Number of Images to Place Per Locus, and Other Experiments
Here is an update on some of my experiments:
Images per Locus
I’ve been experimenting with placing two images per locus instead of three. I’m finding that it’s easier and faster with two. Even if I make mistakes on where the pair goes in the memory journey, I usually get the pairs matched correctly.
In the Ben System, three images are placed per locus. Apparently, Wang Feng is using two. I think I’m going to use two until I improve, and then I will try adding a third.
I have less trouble combining images when there are only two. For example, A♣ followed by 10♠would be a military attack dog viscously tearing apart the wooden throne on Isis’ head, with splinters flying. If I add a third card, I then have to figure out what Isis is doing to the third card.
It takes 8 more loci per deck to use two images instead of three (26 total), but I think it’s worth it for me, for now.
How many images do you place per location?
Changing Images
I’ve noticed that the quality of my images is changing. They are more dreamlike, and becoming more intriguing. This makes practicing more interesting.
Memory Palace Design
One of my memory palaces is badly designed, because it’s awkward to arrange the images from left to right depending on which direction the journey goes.
When the journey goes clockwise or turns to the right, it’s less awkward to place the images than when the journey turns to the left. I then have to place the images from left to right, even though the object on the right might have to then go to the left to reach the next locus.
In the future, I’m going to keep this in mind when designing new memory journeys/palaces.
Card Pronunciations
I applied some of my ideas for a 10,000-image system to my 1-card system. Each single card now has a one-syllable pronunciation, and the system now is fully functional for single cards and 2-digit numbers. I only refer to the cards with these syllables:
| spades | hearts | diamonds | clubs |
|---|---|---|---|
| A♠= TO | A♥ = TA | A♦ = TI | A♣ = TE |
| 2♠= NO | 2♥ = NA | 2♦ = NI | 2♣ = NE |
| 3♠= MO | 3♥ = MA | 3♦ =MI | 3♣ = ME |
| 4♠= RO | 4♥ = RA | 4♦ = RI | 4♣ = RE |
| 5♠= LO | 5♥ = LA | 5♦ = LI | 5♣ = LE |
| 6♠= BO | 6♥ = BA | 6♦ = BI | 6♣ = BE |
| 7♠= KO | 7♥ = KA | 7♦ = KI | 7♣ = KE |
| 8♠= FO | 8♥ = FA | 8♦ = FI | 8♣ = FE |
| 9♠= PO | 9♥ = PA | 9♦ = PI | 9♣ = PE |
| 10♠= SO | 10♥ = SA | 10♦ = SI | 10♣ =SE |
| J♠= JO | J♥ = JA | J♦ = JI | J♣ = JE |
| Q♠= GO | Q♥ = GA | Q♦ = GI | Q♣ = GE |
| K♠= DO | K♥ = DA | K♦ = DI | K♣ = DE |
It took a while to get that down, but I’m happy with the way it’s progressing.
What are you experimenting with?
*Image of Isis © Jeff Dahl under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
