Learning The Calendar

This is one of the brain improvement which you can use to amuse your friends! Learning the calendar means to know what day it is every time you see a date. When your friends ask you what day is it on 1 January 1987, you'll be able to tell them that it's Thursday!
Other examples:
3 March 1865 : Friday
27 October 2066: Wednesday

Your friends will definitely say, how did you do that?!

It's easy, but it's also difficult. I mean, you have to memorize the codes first, then you can amuse your friends! There are some codes to memorize.

For the explanation, I will use the date 29 May 2057

There are 3 things you get from a date: day, month, year, and century. Thus, there are 4 kinds of codes:

1. Day Code
   The day code is easy, in fact, you don't have to memorize anything! We are working with the basis 7 here, so subtract the day number by 7 until it can't be subtracted again.
   Example: 29 you get from 29 May 2057, subtracted by 7 for 4 times leaves you with 1. So here, the code is 1.
   
   
2. Month Code
   Here, you have to memorise the code for each month:
   
   1. January : 1
   2. February : 4
      
   3. March : 4
   4. April : 0
   5. May : 2
   6. June : 5
   7. July : 0
   8. August : 3
   9. September: 6
   10. October : 1
   11. November : 4
   12. December : 6
   For the example, it is May, so the month code is 2.
   
   
3. Year Code
   Year code is the most important part of this method. You have to memorize the code for each year, to make it easier, I divide them into 7 categories:
   I will present them just straight to the year, for example: 57, 68, 99
   
   Year code: 0
   The year: 00, 06, 17, 23, 28, 34, 45, 51, 56, 62, 73, 79, 84, 90
   
   Year code: 1
   The year:01, 07, 12, 18, 29, 35, 40, 46, 57, 63, 68, 74, 85, 91, 96
   
   Year code: 2
   The year: 02, 13, 19, 24, 30, 41, 47, 52, 58, 69, 75, 80, 86, 97
   
   Year code: 3
   The year: 03, 08, 14, 25, 31, 36, 42, 53, 59, 64, 70, 81, 87, 92, 98
   
   Year code: 4
   The year: 09, 15, 20, 26, 37, 43, 48, 54, 65, 71, 76, 82, 93, 99
   
   Year code: 5
   The year: 04, 10, 21, 27, 32, 38, 49, 55, 60, 66, 77, 83, 88, 94
   
   Year code: 6
   The year: 05, 11, 16, 22, 33, 39, 44, 50, 61, 67, 72, 78, 89, 95
   
   For this example: 2057 means that the number is 57 with the code 1.
   
   
4. Century Code
   For the century code, it has a series: 6, 4, 2, 0, ...
   Starting from 1600s : 6
   1700s : 4
   1800s : 2
   1900s : 0
   2000s: 6
   and so on...
   For this example: 2057 means that it's in the 2000s with the code 6.
   

To sum up: 29 May 2057 has the code:
Day code: 1
Month code: 2
Year code: 1
Century code: 6
Sum the codes you have : 1 + 2 + 1 + 6 = 10
Again, we are working with the basis 7, so subtract all 7s, that leaves you with 3.

Translation code:
1 : Sunday
2 : Monday
3 : Tuesday
4 : Wednesday
5 : Thursday
6 : Friday
0 : Saturday

Thus, 29 May 2057 falls on Tuesday!

Leap Year:
For leap years, subtract 1 from the total.
IMPORTANT : Do this only when the date is between 1 January and 29 February!

Example: 24 January 1912
Day code : 3
Month code : 1
Year code : 1
Century code : 0
TOTAL: 5
It is a leap year. Thus, subtract 1:
The total is 4, means that it's Wednesday!

I think that's all, just memorize those codes and you'll be ready to amuse your friends in no time!
Good luck!

Ben Pridmore Interview and Demonstration

24.68 seconds, other records:

Ben Pridmore holds these records according to recordholders.org:

• 930 binary digits in 5 minutes
• 4140 binary digits in 30 minutes
• 364 playing cards in 10 minutes
• 1404 playing cards in an hour

Mnemonic: Roman Room System

Hi guys! Roman Room System is the system which was used back in the Roman period. Back in the Roman period, they had to memorised all poems and documents in their head, because there was no paper. Mnemonic itself was named after the Roman God of Memory, Mnemosyne. They used this Roman Room System.

Roman Room System means that the system uses rooms as the loci(location where you memorise something).

When a Roman wanted to memorise something, he/she put the things at certain locations.
For example:
Memorising:
book
sword
lion
axe
wine
The Roman made his/her Roman Room System first, he/she imagined a house which had lots of rooms. The rooms were filled with details, and all he/she had to do was to put the things he/she wanted to memorise at those locations.
For example: He/she had a beautiful garden, and also a beautiful door made of pure gold. When he/she entered the house, on his/her right there was a library filled with cabinets and there was also a fireplace. The next room was his bedroom, there was a bed in the middle of the room, and also a TV.
Associating things: At the garden, he found a book. He/she wanted to put the book at the library, when he/she entered the house, he/she saw a sword on the floor. He took the sword, turning right to the library. At the library, he saw a lion, then stabbed the lion with the sword. To cut its head, he took an axe and cut off its head. Then, he went to his bedroom, to relax by drinking wine.
That way, you'll be able to memorise things quickly.

Make your own Roman Room System:

1. Get a piece of paper.
2. Get a pencil, colour pencil if possible.
3. Draw the map of your house, fill it with lots of details, like the colour, and also adding things like lamps, chandelier, vases, carpet, and other things.
4. Imagine your house with all its insides. Walk through your house to know your house inside out.

When you are ready, associate things to your house, remember the key point: wild imagination! The wilder you get, the more memorable they will be.

The advantage of this system:
You'll never run out of places! Because you can always extend your house! Add some more rooms, details, gardens, escalators, and other things! It doesn't always have to be a house, you can make a castle, hotel, and even your own town! Just make sure to know its inside out!

Good luck!
Have fun^^!

Mnemonic: Alphabet System

Hi guys! Alphabet system here is a mnemonic system using letters as the pegs. Therefore, we have 26 pegs here. Same as other mnemonic systems, we have to translate the pegs into memorable images, where we can associate things we want to memorise with the images.

Making your own alphabet system:

1. Write down the alphabets from a-z on a piece of paper.
   Write down a-z, fill only each row with one letter, or you can divide them into several columns. Later, you'll have to write a word for each letter, so leave space between your columns.
   
   Example: 2 columns:
   
   A M
   B N
   C O
   ... ....
   
   
2. Translate each letter into a word.
   Write a word beside the letter.
   Guidelines:
   
   1. All letters which are also words, have to use the words.
      There are letters which are also words, for example: B-Bee C-Sea J-Jay
      
   2. Other than those letters, use only words with slight difference only, and you have to use words with the same first syllable pronunciation.
      For example: G-Giraffe
      A-Ace
      D-Demon, but not Devil, because of the pronunciation.
      
   
   
3. Translate each word into images in your mind.
   Imagine those words in your mind, make wild imaginations. Test yourself by asking yourself a random letter. For example: G! H! L! X!

Now you have your own alphabet system!

How to use the alphabet system?
It's basically the same with other mnemonic systems, use associations! It's the same with the number-shape and number-rhyme systems. Associate each thing you want to memorise with each peg(the word), starting from a.
For example:
A-Ace
memorising:a bear
association: A bear, it plays cards, then it loses, it throws cards at its friends and it went wild.

Now you have a collection of mnemonic systems, if you only got them from this blog, then you now have 4 systems: link system, number-shape system, number-rhyme system, and alphabet system.
Total pegs you have:
Number-shape: 10 pegs
Number-rhyme: 10 pegs
Alphabet: 26 pegs
TOTAL: 46 pegs
In conclusion, you can memorise 46 things in a go! You can do 50 or more with the help of link system.

Train your memory everyday! You'll eventually get better and cut your memorising time. In addition, you can amuse your friends with this incredible feat of memory!

Good luck^^!

Andi Bell Memorising Cards

Hi guys! I have been posting about mnemonics systems, but I think that lots of you are not interested in it. Here I post a video to give you a demonstration about the mnemonic system.

It's a video of Andi Bell, 3 times World Memory Champion, he's memorising 10 packs of cards:



Good luck^^!
If you want to be like that, just train your memory! I still can't do it, but my current record is about 183 secs for a pack of cards.

Mnemonic For Studying

Hi guys! I'm going to explain mnemonic for studying now. As we know, mnemonic systems can help you memorising things. If we can use it for studying, we would be able to save our time by studying quicker.

Advantages you get:

1. Make most of your studying time!
   Using mnemonic systems will help you in memorising things. As the result, you are able to memorise things a lot quicker than you ever before. Thus, it can shorten your studying time. You can use the rest of time time reviewing again and again.
   
   For example:
   Usual studying time: 2 hours.
   Using mnemonic: 1 hour, 1 hour for reviewing.
   Thus, you will get better results!
   
   
2. Memorise quickly, evaporate slowly.
   Using mnemonic systems, you can memorise things quickly. There's a myth about memorising things quickly, and they will evaporate quickly too, like easy come easy go. But, by using mnemonic, all you have to do is to review the images you've made. It's easier for us to remember images rather than plain words. That's why it will evaporate slowly, it might even stay in your mind for years, or forever!
   
   
3. Get a free memory training.
   Using mnemonic system also trains your brain, it trains both sides of your brain. Thus, you'll be able to memorise things easier the next time you study.
   

How to use it?
There are 3 main points in mnemonic:

1. Association
   Means that how you associate things with other things.
2. Location
   Means where you store the images.
   
3. Imagination
   Means how you symbolise those words into images.

It is easy to memorise those points, think about moh. Ali, the boxer.

Example question:
What did Adam and Eve eat which gave them sin? Apples

Steps to use mnemonic:

1. Read the question, find the keyword.
   In this case, the keyword is 'Adam and Eve'.
   
2. From the keyword, find a location.
   Location here: Eden, why? Because Eden is the place where Adam and Eve did bad things.
   I suggest you to use keywords from the question as the location, why? Because the location is the place you store the images, it would be better if the question reminds you of the location, and you can start looking for your images in that location.
   
3. Imagine the keyword and location:
   Imagine Eden, which was so beautiful, and you saw Adam and Eve are running naked.
   
4. Imagine the answer:
   Imagine that they were running toward an apple tree.
   
5. Associate them:
   Imagine that they climbed up the tree and eat the red tasty apple. Imagine the tase of the apple, sweet, watery, and fresh. Use all of your senses. Then imagine that they come down, wearing clothes like a someone you like, movie stars, or anyone. Try to make it funny, or weird. The weirder you get, the more memorable it is.

You can use this technique to study! If you have to memorise a long sentence, just pick up the keywords, imagine them, put them at a relevant location, use your senses, make it weird, and it will stay in your memory for a long time.

Have fun^^!
Good luck^^!

5 Tips to Study Effectively

Hi guys! Are you tired of long studying time? Are you bored of looking at your books, memorising the words? Do you want to know how to study effectively? This article is what you're looking for!
If you are having difficulties studying, you are not alone! Studying for an exam has been a problem for most students. Students often say that they don't have enough time to study. Studying time varies from one student to another, some can study in an hour for an exam, but some say that a day is just not enough. This could be a serious problem, when the students who need a long time to study fail an exam, and this happens occasionally, it might give them a shock. The shock can give them stress, this leads to a depression, and the final destination is a life-time regret.

5 tips to study effectively:

1. Manage your time!
   
   Time management is always a crucial point, not only in studying, but every aspect of our lives. When you have to ability to manage time, you'll be able to do things at the right time and in an effective way. When it's your time to take a rest, take a rest! When it's your time to study, study! Don't take a rest when you are studying and don't study when you are taking a rest! We need a rest to stay fit when we are studying. When you are studying, concentrate on your study.
   
   When I have an exam the next day, I usually spend my evening by playing games, watching T.V., reading comic books, surfing the web, and other fun things. Mostly, I start studying at half past 7 and finish before 10 o'clock. My average mark: 80 out of 100. I do whatever I want before I study.
   
   
2. Concentrate!
   Concentration is a crucial point in studying. When you don't have the concentration, you won't be able to study quickly. Concentrating helps you to memorise things quicker. Therefore, speeds up your study.
   
   There are lots of ways to develop concentration, it varies from one to other students. Some students say that listening to music helps them to concentrate, some say that studying at a really quiet place helps to concentrate, I personally like to study while I listen to music. When I am bored, I sing(though my voice isn't that good), lol.
   
   
3. Believe in yourself!
   
   Believing in yourself is one important matter. It is a matter of passing and failing. Believing in yourself prevents you from panicking. Sometimes, before we start, we feel that there's too much to memorise, it cause us to panic. By believing in ourselves, we prevent panicking and help us to stay calm. Thus, speeding up our studying time.
   
   
4. Take little breaks!
   This is also crucial, for taking little breaks prevents us from ringing the boredom-bells. It is ideal to take a 5 minute break every half an hour. Use your breaks to drink, stretch your body, and you can even scream to release the stress.
   
   What if you've already rung your boredom-bells?
   It would be better to study when you are not bored, as boredom might slow you down. Stop studying for a while, have a longer break, 15 minutes maximum, then study again. Never stop too long, a long stop will not help you study quicker, it's a waste of time. When you stop too long, you become too lazy to study again.
   
   
5. Smile!
   A little smile will definitely help you. Little smile, but big effect. Smiles give you the spirit to study. Even if it's a fake smile, they can give you some spirit. Smiles are signs of positive way of thinking, and positive thinking gives you the spirit to study. Smiles can also reduce your boredom alarm time.
   

Hope that my tips are useful for all of you, they are my personal tips. I suggest you to use mnemonic systems, it really speeds up your studying time. I will write a post about how to use mnemonic systems to study, just wait for it.

Have fun^^!

Why Should We Train Our Memory?

Having a good memory means a good life. How can this happen? It's simple, a great memory helps you in lots of aspects of life.

Some examples:

1. Memorising people's names and faces. Have you ever met someone you know, but he/she forgot your name? How did it feel? Bad, huh? When you remember people's names and faces, it makes them feel that you appreciate them, and feel that they are meaningful in our lives. It can sometimes be crucial to remember people's names and faces, it's crucial in situations such as meeting business partners or important people. Business partners sometimes feel that it's impolite to forget their names, as they are your business partners. They might cancel the business deal, etc.
2. Memorising phone numbers. In this modern world, we have a great thing called mobile-phone which helps us to save phone numbers. But sometimes, it would be better for us to save the phone numbers in our brains, as we might forget to bring our mobile-phones. It's also more practical to save phone numbers in our brains, as we don't have to take the mobile-phone out, open it, and input the numbers. All we have to do is to remember those numbers.
3. Job Interviews. In job inteviews, you will need a good memory to memorise the company's profile, etc.

Memory trainings also help us to be a smarter person by improving our concentration and our observation skill.

Train your memory with mnemonic systems, feel the difference in your life!

Good luck!

Why Should We Train Our Brain?

Hi guys! Why should we train our brain?
The answer is simple, to survive in this world. Nowadays, jobs are getting tougher and tougher to get. Being smart helps you get a job. It's pretty obvious that companies would prefer employing smart people to stupid people.

Smart here is to be able to respond quickly to situations, especially problems. The responses given also have to be sensible. A smart person has to be able to think logically, make comparisons about the advantages and disadvantages of a decision, think quickly, and of course make decisions. Why should we think quickly? Because life's about taking chances, second chances hardly exist. Training your brain will help you to develop the skills needed to be a smart person.

We now know that we have to train our brains, but why do people don't want to train their brains?
Most people say that brain training is boring. Nowadays, we have lots of games which train our brains. Games such as chess, go, sudoku, rubik's cube, etc. They have the ability to develop your brain power. Chess and go help us in many aspects of your brain, especially the decision-making aspect. In chess and go, we need to make decisions, and we often stand between the winning and losing line. Rubik's Cube, especially whe we are speedcubing, trains our brains to make decisions quickly. Speedcubing means that solving the cube as fast as we can. We also have to memorise the algorithms to solve it quicker. There are lots of other games which train our brains.

In conclusion, why don't we start training our brains now?
You can't be too late to start, start now and feel the difference!

Good luck^^!

Memory Daily Training Program

Hi guys! Having learned those mnemonic systems, you should now be able to memorise at least 10 things in under than 2 minutes.

I think that some of us wonder how long should one train everyday. The answer is a few minutes!
In a day, you only have to spend a few minutes training your memory, and it will get better and better everyday! For the systems I have explained before, when you use all of them(link, number-shape, number-rhyme), you can at least memorise 30 things in one go.

First, write 10 things, use a timer to count the amount of time you use to memorise those things. For every correct item, give 1 point, and for every correct place, give 1 point again.

Then, try 20 things, try 30 things, etc.

If you are bored doing it by yourself, ask your friends to write a list of things, memorise them, and amuse your friends! With your friends cheering you, you won't get bored, plus, you will gain some confidence!

Key points:

1. Never pass a single day without even 1 training.
   
2. Trust yourself! There's no bell or signal which tells you when to move to the next thing. When you want to get as fast as you can, trust yourself, and you'll be able to do it!
3. Use you imagination! Calm yourself, don't be panic if you suddenly get low scores, maybe the images are not memorable enough, or you didn't have much exaggeration, change the images, and try to have more exaggeration.

Have fun with the systems!
I'll explain some more systems next time^^.

Mnemonic: Number-Rhyme System

Hi, I'm back with another mnemonic system! It's the number-rhyme system. The Number-Rhyme system is another mnemonic with pegs.
The key point here is to symbolize those numbers(0-9) into images according to their rhyme.

For example:
1 is one, rhymes with run, fun, gun, etc.
2 is two, rhymes with poo, goo, etc.
3 is three, rhymes with tree, free, etc.
4 is four, rhymes with door, etc.
5 is five, rhymes with hive, life, etc.
6 is six, rhymes with pigs, chicks, etc.
7 is seven, rhymes with heaven, etc.
8 is eight, rhymes with bait, etc.
9 is nine, rhymes with line, fine, vine, wine, etc.

After you make your own Number-Rhyme System, try to imagine those images in your mind. Imagine those images one by one.

How to use those images?
It's exactly the same with Number-Shape System, when you want to memorise a thing, link that thing with the image.

Example:
1. Eggs
2. Book
3. Computer

The number 1 from the system(for examples, I use the association listed before) is gun.
Imagine that the gun has eggs for its bullet, and you shoot your friend's face with the gun. Your friend is covered in eggs.

The number 2 from the system is poo. Imagine that you found a book inside a pile of poo.

The number 3 is tree. Imagine that there's a hole inside the tree, and when you look inside, there's a computer.

Always use imagination to memorise things.
The key point to a great memory is your imagination!

Have fun^^!

Mnemonic: Number-Shape System

Hi guys! I'm back! This time I'm going to explain mnemonic number-shape system.

This is a system which allows you to remember things with the correct order. This is one of the mnemonic systems with pegs. Imagine that in your wardrobe, you can see your clothes with their hanger. Each hanger has its own number, from 0-9.

In this Number-Shape System, the point is to have pegs, numbers here are the pegs. In Number-Shape System, you need to translate each number from 0 to 9 into images, according to their shape.

Example:
0 is a ball, etc.
1 is a pencil, etc.
2 is a bird, swan, etc.
3 is handcuffs, you can also say it's an ass^^.
4 is a chair, sailing-boat, etc.
5 is a hook, etc.
6 is a golf club, etc.
7 is a cliff, a boomerang, etc.
8 is a snowman, etc.
9 is a balloon, etc.

Try to have your own association! When you close your eyes, think about the number and the shape, the first image coming into your mind means that it has the strongest impression on you. Use that image! Write your images on a piece of paper!

How to use those pegs?
Here's a list:
1.book
2.car
3.honey
4.computer

Make association between you pegs and those objects:
1 is a pencil, imagine you're writing something on the book using the pencil.
2 is a bird, imagine a huge bird carrying a car, the car is flying with the bird.
3 is handcuffs, imagine a honey-robber caught by a policeman, and being handcuffed.
4 is a chair, imagine you're wrecking a computer using a chair.

Key point: Use your wildest imagination! Use your fantasy!
The wilder your images, the more memorable they are!

Good luck!
Try to amuse your friends^^!
Have fun^^!

Mnemonic: Link System

Link System is one of the basic mnemonics available. I used to think that memorising 30 items is impossible, but using this method you'll be able to go shopping without worrying about forgetting your shopping list! You can also use this system to amuse your friends^^!

Test yourself first:
Remember this list consisting of 10 items, read them only once:
tie
spoon
glasses
soap
bread
eggs
jeans
lipstick
tissue
basketball

After reading them just once, write all items you remember on a piece of paper, in the correct order.
Scoring your answer: 1 point for each correct item, 1 point for each correct order.
How well did you do the test?
Most people can't do it very well, but after you learn this system, you'll be able to memorise them in no time!

Link System
Key point: USE YOUR IMAGINATION!

Let's imagine that you are at your front door of your house, trying to put on your tie. Now you are wearing a tie. After putting it on, you bite a spoon and on top of the spoon, there is a glass. You are concentrating hard to keep it balanced, you are walking out from your house. Suddenly, you step on a soap and you slipped, but you managed to keep it balanced.

You walk again on the street and you see a bakery, it smells great, you can feel the bread in your mouth, and you are drooling. You step on eggs, you fall down and pull someone's jeans down. She screams, you are looking at her face, and see that she is using her lipstick. Her lipstick falls down on your face, and you take tissue out of your pocket and clean your face. While you are cleaning your face, a basketball ball hit you on the back of your head, and you fainted.

Now, can you remember the story? Can you remember the items? Every time you have lists of things, do this and you'll be able to memorise them in no time!

Have fun^^!
You can amuse your friends too^^!

Mnemonic

What is Mnemonic?
A Mnemonic device is a memory aid. Its job is to help you to remember things like shopping lists, things, chores, numbers, and lots of other things! By learning the mnemonics methods, you can remember things easily.

Before learning mnemonic, I used to think that remembering a shopping list of 30 items is impossible. After I learned how to use mnemonic, now I feel that it's just a piece of cake!

There are several systems I know:

• Link System
• Number-Shape System
• Number-Rhyme System
• Alphabet System
• Roman Room System
  

There are lots of other systems, but I think that those are the basic systems.
I'll explain about them one by one on this blog, just wait for me to publish them^^!

Have fun^^!

Online Memory Challenge

Hi, I’m back!

Do you want to compete in a Memory Championship?

Join Online Memory Challenge! It’s a website where you can train your memory and compete in a championship! It’s an Online championship where you can set up your own challenge!

Features:

• Challenge set up
• Memory training
• Ranking

Your progress will be noted and you’ll get better in no time!

To see the website :

Online Memory Challenge

How do you join the competition?

First, send an email consisting your name and stating that you want to join the Online Memory Challenge. Send your email to simon.orton@gmail.com.

He’s the owner of the website, he’s also the Australian Memory Champion in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007!

After sending an email, wait for him to reply your email. In his email, he’ll give you your personal link to the Online Memory Challenge.

Have fun^^!

Brain States

The Four Brain States

Vibrations from rhythmic sounds have a profound effect on our brain activity. In shamanic traditions, drums have long been used to transport the shaman out of his or her body into other realms of reality through the use of constant rhythmic vibrations. Researcher Melinda Maxfield, studying the Shamanic State of Consciousness, found that the steady rhythmic beat of the drum struck four and one half times per second was the key to transporting a shaman into the deepest part of his shamanic state of consciousness.

It is no coincidence that 4.5 beats, or cycles, per second corresponds to the trance-like state of theta brain wave activity. In direct correlation, we see similar effects brought on by the constant and rhythmic drone of Tibetan Buddhist chants that transport the monks and even other listeners into realms of blissful meditation.

The gentle pulsating rhythms of Brain Sync tapes act in a similar fashion, yet because the frequencies are computer generated, they are precise, consistent and can be targeted to induce highly specific and desired brain states. Just as we can tune a radio to get a particular station, with Brain Sync technology we can tune our consciousness to dial-in a wide variety of brain states.

You have your very own signature brain wave activity, unique to you. It has a rhythm and pattern - and it incorporates Beta, Alpha, Theta, and Delta frequencies at varying levels over the course of a day as your brain modulates them to match your activities. Brain Sync audio programs amplify a single frequency or a carefully balanced combination of frequencies to achieve a specific purpose.

Beta

Alertness

Concentration

Cognition

You are wide-awake, alert. Your mind is sharp, focused. It makes connections quickly, easily and you're primed to do work that requires your full attention. In the Beta state, neurons fire abundantly, in rapid succession, helping you achieve peak performance. New ideas and solutions to problems flash like lightning into your mind. Beta training is one of the frequencies that biofeedback therapists use to treat Attention Deficit Disorder.

Beta-centered programs help you prepare to take an exam, play sports, give a presentation, analyze and organize information, and other activities where mental alertness and high levels of concentration are key to your success.

Beta waves range between 13-40 HZ. The Beta state is associated with peak concentration, heightened alertness, hand eye coordination and visual acuity. Nobel Prize Winner Sir Francis Crick and other scientists believe that the 40HZ beta frequency used on many Brain Sync tapes may be key to the act of cognition.

Alpha

Relaxation

Visualization

Creativity

When you are truly relaxed, your brain activity slows from the rapid patterns of Beta into the more gentle waves of Alpha. Your awareness expands. Fresh creative energy begins to flow. Fears vanish. You experience a liberating sense of peace and well-being. In biofeedback, Alpha training is most commonly recommended for the treatment of stress.

Alpha-centered programs help you tap your creativity and are excellent for problem solving, finding new ideas and practicing creative visualization. Choose Alpha programs when you want to attain deep levels of relaxation that are so essential to your health and well-being.

Alpha waves range between 7-12 HZ. This is a place of deep relaxation, but not quite meditation. In Alpha, we begin to access the wealth of creativity that lies just below our conscious awareness - it is the gateway, the entry point that leads into deeper states of consciousness. Alpha is also the home of the window frequency known as the Schuman Resonance - the resonant frequency of the earth's electromagnetic field.

Theta

Meditation

Intuition

Memory

Going deeper into relaxation, you enter the elusive and mysterious Theta state where brain activity slows almost to the point of sleep, but not quite. Theta is the brain state where magic happens in the crucible of your own neurological activity. Theta brings forward heightened receptivity, flashes of dreamlike imagery, inspiration, and your long-forgotten memories. Theta can bring you deep states of meditation. A sensation of "floating." And, because it is an expansive state, in Theta, you may feel your mind expand beyond the boundaries of your body.

Theta rests directly on the threshold of your subconscious. In biofeedback, it is most commonly associated with the deepest levels of meditation. Theta also plays an important part in behavior modification programs and has been used in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. Finally, Theta is an ideal state for super-learning, re-programming your mind, dream recall, and self-hypnosis.

Theta waves range between 4-7 HZ. Theta is one of the more elusive and extraordinary realms we can explore. It is also known as the twilight state which we normally only experience fleetingly as we rise up out of the depths of delta upon waking, or drifting off to sleep. In Theta, we are in a waking dream, vivid imagery flashes before the mind's eye and we are receptive to information beyond our normal conscious awareness. Theta has also been identified as the gateway to learning and memory. Theta meditation increases creativity, enhances learning, reduces stress and awakens intuition and other extrasensory perception skills.

Delta

Detached Awareness

Healing

Sleep

Long, slow, undulating. Delta is the slowest of all four brain wave frequencies. Most commonly associated with deep sleep, certain frequencies in the Delta range also trigger the release of Human Growth Hormone so beneficial for healing and regeneration. This is why sleep - deep restorative sleep - the kind that Delta frequencies help induce is so essential to the healing process.

Delta is the brain wave signal of the subconscious, the seat from which intuition arises. That means Delta-based programs are not only an ideal choice for their sleep and deep regeneration potential, but also when you want to access your unconscious activity and help that wellspring of information flow to your conscious mind for clearing and for empowerment. Delta waves range between 0-4 HZ.

source: http://www.toolsforwellness.com/brainstates.html

Mind Map

Mind Maps

Use a Mind Map, Save a Tree; Use Mind Maps, Save a Forest! Unlock your Creativity, boost your Memory and Change your Life! What is a Mind Map? A Mind Map is a powerful graphic technique which provides a universal key to unlock the potential of the brain. It harnesses the full range of cortical skills - word, image, number, logic, rhythm, colour and spatial awareness - in a single, uniquely powerful manner. In so doing, it gives you the freedom to roam the infinite expanses of your brain. The Mind Map can be applied to every aspect of life where improved learning and clearer thinking will enhance human performance. What do you need to make a Mind Map? Because Mind Maps are so easy to do and so natural, the ingredients for your "Mind Map Recipe" are very few: Blank unlined paper Coloured pens and pencils Your Brain Your imagination! When you use Mind Maps on a daily basis, you will find that your life becomes more productive, fulfilled, and successful on every level. There are no limits to the number of thoughts, ideas and connections that your brain can make, which means that there are no limits to the different ways you can use Mind Maps to help you. 7 Steps to Making a Mind Map Start in the CENTRE of a blank page turned sideways. Why? Because starting in the centre gives your Brain freedom to spread out in all directions and to express itself more freely and naturally. Use an IMAGE or PICTURE for your central idea. Why? Because an image is worth a thousand words and helps you use your Imagination. A central image is more interesting, keeps you focussed, helps you concentrate, and gives your Brain more of a buzz! Use COLOURS throughout. Why? Because colours are as exciting to your Brain as are images. Colour adds extra vibrancy and life to your Mind Map, adds tremendous energy to your Creative Thinking, and is fun! CONNECT your MAIN BRANCHES to the central image and connect your second- and third-level branches to the first and second levels, etc. Why? Because your Brain works by association. It likes to link two (or three, or four) things together. If you connect the branches, you will understand and remember a lot more easily. Make your branches CURVED rather than straight-lined. Why? Because having nothing but straight lines is boring to your Brain. Use ONE KEY WORD PER LINE. Why? Because single key words give your Mind Map more power and flexibility. Use IMAGES throughout. Why? Because each image, like the central image, is also worth a thousand words. So if you have only 10 images in your Mind Map, it's already the equal of 10,000 words of notes! Here are some examples of mind maps: source: http://www.buzanworld.com/Mind_Maps.htm

Major System

Are you tired of forgetting something? Tired of forgetting your phone number and your friends' house number?

USE MAJOR SYSTEM!!

Major system is a mental tool which can help you to remember things. It works by converting numbers first into consonant sounds, then into words by adding vowels. The words can then be remembered more easily than the numbers, especially when using other mnemonic rules which call for the words to be visual and emotive.

The major system was introduced by Stanislaus Mink von Wennsshein over 300 years ago, and was later developed by many others with many variations. In 1730, Dr. Richard Grey set forth a complicated system that used both consonants and vowels to represent the digits. In 1808 Gregor von Feinaigle introduced the improvement of representing the digits by consonant sounds, but reversed the values of 8 and 9 from that given above.

How to Use the Tool:

The building blocks of the system are the association of the numbers below with the following consonant sounds:

0 - s, z, soft-c - remember as 'z is first letter of zero'
1 - d, t, th - remember as letters with 1 downstroke
2 - n - remember as having 2 downstrokes
3 - m - has three downstrokes
4 - r - imagine a 4 and an R glued together back-to-back
5 - L - imagine the 5 propped up against a book end (L)
6 - j, sh, soft-ch, dg, soft-g - g is 6 rotated 180 degrees.
7 - k, hard-ch, hard-c, hard-g, ng - imagine K as two 7s
rotated and glued together
8 - f, v - imagine the bottom loop of the 8 as an eFfluent
pipe discharging waste (letter image of F in
alphabet system)
9 - p, b - b as 9 rotated 180 degrees.

These associations need to be learned thoroughly before going further with the technique.

Starting to use the Major System

The system operates on a number of levels, depending on the amount of time you are prepared to devote to learning the system.

The first level, which involves coding single digit numbers into small words, functions almost as a poor relation of the number/rhyme system. It is at higher levels that you can unleash the real power of the system. You should, however, learn to use this first level before moving on.

The trick with converting numbers into words is to use only the consonants that code information within the word, while using vowels to pad the consonants out with meaning. If you do have to use other consonants to make up a word, use only those that do not code for numbers - i.e. h, q, w, x, and y.

At the first level we code each number into a short noun. This is made up of the consonant coding for the number, and vowels that turn the consonant into a word. On a sheet of paper, write the numbers 0 to 9, and apply these rules to create your own memory words. Some examples are shown below:

0 - saw
1 - toe
2 - neigh
3 - ma
4 - ray
5 - law
6 - jaw
7 - key
8 - fee
9 - pie

Moving to the second level

Similar rules apply to creating a standard word from two numbers. It is best not to try to use a single number word as a root, as this can confuse the image.

Write down the numbers 01 to 99, and apply the rules to create memory words for yourself.

A few examples are shown below:

09 - z, p - zap
17 - t, ch - tech
23 - n, m - name
36 - m, sh - mesh
41 - r,s - rose
52 - l, n - line
64 - ch, r - chair
75 - k, l - keel
89 - f, p - fop
98 - b, f - beef

Taking the Major System Further

Just using double number words may be enough to make this a sufficiently powerful mnemonic for you. Alternatively you may decide to use triple number words, using the same construction rules as double number words.

Examples are:
182 - d, v, n - Devon
304 - m, s, r - miser
400 - r, c, s - races
651 - j, l, d - jellied
801 - f, z, d - fazed

Even though you can construct words from first principles each time, at this level of complexity it may be worth writing them down to make them easier to remember. You can then run through them many times to strengthen the link in your mind between the numbers and the associated words. This will help you to remember the appropriate word faster.

Then, make a story containing people, objects, or anything which is in your major system. For example, if you want to memorize 4198, in this example I'll use the system above:

41:rose

98:beef

Associate them beyond your wildest imagination and you'll be able to memorize them easily.

For example: The beef is rotten and withered roses are growing on it.

The beef is from the cow you had and you give it a rose for its funeral

Good luck on using it!

Have fun^^!