Art of Memory
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The Psychological Effect of Memory Techniques

1-minute read • Updated on

I’ve wondered if there is potential with these memory techniques to change ways of thinking. Last winter, I noticed that I constantly had a certain negative thought out of habit. I made a conscious effort to modify the image to change its meaning to something ridiculous every time the thought appeared. The technique gradually worked to get rid of that negative thought. (Something like this technique I’ve been using to modify images.)

I think a lot of a person’s thinking is done out of habit. Thoughts like to travel well-worn pathways in the brain. The frequent repetition of strong visualization can significantly affect ways of thinking, whether done consciously or unconsciously.

Doing memory techniques is almost a kind of brain surgery. The physical structure of the brain is consciously being changed even though there is no scalpel required.

Practicing these techniques definitely has noticeable effects on the mind. Within a week of taking them up, my dreams became more vivid. I started having significantly more creative ideas while awake. When I would close my eyes, I would start to see visual scenes that flowed from one to the next without any conscious effort.

I think it could be highly effective to use these improved visualization and abilities to modify one’s own thinking and behavior.

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Dan
Dan

This is very interesting. I think you have the nascent research for the direction innovative memory training can take. Bill Gates was inspired by this positive imaging found in Charles Haanel's "The Master Key System". Donald Trump touts Norman Vincent Peale's "The Power of Positive Thinking". Andrew Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, et al., were big proponents of positive imaging to change the mind and there change the person and destiny.

So, all the people of accomplishment have known that positive imaging can work miracles. And though mnemonics and memory techniques such as loci have existed for millennia, it was only recently and IMHO, Dominic O'Brien, that super-mnemonics emerged and has become mind-boggling advanced in a relatively short time. One wonders if there could be a similar quantum leap in positive imaging and transformation. Perhaps through a more tangible and quantifiable method of advanced memory techniques?

Josh
Josh

If visualization can change a person's behavior and performance in life, the daily visualization practice that mnemonists do must have potential.

The reason that I pick certain images in my system is because I know I'm burning something into my brain very deeply and is going to affect my thinking patterns. If I haven't eaten and I read a number like 33 (a plate of imam bayildi), I get hungry -- kind of like smelling good food when you're hungry. I think the images can have a strong effect on thinking.