest you consider creating a “stockpile.”

If you use a tutu for “to,” always use that same association.

If you use a bee driving a forklift for “before,” always use that every time you need this word.

Don’t worry. It’s unlikely that your mind will mind the repetition. The Memory Palace will provide more than enough differentiation.

The important point is that you’re drawing upon information, ideas, people and objects already in your memory.

That’s where the real memory magic happens. And sadly, this is a point that is too often missed by many memory experts who otherwise mean well.

For Bible Memorizers Who Want To Remember Chapter and Verse

Now, you might be a person memorizing the Bible and wonder about memorizing book, chapter and verse.

In general, I suggest that you have one Memory Palace Network per book.

So if you’re working on the Proverbs, have a Memory Palace Network just for that purpose.

This way, you’ll never have to wonder what your MP Network is for – it will always be clear to you.

Next, you’ll want to develop skills with a simple technique for memorizing any number. It’s called the Major Method or the Major System.

For more help with memorizing numbers, you can also learn the 3 Most Powerful Memory Techniques For Memorizing Numbers.

Mnemonic Examples For Verse Numbers

Once you’ve understood this technique, it will be simple to create little associations to precede the associations you use for the verses themselves.

Have a look at this:

For Proverbs 18:13, for example, I see a large TV set that I actually owned vacuuming J Edgar Hoover using a Hoover vacuum.

Weird and memorizable, right? It is!

But why these images?

Because 18 for me is always represented by a few things, one of which is a TV set.

Not just any TV set, but a particular TV set that has meaning for me.

And when you know the Major Method, you’ll know that there’s a very good reason that it’s a TV and not some other object.

Likewise with J Edgar Hoover with a Hoover vacuum.

It represents 13 because I’m following this simple chart:

Sometimes for 13, I see Hoover vacuuming on the Hoover Dam. There’s actually a way to make that dam a Virtual Memory Palace that I’ll talk about in the future. For now, here are 5 Memory Palace Examples you can learn about to enhance your practice.

In any case, having multiple images to draw upon is the Magnetic Memory Method Principle of Compounding. It’s part of the joyful science of creating and using a “Magnetic 00-99 P.A.O.” Learn more in the MMM course on memorizing math, equations and all things related to numbers.

I know that this process might sound complex.

It really isn’t once you get into it. After all, as Jeannie Koh explains in her Magnetic Memory Method Testimonial, using these techniques helped her reach her goals immensely:

And it’s a skill worth having for more than just memorizing verse numbers. It makes committing all numbers fast, easy, effective and fun.

What matters most is that you associate everything with information that already exists in your mind and that is meaningful to you.

Following Up: What To Do After Your Memorize Scripture Verses

Now comes the fun part.

What you want to do is mentally walk through your Memory Palaces one at a time.

Do this as many times as it takes to recall the verses accurately. Be sure to recall them both verbally and in written form. There are a few more tips on this practice below.

How many times exactly is a question no one can answer. At least 5 times the first day and then 1 time per day for a few weeks is a good rule of thumb derived from Dominic O’Brien.

As you develop your skills, you’ll find that different verses enter your memory at different rates and each presents its own form of brain exercise.

The varying levels of challenge is a good thing. It keeps you on your toes, keeps things interesting, and in fact, you don’t want it to be easy. If using memory techniques suddenly became easy, they’d be boring and you would stop using them.

It’s very important to set a time aside for practicing recall to ensure that you do it.

I suggest using a Memory Journal to gather all your Memory Palaces and record your recall.

There’s no perfect journal, but one I recommend is called The Freedom Journal. It has just enough space for an effective Memory Palace drawing and lets you create 10-day “sprints” over the course of 100 days.

How To Recall One A Verse-By-Verse Basis

As you go, “trigger” off the associations you made and let them bring back the information.

For example, I would start with the specific Memory Palace and the specific station.

How does one remember that?

If you’ve correctly planned and organized your memorization activities, then the answer will be known to you without any stress or strain.

Remember:

You create the Memory Palace Network to serve the outcome you want. This process alone will help you remember what is memorized where.

If you’re properly numbered each Magnetic Station as taught in the free course, then you’ll have even more “autopilot familiarity” with your Memory Palaces.

How the Memory Palace Tells You The Right Word Order

And if you are memorizing verse numbers and memorizing the scriptures in verse order, order itself acts as a clue. It will tell you where in your Memory Palace the information is located.

Next, I would recall Andi and simply ask myself: “What was she associated with?”

Asking questions during recall is important because you’re encouraging your memory to do a bit of work.

Sometimes the entire line will blast back at you, almost like magic. Especially if you complete these powerful visualization exercises.

Other times, you’ll have to piece it together, word for word.

In all cases, if you have a pen or pencil in hand, recall the verse first, then write it down. Say the line out loud as well.

At more advanced levels, you can certainly remove the writing part, but I don’t recommend it. Even when I’m memorizing names of people I’ve met, I almost always write them out in my Memory Journal.

This simple, 1-2 minute practice ensure that I receive the full benefits for my memory and successful recall.

The Big 5 of Learning For Long Term Memory

In full, these are:

Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening…
…from and into Memory

Visualized, the levels of processing effect for memory looks like this:

I’ve just mentioned writing out what you’ve memorized and speaking it out loud.

Writing automatically leads to reading, and you’ve already ready read the verses before, during and after memorizing them.

However, it’s good to also read interpretations by multiple thinkers where possible.

Plus, there are often more comprehensive commentaries available that you can read on various scriptures that will give your mind more context to help create deeper connections in both your imagination and the physical structures of your brain.

A Solo Way To Hear Memorized Verses Out Loud

It’s also important to also hear the verses spoken by others, so try to find recordings that you can listen to and recite along with them.

You can also record yourself and listen back to your own voice.

I also suggest making memorization a family or at least a community occasion.

Reciting with others and hearing others share what certain passages mean for them is very useful for creating long term memory impact.

The Biggest Levers You Need For Memorizing Any Scripture

In brief, you’ve got to commit to creating the time for scripture memorization.

Logical, isn’t it? If you really want to get something done, you’ll make the time.

How much time do you need?

No one can honestly say just how long it will take for you to reach your goals.

However, once you’ve started, chances are that this question will no longer be very interesting to you.

You’ll be enjoying the process so much and become completely satisfied that each new verse gets you closer to the goal. The journey will become so much more important than the destination.

And when those destinations are reached, you’ll be excited and want to create new ones. The benefits for the sharpness of your mind will be very clear to you.

Common Questions And Answers About Memorizing Scripture Quickly

Does The Length Matter?

Yes and no.

I recommend starting with short verses in the beginning. The sooner you develop the skills needed to quickly and accurately memorize short verses, the sooner you’ll be able to tackle longer verses.

The trick is in seeing that longer verses are usually just shorter verses fit together. In such cases, it can be very helpful to spend more time ensuring that you understand the gist of a long verse before committing it to memory.

Should you use flash cards and sticky notes?

No, I don’t recommend this because it doesn’t create the needed skills of memorization that a Memory Palace and association develops.

These forms don’t create brain exercise either. The only exception to the rule is if you are memorizing individual words or terms and don’t have the answer on the back of the card.

Instead, feature the Magnetic Imagery you created on the opposite side of the flash card or sticky note. In this way, you’ll ask your brain to do a bit of memory work and jog itself into action. The benefits of doing this will be incredibly rewarding.

And as soon as you can, leave the index cards and sticky notes behind.

Why Memorizing From Online Scripture Sources Is A No-No

Many people want to memorize from online sources such as the Scripture Typer app and Bible Memory Kids.

To be honest, these Bible apps look great. They’re clean, well-organized and perhaps even fun to use.

But they’re also creating Digital Amnesia.

If you must source your scripture from a screen, at least write it out in your handwriting and memorize from that. This practice will deepen the importance of the verse to your mind and is a win-win from the get-go.

What Scripture Do You Want To Memorize?

At the risk of being repetitive, knowing why you want to memorize scripture does matter.

For myself, I like to memorize the odd line from the Bible. But overall I prefer scripture from the non-dual tradition, Advaita Vedanta.

In this memory demonstration, you’ll see me recite 32 verses from a text called the Ribhu Gita: 

Although I didn’t memorize a verse every single day, I rarely spent more than 5 minutes on any single verse. It just isn’t necessary when you have these skills.

Ultimately, what really matters is that you learn the skills and ground the project on a solid reason reason why you want to commit the scripture to memory.

And remember:

Long-term memorization is a marathon, not a sprint.

Plan, show up consistently, and enjoy the multiple benefits as they increase, one verse at a time.

The post How to Memorize Scripture And Verse Numbers In 5 Minutes Or Less appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

Aphantasia Cure: How Alec Figueroa Helps Clear The Self-Diagnosis Confusion

If you’ve been looking for an aphantasia cure, you’re in luck.

Here’s why:

Alec Figueroa of AphantasiaMeow has the best aphantasia test and the most likely paths you might need to find a lasting solution.

Not Sure If You Need The Aphantasia Cure?

Try this quick test:

Imagine you are on a beach at sunset.

Can you hear the waves crashing against the shore?

Do you feel a gentle breeze against your skin and the sand between your toes?

Can you taste the faint saltiness of the ocean? Can you picture the fiery hues as the sun meets the water on the horizon?

Red, orange, yellow, purple, and blue. Beautiful, isn’t it? Peaceful. Serene.

More questions…

When you close your eyes and picture this scene is it vivid?

Is it an experience as if you are really there? Can your sensory memory pick out a variety of sensations?

Or is your experience lost in fog… dull, distorted, and distant?

Or… is there nothing, only blackness?

If you see nothing in your mind…

Listen To Someone Who Cares About Curing Aphantasia

On today’s Magnetic Memory Method podcast I speak with imagination and aphantasia expert, Alec Figueroa.

Also known as “AphantasiaMeow,” Alec has been helping many people remove aphantasia from their lives.

We discuss his work with those who struggle with the idea that they do not have a “mind’s eye.”

And those who may not have been able to picture that beautiful beach at sunset have experienced tremendous relief.

Although this phenomenon was first introduced in 1880, it wasn’t until the mid-2000s that the idea of mental blindness began to be explored.

With studies still in the early stages as compared to other mental health fields Alec is on the forefront of bettering the lives of those whose imaginations are not as vivid as they would like.

Why People Seek Help When They Can’t Visualize

You may be skeptical of this idea of aphantasia, finding it hard to believe that someone couldn’t close their eyes and picture a juicy red apple, a shiny new bicycle, or freshly fallen snow on command.

But I feel empathy, because I don’t really see pictures in my mind either. And if curiosity is driving you, read on and click play on the episode to hear Alec’s approach to removing the problem.

You may have come here searching for answers because (depending on the source) you are the 4-5% of the population, or the 1 in 50, who is affected by aphantasia.

You may have heard of Alec’s work and wondered “Can he help me?” or, better still, “Can he help me help myself?”

Whatever the case, you are here now. And there really does seem like Alec’s aphantasia cure will help you.

And it seems to me that part of the reason Alec’s approach works is because many people seek help due to FOMO (fear of missing out).

That means they might be forgetting to focus on the glorious experiences they do have (such as we’ve seen from Penn Jillette).

But if you’re on this page, you’re either on a self-help journey for yourself, a loved one, or simply seeking to expand your knowledge on cutting edge brain health discoveries.

Interview Highlights

By listening to this interview today, you’ve taken the first step and congratulations are in order…we’ll be imagining ourselves sipping memory friendly drinks from coconuts sooner than you think!

All you need to do is press play and you will discover:

How to define the concepts of aphantasic, hyperphantasic, and prophantasic
Aphantasia versus a disorder (you don’t have to feel at a disadvantage to others)
The confusion surrounding aphantasic self-diagnosis techniques
Why a visual imagination may not be present
How to develop the mind’s eye through mental exercise
Image streaming as aphantasia therapy
“Imagery” as a multisensory concept
Parallels between meditation and mind’s eye development
How to overcome mental blocks and learned helplessness to improve mental imagery through some powerful visualization exercises

In sum, there are many brain training exercises out there. But if you have aphantasia, what Alec offers is most likely the best. Follow up with him and let him help you!

Further Resources on the Web, This Podcast, and the MMM Blog:

Aphantasia Meow (Alec’s official website, including his VIVIQ (Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire)

AphantasiaMeow on YouTube

Scientific American – “When the Mind’s Eye is Blind

Aphantasia: Experiences, Perceptions, and Insights

Aphantasia: Develop Your Memory Even if You Cannot See Mental Images

The post Aphantasia Cure: How Alec Figueroa Helps Clear The Self-Diagnosis Confusion appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

5 Sensory Memory Exercises For Better Memory Palace Success

As someone who is not very visual, I’m so glad I learned how to use sensory memory to help me use memory techniques better.

But at first, it was really hard coming to grips with the fact that I don’t really see pictures in my mind.

After all, how is a “Memory Palace” supposed to work if you can’t “see” images in your imagination?

Well, whether you’re low on the visual scale, like me, or have full-blown aphantasia, I’ve got 5 simple memory tricks.

Each involve a different kind of sensory memory you can combine with your Memory Palace Network.

These tricks will help you create and use Memory Palaces and your own mnemonic examples (a.k.a. Magnetic Imagery) quickly.

And more importantly than learning to create a Memory Palace Network and mental imagery quickly, you’ll use sensory memory to make the information stick in your mind. It’s actually very easy.

But here’s a quick warning before we get started:

There’s going to be some people who will still insist that they can’t do any of these exercises.

If that’s you, keep reading until you reach the final tip. Few, if any, will find an excuse for the final tip I’ll share.


The Strange History Of My (Non-Visual) Sensory Memory Blessings

It’s true. I don’t really see pictures in my mind.

Although it’s not true that I see nothing at all, if anything, I find what I do see almost useless, if not distracting.

When I tell my memory athlete friends this fact, they either:

Know exactly what I mean

Use some of the same processes I’m about to share
Sometimes are purely “visual” in some sense I have yet to understand…

I say “some sense,” because even with our current technology, it’s not possible to peer into anyone else’s imagination.

Anyhow, if you know the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, you may have heard some of these conversations before.

If not, I recommend you listen to some of them – I’ve learned a ton that have improved my practice and even re-listening to some of them will help your practice too.

Here are some of my favorite episodes that touch upon sensory memory:

Nelson Dellis on visual memory techniques
Alex Mullen on building speed with mnemonics
Mark
 Channon on memory and acting (very multisensory)
Tansel Ali on gratitude in memory improvement
John Graham on using memory training obstacles
Idriz Zogaj on memory training apps

Of course, you need to listen to these episodes with yourself in mind.

Why?

Because at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what others do in their minds. Each of us experiences only one mind – the mind we’ve been blessed with.

And what a blessing indeed! (Unless you decide not to make it the most incredible experience it can be.)

But I understand that some people currently have miserable experiences, and not being able to use memory techniques must be very miserable indeed.

So, if you can’t see images in your mind, here’s the first memory trick that will help you find more Memory Palaces and use them:

#1: The Auditory Sensory Memory Palace Trick

Think about a familiar place.

Take your school, for example.

When I think purely about sound, I hear the voice of Mr. Andrews:

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s”.

He used to say this every time we were supposed to hand in our homework.

I have an idea of what the classroom looked like, and since he was a big fellow, I have a general sense of his physical presence. But it’s his voice that really stands out.

Likewise, I think of my various band teachers and can even place where different sections of the orchestra were in the different rooms without needed to render a visual picture.

Zero Visualization Needed

There is a way to turn this into a picture that requires zero visualization, but we’ll get to that soon.

For now, is this a cool memory trick or what?

The more you focus just on sounds, the more you’ll explore powerful dimensions of your memory.

This auditory focus will make a huge difference – especially in connection with the video I’ve created for you on mining your autobiographical memory for more Memory Palaces. (Coming soon. Make sure you’re subscribed to this blog and complete these episodic memory exercises in the meantime)

#2: The “What do you feel?” Exercise

Let’s go for something soft with this exercise.

When I completed this exercise, I thought of my Cheshire cat.

I’ve had two in my life – once from when I visited Disneyland around age 10 and one my mom sent me just a few years ago to fill in the gap.

I had to get rid of the old one during one of my epic moves around the globe. Thanks, mom!

In terms of the Memory Palace this brings to mind, it’s not Disneyland, though I have used parts of the park as a Memory Palace.

Rather, in this case, I think of the plane ride home.

Now, you might think that an airplane is not great Memory Palace material.

Au contraire, and we’ll talk about using them one day soon. Make sure you’re subscribed for when the day comes.

A Smiling Sensory Memory Example

Anyhow, I have this vague memory of being a 10 year old hugging the Cheshire cat. He joins me here:

To make this brain exercise work, I really dig into what that felt like in my memory. 

Then I dig further.

And there are indeed other physical sensations related to flying that come to mind.

Try accessing these different levels of sensation-based memory for yourself:

The softness (or hardness) of the seat beneath you
The temperature of the glass when you touch the window
The feeling of anticipation as the plane accelerates down the runway

Suddenly, all kinds of sensations emerge when you complete this simple memory exercise.

Now It’s Your Turn

Think about flights you’ve taken. (Or train trips, road trips, etc.)

When I completed this exercise, all kinds of flights I’d forgotten emerge.

Write the ideas that come up into a Memory Journal and include all the sensations you can think of.

Think of it as a kind of personal, private sensory memory test.

Bang presto!

When I completed this exercise, I found myself with oodles of airplane and airport Memory Palaces to work with along with a wide variety of sensations.

Memory exercises like these are the closest thing to real magic that exists, don’t you think? Especially when used in the context of these additional recovered memory exercises.

Give them all a try!


#3: The Concepts Are King Exercise

In a nutshell, this exercise helps you explore what you think and remember conceptually.

Now, this one is a bit of a stretch, I’ll admit. But stretching is good.

Start with one of the most basic concepts: Truth.

What comes to mind when you think of the truth?

I think of libraries.

And when I think of libraries, a ton of them come to mind. In fact, I’ve worked in three of them, and studied in dozens more. Each make great Memory Palaces.

Next, think of a concept like justice.

It’s true:

During high school I once wound up in the drunk tank. It sucked back then, but makes for an interesting Memory Palace now.

I took law in high school and observed a few court cases too. I had a friend who was a lawyer before he went to the great Memory Palace in the sky and he comes to mind too – all from thinking about the concept of justice.

The concepts of math, chemistry, weather all bring multiple associations – and not a single one of them can be seen visually, strictly speaking.

They’re just concepts.

And thinking about Einstein for math, Breaking Bad for chemistry and a meteorologist I know named Dave don’t require me to make mental images either.

Remember: lowering the cognitive load always helps you learn faster and remember more.

Anthony Metivier during a rare cheat in a Beijing dumpling restaurant

#4: The Delicious Aroma Exercise

I’ll bet at least one person in your family has some kind of secret recipe.

And even if it isn’t secret, there’s a dish they make really well that you adore. Maybe even something based around foods that improve memory.

Now, although I can’t eat a large number of things I used to love, my mom’s zucchini bread comes to mind.

My dad also makes a mean spaghetti. And since we moved around a lot, quite a few kitchens come to mind for use as Memory Palaces.

Then I think of a few romantic meals I’ve had over the years. These took place in buildings ranging from the CN Tower in Toronto to the Pizzeria Monte Carlo in Rome.

Even as someone who isn’t a foodie, there are oodles of tastes and aromas that come to mind all over the world.

Fruit juices and dates in Cairo, Lingonberry jam in Sweden, dumplings in Beijing… all wonderful Memory Palaces just waiting to be unlocked from memory.

I’ll bet you have dozens of options.

An “Un-visualized” Berlin Memory Palace

#5. The “Un-Visualization” Memory Palace Exercise

What? How can you “un-visualize” something?

Let me answer that question for you:

Unless you’re dead-set against it, lazy or uninterested in the most miraculous memory tool in the universe, the answer is yes.

All you have to do is draw your Memory Palaces.

Instead of trying to juggle space in your mind, make it simple.

Rather than trying to imagine the rooms and hallways and garages and driveways and all kinds of things that you might not be able to see clearly in your min, break it down into simple squares.

On paper.

When I first encountered memory techniques and the Memory Palace, I couldn’t fathom how on earth I was supposed to see myself moving through a building I wasn’t in.

And that’s a very good thing, because the strange explanations I was reading prompted me to solve this issue for myself. I got my head out of the books written by memory competitors and I went deep into the history of these techniques.

And reading between the lines of texts like the Rhetorica ad Herrenium, I discovered that they weren’t really talking about visualizing their Memory Palaces.

And the notion of making them tactile and strategizing them before using them  gave me the idea to make them tactile in the simplest and easiest way you can:

With pencil and paper.

And as soon as I got results from doing this, I couldn’t stop exploring!

I am still amazed by just how many buildings I can visit in my mind. Making them visual simply by drawing squares on paper makes memory training so much easier.

No More Excuses Along Your Memory Training Journey

Let’s face it:

People with no hands can draw Memory Palaces with their teeth, their feet or even ask for others to help.

I know this for a fact because I’ve had correspondence from people who can’t move anything but their mouths.

Yet, each have created and used Memory Palaces by drawing them nonetheless.

In sum:

There really are no excuses.

Of course, if you don’t want to join the great memory tradition, no problem. I don’t want to learn how to pack a parachute and jump out of a plane. Some things just aren’t for everyone.

But if you do and you’ve ever struggled with the visual element, here’s a bold promise:

You really can rest assured that you can use memory techniques and they will work for you even without seeing pictures in your mind.

Here’s the best way I can show you how:

In fact, due to an interesting turn of events, I wound up competing once at a competition with memory athlete and memory expert Dave Farrow.

Based on that experience, I can tell you that there’s really no time to create pictures in your mind when the cameras are rolling and the clock is on.

The mnemonics I created in that short competition were almost purely conceptual and I was pleasantly surprised by just how well I did…

Especially as someone completely unprepared and with zero competition practice, history or particular interest in throwing down the gloves.

So even if you are hyper-visual, you’ll want to consider the advantages of adding these other senses to your memory practice.

What do you say?

Can you imagine yourself moving from a purely visual approach to using memory techniques to a multi-sensory approach?

I promise you’ll enjoy better results from memory techniques as a result. And if you need more, here are 5 Memory Palace Examples to improve your memory training practice.

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