“It is highly unfortunate on the part of human race that they are
unable to recognize their hidden potential. They are using only one
out of lakh part of their capabilities and even by using this very
part, they are today counted in the list of highly sage people,”
says Swami Vivekananda.
About Brain and Mind
God has gifted us the invaluable equipment called brain, but we are
ignorant to use the potential of the brain effectively. Our brain, a
fist full 1.4 kg lump of wrinkled tissue with no moving parts, no
joints or valves, not only serves as the motherboard for all other
body systems but, is also the place for our mind, thoughts, senses.
It is also a place for all our emotions, joys, and thought processes.
Through the master gland pituitary, the brain controls the harmonal
activity of the whole body. It is indeed a super computer, best that
a man can ever think of. As it is our most valuable possession, it
needs to be taken care. Most of us use only 2% of the capacity of the
brain; the more we use it, the more it grows; by using more synaptic
connections conducive to the growth of boutons / dendrites. There is
an old saying "use it or lose it."
Levels
of Mind
There are
the four levels of Mind: Conscious level, Subconscious level, Super
Conscious level and Unconscious level.
About
Mind States
Our Mind has three states: wakening state, dreamless sleep state and
dreaming state. Our Conscious mind is active only in the wakening
state and in rest of the states, others three levels are active.
About
Sub-conscious Mind
- It is the powerful mind that has been storing all kind of information since the day we were born. Even we have stored past births karmas (Psychic impressions) in this mind only. It stores the information that we are not consciously aware of. It works under self hypnosis.
- This Mind stores all the information in terms of mental pictures.
- It is very vast repository of images.
- It has photographic memory. It can easily recall the mental images.
- It deals with our imagination power. So, the most seminal point is to nurture it.
- It can be nurtured through self hypnosis process by giving it auto instructions.
- It is the super computer of our brain.
- It works according to intra cellular programming.
The
Three important processes of Memory.
- Encoding –It is the process of translating info into neural codes (Brain language) that will be retained in memory.
- Storage –It is the process of retaining neural coded information over time.
- Retrieval –It is the process of recovering information from memory storage.
Encoding
method of Memory
This is the
most important method of the memory which is used to encode the
abstract data. First, we shall understand the word encoding. This is
the process of converting abstract data (texts, alphabets, characters
and digits) into specific language called brain language. Our brain
understands photographic language. We will convert abstract words
into the words called as Substitution words or link words or key
words also. It means we will memorize abstract words with the help of
link words. Now, we will understand this process with the help of
some examples.
Say for
example, we want to encode the names of countries and its capital.
Albania
is the country and the capital is Tirane.
Now, Albania
is an abstract word. We can convert this word Albania into a tangible
word Album. We will convert the word Tirane into the word Rain. Now
in this process, the word Album has same pronunciation as the word
Albania. Similarly, the word Rain has same sound as the word Tirane.
Similarly,
we can make the link word for any abstract word. We just have need to
practise this process.
BASIC
LAWS OF THE MEMORY
- Law of Visualization
- Law of Association
Law of
Visualization:-
Our thought
process is completely based upon images/pictures. Even we can’t
utter a single word without looking at some picture on our mental
screen. Therefore, whatever we need to memorize should be converted
into mind images called as the brain language.
Law of
Association:-
Association
means Linking or Connection. This is the association between two
information. One information is already there in our Brain. Second
information is in the outer world which we are to memorize. This Law
establishes the connection between these two information.
Now, we will
learn how to link two objects. Say, for example, there are two
objects- Door and phone, we can associate these two objects by
making an imagination in which a Phone is hanging on the Door.
With
the help of these Laws and Memory methods you can memorize
Vocabulary, Abbreviations, Definitions, Facts, Rules,
Speeches, Essay, Long answers with subheadings, Numbers, Formulae,
Numerical values, Reactions, Dates, Notes, Quotations, Lecturers etc
in Academics and Names, Faces, Numbers, Lists, Telephone
numbers, Routes, Directions, Time Table, Events, Meetings,
Appointments, Promises, Birthdates, Important Dates, Calendar,
Playing Cards, Headlines, Price, Key points (To do list) etc in
Daily Life.
This Memory Article has been taken from this MEMORY POWER COURSE Book
written by Virender Mehta.
Bhramari Pranayam
This Pranayam involves huming like a bee (bhramar). Hence it is known as
Bhramari Pranayam.
Procedure: Sit erect in Padmaasana and take a deep brat, close both
ears with the index fingers. Hold the breath for sometimes and while exhaling,
hum (Om) in a legato tone just like the humming of a bee. This develops memory
power.
For learning all Vedic Memory Techniques, please read our Memory Power Course Book
