18techniquesforfasterlearning

thehumanbraincanstoreupto280quintillion(280,000,000,000,000,000,000)bitsofmemory
everybodyhasthepotentialtobeabuddingMozart,EinsteinordaVinciweonlyemployafractionofourintellect
stimulating,enrichedenvironmentscanmakeyousmarter
Tipsonbecomingsmarter
Readmaterialthatrequiresthinkingparticularlybiographies,newsmagazinesandnewspapers.Readanonfiction
bookfor20minuteseachday.Carryreadingmaterialwithyouforwhenyoucanturndeadtimeintolearningtime,evenif
onlyforafewminutes.Readthebestofthemysterynovelsandtrytokeeponestepaheadofthedetectives.Getaquality
dictionaryandreadthemeaningoffivenewwordsaday,for10days.Beforeyoustartyourreadingprepareyourselfby
havingasessionontheMindLabOrion.
Writeresearchhasshowngeniusesfromhistory,suchasSirIsaacNewton,ThomasJeffersonandJohannSebastianBach
werecompulsivescribblers.Theyallrecordedthoughtsandfeelingsindiaries,poems,andletterstofriendsandfamily,
startingfromanearlyage.Researchershaveobservedthistendencynotonlyinbuddingwriters,butingenerals,statesmen,
andscientists.
Learntolovemathsyoudontliveinavacuum,youactuallyfunctionintherealworldandusemathseveryday.You
managetokeepdownajob,balanceyourbankaccount,usecreditcardsandpaytaxes.Yetyouconsideryourehopelessat
maths.Beconsoledbythefactthatagraspofmathematicshaslesstodowithyourintelligencethanyoureduction.Ifyou
dontunderstandthebasicprinciplesofmaths,youwereprobablybadlytaughtsomewherealongtheway.Theproblemwith
manypeopleisthataftertheygetpasttheageatwhichtheyshouldhavelearnedsomething,theybecomeembarrassedifthey
haventandthereforebackawayfromanythingandeverythinginvolvedwithit.Theyfeelthattheyvebeenlefttoofar
behindandthatcatchingupistoobigatask.Familiaritywithmathematicswillexpandyourpower,makeyourintellect
stronger,andbeofimmensehelpinusinglogic,whichisitselfofimmensehelpinlife.Likelanguage,mathematicsis
somethingagreeduponincommunication.Weallknowwhatismeantbythe
StopwatchingTVgoandseeaplay,attendaconcertorvisitthelibrary.Wevegrownup,mostofus,trainedtothe
artificiallyfasttempoofTV.Eventhebestofthechildrensprogramming,themostseriousofthetelevisiondocumentaries,
andthemostprofessionalnewsprogrammescoverfartoomuchinfartooshortatime.Televisionisingrainedinmostofus,
wevegrownupwithit.BUTifyouareseriousaboutwantingtothinkbetter,andespeciallyifyouwanttolengthenand
strengthenyourattentionspan,atleastdoitwithalittlecontrol.GetouttheTVguide,lookthroughitlikeamenuandforma
consciousdecisionaboutwhatyouregoingtoputintoyourmindthisweek.ThenonlyturnontheTVforthose
programmes.Debateadocumentaryprogramme,afterwatchingitwithyourpartner.Orthinkthroughtheargumentsandsee
fyoucanseeotherangles/perspectives.Snackingonjunkprogrammesisasbadforyourmindaschipsareforyourbody.
Playgameslikechessorscrabbleorotherwordboardgames.Anygamethatrequiresyoutousestrategy,toproject
yourselfintofuturetime,tothinkaheadseveralmoves,andtotrytooutguessandoutthinkyouropponent.Session16,
CreativityEnhancementoftheMindLabOrionisanexcellentsessiontousebeforebeginningyourgame.Session5,Athletic
WarmupandSession6,MaintainingPeakCompetitivePosturearealsoverygoodforstrategygames.
Setyourselfgoalssetapersonaldevelopmentgoalofgainingknowledgeinaspecificfieldonaparticulartopic.Tell
yourfriendsandfamilysotheycanencourageyou.UselearningsessionsontheMindLabOrion.
Learntomindmapanaturalwaytoorganiseinformation,accordingtotheexperts.ThebrainchildofTonyBuzan,a
Britishbrainexpert,mindmappingproceedsfromthenotionthattheminddoesnotworkinalinear,straightforwardfashion.
Itworksinimages,stringsofassociations,intangents,loopsandstrangejuxtapositions.Buzanclaimsthat,almostunnoticed,
mindmappingactivatesyourentirebrainincludingthe90percentthatmostofusneglect.Itisdesignedtointegratethe
rightbrainscreativitywiththeleftbrainssenseoforderandattentiontodetail.UseSession17,Visualisationofyour
MindLabOriontogetyouinthemood.
Becreativeeveryonehascreativityinsidethem.Lookatchildrentheycansing,dance,playmusicalinstrumentsand
paintwonderfulpictures!ItdoesntmatterthatyoullneverappearattheRoyalAlbertHallorexhibitattheTatejustenjoy
it!TherearemanysessionsontheMindLabOrionwhichwillhelpyoutotapintoyourcreativityandimagination.
Findoutwhatsgoingonintheworldmakeaconsciousefforttolearnmoreaboutacountryorpeopleyouknow
nothingabout.WatchandlistentocurrentaffairsprogrammesonTVandradio.Readworldnewspapersandnewsmagazines.
Newsagentswillorderthemforyouortheyreavailablefreeatyourlibrary.Learnwhothemajorstatespeoplearein
countriesaroundtheworldandfindoutmoreaboutdifferentpoliticalsystems.
GoforawalkFreshairhasawonderfulinvigoratingeffectonthemindaswellasthebody!

Adopttheattitudethatlearningisalifelongprocessuseitorloseit.Signupforacourseatyourlocalcollege,there
arehundredsofcoursestochosefrom.Therewillprobablybemorethanoneyoullwanttodo.Itcanbepurelyforyourown
pleasureorforfurtherqualifications.Whateverageyouaretheresalwayssomethingforyou.Thethrillofbeingwithlike
mindedpeopleisajoyinitself.Ofcourseyoudonthavetojoinacollege,therearelotsofthingsyoucandoathome.Use
theLearningsessionsoftheMindLabOrion.
Improveyourproblemsolvingskillsstartsolvingproblemsyourway,whichmeanstheonemostcomfortabletoyou
andthewayyouusuallyhandlethings.Forexampleareyouaverbalperson?Ifyouapproachproblemswithwords,thenget
outyourdictionaryandthesaurusandbolsteryourargumentswiththemostconvincingandappropriatewordsyoucanfind.
Doyouhaveatendencytocalluponahigherauthoritytobolsteryourclaims?Lookthroughyourencyclopediaandfindthe
pertinentarticlestobackupyourargumentwithfacts.Areyousomebodywhomakeslistsandwritesthingsdown?Then
drawuptheneatestandmostconciselistofargumentsinyourfavour.Makesureyoulistthemindescendingorderof
importance.Thenextstepistostartsolvingthesameproblemsinanunfamiliaranduncharacteristicwaytoyou.Forexample,
ifyourecomfortablewritingthingsdown,taketheverbalapproachinstead.Ifyouresomebodywhoalwayscitesauthority,
makeawrittenlistwithoutconsultinganybodyelse,inbooksorotherwise.Thepurposeoftheseexercisesisnotonlyto
strengthentheinsightmechanismyoualreadyhave,buttogiveyouglimpsesofotherusefulmethodsthatmightworkfor
you.
Askquestionslotsofthem,takenothingatfacevalue.Dontbeapassengerinlife.Dontmerelyfollowsomebodyelses
directions.Thedirectionsmaybeexcellent,buttheyrenotyours.Atsomepoint,youvegottodoityourself,gooffonyour
ownandunderyourownsteam.Whensomeonediscussessomethingunfamiliartoyou,askhimorhertoexplain.Theonly
sillyquestionistheoneyoudidntask.
YogicbreathingtechniquesresearchersattheUniversityofCalifornia,SanDiego,havefoundthatyogicbreathing
techniquescanactuallyimprovethewayourbrainswork.Whenyouareworkingwithwordsandlogic,yourleftbraintends
tobemoreactive;whenyouarehandlingimagesormusic,yourrightismoreinvolved.Infact,weallhaveanaturaltwo
hourcycleofswitchingbetweenthesides.However,oneofthewaystointerruptthecycleistobreathethroughonlyone
nostriltheleftmakesyourrightbraindominantviceversa.Sotofinetuneyourbrainforaparticulartask,justcloseoffthe
appropriatenostrilandbreathestronglythroughtheother.
Thinkpositiverecentresearchsuggeststhatemotionandintelligenceareintimatelylinked.Mostpsychologistsstressthe
importanceofhavingapositiveoutlook,butthatdependsonwhatyouwanttodo.Theupsideofbeingdownisthatyouhave
amorerealisticviewofyourselfandwhatislikelytohappen.Forexample,toomuchrealismmaybeaseriousdrawback
whenyouarepushingthroughatrickynewproject;ontheotherhand,ifyouvegottoreadsomethingcarefullyandmake
detailedassessment,wearingrosecolouredspectacleswillmakeyoufaremorepronetomistakes.
Eatcleverfoodoilyfish(tuna,salmon,sardines).Thesecontainessentialfattyacidswhichmakeup70percentofthe
brain.Zinc(fish,meatandseeds)areusedinthemetabolismofproteins.Serotoninandtryptophan(turkeys,bananas,
tomatoesandnettlesouch).Theseareaminoacidswhichtransmitmessagesacrossthebrain.Twocupsofcoffee,
surprisingly,makespeoplecalmerandabletoconcentratemoreefficientlyattasksrequiringhandeyecoordination.Among
thenotverycleverfoodsarefoodadditives,fizzydrinks,andtoomuchsugar.Thesecancausehyperactivity,followedbya
slumpinbloodsugarlevels,whichleadstoalossofmemoryandashortattentionspan.Alcohol,inexcess,preventsthebody
absorbingvitalnutrients.AnextractoftheleavesoftheGinkgoBilobatreeincreasesthebloodflowtothebrainandspeeds
upmessagesbetweennervecells.Coulditboostyourintelligence?Someresearchersbelieveitwill.Thememoryand
attentionspanofpeoplewithAlzheimershasbeengreatlyimprovedbyusingachemicalcalledAcetyl1Carnitine,whichis
foundinseveralcommonfoods,includingmilk.Othercandidatesincludehydergine,whichcomesfromafungusthatgrows
onrye,andmaystimulatecellgrowth.Vassopressinisahormonediabeticsuseandmanyclaimithasstartlingeffecton
memoryandthinking.Cholineisaformofbrainchemicalthathelpscellscommunicate,andsomebelieveitimproves
memory.
Communicatebetterwhichmeansgivingupslangandclicheriddenspeech.Slangmerelytakestheplaceofmore
accuratelydescriptivewords,andifyoudontallowthemintoyoureverydayspeech,youvegottocomeupwiththereal
wordstosaywhatyoumean.Clichesaretiredshortcutsaroundgoodvocabulary,takingtheplaceofsharper,moreoriginal,
moreintelligentspeech.Sincewordsarethebuildingblocksofthought,avoidingclichesinspeechwillforceyoutoavoid
theminthinking.Havingapowerfulvocabularyisusingtherightwordtogetthedesiredresult.Long,unfamiliarwordsonly
confuseandfrustratereceiversofyourmessages.
HowcantheMindLabOrion/Proteus/LittleCalmMachinemakeyousmarter?
Eachofuspossessathinkingmachinevastlysuperiortoourfeebleconsciousminds.Thereisnopracticallimittotheamount
ofinformationyoucanputintoyourbrain.Youcantakeadvantageofitsvastcapacitytosoakupknowledgebypursuing
anytopicthatinterestsyou.Youcanlearnanythingyouwant.Butwhatisitthatgetsinourway?
Weareourownworstenemysometimes.Oneofthebiggestdragsonourintelligenceandlearningabilityiswhatwe
secretlybelieveaboutourselves.Weallhavealittlevoiceinourheadthatsays:Dontbetoosmart,noonewilllikeyou.

Or,Nooneinourfamilyhaseverbeengoodatmaths.Oneofthefirststepstoimprovingyourintelligenceistogetridof
allthosenegativethoughtsimplantedbyparents,teachersandschoolmates.
Learningisenhancedwhenyouareinarelaxed,alertstate.Absorbingnewinformationandconceptsand
memorisationtoobecomeseasier.TheMindLabOrionhasinbuiltsessionswhichareexcellentforpreparingyourmindto
takeinnewinformation.
SaysRobertJeffordfromGillingham:TheMindLabhasalsohelpedmeinmystudiesIdolotsofcomplexandexacting
research,soIneedaclearandfocusedmind.MyMindLabbringsclarityandfocustoeachproject,soIcancallinformation
tomindquicklyandassimilatenewknowledgewithease.
Session12QuickAlertnessBreak
Lasts10minutesandisaperfectsessiontohelpyouremainfocusedonyourstudies.Designedtobeusedevery40to60
minutes.Thissessionwillhelpyoutobetterintegratethematerialduringyourstudyperiod.
Session13LearningwithTapes
Lasts35minutesandisspecificallydesignedforusewithlanguagetapes.ItusesthetechniquespioneeredbyaBulgarian
researcher,calledsuperlearning.Itinvolvesdevelopingastateofrelaxedandfocusedconcentration.
Session14RelaxBeforeExamsorPressureSituations
Lasts15minutesandwillleaveyouwithasenseofcalm,focusandconfidence.Concentrationcanbebrokenwhenyouare
feelinguneasy.Everyonehashadtheexperienceoftakinganexam,feelingpressuredandforgettingmaterialtheyeasily
rememberwhenthepressureistakenoff.Thissessionisidealforusebeforeanexamorpresentation.
Section15Concentration
Lasts15minutesandisdesignedtoquicklybringsyouintoacalm,focusedstate.Arelaxedbodyallowsthemindmore
abilitytobealertandattentive.Yourmainfocuswhenusingthissessionshouldbetoallowyourbodytobecomeasrelaxed
aspossiblewhilemaintainingyouralertness.Useyourbreathingexercisestohelpyoudothat.
Section16CreativityEnhancement
Lasts20minutesandsweepsthroughaseriesoffrequenciestohelpstimulateyourthoughtprocesses.Useitfrequentlyfor
maximumbenefit.Trythisoneforseveraldaysinarowforhelpwithproblemsolving.Trynottopushforasolution:tryto
allowonetocomeonitsown.Sometimeslettinggoisthebestmethod.
Section17Visualisation
Lasts20minutesandtobeusedwhenyoufeeltiredandwantasessionthatmovesthroughaseriesoffrequenciesfor
stimulationandvisualisation.Ifyouareavisualperson,youwillseeallkindsofkaleidoscopicimagery.Thesessionis
enjoyablewithverypleasantaftereffect.
KeepingupwiththeMozarts,theEinsteinsandthedaVincis
Despiteallthisawesomecomputingpowerinourheads,mostofusarehardputtomultiplytwodigitfigureswithout
resortingtoacalculator,whileevenfewercanmanagethedailycrosswordpuzzleorrememberwhattheyhadfordinnerlast
Wednesday.OnlytheMozarts,theEinsteinsandthedaVincisseemtousetheirbrainpowerefficiently(andtheevidence
showsthateventheyemploybutafractionoftheirintellect).Sostupendousdotheirtalentsseemtotherestofusthatwe
lookuponsuchgeniusesmuchastheancientsdidasdivinelygiftedbeingsendowedwithwhatappeartobesupernatural
powers.
Whathavetheygotthatwehavent?
Well,putitthisway,thereshopeforusyet.Seldomdogeniusesdistinguishthemselvesearlyinlife.Manyarelabelled
difficult,sloworevenstupid.ThemathematicianHenriPoincaredidsopoorlyinanIQtestthathewasjudgedanimbecile.
ThomasEdison,whoserecord1,093patentsoutstrippedeveryinventorinhistoryandtransformedhumanlife,was
notoriouslyslowinschool.
MyfatherthoughtIwasstupid,Edisonlaterrecalled,andIalmostdecidedImustbeadunce.
Asachild,AlbertEinstein,too,appeareddeficienttohiselders,partlyduetohisdyslexia,whichcausedhimgreat
difficultyinspeechandreading.HispoorlanguageskillsprovokedhisGreekteachertotellhim,Youwillneveramountto
anything.Einsteinwaslaterexpelledfromhighschoolandfailedhiscollegeentranceexam.Afterfinallycompletinghis
bachelorsdegree,hefailedtoattaineitheranacademicappointmentorarecommendationfromhisprofessors.Forcedto
acceptalowlyjobintheSwisspatentoffice,Einsteininhismidtwentiesseemeddestinedforalifeofmediocrity.

ButinhistwentysixthyearEureka!EinsteinpublishedhisSpecialTheoryofRelativitywhichcontainedhisfamous
formula,E=mc2inthesummerof1905.Sixteenyearslater,hehadwonaNobelprizeandbecomeaninternational
celebrity.Eventodayhisbushymoustacheandshockofsilverhairremainthequintessentialimageofgenius.
Einsteinsbrainismissing
WhenEinsteindiedin1955,thepathologistremovedandkepthisbrain,withoutpermissionfromEinsteinsfamily.Forthe
next40yearshestudieditundermicroscopeanddispensedsmallchunkstootherresearchersuponrequest.Hewantedto
uncoverthesecretofEinsteinsgenius.
Heneverdidfindanything.Butintheearly1980s,oneofhiscolleagues,MarianDiamondaneuroanatomistatthe
UniversityofCalifornia,announcedanamazingdiscoveryonethatwastorevolutioniseideasaboutlearningandgenius.
Makingagenius
Mostpeopleassumethatgeniusesareborn,notmade.ButDiamondhasdevotedhercareertocreatinggeniusinthe
laboratory.Inonefamousexperiment,sheplacedratsinasuperstimulatingenvironment,completewithswings,ladders,
treadmills,andothertoys.Otherratswereconfinedtobarecages.Thoseratswholivedinthehighstimulusenvironmentnot
onlylivedtotheageofthree(therateequivalentof90inahuman),buttheirbrainsincreasedinsize,sproutingforestsof
newconnectionsbetweennervecellsintheformofdendritesandaxonsspindly,branchlikestructuresthattransmit
electricalsignalsfromonenervecell(orneutron)toanother.Theratswholivedinbarecagesstagnatedanddiedyounger.
Theirbrainshadfewercellularconnections.
In1911,SantiagoRamonyCajal,thefatherofneuroanatomy,hadfoundthatthenumberofinterconnectionsbetween
neurons(calledsynapses)wastherealmeasureofgenius,farmorecrucialindeterminingbrainpowerthanthesheetnumber
ofneurons.Diamondsexperimentshowedthatatleastinratsthephysicalmechanismofgeniuscouldbecreated
throughmentalexercise.
Butdidthisapplytopeople?Diamondwantedtofindout.SheobtainedsectionsofEinsteinsbrainandexaminedthem.
Assheexpected,shefoundanincreasednumberofglialcellsinEinsteinsleftparietallobeakindofneurological
switchingstationthatDiamonddescribedasanassociationareaforotherassociationareasinthebrain.Glialcellsactasa
glueholdingtheothernervecellstogether,andalsohelptransferelectrochemicalsignalsbetweenneurons.Diamond
expectedthembecauseshehadalsofoundhighconcentrationsofglialcellsinthebrainsofherenrichedrates.Theirpresence
inEinsteinsbrainsuggestedthatasimilarenrichmentprocesswasatwork.
Useitorloseit
Unlikeneuronswhichdonotreproduceafterbirthglialcells,axons,anddendritescanincreaseinnumberthroughoutlife,
dependingonhowyouuseyourbrain.Diamondsworksuggestedthatthemorewelearn,themoresuchconnectionsare
formed.Likewise,whenweceaselearningandourmindsstagnate,theseconnectionsshrivelanddwindleaway.
Theimplicationforeducatorsisclear.IfEinsteinsbrainworkedanythinglikethebrainsofDiamondsrats,itmaybe
possibletocreatenewEinsteinsbyprovidingsufficientlystimulatingmentalexercise.
Thankfully,wehumansdonthavetofillourhomeswithswings,ladderandtreadmills.Einsteinhimselfhadsome
thoughtsonthesubject.Hebelievedthatyoucouldstimulateingeniousthoughtbyallowingyourimaginationtofloatfreely,
unrestrainedbyconventionalinhibitions.
Gowiththeflowandimproveyourintelligence
YouareunlikelytobeabletoalteryourGodgivenintelligence,butyoucanalteryourcrystallisedintelligence.Itslike
anythingelse:useitorloseit.Youneedtodomentalgymnastics.DrMichaelHowe,apsychologistfromExeterUniversity
andtheauthorofHotHouseChildren,cautions:Youhavetoputinthework,eventhosewhopeoplesayarenatural
geniusesthatsnottrue,theyworkattheirparticularskillallthetime.
Motivationiscentraltothis.Onlythosewhoarereallymotivatedapplythemselveshardmentally.Motivationispartof
cognitiveintelligence,andmaydeterminethequalityandquantityofmentalcapacity,accordingtoProfessorSternberg:
Studiesshowthatadultswhousetheirintelligenceactivelydoincreaseinintelligence.
Lightandsounddevices
Thesedevicesremovetheeverydaymindchatterandclearyourmindtowhatevertaskliesahead,whetheritbesleep,
relaxationandmeditation,learningorphysicalactivity.Fullyalertandlucidyourbrainisnowfunctioningfarmore
effectivelythanitwasbefore.
Yourmemoryyourabilitybothtomemorisenewinformationandtorecallinformationyouhavealreadylearnedhas
increaseddramatically.Yourabilitytothinkcreatively,tosolveproblems,hasexpanded.Thespeedwithwhichyourbrain
cellspassmessagesamongthemselveshasincreased.Infact,manyofyourbraincellshaveactuallygrownamicroscopic
examinationwouldshowthatthebraincellshavedevelopedmoredendrites(remember,theratsandEinstein)Youaremore
intelligentthanyouwereahalfhourbefore.

CheckoutthelightandsounddevicesattheLifeToolssiteat:http://www.lifetools.com