Anthony Metivier's Blog, page 9

How to Use a Memory Palace for Studying: 7 Simple Tips

Nothing could be easier than using a Memory Palace for studying.

The problem is that you have to learn how to use one correctly first.

But is that really a problem?

After all, you have to learn how to tie your shoes and floss your teeth, don’t you?

The cool thing is, once you can walk with those shoes on, you can run.

The same thing goes with the Memory Palace technique.

If you’re willing to learn the foundational skills first, you’ll be able to apply the technique to memorizing anything.

And I do mean anything. I have yet to see a topic or information type for which the Memory Palace technique cannot provide tremendous learning advantages.

Ready?

Let’s dive in!

Using a Memory Palace for Studying: 7 Tips to Memorizing Anything Fast

As we go through these tips, please understand that not all of them are in order.

But the first one most definitely is.

And if you’re reading this, you already understand that it’s a must.

One: Use Memory Palaces Correctly

I see so many people treating the Memory Palace technique as if it’s a “set and forget” treasure house.

There’s a few good reasons people get this impression. For one thing, that’s basically how St. Augustine described the technique.

As he wrote in his Confessions:

And I come to the fields and spacious palaces of my memory, where are the treasures of innumerable images, brought into it from things of all sorts perceived by the senses.

The problem with Augustine’s description is simple:

He makes it seem as if you just file information away as if Memory Palaces are the medieval equivalent of a hard drive.

No, no and a thousand times no. 

In order to make the technique work, you want at the very least to add the elements of active recall.

Briefly, you need to do these three things within your Memory Palaces:

Make sure all of your mnemonic imagery is personalized and use as much variety as possible.Don’t cheat when reviewing. Push your mind a little to call back the information.Use the Recall Rehearsal patterns that are central to the Magnetic Memory Method

This final point is so essential. You cannot just encode information and expect memories to form.

Rather, you need to recall the information as if you’re “reading” it from the walls of your Memory Palaces, ideally using the different patterns the Memory Palace allows for, including backwards. 

And if you think backwards is a stretch that doesn’t apply to you, Matteo Ricci would surely beg to differ.

Make sure you’re using Recall Rehearsal based on your Memory Palaces. It is literally like “reading” from the walls of your mind, with associations instead of words.

Two: Take Care When Assigning Your Memory Palaces 

Unfortunately, many people follow the advice of people who don’t actually use Memory Palaces for studying.

Look, the memory competitors are impressive. I’ve interviewed many of them on my podcast, including Tony Buzan who created the initial memory competitions.

The problem is that the vast majority of memory competitors have short term goals. Those who have taken on larger learning projects for things like medical school and language learning include Alex Mullen, Nelson Dellis and Joshua Foer. They all put a lot of care into how they select and use locations for their Memory Palace efforts. And you should too.

So what are some quick tips to follow? From what I’ve seen, here’s what matters most:

Simple and small journeys work best, even if you wind up needing a lot of Memory Palaces.Start at the “dead end” instead of at the door. That way you’re leading yourself to an exit and can add more loci later if needed.Don’t worry about “connecting” one Memory Palace to another. This usually wastes time and can be avoided by using Memory Palaces correctly.Only worry about reusing Memory Palaces after you can successfully use at least 10-20 with predictable positive results.Consider using the alphabetical method so you can link Memory Palaces with Bridging Figures. This technique is not always helpful, but you’ll be glad you’ve got it when you need it.Three: Organize the Information Before You Start Encoding It

The Memory Palace technique is generally quite easy for most people who take it seriously.

But what isn’t always so easy is figuring out what main points you need to memorize.

I suggest you get started small and use the technique I share in how to memorize a textbook.

This process will help you start recognizing what counts as a main point faster. And the more you practice how you’re going to place those points in your Memory Palaces gives you the personalization experience that active recall requires in order for you to master these techniques for memory and studying.

It’s really important not to overlook the organization step. As another great memory master from the past named Thomas Aquinas put it so clearly in his Summa Theologica: “the mind favors organization.”

Just as we organize food on a shelf, we can organize information in a Memory Palace. It takes a moment to work out a well-formed Memory Palace, but it’s worth it.

Four: Get Past the Need For Mnemonic Examples A.S.A.P.

I’m sometimes criticized for not giving people enough mnemonic examples in my books and courses.

First of all, this is not true. If anything, I’ve given way too many. There are well over 300 in The Victorious Mind alone.

Secondly, the legendary Harry Loryane says the same thing in Ageless Memory. He’s probably the world’s leading memory expert, so if you can’t take my word for it, you can take his. Even Tony Buzan said Lorayne was the best of the best.

The question is… why is this essential?

As pointed out in the Rhetorica ad Herennium, even students back in 90 B.C.E. were weakened by receiving too many mnemonic examples.

This is because the only true way to make mnemonics that stick is to come up with your own.

The sooner you start doing that, the sooner you’ll be able to apply them and remember what you study and read.

Five: Practice Encoding At Calm Hours (P.E.A.C.H.)

So many people try to “squeeze” their learning in.

Yes, cramming can work once in a while. But it ultimately interferes with effective chunking using the best possible memory hacks.

Here’s who to practice encoding at calm hours:

Don’t reach for a phone or turn on a computer first thing in the morning. Use the time to meditate and then study.Sit with your book or flashcards in a quiet area.Bring the best possible Memory Palace to mind.Use your training with mnemonic images to bring the best possible associations to mind.Place these in the Memory Palace in the way that makes most sense to you.Test in intervals throughout the day, ideally in a Memory Journal.Use Recall Rehearsal while testing.

Moreover, it’s helpful to know your goal. Literally say it out loud: “I am studying history and using my history Memory Palace.”

Then, prepare everything you need the night before. That way, when you show up in the morning, you can dive right in.

If you have multiple topics to study, instead of feeling overwhelmed or getting stuck in decision anxiety, here’s a little tip:

Check in with your body. See if you intuitively have a felt preference. Then go with that.

Or you can do an exercise I learned in The Wise Advocate. Ask which study topic makes you feel more expansive and go with that (as opposed to feeling limited or constrained).

Decision metrics like these can help you loosen up and just get moving. You can also add the relaxation and breathing exercises discussed in The Victorious Mind.

It is critical to be relaxed when using memory techniques for studying, especially the Memory Palace. Make sure to spend at least 10-15 minutes each day stretching, breathing and meditating, ideally in nature.

Six: Treat Your Memory Practice like a Profession

To be honest, the idea of memory techniques for students really doesn’t make that much sense.

I suggest learners think of themselves as entrepreneurs, or at least investors.

Yes, you’re learning and people who learn are called students. But often we use that image of the student to expect less of ourselves.

If you treat the time you’re spending using memory techniques as an investment, you’ll immediately get a much higher return on that investment.

As always, you don’t have to take my word for it. The mental metaphors we choose have been well-proven in Nir Eyal’s research.

Keep in mind too that the Memory Palace is itself a metaphor for what is better called “location-based mnemonics.”

Seven: Test Yourself Frequently

If you do all of the above, you’ll have gotten a very high percentage of your learning material into long term memory.

This outcome means that you won’t have to waste time “looking” into your Memory Palaces as St. Augustine’s description seems to suggest.

The information will just leap to mind.

But to get to this experience of topic mastery even faster, self-testing is essential.

There are a few ways to self-test:

Use the practice questions in your textbooks.Seek out practice exams from program secretaries or online.Make your own practice exams (coming up with your own questions is also a great way to improve your focus when reading).Meet with study partners to quiz each other.Visit your teacher for suggestions and to get tips on self-testing.

Students rarely take the opportunity to meet with their teachers. But that’s what they are there for, so make sure to take advantage of their expertise.

If you find that recalling information is difficult, this is when your Memory Palace efforts will come in handy.

The steps are simple:

Mentally ask which Memory Palace the information was most likely encoded into.Ask what your mnemonic images were doing in that Memory Palace.Don’t fear pushing yourself a bit, but also let yourself relax. Don’t get in a panic.If the information doesn’t come, move on to the next question or take a quick break.When the information arrives, celebrate and write it down.Later, think about how you can improve your use of the techniques so that particular information doesn’t slip your mind in the future.

Generally, however, if you’ve used Recall Rehearsal thoroughly and self-test thoroughly, you shouldn’t have issues on exam day.

Memory and Studying Simply Could Not Be Easier

Sure, it can seem like using a Memory Palace involves a lot of moving parts in the beginning.

But once you’ve learned the technique, it really is like tying your shoes.

The main difference is that we had parents to help us learn how to deal with how to navigate those shoelaces.

But as we grow, we’re more and more on our own when it comes to learning something new.

That’s perfect for the Memory Palace technique, however. It is a technique that works best when used in private study.

Yet, you’re never alone thanks to using proper, mnemonic images. You’ll always have cool friends, family and cultural references to hang out with in your Memory Palaces.

So dive in, enjoy and if you need more help, sign up now for my FREE Memory Improvement Kit. 

It will help you take today’s tips further with four free videos and worksheets. It’ll also inspire you to take action when you see just how many wonderful successes other Magnetic Memory Method students have enjoyed.

So what do you say?

Are you ready to start studying with the Memory Palace technique in a much better way?

15 Ancient Memory Techniques That Can Change Your Life

Frustrated when you read an article about ancient memory techniques that only covers the Greek mnemonic tradition?

Me too.

See, when I first encountered memory techniques through Harry Lorayne and others, they mentioned the Greek tradition in passing.

Lorayne in particular mentioned “old techniques in dusty old books.” But he never got deep into what those techniques were.

So, using my skills as a trained grad student at the time, I went as deep as I could.

Over the years since then, I’ve been talking about how memory techniques are way older than Simonides of Ceos and his “Memory Palace.”

Don’t get me wrong.

The Memory Palace is a profound tool for learning faster and remembering more.

It’s just that it’s not the only approach.

And the ancient world has so much to offer our learning lives right now. Not to mention in the future.

So if you’re ready to discover a much wider range of mnemonic devices and add them to your arsenal, let’s dive in.

Ancient Memory Techniques That Still Work

As we go through this list together, two things:

There’s no particular order of importance here. I’m just laying out all the great techniques I’m aware of from around the world and throughout time.You’ll notice some crossover between these techniques, if not repetition. That’s because all memory techniques appear to be spatial in one form or another. Further, as Giordano Bruno has said in many of his memory books, if anyone thinks long and hard enough about these techniques, they’ll reach the same conclusions.These techniques might seem like they belong to or originate with a particular group. Certainly, everyone should take pride in their history. But because there is so much crossover between these techniques, we should see the common humanity in them and not arrive at some kind of tribalism. 

This is a point made by Tyson Yunkaporta in his excellent book Sand Talk and during our discussion on the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast.

So if you notice some repetition and see universal patterns, I suggest being open to exploring them. I used to dismiss things that seemed repetitive. But over the years I’ve learned that doing so is almost always a mistake. If anything, repetition is difference. And in that difference lies so much to explore and benefit from.

Finally, it’s useful to note that “ancient” can mean many different things. We often use the word to mean “very old.” But more specifically it sometimes used to mean “before the fall of the Roman Empire.” That would rule out, for example, Medieval and Renaissance memory techniques.

For the purposes of this article, I’m not going to exclude either of those periods. Both the Medieval and Renaissance periods definitely count as “very old” in my mind, though I’m certainly interested in your thoughts on this and hope you’ll leave a comment if you think differently.

One: Aboriginal and Indiginous Memory Techniques

There are many Aboriginal and Indiginous memory techniques. Some have caught the interest of scientists and been validated through contemporary testing methods.

These techniques include:

StorySonglinesLukasaMemory spacesHand mnemonics

Songlines are among the most interesting of these ancient memory techniques. As Lynne Kelly describes them in her book, The Memory Code: 

Songlines, or Dreaming Tracks are pathways through the landscape connecting a large number of significant locations in a fixed order.

As she later clarifies in her book, Memory Craft:

Songlines were used to help memorize everything Aboriginal people needed to know about animals, plants, navigation, genealogies, the legal system, ethical expectations… the list goes on and on. The culture was entirely stored in memory.

How to Use a Songline

Songlines are all about being connected to the land. So you might want to start by looking at an actual Songline.

Keep in mind that you can use both the land and the sky to help you construct a Songline. Here’s an example of mine based on the Glass House Mountains:

I assigned this Songline based on a mountain range and used the Songline itself to help me remember the mountains and the ancestral stories about them.

For this particular Songline, I memorized the names and the stories related to the main mountains themselves, Tibrogargan, Beerwah and Coonowrin.

The operation is quite simple: You place associations at predetermined points along the Songline. Then you use the Songline in combination with rules of active recall to usher the information into long term memory.

Two: Abbreviations

According to Eran Katz in Where Did Noah Park the Ark?, abbreviations entered use as mnemonic devices at least as early as circa 132 A.D. 

As Katz explains, coins found during this period contain some of the oldest abbreviations in the form of reminders. Used by the Bar Kochba rebellion against the Romans, the abbreviations reminded the Hebrews of the year and their quest for freedom.

It seems like abbreviations are even older than that, however. Messages carved in stone used them, both to make it faster and easier to encode messages. And probably sometimes for secrecy through cryptography.

Medieval scribes also used lots of special abbreviations in their work, including the pecia system.

These days, abbreviations are used to help us remember the Periodic Table of the Elements and even our to-do lists.

For example, you can make simple abbreviations any time like WALK to help you remember a specific routine:

Walk the dogBuy applesLeave the night light onKiss your partner good night

Today, we use memory techniques based on something like abbreviations all the time. For example, the pegword method allows you to attach an image to each letter of the alphabet, which you can expand in many ways, use along a Songline, and more.

Three: An Ancient Number System

Chances are, you already know about one of the modern memory techniques for memorizing numbers.

But it’s not as common for people to know about the katapayadi. The earliest examples are found in 683 CE, but it’s almost certainly much older than that. I’ve written more extensively about this system in the context of mental exercises, but it’s also a powerful memory technique.

I believe it’s probably the origin of number memory systems we use now like:

Major SystemDominic SystemPAO System

If you want to use the katapayadi, all you need to do is commit the code to memory and start practicing it with the numbers you want to remember.

If you’re an English native speaker, one of the more modern options will probably be easier for you.

Four: Buddhist Memory Techniques

It was 2009 when I first heard Michael Roach talk about how Buddhist practitioners sometimes use their temples to help them memorize long form meditations.

Roach is not always considered a reputable source so I was glad when I encountered basically the same description in the work of Karen Armstrong. If you read her book, you’ll find a very similar idea. And hers is solidly referenced. She also ties it to yoga.

So what’s the idea? 

Simple:

First, you chunk down the different parts of your meditation. Then you place these around the temple where your meditation sessions take place. Michael Roach walked his listeners through one such meditation, and the proof is in the pudding: I still remember the different parts of the meditation very well.

In many ways, this approach is a lot like the Stations of the Cross mnemonic in a church. The main difference is that you’re using your imagination to place images on parts of the building instead of visiting actual stations with permanent images in them.

Five: Ars Notoria

This approach to remembering more has to belong to the weirdest of the bunch.

But as Dr. Justin Sledge and I agree, the Ars Notoria probably helped boost the concentration and focus of its users.

In brief, this memory hack asked you to stare at images and recite the names of angels and other words.

It was eminently practical too because, even if it made some really wild promises, it still encouraged its users to read books and attend lectures.

You might not normally think of going to class and reading books as a kind of memory technique, but actually those activities are mnemonic strategies in their own right.

Six: The Memory Palace Technique

Now we get to the ancient Greek memory techniques. But as you’ve seen, many Indiginous people were already using space as a key mnemonic strategy much deeper into history.

The reason the Greek rendition of the Memory Palace technique has been continuously attributed to them probably comes down to one thing:

How memorable they made its origin story. Whereas songlines are kind of abstract to explain, the story of Simonides of Cos is direct and easy to grasp:

He was giving a speech at a banquet hall. An earthquake tore the place to the ground and he was the only survivor. Because he remembered where everyone was sitting, he was able to help the authorities identify all the bodies.

He was literally recreating their positions in the building using a mental journey. And because this journey took place indoors, the idea of a “Memory Palace” took hold. There’s more to the story than that, including the influence of St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and others, but the story is memorable because of the drama in it.

You may have heard of this technique by many other terms other than Memory Palace:

Journey methodRoman RoomMind PalaceMethod of Loci to name just a few

It’s appeared throughout culture in recent years, most notably in the Sherlock Holmes and Hannibal Lecter stories.

Seven: Parallelism and Enveloping

Have you ever wondered why some song lyrics, poems and scriptures are easier to remember than others?

As explored in The Literary Guide to the Bible, this effect often has to do with two writing techniques in particular.

Parallelism happens when an original thought is repeated several times but each time comes with a different example. You see this throughout the Psalms (which one of my students talks about memorizing), but also lyrics in songs like My House by Lou Read.

Enveloping is similar, but happens when images and ideas presented at the beginning of a piece appear again at the end.

Enveloping may involve straight-up repetition or be done with a twist, as Shakespeare often tantalized us with by ending his sonnets with puzzling phrases that make you rethink everything he said at the beginning of the poem.

As Dave Farrow shared in his episode on my podcast, puns like those used by Shakespeare can be highly memorable.

Eight: The Hand Memory Palace

In Medieval Music and the Art of Memory, Anna Berger details the use of the hand as a mnemonic device. People learning music during this period would transfer knowledge about the musical modes to their hands.

You can also use your hand to help you remember the months of the year.

Or you can use your hand to figure out how many days are in any given month:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w11Hu5L-2co

Back to the Aboriginal memory techniques, if you check out my podcast with Tyson Yunkaporta, you can see me using his version of the hand Memory Palace to repeat some of the points made in his book.

For more on using your hand as a Memory Palace, check out The Medieval Craft of Memory and The Book of Memory, both projects by Mary Carruthers.

Nine: Noah’s Ark & Other Ancient Structures

I just mentioned The Medieval Craft of Memory. In that book, you’ll read a few extracts from Hugh of St. Victor.

One of them details The Mystic Ark, which Hugh painted to help people memorize key points from the Bible.

What Hugh seems to be stressing is that you can make a lot more progress by fusing the content of a text with a Memory Palace related to that content.

You’ve already read about me doing just that when I talked about memorizing the names of the Glass House Mountains and using the mountains themselves as a Songline.

Another example would be something like the way Masons reenact various aspects related to Solomon’s Temple to help them remember key principles related to their philosophical beliefs.

Indeed, many of their rituals probably serve as a kind of spaced-repetition that help members remember key points and add more details over time.

Ten: The Statues of Giordano Bruno

Renaissance memory master Giordano Bruno discussed using statues in Memory Palaces, specifically for remembering challenging, but important philosophical concepts.

After discussing Memory Palaces in both On the Shadows of the Ideas and On the Composition of Images, Bruno wrote The Lantern of Thirty Statues.

Scott Gosnell has released a recent translation of this text under the simpler title, Thirty Statues.

In this work, Bruno shares how he used the bodies of figures in statue form as mini-Memory Palaces. This is not unlike using the hand, but extended to the entire body. To the body, you attach mnemonic images that help you recall anything you wish.

Bruno suggests that you assign 30 stations to a figure like Atlantis:

As you can see in the example above, Bruno is “double-dipping” by using only the parts of the body that have two parts.

This approach is effective, however. You can for example always have a foreign language word on the left eye and definitions on the right eye. You just repeat this pattern as you move down the body of the statue.

For a modern and more simplified version of this approach, check out this interview with memory expert Ron White.

But if you want to try out Bruno’s version, it’s really great. I don’t use it exactly this way myself, but something close. You can find out more about my approach in the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass.

Eleven: Ninja Mnemonics and… Scarring

I’ll bet you never thought ninjas would show up on this page.

But it’s true. They used at least two memory techniques to be successful in their trade, which essentially involved spying. Their particular version of espionage began in the 15th century proper, though some people think the ninja tradition goes back earlier to the 12th century.

While on their missions, ninjas required excellent long-term memory abilities. They couldn’t always carry paper and needed to retain information sometimes for months in order to deliver it.

So, almost as if taking a tip from Giordano Bruno, they used their own bodies and linked numbers using something like the number-memory systems discussed above. Kioku-Jutsu involved basically the same strategy Bruno describes, except in this case, the ninja used his own body.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkg4A...

Fubo-no-jutsu took things one step further. With this ancient memory technique, the ninja cut information into his own body. A ninja might even shave his head before entering enemy territory. That would allow him to imprint information into his scalp and then hide it by letting his hair grow back.

Gruesome, but surely effective!

Twelve: The Memory Theaters of Robert Fludd

Robert Fludd was not as extreme as the ninjas. But he was adamant about how people should use the Memory Palace technique.

For example, he wrote a book with a very complicated title: The metaphysical, physical, and technical history of the two worlds, namely the greater and the lesser.

In this book, Fludd seems to be addressing readers who wanted to create imaginary Memory Palaces. This desire is the equivalent of students wanting to use video games in our era.

Or perhaps, you’re spending time using AI to help you generate your Memory Places and mnemonic associations.

I’m not saying whether you should or shouldn’t because I’ve done some experiments myself. And experiments are always interesting.

But even more interesting is how Fludd’s advice probably still stands, even if it isn’t quite right.

Robert Fludd insisted that we base our Memory Palaces on real locations to help strengthen our skills with memory techniques and avoid weakening our minds.

According to Fludd, you shouldn’t use imaginary Memory Palaces because this weakens the imagination.

Now, I don’t personally agree with this idea. I think you stand to gain a lot by experimenting with imaginary mnemonics. 

But I get Fludd’s overall point because in order to use an imaginary space, you have to spend mental energy on:

Creating the spaceMemorizing your journey through the space

So Fludd points out the most obvious thing in the world to the audience of his era. They were all theater goers so he suggested they use one of their favorite locations for their Memory Palaces. He may also have been influenced by Guilio Camillo’s memory theater concept, but this is not known for certain.

I do something like this in our time by using movie theaters. They make fantastic Memory Palaces and you can readily use the characters in your favorite movies instead of statues.

And, if you stick with Bruno’s suggestions, you can use the bodies of those actors and add a number system. That way, no one has to get cut… at least, not outside of your imagination.

Thirteen: The Computational Memory Wheel

Ramon Llull was passionate about his beliefs. So much so he invented something we now call ars combinatoria.

Bruno, who you just learned about, wrote commentaries on Llull’s work and expanded the concept into what we now call the “memory wheel.”

Here’s the idea:

You reduce key concepts down to their first letter (benevolence becomes b, like an abbreviation)You place these letters on concentric wheels you build in your imagination or create using paperYou then rotate the wheels so that various concepts align, helping you either decide what to do or remember key pieces of information

Bruno probably used his memory wheels while meditating as part of his faith and while completing certain duties, such as counseling others.

Martin Faulks has studied this concept intensively and has impressively demonstrated how the wheels work in practice.

Fourteen: Rote Learning

Rote learning is ancient, even if it’s not the best possible way to learn. I’ve included it here because even if it’s not fun or easy (and sometimes as painful as Fubo-no-jutsu must have been for the ninjas), it’s important to understand a bit about its history.

The word “rote” is connected to learning as early as the 1580s and probably stems from other words like “route,” “routine” and “rotation.”

In Chinese, they have a funny expression for this technique: 死记硬背 (Si ji ying bei). This means: death memory stiff back.

Use it with caution, my friends, and if you want an alternative technique, get my FREE Memory Improvement Technique now:

Fifteen: Knots & Twisted String

As bad and boring as rote repetition can be, there’s a place for it. For example, when reciting mantras or praying, repetition is the bees knees.

One way you can help yourself remember certain parts of a prayer, involves getting a string and either placing a knot in it or twisting a part of the string. 

Next, you encode your desired information into each knot of twist. 

Later, as you feel your away along the string, you practice recalling what you wanted to remember on a knot-by-knot basis. This practice is probably where we get the iconic image of a string tied around someone’s finger as a memory aid.

Much More Than Just Greek Memory Techniques

So there you have it:

15 incredible ancient memory techniques from across time and around the world.

The trick is to pick a few of these and get them into practice.

Picking up some of the books from the ancient memory tradition can also help you in this regard.

All of the teachers of memory experienced resistance in their students.

And if you feel resistance to using these techniques, that’s perfectly okay. In fact, it’s normal.

Just understand that nothing has changed about these techniques for thousands of years.

But the reason they’ve survived is clear:

Because they’ve helped not just a few people. They’ve helped millions upon millions of people.

If any of them seem hard, understand that’s normal in the beginning.

And the only way for them to get easier so that learning can be as fun and easy as you deserve is to get started.

The best time is not tomorrow (because tomorrow famously never comes).

You can’t go back in time, so yesterday simply won’t do.

The best time is now.

So what do you say?

Are you ready to grab your favorite ancient memory technique and put it into action?

How to Focus When Reading: 15 Proven Techniques

If you can’t focus on reading, here’s why you should feel hopeful:

I nearly dropped out of grad school in 2003 because I could barely focus on a sentence.

My looming exams made the stress even worse, leading to a vicious cycle that degraded my concentration further.

But I knew that I just had to solve the problem!

Failure simply wasn’t an option.

Although I didn’t discover all that I’m about to share with you overnight, one concentration tip in particular made all the difference in the world.

I was able to stay in school. Get my PhD. Get a major research grant and travel the world.

All because of the information you’ll read on this page.

But be warned:

A lot of what I have to share puts a different spin on some of the reading comprehension and focus techniques you’ve encountered before.

So if you’re ready to discover how to stay focused while reading from someone who reads a ton and turns the information into knowledge for others each and every day, let’s get started!

How to Focus on Reading: The 15 Things You Need to Do

As you go through this list, it’s important to understand that there’s no special order here.

Each and every tip is equally useful.

But you don’t have to put them all into use overnight.

And some of them are useful for only certain kinds of books.

Frankly, there is no one-size-fits-all or cookie-cutter method for reading with greater focus.

So if you can’t focus on reading, you’re going to love how easy it is to improve.

One: Read More, More Often

The simplest way to improve your focus is to simply read more and read more often.

Read as many different types of information as you can from many different types of authors.

This tactic is incredibly important because one big reason people struggle to focus while reading comes down to weak reading muscles.

Let’s face it:

Humans were not born to read. Evolution has yet to imprint the alphabet directly into our DNA.

Reading is a skill we have to learn.

And once we have the basics down, we have to keep the mental muscles involved in reading strong.

Two: Be Patient With Authors

People who can’t focus often blame themselves. They think they might be lacking focus, when actually the author is not writing in a way that demands focus. 

Worse, some readers may consider themselves less intelligent than they actually are. In reality, the book is not as well written as it could be.

For example, one of the students in the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass came to me recently for help with his reading comprehension.

When I asked for an example of what my student was struggling with, he said he couldn’t concentrate on or remember anything from One Nation Under God by James Moore.

This book, which is about the history of prayer in America, is well-written in terms of clean prose.

But the prose is not particularly clear. And it is logically inconsistent. No wonder my student couldn’t remember anything he was reading.

To take one example, just examine the opening paragraph. It will help you understand my next tip, keeping in mind that we’re going to extend Moore our patience with his writing.

Three: Bring The Engagement

Moore says in this book that “nothing in human experience compares to prayer.”

A sentence like this is hard to comprehend for a few reasons. First, what does the author mean by prayer, and human experience? And what exactly does the word “compare” mean in this context?

In reality, prayer compares to all kinds of things, such as confession with a priest and the secular equivalent of talking to a psychoanalyst. Using mantras compares to prayer as does wishful thinking and other forms of self-talk.

Then the author uses an empty, cliche phrase like, “by any objective measure.” But nowhere does the author list a single objective measure. This absence means that the reader has nothing to latch onto.

In fact, it’s not until page three of the book that the author gives an example that the reader can experience and visualize in the mind. The image Moore gives involves a number of people getting together in Yankee Stadium to pray after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

As I explained to my student, the problem isn’t with the focus skills my student was bringing to the table. It’s with the fact that the author writes in vague abstractions. The book would have been a lot better with an introduction like this:

Imagine that you’re in Yankee Stadium with a group of people gathered in prayer. Your heart is flooded with conflicting emotions, ranging from anger, rage, the need for revenge and feelings of patriotism for your country. Prayer helps you navigate these tough emotions, and that is just one reason why prayer holds so much value compared to some of the other ways you could deal with the range of confusion feelings you might experience after such a tragic event.

This writing brings the engagement.

But as the reader of this book, I brought it for the author through a kind of real-time translation. I changed the boring and the vague into the concrete and specific (aided by long practice in reading multiple kinds of literature daily).

And that’s what I suggest you do as a reader to help yourself focus when books fail to stimulate you.

Read what the author says. And then translate it into something much more engaging.

Here’s another tactic that can help you do that.

Four: Interrogate Your Reading with Suspicion (And Faith)

I’ve just talked about translating vague writing into specific ideas and concepts to make the process more active and interesting.

But there’s a sub-routine going on that deserves its own attention. It’s based on one of the favorite reading tactics I learned in university: the hermeneutics of suspicion.

Now, there’s a lot of political nonsense in that style of reading that I have completely abandoned. But the core idea is that you read with skepticism.

I’ve already demonstrated this by looking at the first sentence of One Nation Under God. This “interrogation” exposed that the author is being more than a little lazy with his wording and meaning.

And reading this way allowed me to dig deeper and think about what he really means once the generalizations are cleared away.

To do this, it’s important to balance the suspicious part with faith. I always read in the faith that the author has good intentions and wants to communicate key points.

This circles back to being patient with the author – which in the case of this book required a lot of patience. 

Five: Use the Index

One of the reasons we lose focus comes from authors drowning us in references. This problem lessens the more you read because you’ll catch the references and have ready-to-go images and ideas in your mind.

But until that starts to happen for you, you’ll want to get in the habit of regularly checking the index.

For example, if an author mentions a philosopher, check the index and look at all the pages this person is mentioned on. If they seem like they’re going to be important, make time to read up about this individual.

That way, when you reach those passages again later, you won’t lose focus. You’ll have a cognitive map to help you make a connection.

Yes, this is kind of like interrupting yourself. But done well, this kind of self-distraction is like interleaving, a key strategy when you want to remember what you’re studying.

It’s the external distractions we need to worry about. There are a few key ways you can do that.

Six: Delete Distractions

There’s nothing worse than having external forces interrupt your reading.

Today, for example, I was out at my favorite reading spot when it started to rain. Suddenly, a bunch of people were huddling with me under the umbrella over the picnic table!

No problem. I just left. I have nearly a dozen other places already charted out where I can read.

But how often do we try to push through distractions instead of turning them off?

There are many simple ways to eliminate distractions while you’re reading:

Schedule your reading timeAlert others that you’re not to be disturbed during this timeTurn off the phone or all notifications if reading on a deviceClose all tabs (or open a new browser window and make it full screen)Take notes with pen and paper so you don’t have to close tabs or screensUse notes to look up things later if you prefer to keep your reading flow goingChoose quiet places in low traffic areasHave a plan for where else you can go if something changesHave targets for how much you’re going to read

Let’s talk more about the idea of having targets and how they can help you focus.

Seven: Targets And The Pinch Technique

I read a ton each year. But it’s rarely random. I read more because I pick specific targets and fulfill them.

For example, when I’m interested in a particular topic, I’ll pick 3-5 books in that area and plan to have them read within 4-6 weeks. This is a huge strategy for people who want to read faster.

So that’s what I call a “Macro-Target.”

Then, there are “Micro-Targets,” literally figuring out how much I plan to read in a given day. Usually I try to cover three chapters, if not more.

Since all of our minds are fried from the Internet, specifically thanks to digital amnesia, I have found something strange. Chapters that used to seem very short now seem incredibly long. Even my attention span and focus have been shortened.

To combat this, I started to count the exact number of pages in a chapter and then pinch the entire chapter while I’m reading. That way, the feeling of making progress keeps me focused more than if I have to keep thinking about how many more pages are left in the chapter or section.

I save the Pinch Technique for when I really can’t focus on reading. It helps!

Sure, I know this sounds kind of silly.

But I’ve been doing it for years and it helps me maintain my focus a ton.

Eight: Take a Picture Walk

Barbara Oakley from Learning How to Learn talks about the picture walk technique in the book version of that world famous course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAg7e...

Taking a picture walk is a bit like the Pinch Technique, but in this case, you’re going through each chapter in advance to note any pictures, charts or graphs.

By having a quick look for these, you’re priming your mind with something to look forward to. And you’re giving your mind clues about what the information in the chapter might be about.

What if the book doesn’t have any illustrations or diagrams?

Well, that’s useful to know in advance too. It helps you brace for impact from the walls of text so you can better focus your mind on the task to be done.

Nine: Timeless Pomodoro

One thing that I’ve never understood is the Pomodoro Technique. If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s a form of timeboxing where you set a timer and intend to focus on reading for a specific period of time.

The reason I don’t like this technique is simple:

You are asking to be distracted from your reading.

What I prefer to do is intend to read for, say 40 minutes, and then use the pinch technique.

Usually, I’ll get the chapter done and feel like 40 minutes has gone by, only to find that it’s more like 14 minutes.

Then I stand up, do a bit of stretching and read some more.

Using your mind to gauge and experiment with time will likely be much for fruitful for your focus than relegating time to machines in both the short and long term.

Ten: Read Out Of Order

One of the easiest ways to lose focus while reading is to insist on moving from the beginning to the end of books.

Except for novels, I rarely do this. It’s simply not helpful.

When reading non-fiction books, it’s often helpful to read the conclusion first. That way you get a summary of the key points and why the author thinks the thesis of the book was valuable and correct.

Of course, not all books have conclusions, but reading out of order is a generally valuable principle for increasing engagement.

Eleven: Mission Statements For Motivation

Often we lose focus because we forget why we’re reading in the first place.

For that reason, it’s useful to craft a vision statement, write it down and keep it somewhere you can see it.

This might seem silly, but many people use subconscious influence tactics like written reminders – including me.

At one point when writing my PhD dissertation got really difficult, I hand wrote and posted this message on my computer monitor:

None of us works as hard as we think we do.

Every time I found myself slacking off, it was hard for me to ignore this message. So I opened one of the many research PDFs I needed to plow through and got back to reading.

Twelve: Give Yourself A Reward

I never grind without some kind of reward in mind. It’s basic Pavlovian psychology.

Each person needs to figure out a reward structure for themselves, but simple rewards can involve:

Watching a movieGoing to a favorite restaurantVegging out for an afternoonGetting an item you’ve been wanting

Giving yourself a reward for completing a reading goal can help you settle and concentrate better on your reading.

Care needs to be taken around this strategy because it’s tempting to go all in on the rewards without putting in the work.

But with some exploration, you’ll find that optimal reward structures hone your focus while reading.

Thirteen: The Thor Technique

Using mnemonic images is a key memory strategy we’ll talk about in a moment.

But imagery can be useful to help reassert your focus while reading in a flash.

When I catch my mind wandering while reading, I look for the word “the” on the page. Then I imagine Thor smashing his hammer down on the page.

This mental experience is so loud and dynamic – and funny – that it brings my attention back to the reading.

Using the pegword method, you can have an image for each and every letter of the alphabet. This tactic helps you instantly look at anything you’re reading and engage with it much deeper, completely on demand.

Fourteen: Read From Within Your Mind

If you’ve read books like Moonwalking with Einstein, you probably know all about the Memory Palace technique.

You can use this strategy to memorize vocabulary and even entire passages of verbatim text.

Spend just a little time practicing this technique and it will increase your focus for scanning text.

If you’d like to see an example of me reciting long from text – literally reading from the walls inside my mind – here are two demonstrations you can check out:

Reciting long form Sanskrit from the Ribhu GitaReciting a speech at a TEDx Event

I simply cannot exaggerate how much completing these simple memory tasks has increased my ability to focus on what I read.

Fifteen: Take Robust Notes

There are flashcards, and then there are “Magnetic Flashcards.”

The difference is that when you create dynamic and engaging flashcards, it will make it much easier to keep focused.

You can also:

Amplify how you use AnkiMindmap for better comprehension and memoryUse some of my unconventional notetaking strategies

Carrying a notebook with you is also a key strategy.

As you go about your day, get in the habit of asking yourself about what you’ve been reading. Then write down quick summaries of the key ideas.

This simple habit will help improve your reading because you’ll literally be doing two things. First, you’ll be translating the reading material into your own words. Second, you’ll be reading the concepts in your own words. This increases the engagement you’ll experience tremendously.

How To Concentrate When Reading

When you follow the strategies above, you’ll be tapping into the best aspects of memory science.

You’ll be chunking and using active recall. And that’s just to give you two of the science-based principles my best memory hacks stem from.

At the end of the day, concentration is something that is built.

And the best tip of them all is to increase the amount that you’re reading.

And it’s worth repeating that you need to bring patience to the game.

So many books that are well worth reading…

They’re simply poorly written.

That’s not your fault!

But it is your responsibility to milk them for all they’re worth anyway.

And now you have some of my best reading strategies so that you can get through even the toughest texts.

If you need more help and want to learn how to remember what you read, grab this FREE Memory Improvement Kit:

It will take everything you’ve learned to the next level in 4 clear, crisp and fun lessons.

And there’s a PDF that summarizes the course too – a powerful resource that gives you what we all need most:

More good things to read!

So what do you say?

Which of these techniques do you appreciate the most?

And are you ready to dive in and get started focusing on your reading better than ever before?

Make it happen!

Moonwalking with Einstein Review: Will It Change Your Life?

Moonwalking with Einstein is an incredible book for many reasons.

But will reading it improve your memory?

Even more importantly, will reading Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer improve your life?

Sorry to give you a cliche answer, but rest assured you’ll get more nuance as we go.

The answer is:

It depends.

In this review, you’ll learn who this book is for, who it’s most likely to help and whether or not you’re the kind of person who will benefit from reading it.

And in case you’re wondering why I would know, that’s a very good question.

I have a few insights because I’ve interviewed and spent time with many people in the book.

One of them gave me the Warrior of the Mind emblem for Outstanding Contributions to Global Mental Literacy. You’ll read about that pendant in the early parts of Moonwalking with Einstein.

But above all, I’ve benefited from reading this book myself, albeit in a quirky way.

All will be revealed, so if you’re ready to take a deep dive into this fascinating book, let’s get started!

Who Is Joshua Foer?

Joshua Foer was a science journalist when he wrote Moonwalking with Einstein and published it in 2011.

These days, he owns a company called Atlas Obscura that serves as a guide to the world’s hidden treasures.

According to the book itself, he won the 2006 USA Memory Championship and later ranked 13th at the World Memory Championship event.

Foer told Nelson Dellis in a 2022 interview that although he still uses memory techniques once in a while, it is usually for numbers. But he no longer pushes himself to the level of being a viable memory athlete.

Of the greatest interest for language learners, Foer successfully learned Lingala to a decent degree. He attributes memory techniques to his success based on an older version of Memrise, which included a lot of mnemonic examples at the time.

If you’re wondering if Joshua Foer is legit, the answer is definitely yes. He’s gone beyond using memory techniques for competition and applied them to developing knowledge. That’s exactly what we want in a memory expert.

Moonwalking with Einstein Review: What You Need to Know

The first thing you need to know about Moonwalking with Einstein is that it’s not a memory training book. There’s little in it that could be described as a “lesson.”

That said, the title itself is a lesson in mnemonic imagery. And the best kind because it’s a highly specific mnemonic example.

And if you follow along as you read, you’ll come to know how memory techniques work and gain insight in how to use them. The main problem is that, except for the chapter on how to memorize a poem, you’ll primarily discover how to use mnemonics for competitive outcomes.

More importantly, Moonwalking with Einstein is a book based around some classic themes that are very inspiring. These themes are:

The Value of Experimentation

Throughout the book, you discover how many different people learned about memory techniques and made them their own.

This theme is so critical because a lot of people expect someone to hand them a memory system.

Although there are some memory systems that many memory athletes share (like the PAO System, Dominic System and Major System), each person needs to do a number of things:

Learn the systemsUnderstand how and why they workModify them so they’re personalized (part of active recall in memory science)Absorb them through practiceObserve and track how they performMake improvements over timeThe Value of Community

Memory competition requires community by its very nature. You cannot compare your memory skills against others on your own.

A huge theme of the book revolves around the friendships Foer made and the mentors who guided his progress with the memory techniques.

I share one of those mentors with Foer in our dearly departed Tony Buzan.

In one of the book’s early sections, a section that proves Foer’s skills as a writer, Foer notices  “a neuron shaped pin adorned [Buzan’s] lapel.” That pin is the Warrior of the Mind Emblem, something Buzan gave me at an event, making me part of a community of memory teachers. For someone who talks for a living, I was speechless!

As Foer describes the scene, Buzan acts like Merlin by making a great call to adventure. Just as Buzan once took me aside, he took Foer aside and had him imagine becoming the USA Memory Champion.

This call to adventure is what leads Foer to travel and meet many memory athletes, memory experts and ultimately enjoy membership in KL7, a secret society of memorizers headed by the Grandmaster of Memory, Ed Cooke.

The Value of Practice & Having Goals

Although the stories of meeting various people are wildly entertaining, the book’s most important theme revolves around practice.

In this regard, the book could be about many competitive sports, though perhaps chess is the closest comparison.

As Foer learns, commitment is rare. And if the book ends on a bittersweet note, it is that Foer learns how easy it is to slip back into easy mode and stop using memory techniques.

But is the backsliding Foer ultimately describes really about a retreat to easy street?

I’m not sure. Given that we know Foer later used memory techniques to help himself learn a language and memorize 1100 words from a Lingala dictionary, I think a major theme of the book is quite simple to express.

Have a goal.

Having meaningful goals is just as rare as commitment in today’s world.

And in some ways, Moonwalking with Einstein is not just about one science journalist winning a memory competition.

It’s about the nature of how American society practices and sets goals compared to other countries.

I recommend readers think about the differences between nations that Foer outlines in order to get maximum value from the book.

Should You Read Moonwalking With Einstein?

In a word, yes.

However, I think many people who are just starting with memory techniques will need at least one other book to help them fully understand the techniques.

You will learn the Memory Palace technique (especially in the chapter on memorizing poetry).

But I’ve read so many people complaining that Moonwalking with Einstein confused them or didn’t help them learn how to improve their memory.

On the other hand, Braden Adams told me that he read the book once and ran with it. He’s now an impressive memory competitor.

And that’s ultimately the book’s strength and weakness. The subtitle says that it’s about “the art and science of remembering everything.” 

But as we saw in Where Did Noah Park the Ark? trying to address everything can lead to many people doing nothing.

This statement is not a criticism of any memory book that casts its net wide. But people who don’t suddenly wake up understanding how memory techniques work should not blame Moonwalking with Einstein. It’s mostly about what memory is, how it works, and specifically how to harness those characteristics to win a memory championship.

And the key to that is something Nelson Dellis gave us long ago. You have to practice at least two things:

Practice the memory techniquesPractice using the techniques in competition

So if you’re looking for a stimulating read that might give you insights you need as a competitor, Moonwalking with Einstein is pure gold.

But it’s also gold if you want to get inspired and learn more about the value of practice and commitment to a goal.

It’s incredibly well-written too and very exciting.

In my view, you simply cannot go wrong by reading it, but now you know what some of its limitations might be for you.

And if you liked this review and think you might want to learn my approach to using memory techniques, go ahead and grab my FREE Memory Improvement Kit now:

This course is not targeted at competition at all (though my own competition experience is described in The Victorious Mind).

Instead, my course focuses on how ancient people used memory techniques to carry massive amounts of information in their minds when they could not carry books on their backs.

At the end of the day, if you really want to help improve the world, the more books you read and the more courses you take, the merrier we will all be.

So what do you say? Are you reading to start “moonwalking” with Einstein?

The Chunking Memory Strategy Explained: 7 Powerful Techniques

You’ve probably heard of the chunking technique and thought it sounded pretty boring.

I mean, how is splitting large pieces of information into smaller pieces supposed to help you remember more?

Isn’t that just more work?

Your intuition is correct to ask.

Because if the chunk method is poorly executed, it not only leads to wasted time and energy.

It doesn’t provide the desired results either.

So to fix that, let’s go beyond the standard chunking definition.

And I promise that after you’re read each and every example I have to share on this page, you’ll always get great results whenever you’re chunking information.

Ready?

Let’s dive in!

What is Chunking?

David Sousa gives a very simple way to understand chunking in How the Brain Learns.

Look at the word “chunking.”

Do your eyes and your brain see eight individual letters?

Technically, yes. But your mind “chunks” c-h-u-n-k-i-n-g into a single word.

We also tend to chunk numbers, such as the ones we use to call one another by phone. Whereas telephone numbers were initially very short, as the systems grew in popularity, they needed to be longer.

The term “chunking” comes from Dr. George Miller. In a 1956 paper titled The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two, he famously pointed out how grouping numbers into shorter chunks made them much easier to remember. 

Many memory athletes and memory experts have used mnemonic devices like the PAO System to completely sidestep the limitations Miller identified and chunk in highly efficient ways. One of my students even memorized 1200 digits of pi and can recite them all in about a minute!

Experts provide another example. Instead of trying to understand vast swaths of disconnected information, they think categorically. They find and refer to patterns. And when necessary, experts create new terms or paradigms that help us understand the connections between aspects of the world.

Finally, some students treat “cramming” as a form of chunking. Although this practice can provide some results, one of my favorite memory hacks is called “The Cram Smasher.” It helps you group blocks of time in a sophisticated way that reduces forgetting and maximizes your free time.

How the Chunking Memory Strategy Works

Chunking is not necessarily a natural behavior. It tends to be a skill we learn. For example, when we are young, we are shown how ten dimes make a dollar. 

There are many patterns like this that we learn: ten, ten dollar bills make one hundred, etc.

But to turn this into a memory strategy, we want to add a few additional elements. We can look for patterns and then group information deliberately.

Take for example a number like 9289.

In this number, you might notice that your grandfather is 92 and in 1989 he took you to the zoo. Now, instead of 9289 looking like a random digit, it has been separated and encoded with meaning. You can also use the PAO System I mentioned above or the Major System.

The Major System

Another way to chunk items together involves applying stories and links. For example, let’s say you need to memorize the following list of words:

KittenFieldFootballDrinkHuntingOcean

To remember these items, you could chunk them together using a story. For example, you can imagine a kitten in a field playing football. After the game, the kitten grabs some beers, puts on a hunting cap and goes to the ocean.

Yes, the story is weird, but it chunks the items in the list together, making them much easier to recall.

But these aren’t the only ways to chunk. Let’s have a look at a few more.

7 Powerful Chunking Memory Techniques

As you go through this list, pick at least one and apply it to something you’re learning.

As always, you’ll want to ask before getting started with any particular chunking technique if it’s really appropriate to the learning goal. Sometimes there are more appropriate strategies available, though we never know until we experiment. So above all, have fun.

One: Make An Acronym

I’ve given a lot of speeches in my career. But sometimes I don’t feel like memorizing them word for word.

So I craft an acronym instead. Often, an entire talk comes from one keyword, a strategy I outline in detail in How to Memorize a Speech Fast.

YOLO for “You only live once” chunks the the concept both into a single sentence and then further into a single, unique word.

You can also use acronyms to memorize definitions or phrases. The catch is that it can take a bit of time to think up a good one. It’s still powerful when you hit upon something good, and we use chunking like this all the time for news networks (CNN) and government institutions (FBI, CIA).

A recent popular example is YOLO for “you only live once.” This acronym chunks the concept into a unique word, but the phrase itself is itself chunking because it expresses a much longer sentiment in just a few words.

Two: Mind Map

Mind mapping doesn’t have to involve chunking, but it certainly can.

Here are a few ways I’ve chunked related ideas to remember and recall concepts in memory through mind mapping.

Three: Compare and Contrast

One of the ways I remember so much as I read comes down to thinking comparatively.

For example, when I come across a main point in a book, I often ask, “What else is like this? What contrasts or opposes this?”

To give a simple example, I recently read Christopher Kemp’s Dark and Magical Places. It’s about how the brain navigates space. When I asked about the opposite of navigation, I thought about certain meditation practices where you sit very still.

When your questioning produces answers, even if they are very simple, you effectively chunk the ideas together. The chunking effect makes all of the involved information easier to remember in the future.

Asking questions also makes it possible to read faster because of how it develops your pattern recognition abilities.

Four: Notice Structures, Categories and Functions

We often just consume entertainment. But if we take some time to pay attention to the form a story takes, we can remember more about it.

I shared some of the narratological structures I used to use as a Film Studies professor in How to Remember a Story.

You can also use certain observations to help . For example, if you’re at the dentist and you learn that the secretary’s name is Martina, you could imagine your dentist drinking a toothpaste flavored martini with her at the service counter. You’ve literally chunked a dentistry related flavor to her name and put your dentist into the picture so you’ll remember that she’s his secretary.

Speaking of names, yet another way to understand chunking is to consider your last name. It’s one of many ways your identity is chunked to your family. The use of family trees to track lineage is another.

Five: Use Memory Techniques

Did you know that there are over 20 memory techniques to choose from?

These include rhyming, the Memory Palace technique and some of the number systems we discussed above.

In many ways, the Memory Palace is the ultimate chunking technique because you group the information you want to remember into individual rooms.

If you’d like to learn more about how it works, get my FREE Memory Improvement course for some free lessons and exercises:

Six: Inverse Chunking

So far, we’ve seen that chunking is all about grouping or organizing information in particular ways.

But another way to approach grouping information involves how you organize it in time.

For example, I love to use a reading technique called interleaving. Basically, it involves reading 3-5 books at the same time and switching between them.

Instead of chunking the topics or information in them, it’s about chunking the time down into manageable bits. Then, during the brakes, diffuse thinking helps form more memory connections. You literally learn and remember information about the first topic while paying attention to the second.

Seven: Flash Card Chunking

A lot of people like to use Anki or standard flashcards.

Although both are great and you can certainly chunk information in them categorically, it’s also possible to insert questions and connections into them.

In the example above, I used a question to contrast a point. Although this line of questioning might not make sense to you, it instantly reminds me that many spiritual traditions have very different goals than Marxism.

You can use questions like this to also help you compare, contrast and ultimately remember more.

Use the Chunking Technique Widely

As you can see, chunking is powerful.

How and when humans started gathering things together is not entirely clear. But as Dr. Miller pointed out, there’s only so much information the brain can easily contain.

But that’s where the techniques you’ve learned today provide some very good news.

By using the chunk method in its many forms strategically, it’s possible to learn faster and remember more.

So what do you say? Are you ready to get out there and master more information quickly?

Chunk it up!

Ars Notoria: Rapid Learning or Mindfulness Guide? With Dr. Justin Sledge from Esoterica

What if there was a book that helped you learn at a rapid pace by chanting the names of angels while looking at interesting images?

There’s more to the Ars Notoria than that, of course.

But the interesting thing is that this book may actually have provided a beneficial effect.

For one thing, the text likely created a meditative state.

And it’s been well-demonstrated that meditation improves memory.

It also improves focus, attention and your overall awareness.

To help us learn more about the Ars Notoria and the people who used it, we’re joined in this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast by Dr. Justin Sledge from Esoterica.

https://youtu.be/SIEWtw8B-j4

What Is The Ars Notoria?

The Ars Notoria is hard to describe.

But generally, it probably belongs to a genre called grimoire. This word probably relates to “grammar” and refers to texts proclaiming to teach the art of invoking angels and/or demons.

In the case of the Ars Notoria, the idea seems to be that you “inspect” certain “notes,” ostensibly while chanting the names of angels you’ve memorized.

Why?

Because the book promises that you’ll rapidly acquire the trivium and quadrivium at an epic speed, provided you still attend lecture and do all the assigned reading.

The “notes” you’re supposed to stare at, one assumes, the images included in the book. But it’s possible that you also created your own when using the pecia system to copy books you could not afford to own.

If you want to check out the text for yourself, this is the version of the Ars Notoria I read. It appears that a new version is coming out soon as well.

To understand the medieval practice of this form of magic, I recommend Claire Fanger’s Invoking Angels.

And of course, there is Dr. Sledge’s excellent video analysis of the text:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv0pl...

How Would You Use The Ars Notoria?

Based on my reading so far, here’s what I would probably do:

Memorize the recommended names and words using a Memory PalaceRecite the content while considering the imagesRepeat daily while studying the material using other memory techniques

Although not quite so elaborate, I have done something similar already with Sanskrit. I memorized a substantial part of the Ribhu Gita, for example.

Here’s the demonstration video and here’s my TEDx Talk about the experience.

Do The Promises of the Ars Notoria Deliver?

As Dr. Sledge and I speculate, it’s highly likely that using the Ars Notoria provided students and other individuals some benefit. If it didn’t, why else would manuscripts of the text have flourished?

I think the relationship here with other kinds of concentration meditation and visualization meditation is clear.

Some people will certainly learn faster and remember more based on the benefits of concentration meditation alone.

But my thinking aligns with Claire Fanger’s suggestion that working with the names of angels probably helped people improve their use of mnemonics.

This intuition makes total sense to me because the more strange names and words you know, the more connections you can make while using mnemonics.

In other words, this could have served as a kind of practice akin to what we do now with things like the pegword method, the Major System and the PAO System.

Ultimately, the only way to know whether or not this approach will work for you is to give it a try.

Stay tuned to this page for updates as more resources and materials emerge.

When the new version comes out, and if it fills in the gaps in the current versions we have, I might just give this technique a try.

And if I do, I’ll document everything for you. Watch this space and if you’d like to improve your memory between now and then, grab my FREE Memory Improvement Kit:

This course provides you with contemporary and scientifically proven boosts to your memory.

And you don’t have to pray to anyone or anything in order for it to work!

7 Memory Hacks That Simply Work

If you want to learn really fast, these are the memory hacks you want to use. They are by far the most exciting, next level memory tips you’ve ever discovered.

And I promise you that if you read this article all the way through, you will be able to absolutely crush any exam, learn any language faster and never forget a name again.

These tactics helped me during a time when I was so frustrated by what so many “memory experts” were offering.

See, a lot of them are memory competitors.

They use memory techniques to win competitions. Then they instantly forget the numbers, vocabulary and names they memorized.

Not useful for lifelong learning!

Then there are the scientists (or journalists pretending to write scientifically).

Let’s face it:

Memory tips like “take a nap” and “use repetition” aren’t actually “hacks.”

Sure, those things do work. A little.

But if you’re struggling with small memory problems…

Or even big ones…

The standard advice simply won’t do.

The memory hacks you need will be science-based and help you delve into the vast miracle that is the human mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXinn...

But they’re not going to be helpful if they’re written by people who don’t use memory techniques for long term retention.

I do.

So are you ready for a memory hack “manifesto” loaded with techniques that will actually get you results?

Great! Let’s dive in!

7 Memory Hacks That Actually Work

As you go through this list, please understand that there is no special order here.

Each and every one of the memory improvement tactics you’re about to discover is useful.

And you can use some of them in combination for maximum results.

One: Don’t Cram (Not Ever)

When you have to learn something in a rush, the worst thing you can do is sit there and try and force it into your head.

Although some rote repetition can be a good thing, this is better:

Take lots of breaks, even if you’re in a rush.

This is called the spacing effect and it is powerful.

To give you a simple example, I didn’t have much time when I memorized the speech I gave at a TEDx event.

But in the limited time I had, I focused on 2-3 sentences at a time using a technique called the Memory Palace that you’ll learn about in a minute.

After about 5 minutes of focusing on those sentences, I pulled back and did something else.

Memory expert Dave Farrow established two Guinness Records and he used a similar approach to accomplish his feats.

Two: Use Memory Techniques

Did you know that there are over 20 memory techniques to choose from?

You don’t have to use them all, but spending just a little time picking up a few will revolutionize your memory quickly.

If you want to go for the ultimate technique immediately, learn how to use a Memory Palace.

This specific technique hacks your memory of locations like buildings, schools, churches, libraries, stores, parks and highways.

You literally think about locations you’re familiar with and pair them with information you need to remember using visualization tactics.

Three: Mind Map

Tony Buzan says in Mind Map Mastery that he gave up on the mind map as a memory hack decades ago.

I think this was premature.

For one thing, mind maps can readily be used as a type of Memory Palace.

But merely by creating them, ideally with multiple colors, you give yourself a shot at experiencing the benefits of active recall.

Using multiple colors on your mind maps will increase your focus and make their content more memorable.

This means that you’ll remember what you’ve mind mapped better because you personalized the information. And you’ve engaged with it in a way that involves novelty and variety.

Both of those things are so powerful, they deserve a discussion on their own.

Four: Inject Novelty and Variety

One of my most used memory hacks during university was studying in multiple locations.

I literally went out of my way to study in as many of Toronto’s libraries as I could. Just as often, I would visit new cafes or even study in parks I’d never seen before. I would ride my bike from place to place, which also had the benefit of giving me breaks. 

(It’s really hard to cram when you’re on the road, but very easy to reflect on what you’ve studied. Thinking about the material forms memories quicker.)

Why does including a variety of new locations for learning help with memory formation?

Scientists believe it has to do with how it causes the brain to increase levels of dopamine and noradrenaline. These are all important chemicals when it comes to forming new memories.

The best part?

Moving around is fun and easy too. It also makes you a more interesting person.

Five: Optimize How You Use Flashcards

Sometimes people think I’m all about the Memory Palace technique and totally against things like Anki and flashcards.

Such statements couldn’t be further from the truth.

Although I don’t use spaced repetition software often, when I do, I enhance it by using the principles we’ve already discussed:

Personalization and variety.

It’s very simple to draw your own flashcards and photograph them, for example. You can also align your cards with your Memory Palaces using the technique I teach in how to memorize a textbook.

As for Anki, I limit my exposure to all apps as part of avoiding digital amnesia.

Six: Memorize Stories

One problem a lot of people struggling with memory face comes down to articulation. Their tongues get tied or they lose their train of thought.

By spending a bit of time not just passively reading stories, but deeply internalizing their plot points, you’ll hack your memory and improve it fast.

Seven: Make Memory Projects Part of Your Life

One of the best hacks is to simply have little memory projects on the go all the time.

For example, you can:

Memorize the preamble of the United States ConstitutionMemorize the most popular chess openingsMemorize a prayerLearn the notes on a fretboardCommit the planets to memoryGet into memory sports and keepMemorize the periodic table The Biggest & Best Memory Hack Of Them All

If you like what you’ve read so far, let me encourage you to go deeper.

The biggest memory hack of them all is this:

Decide to become a master of your memory.

What do I mean by that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k7ho...

Basically, it means get into memory training and stick with it.Because the truth is there is no short term memory hack that’s going to last forever.

Think of it like this:

You can’t go to the gym once in a while and expect your biceps to grow.

Memory is like a muscle like that.

It needs ongoing attention.

And if you’d like to learn the most powerful technique for making your memory not only improve, but flourish so you can learn languages, concentrate better and stop forgetting things, grab my FREE Memory Improvement Kit now:

It will help you start the path to memory mastery that lasts.

That way, you won’t need hacks any more.

You’ll be the one everyone goes to for help.

Memory Techniques For Chinese with Mandarin Blueprint

One of the biggest problems when it comes to mnemonics for Mandarin Chinese has recently been solved.

To explain more about the issue and the solution, Phil Crimmins from Mandarin Blueprint joins me on the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast.

Now, Phil’s credentials and experiences with Chinese are exceptional.

He’s an accomplished entrepreneur, sure. He’s also very chill thanks to meditation, mindfulness and a great understanding of how to manage his mind.

And he’s a great lifelong learner who has focused on learning Chinese with incredible speed and accuracy.

But it wasn’t always simple. And some mistakes were made along the way.

You can learn from those mistakes.

And take inspiration from how Phil went on to complete a degree at Sichuan University.

Even better, he was awarded an “Outstanding Thesis Award” for his dissertation.

What was this dissertation all about?

“Chinese Acquisition Methods from the Perspective of a Mandarin Learner.”

This means that Phil is not only great at speaking Mandarin, but writing it too!

https://youtu.be/xJOuWDnhpRc

Want To Make Reading And Writing Mandarin Easier?

In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method podcast, you’ll learn how Mandarin Blueprint has been helping thousands of people around the world rapidly acquire Chinese language skills.

Let me tell you:

Phil and his partner Luke Neale really know their stuff.

Sure, their Chinese is great.

But I’m also incredibly impressed by their knowledge of memory techniques, including the Memory Palace and other memory hacks.

What Is Mandarin Blueprint?

Mandarin Blueprint is an online course, but it’s also something more.

It’s an experience.

See, Phil and Luke understand the brain’s need for a combination of variety, simple challenges and careful progression into more challenging aspects of the language.

Scientifically, they’re keenly aware of active recall and how to help you maximize its benefits.

It’s not just videos on a screen, either. You get quizzes, powerful downloads and activities to complete. There’s also a unique flashcard system that is built for people who use memory techniques to learn Chinese.

What about Chinese characters and pronunciation?

It’s in both of these areas that Mandarin Blueprint really shines.

As good as Phil and Luke’s pronunciation is, you also get a native speaker. It not only proves how well they speak, but gives you that all-important variety of voices that stimulates faster learning.

Memory Techniques For Chinese

So what exactly are these special mnemonics in the Mandarin Blueprint program?

That’s exactly what Phil and I discuss today, but as a bit of a preview…

Mnemonics for Chinese go back at least as far as Matteo Ricci in the 16th century. He traveled to China from Italy and even wrote a book about how he learned the language using the art of memory.

Then it’s mostly radio silence until the James Heisig books appeared with titles like, Remembering the Hanzi.

Mandarin Blueprint has taken the best ideas from the memory tradition and improved them, including some ideas from the Marilyn Method. They give interesting ways to connect your associations to both their unique flashcard system and Memory Palaces.

And these ways work, all the more so because they take pronunciation into consideration. In my experience, the Mandarin Blueprint approach is totally unique.

You should definitely try it.

What if you’re not learning Chinese?

Two things:

Why not?You can still learn a ton about memory techniques by listening to Phil’s experiences using them.

After all, Mandarin is neither easy or difficult. Those matters are just a state of mind.

But there’s definitely a level of involvement with Mandarin that requires more robustness in the memory techniques you use.

And that’s what makes this conversation so valuable. Those robust approaches will transfer over to anything you want to learn!

 

What Is A Paracosm? What You Need to Know

Are you paracosmic?

I know I sure am.

And it was easy and fun to get there, even if it took a bit of time. 

I’m talking about having hundreds of fantasy characters constantly rolling around in my mind. Real people too.

Sadly, some people think this state of having a large mental population  is some kind of disease…

Frankly, if it is, I love my paracosm symptoms.

I wish I could get more.

And to explain exactly why, on this page, we’ll look into why it’s so beneficial to build and use a paracosm of your own. 

What Is A Paracosm?

A paracosm is an invented world, typically populated by many imaginary characters. They could number in the dozens, hundreds or even the thousands.

“Cosm” simply means world or universe.

The Latin prefix “para” can mean many things:

AlongsideBesideNearAboveResemblingBeyond

And it can even mean “abnormal.”

Huh?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZQGB...

 

In the Handbook of Dissociation, Barry Cohen talks paracosm in adulthood as something belonging to either abused individuals or artists, if not both. 

He defines it in terms of repressed images that go through “revisualization.”

Now, I’m not saying that some people don’t suffer so badly that they create what Cohen calls a posttraumatic paracosm. 

But he is walking a thin line and practically reifies having a rich imaginary life as a disease. 

You’ll find a more balanced approach in Imaginary Companions and the Children Who Create Them. In this book, Marjorie Taylor shows how it can be quite healthy.

For example, she discusses the ways that Ancient Greek poets used to use the gods as their muses. The very idea that those gods exist and influence human affairs is an example of a very productive paracosm.

Then we have more contemporary authors.

For example, take the paracosm created by C.S. Lewis for his Narnia series of books. When I read them as a kid, I actively imagined all of those characters, and even added new ones by writing stories that took place in that world. 

Nothing could be healthier when you’re a kid than actively using your imagination. In this sense, having an invented world that lives alongside reality is rarely abnormal.

And as we’ll see, people who use memory techniques have such a world living alongside them all the time. 

If Having A Paracosm Is Abnormal, What Are The Symptoms?

In Anti-Oedipus, Deleuze and Guattarri famously argue out that capitalism creates mental illness. 

What they mean is that capitalism requires you to justify your existence by participating in an economic system premised upon the notion of production and growth.

People who can’t follow along with this are often deemed mentally ill. You can see this in the Cohen article where you claims that a key symptom of having a paracosm is a lack of “growth.”

Sadly, entire industries have developed in order to sell medicines and other forms of therapy to help people “fit in” and “grow” according to an economic agenda. 

So if you find that you or a loved one is lost in a paracosm to the extent that participating in the capitalistic system is impossible, then you might have “symptoms.” 

These might include struggles to:

Learn new skillsCommunicateRemember things like important details, names, appointments, etc.

But what if the symptom of having a paracosm could be having a better memory? 

This is where developing your own paracosm circle comes in.

Build Your Own Paracosm Circle

I mentioned at the outset that I went out of my way to create a paracosm. 

Why?

Because I needed to remember a lot of information fast.

I was depressed while doing my Ph.D. and couldn’t focus or concentrate. And a ton of negative memories kept coming up.

Then I discovered memory techniques. 

One principle of these techniques is association, often based on fantasy characters. 

Memory athletes and memory experts often create what is called a PAO System to organize their characters.

A variation technique is the pegword method.

Then, you arrange these in a Memory Palace. The Memory Palace helps you associate your familiar characters with information you don’t know. 

And it lets you revisit both your fantasy characters and the information at the same time. 

To help you understand this better, I’ve created a free course called Memory Palace Mastery. Register here:

This kind of paracosm imaginary world is extremely powerful. I wish I’d created one like it much, much earlier!

Paracosm In Adulthood

As we’ve seen, some people may create paracosms to escape trauma and abuse. 

However, when used for memory purposes, researchers like Tim Dalgleish have found that much relief can be found from using the method of loci in positive ways.

(Note: method of loci basically means the same thing as Memory Palace.)

I’ve seen students like Nicholas Castle turn things around for themselves. He created tremendous relief from his PTSD symptoms as I teach in the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass.

I myself experienced freedom from trauma by using these techniques. I shared the full story at a TEDx event:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvtYj...

Beyond that, we’ve talked about C.S. Lewis and his Narnia series. 

Then there’s author Michael Connelly. As he has discussed, his Bosch series is inspired by the painting The Garden of Earthly Delights. 

As Connelly has his detective solve crimes across dozens of novels, he is trying to create a cast of characters that is literally like another world. 

Then there’s Mark Rosenfelder, who wrote The Planet Construction Kit for authors. He also wrote the Language Construction Kit so that all the people on your planets will have authentic sounding ways of speaking.

As someone who also writes fiction, I’ve created many worlds and many people myself. (Ask me about Planet Etc. sometime!)

Beyond fiction, my career as an author now stems from the “fantasy” worlds I’ve built to help me use memory techniques better. I’m not the first one. There have been many others throughout history, Giordano Bruno being one of the best.

So in my final analysis, developing and maintaining a paracosm is a perfectly healthy thing to do. It might even help you experience hyperphantasia.

I’m not a therapist, so please take what I’m about to say with a grain of salt. But it appears to me that a lot of paracosm psychology is broken. 

I’m not saying that it’s a good thing for people to respond to trauma with escapism.

But to lump the creation of imaginary worlds together with acts of dissociation through fantasy is simply false. If you have an active imagination, that’s one of the greatest gifts in the world in my books. So many people wish they had your gifts.

And if you are suffering from trauma, the memory training offered on this site has been scientifically proven to help people with such issues.

So what do you say?

Are you ready to develop your own paracosm? 

Can I Use Video Games As Memory Palaces?

Many people ask me about using a video game as a Memory Palace. Here’s how such questions are often worded:

Hey, could locations in video games work for my Memory Palace? I’m talking about games such as Grand Theft Auto, Minecraft or the games favored by Pewdiepie? What about the Metaverse?

Before we get to the answer, a quick thought experiment in the form of a question:

Do you know the location of the Memory Palace Police Headquarters?

I’ll give you the address later, but think about it as we dive into the topic of using a video game as a Memory Palace.

I have only a passing familiarity with the games indicated by the question, but the quick and dirty answer is:

Yes. Of course. Why not?

A Memory Palace is a reference to space. This space is used either as a surface we paint mnemonic imagery onto, a surface we place it upon.

Or we might hover the associations above the loci. We can even stash them under or inside of locations inside of Memory Palaces, such as by using cupboards or even the pockets of our Magnetic Bridging Figures.

So long as you understand what the Memory Palace technique is and practice it, you can use video games. Or even movies. Heck, you can even make Memory Palaces from the individual pages of books to help you use elaborative encoding as you use both simple and advanced memory techniques.

The Truth About Using Memory Palaces Based On Video Games

In truth, it doesn’t matter what I think. The real answer is up to you.

And here’s a potentially MASSIVE time saving tip:

When it comes to memory training, any “can I” or “could I” question almost always has the same answer:

Dive in and give it a try! If it doesn’t work…

Come back to the Magnetic Memory Method for foundational training.

But always understand two things:

Using memory techniques like the Memory Palace is always experimental in natureMemory Palaces are always already virtualWhy Memory Palaces Are Always Experimental

What do I mean?

Every time I personally set out to use a Memory Palace, it’s an experiment. The Memory Palace is like a mental laboratory. If I’m memorizing anything using it, it’s a test of my skills. And I always learn something new.

Why Memory Palaces Are Always Virtual

This point gets into the philosophy of memory, and it may or may not be useful to you.

In brief, the world is represented to your mind by your brain. That means that it is a recreation of what is “out there,” not an accurate depiction of reality.

Therefore, when you use a memory of your childhood home, you are tapping into your brain chemistry. The same brain chemistry that you’re tapping into when you think about a video game you want to use as a Memory Palace.

How is accessing one of these potential Memory Palace sources more “real” than the other?

The answer, in my not-so-humble, but always Magnetic opinion is that they are both equally virtual.

But what matters at the end of the day isn’t the intellectual debate.

It’s how well one option works compared to the other.

There are also issues of recursion to consider, as I did in this video about using a paracosm vs. the Metaverse.

Familiarity = Speed

I choose Memory Palaces that are based on “real” locations I’ve visited because I noticed one simple thing early on in my practice:

It’s faster and easier to set them up when they are based on real buildings. The amount of decisions that has to be made is drastically reduced.

But that might not be a concern for you.

If you are so familiar with that location in the video game that you can create a journey through it and don’t have to spend a millisecond thinking of what comes next, then I think that is great.

I’m being a bit dramatic with the “millisecond” thing, so don’t take that as law. The point is that speed is very important when learning, as is the principle called speed of implementation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=386Lz...

The idea here is that the faster you can get something into action, the faster you’ll be able to use it. And that means the faster you’ll get results.

For this reason, I would suggest applying the same guidelines for preparation and predetermination I teach you to apply to “real” spaces to imagined spaces as well.

All the details about this are covered in my free course:

The Real Reason People Want Video Game Memory Palaces

I think it’s worth thinking about the intention behind this memory improvement question.

In many cases, people want to create a video game Memory Palace Network simply because they never get out enough.

Is that a healthy reason?

I ask because so many issues with brain fog and depression that harm our memory come from social isolation and lack of exercise.

Even if you do have to stay inside, it’s still possible to find more Memory Palaces.

By the same token, my fellow memory expert Idriz Zogaj explains that some of the best memory athletes use movies to increase memory.

And we know that playing games can increase hand-eye coordination (not the same as ambidextrousness, but still cool to develop).

In any case, if you’re using a video game to avoid getting out into the world, you’re probably shooting yourself in the foot.

Creating a Memory Palace Network by visiting more of your city is a great memory exercise. And as I mentioned, it’s healthy too.

What About Reusing Memory Palaces?

This is a very personal thing, but I would predict that people who do not have enough Memory Palaces based on real locations are going to have issues reusing imaginary Memory Palaces.

Even if both actual and imagined locations are equally “virtual” in my view, it comes down to simplicity and speed of implementation.

The Memory Palace you can use thoroughly and well is going to be easier to reuse thoroughly and well.

But as I’ve talked about many times before, reusing Memory Palaces is rarely necessary. Nor is it always recommended:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Umt-i...

That said, I have discovered some interesting alternative ways to reuse Memory Palaces that I’ve never seen discussed before. These are covered in the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass.

As a case study, I reused the speech Memory Palace for my TEDx Talk three times in total.

Again, this is not necessarily recommended. But like I said, memory techniques are best when you treat everything like an experiment.

 

The Ultimate Truth About Video Game Memory Palaces

I think I said it best in this quick video, then we’ll follow up with the nitty-gritty:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BpwR...

If you’re going to use Memory Palaces based on games…

Platform Games Have Worked Best For Me

Here’s why:

When I’ve used video games for my memory and learning goals, I prefer Donkey Kong as the Memory Palace.

This is because the entire game plays out on a single screen, not an endlessly changing landscape.

Platform games are also like how I imagine each room in a Memory Palace.

Each station is “fixed.” I move mentally from corner to corner, and for that reason, it’s better if the space doesn’t rotate around without your head having been in it.

See my post on Memory Palace Science for more knowledge on why this spatial element is so important when it come to thinking through the topic if you aren’t good at mentally navigating space.

You can also check out these five kinds of Memory Palace navigation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWd1K...

 

Here’s another point that makes me like platform games a lot better:

The screens used for game play in platform games can be easily divided into quadrants without thinking too much about the layout. In this way, platform games are a lot like chess.

And chessboards seems to me a more likely solution for quick and easy to use Memory Palaces than a highly dynamic game with multiple environments that have to be memorized in order to be useful.

That leads to using Memorized Palaces instead of Memory Palaces. And that is ultimately a deviation from what the Magnetic Memory Method is all about.

Using Donkey Kong As A Memory Palace Example

If we take Donkey Kong as an example, the journey could start at the bottom left of the screen. That corner would be station number one.

Looking at the screen, you might see a number of platforms. Without Googling to see just how many platforms there are on level one, you can mentally decide that there are five and Donkey Kong stands at the very left of the top platform.

You can then assign the rule that each platform gets three stations (left, center, right) and another rule that you would move across each platform in a zipper formation (left to right, right to left, left to right, etc).

It’s completely up to you whether or not you “see” a figure moving in the Memory Palace or not. I don’t really have much of a mind’s eye (aphantasia), so that’s perhaps one reason I prefer to make mental calculations and keep things super-simple.

But simple doesn’t mean limiting.

Just do the math on this example:

This particular configuration with a few simple operating principles based on one screen of Donkey Kong gives me 15 Memory Palace stations total!

That’s a ton of new information that can be memorized at the drop of a hat!

Of course, I don’t know the game involved in the original question. Perhaps you can set up Skyrim with a similar grid. Isolating a single screen when beginning with a game like this for a Memory Palace might help you more than trying to create an entire journey.

If you do, please let me know which game you used and a little bit of the journey you created. 🙂

On the matter of using “virtual spaces” for Memory Palace memorization, this topic is discussed in detail here:

How to Enhance Your Memory with Virtual Memory Palaces

The Final Word On The Video Game Memory Palace? 

In sum, if you’re using the Memory Palace technique for learning, you want the technique that works best for you.

I don’t have the final word. You do.

And when it comes to knowing how to study fast, it’s always an individual journey.

My suggestion?

Try both versions of the Memory Palace technique. Use your past often, including your childhood and other aspects of your autobiographical memory.

Then you’ll know.

And if nothing else, you’ll have the benefit of some great brain exercise better than most of the brain games out there.

Where Are The Memory Palace Police?

Ultimately, there is no final word on this topic. There’s so much more to explore when it comes to the Memory Palace technique, and using memory spaces in general.

But the Headquarters of the Memory Palace Police?

https://youtu.be/6ODk_lsqXSM

It is nowhere. It doesn’t exist.

At least, not yet, except perhaps in one of my future novels. And that’s a very good thing.

Because at the end of the day, the Magnetic Memory Method is about helping you discover the methods you can use to create your own memory systems.

It’s about encouraging you to think for yourself.

And so for just about every “Can I”? question related to using memory techniques out there, the answer is very simple:

Yes, you can. Just treat it like an experiment.

And if your experiments don’t pan out, journal about them, like I discussed with Johannes Mallow and elsewhere in my teaching.

Don’t wait for the confidence to experiment to fall from the sky.

Build it by taking action, and use the speed of implementation rule to help urge you forward.

So what do you say?

Are you ready to become the architect of your mind and experience better living through better memory?

Give me a hell-yeah in the comments if so!