Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer can't think of a good subject

Okay, I am on the verge of deciding to give up on photoreading for a while until I get a long break so that I can practice enough to be able to use it practically. Here is the issue:

I am in high school as a Junior(11th grade) right now, and I have come to realize that since my past 2 years of school have not reflected my best work and effort, this must be my turnaround year. This year basically determines how the rest of my life will be. In essence, if I don't do well enough on the SATs(I'm looking for 1450+), all school subjects(nothing but A's), I will not go to college where I would like. I want to make sure I put forth every ounce of effort this year, so that when I apply, I will know I put everything into it. If I get rejected, I won't have a sack of regret strapped to my back for the rest of my life. So, since the only way I have been able to read successfully so far is with normal reading, I might have to give up for a while.

I really don't want to do this, because I know that reading at my normal rate won't allow me to read things that will keep me ahead in my future career.

Here is what I have done the past few times I have tried to use the PhotoReading Whole Mind System on things:

The first 4 chapters of my U.S. History AP book:
1. I got into photofocus and stated my purpose "I am going to photoread this book to be ready for the test next week on the first four chapters. I am looking for specific details and facts that will most likely be on the test. Photoreading this book will also help me acheive my long-term purpose of making excellent grades in school, getting a scholarship, and going to my college of choice."
2. I then opened the book, flipped through the pages and looked at the pictures and subheadings.
3. I have a sheet of paper our teacher gave us that lists about 10 words that we should know from the reading, and I use that for trigger words.
4. I close my eyes and think of the number "3" and relax my body, then the number "2" and relax my mind by letting my thoughts float away or something :P. Then, I think of "1" and picture a beautiful flower, after that I think of myself in some special place for a few seconds. After all that is done, I imagine my field of vision opening up (I just kinda see whiteness fading to the corners of my eyes, I don't know if that's it..).
5. I open my eyes and the book, and go into photofocus, turning each page along the rhythm of "re lax re lax 1 2 3 re lax re lax 1 2 3 keep the state see the page" until I get to the end of the fourth chapter.
6. I then tell myself that I release this information for my subconscious to process, and that I am interested in seeing how many ways this information can be made available to me.
7. Now, I take a break and play Counterstrike for about half an hour or so.
8. I come back to the book, open it up, take out my trigger words. I look at the book and I don't feel any intuition stuff, my eyes dont see anything just standing out. So, from here I'm not too sure where to go. I guess this is where I really have the problem, I think I just realized I forgot to ask myself questions about the text before trying to activate. Well anyways, I think what I ended up doing was pulling out a piece of paper and trying to mindmap the information, which basically caused me to read everything, it was pretty interesting but I didn't expect to stay up until practically 11pm doing all of that, and still not getting past chapter 1. I'm not sure this material is dense like that Jane Eyre stuff everyone talks about, you tell me - the book is called "The American Pageant" by Bailey, Kennedy, and Cohen.

Also, I seem to have trouble with the mind mapping, I have read books by Tony Buzan on mind mapping, but I still get kinda stuck trying to organize the information I read. In the U.S. History book, I have trouble coming up with main branches to organize the information into. This evening though I got the idea to make a separate mindmap for each colony in the new world, and then the main branches would be things like "Reasons started" and "Famous People" and things like that.

roekai,

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This year basically determines how the rest of my life will be.

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This is putting a lot of pressure on yourself. Allow yourself the flexibility to turn things around no matter what.

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In essence, if I don't do well enough on the SATs(I'm looking for 1450+), all school subjects(nothing but A's), I will not go to college where I would like.

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You are again putting tons of pressure on yourself that should not be there. Can you possibly trust yourself, your parents and the Universe that you will end up in a college that is perfect for you. As long as you have an idea of what you want to do w/ your life, you'll be fine. Making some dumb college the definitive rule for your success is Trouble w/ a capital T. I know a guy who wanted an Ivy League school education. He didn't get in. He was very disheartened. He recently told me how perfect the school was he ended up in.

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I want to make sure I put forth every ounce of effort this year,

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This is a very interesting statement. In order to live life sincerely and in a worthwhile manner, we should be living like this from moment to moment, not just when something seems important to us. You really should not equate putting forth every ounce of effort w/ A's & 1450+ scores. What if you put forth all your efforts and you don't get all A's & 1450+? Are you then going to berate yourself? What a hurtful thing to do to yourself.

Listen to me, please No college or score should determine how you really are. You don't need them to define who you are. In the end, no grade or school will make you a success. You have to do that.

My younger sister had only 2 years of college & i have a MA. She is on the Boston Chamber of Commerce and is a fancy business woman. I'm eeking out a living. Think about it. She is such a respected person in Boston.

Take a hiatus (M$V ) from PhRing. BUT< continue to do the PhRing technique for all your books. Then, just do your normal stuff. Listen to Memory Supercharger at night like 3 times a week.

Roekai,
Just do PhRing in layers. You have the general idea.

Personally, i'd just do 2 main things: 1. Learn the PhRing technique so that you can turn the pages smoothly & keep the blip pg. 2. REally learn each step thoroughly. Take your time to learn each step so that you have a feel for it. LIke if i ask you what is the PREPARE step. Can you tell me everything about it? CAn you tell me how you do it? CAn you tell me what you personally like about it? without using the book for hints

don't give up on yourself or PhRing...both just take time

Well, I know I can make the A's, not sure about the SAT scores I havent looked enough at the test. But really, I am absolutely positive I can get the A's, I guess I'm just trying to take the easy(?) way out with Photoreading :/. Yes, I know, I should be giving -everything- my all, and not just school. I am trying to put this into practice in all areas of my life.

Roekai,
Well, what's so wrong w/ taking the easy way out w/ PhRing Absolutely, take the easy way out if you can!!! I'm serious. I now think taking the easy way out is really what the truly smart people do...naturally. So, you're smart & it is only natural that you see an easy way out w/ PhRing. That's because it's true.

Take some pressure off yourself. That's what's killing you. Bubblesofevil and Youngprer and some other kids, meaning teenagers are the people you want to model. Look'em up under search. OR, post directly to them, they'll be more than happy to help you out...or loosen you up some. You're too tight.

roekai,

I'd like to offer some pointers on the photoreading steps... since it is quite possible you are ready to put the method aside just on the verge of a break through.

1. I hope you mean accelerative learning state, when you state your affirmations. Tanderine technique. Photofocus is for photoreading. Getting relaxed and ready for learning is the first step.

Re your affirmations. Short and to the main point is better... the more rules you apply the greater the danger of imposing blocks. Let me expain using your examples. The first 2 I think state your true purpose exactly... you're photoreading the book for a test and your are looking for specific details for that test. Enough said. The next affirmation imposes limits... the inner mind is very literal however it also knows for a fact that no *one* book will give you excellent grades alone and no *one* book will win you a scholarship... it knows more is required do... so now it thinks your joking or perhaps decides it wants to teach you a lesson about your expectations.

Back to my point. When stating affirmations the shorter and to the point the better. Make sure when stating affirmations in relation to studying it meets the rules of being in the now and for your current purpose when studying. You are basiclly affirming... Why you are reading this? - for a test. What do you want out of it? - information that will apply to the test... How are you going to do this? - with absolute focus on the book in front of me right now... When are you going to do this? - now... Why are you going to do this? - to obtain *my best* possible passing grade... (** for readers of this forum; if you're confident you can achieve As great, but if it is a subject where you usually have Cs it takes a leap of faith to impose As so always aim for *your best*... you never know it could be As ) Where are you going to do this? - right here.

2.If you are PRing a book for study trigger words are a must. It is nice when they give you a list, add some more of your own it will help you dig deeper into the subject. We all think differently and as they say 'there are many paths that lead to Rome'. By looking for you own trigger words you provide your own links in harmony with the way you prefer to think.

4. That a good place to restate your purpose just before you go into photofocus.

5. I trust you have already photoread the whole book. And are applying the 2 chapters before and 2 chapters after idea when photoreading specific sections of the text book. By including the 4 extra chapters you are giving your inner mind the additional information that allows it to make more sense of the 4 required chapters. The inner mind tends to ignore presenting information that to it makes no sense. Remember the inner mind functions differently to the conscious mind... it likes to handle as much information as it can get... consciously you only need to activate the 4 chapters required for the test.

8. Ask specific questions. It is harder to ask questions from trigger words in a broad subject... having read them and plonked them at random on a sheet of paper (so you can add branches when info comes up in relation to them while activating. Plonking them on paper is called making a start. In all probability you will throw it out once you've revised your notes.)... got to the first chapter... turn the heading into a question... put who, what, why, when, where, how or which in front of heading and subheads... one of them will turn it into a meaningful question. Then SR and dip that section for the answer. If you want more dept out of that section ask another question... you might repeat this 3 times in one section answering who what and why... thats a bit to add to a mind map . Remember to activate in 20 to 30 minute session. and take breaks between each. I found SR & dipping for 20 minutes then adding to my mind map for 5 minutes and 5 minute break. (I allow 10 minutes for mind mapping yet usually find I'm done in 5). After a 5 minute break I repeat SR & dipping Mind map and then take a 10 to 15 minute break and repeat or call it quits.

The seperate mind maps for colonies idea for a sounds good to me. Once you got them seperately sorted you can combine them onto on biggie. Make a master mind map for making the seperate one, One covering all the points you want to include in each of the smaller ones... so you can refer to when preparing the others. It's purpose becomes telling you what information you want on each, E.g. place, location, people, key event, dates, etc. Pretty hard to explain in detail. Perhaps you already understand what I mean? Since this post is long enough already I'll leave it at that.

Alex

Alex,

While reading your post, I nodded my head several times. I am going to test this all out in a little bit and I will report back here with my success.

Hey Roekai i know how you feel, the SAT used to haunt me too, it was more of a do or die scenerio for me, i had a 1.9 gpa and the first time i took the exam i scored a 1120, if i didnt get a 1400+ i would end up at the local community college! i couldnt handle learning photoreading, mentally, emotionally, perhaps even physically, but i learned the tangerine tech and that helped alot, if you dont feel up to it right now do what your heart tells you, im glad i did, i improved my score 360 points(1 month's time), 300 just because i let go of the need to score well, 60 because i learned to time myself , i am taking my GRE's this october (sophmore in college) and i believe the other 4 steps will work similiar wonders. But hey if you really cant handle the course right now, write me an e-mail so i dont flood the thread with SAT stuff
p.s.- Serpentaura@yahoo.com, AIM: BlademasterY2k
p.s.s- 800 math, 680 verbal (scored perfect on the section i planned to omit from)
Lover of Standardized Testing

Roekai:

There's an old saying and it goes like this:

"It doesn't matter who you study or train under, It doesn't matter what school, college, or university you attend, nor does it matters what degree you have. The only thing that matters is how successful are you afterwards". Remove the stressors from your life