Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer PhR stage: how many times?

In some of the other threads, the question was raised:
"Is there any benefit to doing the PhRding stage through a book several times?"

I can't find those threads anymore, but would really like an answer!

Do a search for that in all open and archived threads. The info is still in the DF, you just need to find it.

What I remember being said is that there is some benefit (certainly n o harm) to PRing a book several times. With each pass through the book you are reinforcing the neurons that were laid down on the first pass. As I've stated before, I usually PR a book twice (minimum) before I am finished with it. There are some texts that I have PR so many times that I didn't bother keeping track. You only need to PR a book once though. The rest is personal preferance. Give it a try and see if multiple passes make a differance for you. I you see some benefit with more than one PR pass then by all means continue.

Just remember that multiple activation sessions are required to bring that information into your conscious mind. Fortunately you can use your classes as activation sessions after PRing the text books, and I would still manually activate each text book that the instructer recommends.

I wish I had this system when I was in college.

Hope this helped.

Sincerely,
Gregory

[This message has been edited by Gregory (edited August 16, 2001).]

Thanx Gregory! Your e-mail confirmed what I was thinking. Intuitively, I kinda thought that several PR sessions would definitely be of benefit - even if only to give me a conscious sense of satisfaction, achievement and of really hammering the info in.

But you had one line in your reply that said, "You only need to PR a book once though". I can agree with this - for immediate activation and use. But what about over extended periods of time (eg. a semester)?

The theory of "once it is in there, it is in there forever" doesn't gel with me. This seems to suggest that the subconscious mind can never forget. Can that possibly be true? Is our subconscious mind hanging onto every single memory that we have ever had? (Retrieval gets increasingly harder of course). I would have thought that the subconscious mind also requires reinforcement the way the conscious mind does, to hang onto a neural connection.

I know that our brains have the characteristic of 'plasticity' - ie. the neurons are constantly remodelling and reconfiguring their synaptic connections, based on use. So if I PhRd and activated a book 1 year ago, isn't it likely that my subconscious would have remodelled itself several times since then, probably wiping out some of the unused connections? Even 1 week may be sufficient to cause this. So I can see a definite advantage in re-PhRding certain books or certain bits of books as the need arises.

Hmmmm. Would love to hear more on other people's experiences with this. Particularly with thick textbooks that take long periods and many activation sessions to get through. If I photoread a section of a book but don't activate it for some time, will the activation be harder when I do get around to it?

With me repeated Photoreadings help activating the material. Since it's the least time consuming part of it- why not do it over again as another preview? As far as memory and the subconscious end of it- I can pick up books I read in grade school and just looking at it takes me back and I instantly recall the story and details. From what I understand everything you ever read or saw is stored away and you can get to it again by jogging your memory. Jogging your memory is finding the bridge back to it by reviewing it. Helping someone with algebra (if you haven't worked with it in years) shows you how it works. Read up on it for a few hours and it all comes back to you.

Hi Prynceska,

I'm glad I can help.

You stated "The theory of "once it is in there, it is in there forever" doesn't gel with me. This seems to suggest that the subconscious mind can never forget. Can that possibly be true? Is our subconscious mind hanging onto every single memory that we have ever had?"

I saw a program on TV some years ago, about some research that some doctors were doing on the human brain. (I think they were attempting to map the brain at the time.) When they were doing brain surgery (during which the patient had to remain conscious), the doctors would very delicately stimulate different parts of the brain. What they found was that if they stimilated areas that had the function of storing memories, the patient would perfectly remember and re-experience things as if they were reliving the experience all over again. They had perfect recall of things from around 2 years old to when they became an adult. The doctors conclusions were that everything you have ever experienced in your entire lifetime is perfectly stored somewhere in your brain. Under the right circumstances or conditions it could reach your conscious mind.

Now having said that, in my own opinion, if I wanted to activate a book that I PR a year ago and haven't touched since, I would sit down and PR it again to help refresh my conscious mind as to the content and layout of the material in the book. This would make activation a bit easier.

As far as the plasticity of the brain, my own opinion or theory is that the memories are permantently stored and our conscious access to those areas of memory change with time depending on our demand or need to access that information over time. I do not know for sure because I haven't looked into this area of research in a very long time. I just might have to do that with syntopic reading once I get a handle on how do that.

Anyway, I think that answers your question. If not ask again and I will try to help if I can.

Sincerely,
Gregory