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Link System Mnemonic Device - Improve Your Memory Instantly!

Feb 26, 2011 Blair Kasfeldt Would you like to instantly improve your memory? With this easy to learn mnemonic device, the Link System, or method, you will easily recall memorized items Prior to Harry Lorayne's Link System (or "method"), mnemonics were based primarily on loci (locations). Ancient orators would memorize a journey or a room of their house, and associate the main ideas of their speech to parts of their journey or items in a house. Lorayne's Link System What Harry Lorayne noticed was that there was no need for loci in order to remember items. Each item could be "linked" (or associated) to one another without the use of loci. Each item was its own locus (place) connected to the next item to be remembered. With this method in place, there was no longer a need to memorize a set journey prior to memorizing any length of items. This is the first benefit of the Link System. An indefinite number of items can be "linked" together without having to come up with a journey or set of locations. A second advantage of this system is its ease of application. With the Link System, you can begin to improve your memory immediately. How the Link Mnemonic Method Works Here is how to "link" items together to remember them: 1. You must visualize the item you want to remember. Turn abstract words (e.g. "justice") into concrete, visual ideas (e.g. imagine a "gavel" or courtroom for "justice" to prompt your memory). 2. Memory is based on association. If you already know one thing and relate it to the
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next (which you would like to remember) you will be able to recall that item. Memorization takes place in pairs. 3. Associate the first item to the next item in a ridiculous manner. See the two objects interacting in some absurd manner. Logical and normal visualization of interaction will not work. Think of your own memory experiences - that which is extraordinary is remembered - the mundane is forgotten. To forge the strongest memory links here are some helpful tips:
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Exaggerate - either size or quantity. Use action (particularly violence). Substitute items. That is to say, if you are linking "cup" to "ball" substitute "ball" for "cup" - imagine yourself drinking out of a ball instead of a cup. Incorporate the physical senses. Attach emotion. You must want to remember. Your retention rate will be highest if you are relaxed.

1. Associate the second item (which you now know) to the third item in the same manner. Do not form a story or narrative! Only associate the second to the third item, the third to the forth, etc. Remember, memorization works in pairs. 2. Continue this "link" as long as you like. You can memorize as much as you like there is no limit! Mnemonic Memory Exercise with the Link System Do this practice exercise to see how easy it is to remember using the link mnemonic. Here are 10 items. You will know them both forward and backward in only a few minutes, with very little effort. The explanation takes much longer than the actual memorization of the list.
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1. Car 2. Hat 3. Book 4. Cat 5. Cookie 6. Pen 7. Candle 8. Keys 9. Coffee Cup 10. Telephone

First, begin by realizing that you want to remember this list - tell yourself that you want to remember this list.

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Link System Mnemonic Device - Improve Your Memory Instantly! | Suite101.com

Second, visualize a car in your mind. Make it a huge car with a bright neon paint-job (exaggerate). See this in your mind's eye for just a second. Make sure you "see" it. Third, in your "mind's eye" see yourself putting that huge wild looking car on your head instead of a hat (substitute) and it cracks your skull because it is so heavy (action/emotion). Fourth, see yourself picking up a hat that looks like Abe Lincoln's hat and a million (exaggerate) dusty smelling (senses) books fall out of the hat! You jump back startled! Fifth, see yourself being angry at a cat. You are chasing the cat around the house throwing books at the cat. Sixth, see yourself placing thousands of cats on a cookie pan, and putting them into a cookie oven. Seventh, picture yourself biting a huge cookie, but when you bite into it, thousands of pens shoot you in the mouth and in the face hurting you. Eighth, picture yourself on a romantic get-a-way and you are lighting hundreds of pens in elaborate and ornate candle holders. The plastic catches fire and it smells awful! Ninth, picture yourself trying to start your car or open your door with a ring full of candles instead of keys. You keep trying to start your car, but all the candles keep breaking. Tenth, picture yourself drinking a nice cup of coffee. But instead of coffee being in your cup, a million rusty old keys fall out and start to choke you! Eleventh, you hear the telephone ringing. You got to pick up the receiver, but instead of a telephone receiver, you pick up a giant coffee cup and put it to your ear. Go over these associations once more quickly, making certain you have created a clear mental picture in your mind. You now know a ten item list! You will be able to recite them both backwards and forwards - try it! The Major System or Phonetic Alphabet

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Link System Mnemonic Device - Improve Your Memory Instantly! | Suite101.com

If you want to remember numbers easily, take a moment to learn the Major System. It is an easy way to memorize numbers, and necessary to learn before you can master the Peg System to memorize lists in and out of order. Source:
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Lorayne, Harry and Jerry Lucas. The Memory Book. New York: Ballentine Books, 1974.

Copyright Blair Kasfeldt. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.

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