Visualization, memory, reading and research skills
Memory landscapes are some of the most ancient memory techniques and in the right hands the most powerful ones. The premise is simple: everything we see can be infused with hidden meaning, teaching and reminding us of things. This means that we can infuse the things we see with hidden meaning, or that we can …
Continue reading “Memory landscapes: aboriginal memory technique”
Usually, I focus on large mental structures, like mental palaces and cities or massive mindmaps. We do not always need something massive. Quite often it is enough to place a mental wardrobe in one of the existing mental palaces. Why would one need a mental wardrobe? Quite often we learn subjects iteratively, increasing our understanding …
The most useful format of visualization in PAO, which means a person performing an action with an object. While memory champions use PAO mainly to remember long sequences of numbers or cards, we can use it in speedreading to remember any chunks between three and five words, more if we use more complex PAOX. This …
Continue reading “Reversed PAO: system applying an action to a person”
Fixed PAO visualizations are traditionally used to memorize numbers. In the first decade of the 21st century, most memory masters used this methodology for memory competitions. While I recommend using flexible PAO to encode pretty much everything, fixed PAO visualizations for numbers do not get enough attention from me. Here I want to address this …
Typically PAO is used to remember one person using one action with one object. You can add to the formula to remember more. I put my limit around 9 words per visualization: otherwise, chunking gets harder. You might add more. The touch Typically PAO is something standalone, like an American president embracing a guitar or …
Continue reading “PAOX as a way to remember 20 words in one visualization”
Chunking is a very important subject, yet it is not sufficiently discussed. It appears to be very simple, misleadingly simple. When used in memory championships, chunking is preset and given as a template. But when we read, the nature of chunking changes. When we multitask it changes again. The basic chunking The basic chunking is …
Continue reading “Using chunking with mental palaces and mindmaps”
When I just learn mental palaces I found them extremely confusing. Where do I place all of my memory objects within? How can I use these large structures to remember everything I need? Once the structure is full, how do I add more to it? It took me years to find the right way for …
Continue reading “Placing PAOs and mindmaps in mental palaces”
Most of the visualizations we use to remember things are atomic. By atomic I mean that you cannot divide the visualization without ruining it, and connections to other visualizations are not as strongs connections within the visualization. Such visualizations are not a part of a story, and require complex mental structures. Beginners almost never use …
Our memory and thinking are deeply associative. Associations are critical for creativity. However, there is no clear recipe for creating associations. Instead, I suggest several options you can mix and match. How do we get mental landscapes? A mental palace typically addresses a single building with several rooms. Mindmaps usually address around 20 objects branching …
Continue reading “Associative connections in mental landscapes”
Most of the memorization methods work with long term memory for several hours or days. This is what we train working with memory palaces and mindmaps. Some of the exercises work with short-term and memory: remembering an image of a paragraph or a series of numbers for a few seconds, enough to grasp complex concepts …
Learn new tactics for speed reading and memory and get access to free apps to practice and develop your new skills