Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer Let me redo my post to better explain

Okay let me see: First off I would like to say that there are so many wonderful folks here that are willing to help beginners here! Second after reading the many MANY posts here I believe I have the photofocus down(I hope) I understand it as seeing a ghost page that appears but one question, if you are in photofocus should you still be able to see the whole book or do you focus on the ghost page? Third: I do not have the course I only have the book because I am but a poor soul and cannot afford the alternatives! I am studying for a certification to keep my job so I am reading a technical book. Now my next question is: When you preview you write down trigger words but when I look at my book I cannot seem to figure out which words I should use for trigger words because it seems that the entire page has trigger words so should I write them all down? Third question: My book comes with sample questions after each chapter, would these be useful for formulating my questions I mean should I just use those? Because I cannot seem to think of any questions especially if I do not know the material or contents of the book so how is this done? Next question: On superreading and dipping how do you know when to dip? I just do not comprehend that step at all. Mind mapping I have just left out because that is totally foreign to me I have no idea how or on what to make a mind map of! Oh yeah I forgot activation and rapid reading duh I had the steps all wrong. How the heck do you activate I am not understanding that at all either do you have to superread and dip or mind map to activate? I have tried the steps up to activate where I put the book down and then go to sleep and try to activate in the morning but when morning comes I see no page in my head nor do I dream about it when I am sleeping, am I doing it wrong? Oh one more important detail I forgot you are supposed to focus on the blip page right? Is the 4 corners technique better? What if while flipping you lose the blip page for a second? What is you flip to a page and only one side of the book has print on it? Please, Please, PLEASE help me I believe this will work but I just need my questions clarified so I do not become frustrated. Wait still one more thing: If a person reads through a book the regular way and cannot remember anything from the book except the title can you still learn to photoread and will it help you with this problem? Thank you in advance and I hope that the nice folks here can help me like they have helped others here even though I only have the book!

Indigo I am not an expert (not even close) but I will try to answer by telling you what I did (or do).
First, I think you got photofocus correctly and yes, you should be able to see the whole of the book (with 3 pages - one being about 1 inch width,the blip). What I used to do until I could manage to keep my photofocus was to sit in a chair, keep the book on my knees and focus my eyes on the floor while keeping the whole book in my vision (and turning the pages of course). Otherwise I used to loose the the blip page. Right now I can photofocus in the centre of the book without loosing it while turning pages.
As far as trigger words is concerned, I use headings, sub-headings and words in bold or italics. If you find that there are too many in a page just select a sub-heading which encompasses all.
Sample questions are very useful. That's what I do. Before I preview and before I activate I always try to figure out what I am looking from the chapter.
When to dip? When you see an answer or something relevant to the questions you've read before starting to activate. From the first activation session just try to get a feeling of what the text says. Usually I don't get a lot from the first pass (but then it's been just a month or so that I am doing this). After the first pass I go back to my questions and see what I can answer. Usually not a lot. Then I start my second pass keeping in mind the questions. Usually by the end of this pass I have grabbed enough. Specifically what I found to work pretty good with me during activation, is to read the first paragraph of a chapter, then the first sentence of each paragraph plus what answers my questions and then the last paragraph of the chapter. If I understand that a paragraph or a page contains nothing of interest to me I just skip it.
I also find it easier to do the whole process on each chapter of the book separately. Takes longer but if I try to regular read, after 10 minutes either I don't remember anything or I am not concentrated.

Other people might have other ways or see things in a different way. Experiment to see what suits you.
I hope this helps you.

By the way: I am learing the system from the book and from this forum only.

[This message has been edited by Yiorgos (edited October 17, 2001).]

1. Just keep your gaze soft. Look thru the ghost page & at the same time relax your vision to see the 4 corners....X... You have to get to the point where you can turn the pages smoothly, quickly w/o losing the blip pg. If you do lose it...do this: Take a deep belly breath & as you exhale relax again & just keep turning the pages quickly. After some practice, you'll be able to sustain the blip pg. just by taking a deep breath when PhRing.

2. On superreading and dipping how do you know when to dip? Ok, the best type of super/dip is to just get a feeling, a periphereal notion, a sensation, etc. It is the most esoteric part of PhRing. I have clearly stated what i want & literally opened the book to the exact area needed. Ok? There's NOTHING normal or comforting about finding info like this. HOWEVER, it certainly is fast, like lightening & accurate. You just don't much use your conscious mind in the same way. Use it to formulate clear concise questions & then take a deep breath, relax your facial muscles & shoulders & let your other than conscious mind find the place. Hey, you just PhR it & it's all there. Trust yourself, your other than conscious self. No easy way around this most interesting step

Hang in there & play w/ it for awhile. Don't put pressure on yourself. Little here; little there----a few miles down the pike you have it.

Since you only have the book, i suggest you learn fully one piece at a time. Your questions cover everything which tells me you are not settling down & studying completely 1 part at a time.

Like: Learn what prepare is. Practice prepare for a couple weeks for all kinds of reading & studying & just everything. Practice it & notice the difference this 1 part can make in all areas of your life.

Then move on to preview.....& do the same except you will combine prepare w/ preview now. Don't think about the following steps at all, just the one step you are now practicing.

I promise you it'll be much easier to learn.

Thank you very much Yiorgos and Margaret for your answers to my questions. I have always found it hard to remember what I have read if at all so that is why it seems I post repeating questions that have been answered before but I like to ask in my own words so folks can understand where I am coming from. Also I am hoping that photoreading can help me retain information better as I love to learn new things all the time but if I cannot remember what I read it is discouraging. Let me stop rambling but I really appreciate folks like ya'll answering these posts it helps those of us that want to make this work but run into snags. Thank you both again!

You can thank me by learning mind mapping

MMing will help you see the big picture & remember things faster than you would ever imagine. I taught it to a boy in high school & he graduated as the "most improved student" in his senior class. He told me it was thanks to MMing.

Just go to the book store & look thru Tony Buzan's The Mind Map Book or Using Both Sides of the Brain. If you want to see how it is taught to children then buy Nancy Margulies' Mapping Inner Space.

It is the easiest thing in the world to do. Using lots of color will also help your memory. To enhance studying & learning, try Bobbie DePorter's Accelerated Learning. She's top of the line. Her group runs Super Camp.

I have even MMed in books that have space at the end of chapters. I just can't say enuff for MMing & what a difference it has made in my life. It makes PhRing's activation step work fast <<<

good luck

Yes ma'am Margaret I will do that. Thank you for the help keep it coming! I need it!

Indigo,
With your up-beat, optimistic attitude, you'll learn this system. Don't set a time limit on yourself.

Goal= master the PhRing whole mind system. Done deal. Suddenly, X amount of time down the pike, you are self-confident & successful & someone asks you how you got that way.............& you then have a most interesting story to tell them.

[This message has been edited by Margaret (edited October 19, 2001).]