Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer Super Reading a Book

For Super Reading or Skittering a book, where is it ideal to do so? Should it be swiftly done on each and every page, or just important parts?
Also, what if nothing tends to intuitively catch my eyes?

It's ideal where you think you'll find the answer to the question you formed. Usually swiftly over a series of pages till you find your answer then you might find yourself moving to a different section of the book to answer the next question.

If nothing intuitively catches your eyes rephrase your question. You may be looking for a specific way of answering the question though it may be explained more broadly than your question allows for. If you're asking "how" and not finding any answers try asking "why or when?". Remember the answer is usually hinted to with information from headings, subheadings, content and index pages.

Alex

Thanks for the reply. I suppose my problem is the question part. To be honest, I think my problem is that a question doesn't really help unless I mean it. Is this critical?
Also, I have doubts when superreading for answering my questions because I worry if I did something wrong while PRing.

If you don't have some sort of a question why are you reading the book?

I am going to guess this happens on books that are assigned or required reading for studies. In that case start with your ultimate purpose for why you are taking the course. What do you want to do with the subject that you are studying... in your life/career? Then consider what you need to know to be successful in that career (one question you might pose for each of the textbooks 'what does the author think I need to know in order to be successful in my career as ...?). If seriously considered you will find yourself in discussion with the author looking for what s/he considers important, then seeking the why's, when's, how's, who, who else, where and what the author is saying about the ideas they write about.

If you did something wrong while photoreading don't worry about it (unless your mother or someone is going to tell you to clean it up ). If you looked at the pages in photofocus, stayed in state while going through the book I'm sure you did fine even if you lost photofocus for a few seconds it will make less difference to the results than regular reading. Just form questions and see what you get. You do want to get your reading done faster afterall. Sitting on your hands worrying that you did something wrong while photoreading is a waste of time really. Put the process into action and the more you do the faster you become.

Alex

Thanks a lot Alex. I'm learning to be more flexible with the system. I shouldn't be so linear or else it only causes frustration. You seem to have lots of exp on this!

If you want an answer look to Alexk.

Questions are important. I think purpose is more important. Purpose equates to motivations. Strongly felt purpose means highly motivated to acquire the information.

Not knowing where to dip. To me that means you need to relax more. Listen to your own queues, their quiet subtle until you learn them. Then TRUST in your inner guidane. Follow the queues. Don't question them after you dip. Continue and notice more queue, even different queues. Soon you will see just how well you can work with yourself.

Doing something wrong in PR stage. YOU DID IT PROPERLY. Yes you really did. If you won't believe Paul, believe ME.

As AlexK said the PR stage is really that easy. Just do the simple mechanics of it and you can't help but do it properly. The hardest part is Trusting / Believing that you've actually acquired the information. Again, you have. The more trust and belief you can generate the faster your results will come. My advice is believe in yourself, anytime you notice that voice of doubt talking in your head, just smile at it and say bye bye little scared idea.

Sending love,
Iam2

Yeah, Great Info! Thanks a bunch. I could really use the encouragement more often. For PR, I feel it's necessary to be lifted up to get through!

The PR step is not the one people get wrong. It's usually the one people worry about first, since it seems like the magical one.

The most difficult one(s) are purpose and activation. Purpose is not really that tough, but people don't give it the respect it deserves. Activations is the next new one and people tend not to trust.

Paul give good instructions in book. Clear simple and not wrapped in mystery. Just do it and see. All new skills take time to develop.

Few people can dive into a pool and do the backstroke on the first try. A lot of people have a lot of drowning or just getting water in eyes / mouth / nose. Like PR their biggest enemy is themselves. They need time to learn to relax and trust that the instructions are valid. After the get a little success they need time to build mastery, but you have to get out there and do it (not practice right Dana / Paul). You Do it. There is no maybe that you can. YOU CAN. You just have observe you skill develop as you do it.

How's that for some friendly coaching.

Sending love,
Iam2

Now get in the shallow end and do it.

Thanks Again. Also, I am working on manual activation. I suppose that's the BIG step for everyone. For the Super-reading, is it supposed to be by hard focus, soft focus, or even a blip(diverged) vision?
I also find mind maps somewhat tricky. The book by Tony Buzan mentions how crucial it is to have organic looking lines and creative branches. I'm somewhat scared to take that step in fear of failure! I'm just a type of guy who gets frustrated easily. This monster of perfection in me...

For activation use the tangerine technique. It helps to broaden your vision so that you can take in phrases and meaning rather than individual words so it isn't as hard a focus as you may have been used to applying for regular reading, though the letters are in focus. If you use reading glasses this is the time to use them.

As for mind mapping. I initially hated them too. Wanting to draw them like in the mind map book. Had to remind myself of the number one rule... they only show the good looking stuff and they drew a lot of other mind maps that were more practical than they were beautiful. Also I was aware that to draw mind maps like that you had to do more than one. Not my cup of tea... whatever notes I wanted to make had to be useful the first time around.

So I looked at the 'hints' (they call them rules) for good mind maps and threw them out the window. I made my own rules.

Draw something in the center. With a different colour draw a fat stem with the main idea and branch of any related ones with the same colour. When a new main idea comes up swap colour. Use a new page to continue before that page gets too crowded. Drawing pictures is optional (I also have a personal rule to write in Lowercase even on the main branch... it's easier to read with a glance). Decorate when I feel like it. Use symbols at branches to connect phunny notes or details like emails, definitions, phone numbers in a block somewhere on the page. I also do *not* redraw my mind maps... I have found the ones created in class or first up trigger more associations with what was discussed in class than those drawn later so super messy works suprisingly fine.

So even though your inital mind maps may look like a knotted ball of wool you will be surprised what you can recall from them when you look at it later due to the simple fact that during class you were actively participating rather than 'transcribing' what was said in linear notes.

One way to get over mind mapping fear is to give it a go in situations where it doesn't matter. One suggestion is the News however if you're a movie buff you might want to try it for the next movie preview... Movie in Center, Actors names as main stems, who they played and how they described the character on first substem. What they liked/disliked about making the movie on another substem. Or do it with the music video shows, Nature shows if you're so inclinde. The thing is that any mind maps you make during these programs don't matter but they help you get into the flow of creating mind maps. Having drawn a few for test drive it allows you to concentrate on what is meaningful during class.

This is the most useful site that I have found that explains mind mapping for learning.
http://www.jcu.edu.au/studying/services/studyskills/mindmap/index.html

Alex