You’d do it through a process the modern memory athletes call elaborative encoding. This was a time before smart devices if you wanted information at your fingertips you had to put that information in your head. The Memory Palace is a device that has been used since the time of the ancient Greeks, to help encode their memories for easy retrieval. However, l et’s explore the specific techniques that Foer learned while studying the memory athletes. It turns out the mental athletes were purposefully converting the information they were memorizing into images, and then placing these images into a mentally constructed “palace” - thus the involvement of visual memory and spatial navigation.įoer goes into great (and fascinating) detail regarding the science of memory (which we’ve covered some before). Surprisingly, when the mental athletes were learning new information, they were engaging regions of the brain known to be involved in two specific tasks: visual memory and spatial navigation. However, during the act of memorizing, the regions of the brain which “lit up” were completely different. There was no difference between the brain structure of the two. Did that make the brains of these “mental athletes” physically different from yours or mine?įoer found research where MRI was used to compare the memory specialists’ brains to those of a control group. Scientists had recently discovered that your brain is much like a muscle, and that making it work could make it grow by creating new pathways at a cellular level. The journey started by researching memory and its physical effects on the brain. Intrigued, Foer decided to give it a try. While interviewing contestants for the article he was told that anyone could have a memory like these champions if they trained properly. What starts as a routine piece of writing ends with his participation in the USA Memory Championships. That’s a quote from the book Moonwalking with Einstein, the fascinating account of Joshua Foer’s journey investigating memory. It’s often because it doesn’t have anything to stick to.” After my initial review, I revisit my memory palace after a day, then a week, then a month, to cement my recall of the information.“When information goes ‘in one ear and out the other,’ Use spaced repetition for long-term retention: Review your memory palace at gradually increasing intervals to ensure the information remains in your long-term memory. Here’s how it works for me: Each day, I spend a few minutes mentally walking through my memory palace, recalling the associations I've created and reinforcing my memory of the material. This practice reinforces the connections between the spatial and informational elements of your memory palace. Practice mental navigation: Regularly "walk" through your memory palace, reviewing the associations you've created.Place these associations along your established path, creating a mental link between the location and the information.Example: To remember a historical date, I might visualize a giant, colorful calendar hanging on the wall of my living room, with the date highlighted in bright neon colors. Create vivid, memorable associations: As you learn new information, associate each piece with a striking, memorable image or scene.In my childhood home, I start in the living room, move through the kitchen and dining room, and then proceed upstairs to the bedrooms. This path will guide you as you mentally navigate your memory palace. Establish a clear path: Create a route through your chosen location, moving from room to room or area to area.Example: For my memory palace, I chose my childhood home, as I can easily visualize its layout and details. This location will serve as the foundation for your memory palace. Choose a familiar location: Select a location you know well, such as your home or a favorite place.To create your own memory palace, follow these simple steps:
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