Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer birkenbihl method

Hi,

I am still in the early stages of going through material(read the manual once and listened to the tapes once). I will admit that Vera does give some helpful study tips.

But what exactly is so unique about the Birkenbihl method? There are references to this method through the manual but I do not see any unique memory management methodology here. I have really studied Harry Lorayne, Kevin Trudeau and Tony Buzan. Between the three of them(or any combination of any two of them), they pretty much give all the most of the techniques that Vera does.

Am I missing something? I realise that I have just begun the course and would have to put in more work. For someone who has no familiarity with memory management, this course is excellant but I do not see any major new techniques here.

Kind regards,
blue_sky

No other memory course has anti-Alzheimer's and anti-aging effects techniques. And, Mrs. Birkenbihl will change the way you think about memory.

Her research on the brain and memory shows that memory is not a thing, but a process that can be improved. Most memory courses claim that you can have a great memory, as if memory was a thing, rather than a process. Most people believe they have a poor memory and then accept this as a fact. They seek out courses that give a bunch of pegs or a list of associations when they need to learn a new set of facts. So now, they need to memorize not only what they are trying to remember, but also the list of asociations!

Humans are associative thinkers because that is how the brain works. But the whole idea behind Mrs. Birkenbihl's research and Memory Optimizer course is that the associations have to come from your own personal autobiography. Memory is individual. You need to create your own assocations and in the process, tie in new information that eventually becomes knowledge. Not just some useless facts that you memorize and later forget. This idea of construction and reconstruction is quite unique.

[This message has been edited by Sandy Millies (edited August 26, 2002).]

Hi Sandy,

Thank you for your reply. I fully agree Vera has some great stuff on Alzheimers and anti-aging.

Sandy, let me clarify Vera's approach vs. other methods. Let's say I want to remember the name "Andy"; the general approach would be for instance, to think of an ant and how that ant turns into "Andy" and observing some feature of Andy that is remotely ant like so as to reinforce it into memory.

Now the Birkenbihl approach would be to think of other Andy's that you know and use that as a thread to remember this Andy, is this correct?? I apologize if this question is silly. I am just trying to get a feel for the birkenbihl approach(and as I mentioned before, I have read the manual only once and will get back to thoroughly reading it).

blue_sky

blue_sky,

Remember on the audio when Mrs. Birkenbihl says the name, "Smith" to her student? He laughs and says he doesn't need an auxiliary thread for that name. If you happen to know other "Andy's" then you have a thread for that name and it will be easier to remember the name. You can build upon that. It's the construction that is important when trying to make sure you can remember later on. If you do not have a thread in your memory web, create an auxiliary mnemonic for the person.

First, ask yourself whether you really want this name in your memory web? Do you want to remember this person?

If yes, make sure you know the spelling of the name and the sound. Ask for the name to be repeated. Also, ask for some background on the person. Ask questions about the origin of the name, for example. Notice if any associations pop up. No matter how silly or absurd the association may seem, if it works for you, great! Does the name remind you of something else? Do you think of a famous person with that name?

So really, whatever associations immediately pop into your mind are the best. And use the name as often as you can when talking to the person or about them.

So, yes, start with whatever associations come up, which will be from existing threads. These most likely will stem from the other Andy's you know.

[This message has been edited by Sandy Millies (edited August 26, 2002).]