Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer A few beginner questions and feedback.

A friend lent me the Photoreading book (3rd Edition) as they bought the newer 4th Edition. I find the whole process highly interesting.

A few questions though...

(1) I have no problems with Photofocus as the blip page seems to come to me naturally. However, when I actually try out the step of Photoreading, the actual blip varies in size. Sometimes it grows until its like half the page, other times it shrinks. Is that OK? Is it to do with my focus in concentration? (Lose concentration = gets wider?)

(2) Looking through my friend's copy of the 4th Edition, the steps have changed. Is the following changes right?

3rd Edition (2000)
(a) Prepare
(b) Preview
(c) Photoread
(d) Activate
(e) Rapid Read (Optional)

4th Edition (2007)
(a) Prepare
(b) Preview (90sec Max)
(c) Photoread
(d) Postview (Trigger words and mindprobe questions)
(e) Activate (integrated Rapid Read in the this step)

(3) I feel a bit silly to saying affirmations to myself. Can I make my own ones or is it better to use Paul Scheele's ones as suggested in the book?

The hardest thing I've noticed with the whole Photoreading system is that its difficult to let go of old habits. (Feels like its the biggest wall for beginners...Often results in them giving up on the whole process altogether and complaining that it doesn't work).

The thing that seems to work for me is to take up some form of meditation (I listen to audio ones by Jack Kornfield) or read some motivational book by Geoff Thompson.

Basically, its to get you to believe that there is no right or wrong, there's just experience gained and to just let something happen. (The "right or wrong" mentality seems to be hammered in as we all went to school)...That conscious mind just gets in the way, doesn't it?


A few suggestions for the 5th Edition
* Need to add a section on letting go old habits and trusting new ones. Maybe provide examples and exercises?

* Need to expand on Applications of Photoreading with examples and suggestions. (Maths text vs Engineering text vs Computer text vs Psychology one, etc? Languages text? Music sheets? Reading off screens? Scrolling vs PageUp/Down? E-Books? Multi-screen scenarios?)

* Updates (from forums and seminars) for the common issues faced by people.

Hey there,
I'm just learning myself (activated my second book earlier, with what I think was a fair bit of success) but I'll try to help as best as I can.

1. I experience the same thing. The blip page came to me so easily, I wondered whether I was doing something wrong, say crossing my eyes but that wasn't the case - I'm younger than most people (16 earlier this year) so I suspect maybe that the old hard focused reading paradigm isn't quite as hammered in to me. Who knows? I'm just grateful it comes easily. Anyway, the blip size fluctuates for me as well but I myself don't see it as a problem. If you perceive it consciously as a problem, maybe it will become one...

2. That is correct. Your post-view should also contain a survey, as in the Preview step in 3rd edition.

3. I read in a hypnosis book that your own words are more likely to have an impact on yourself. So long as you formulate your affirmations properly (present tense and well encompassing), they will probably be more powerful.

Now, I like your first suggestion for the 5th edition but I feel it kinda contradicts your second one. Letting go of habits and trusting in yourself is great, but you've got to let yourself experiment. Getting someone to tell you exactly how to Photoread in every different situation is not going to allow that experimentation.
There's a great post on Alex's blog which may be of help to you:
http://www.phoenixquest.com.au/alexk/
I'm referring to the 'Confused? Could You Just for Now - Let Go?' post.

Good luck!