Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer Activating???

I am having trouble with activating. It just doesn't give me the comprehension I need in the time I have availiable. Actually I don't get any comprehension out of it. or very little. I think I am messing up my superreading and dipping but I'm not sure I just don't have enough information on the book to make a mind map on the book. I am very good a mind mapping though. The book that I am working through right now is my biology text book. I am previewing it as a whole, photoreading it as a whole, then activating it by chapters. It just doesn't seem to work. Please send any advise you can give me.
thanx
whitehair

Are you forming mind probing questions, from your trigger words, as you activate it?

Also be sure to collect some trigger words for each chapter. Work in layers, expect to pull out the information in multiple passes not just one. Unlike regular reading we build the conscious comprehension by repeated viewing. Write your questions down so that you can focus on finding the answers.

Set a timer for your activation passes. Keep them to 20 to 30 minute and remember to take regular breaks.

What no one really notices... The conscious mind has to forget in order to make room for the next bit of information. (the 5 to 9 bits of information maximum) If you're already holding onto 8 bits of ideas there is no room until you let go of it. So build your mind map with the multiple passes through the chapters.

Alex

I'll get you ready for AlexK.

How many activation passes are you doing on the chapter?

How long is each activation session?

How long between activation session?

How long between the PR and activation steps?

What is your purpose? (This is my favourite area)

How many and what kind of questions are you asking per activation pass?

How much do you put in the Mind maps per pass?

What kind of inner talk is going on when you mind map?

How long do you dip for?

Do you get through the entire chapter in a single activation pass?

Have you tried the material on less technical material first?

When you say you get no comprehension, are you doing previewing or postviewing?

Well that should get you better prepaid for AlexK.

Sending love,
Iam2

P.S. Dang Alexk got here first.

[This message has been edited by Iam2 (edited September 23, 2003).]

All excellent points by both Alex and Iam2.

One thing I learned while at the Retreat was that I was the type of learner that needed 'phsycial activity' before learning.

This might explain why my best sessions with PR'ing or Activating are right after doing exercise. It also explains how I memorized an entire marketing book word for word in me younger days. Good game of racquet ball followed by pacing back and forth with the book and I had the book committed to memory word for work in a few hours ... dang, should have tried acting!

Everyone is different. I believe that knowing what your body/mind like best and using the PR techniques can help with your success.

This reminds me of being on the bus a few days back and I was about to activate a book, started and then stopped ... I was just not into it! Reading and learning should be fun, when the body/mind say no ... don't force it. Lay off it and try back again at another time. Thats exactly what I did ... put the book away.

Best advice is to stick with it ... all your challenges are an indication that change is occuring for you and that success is near.

Love and Light 2 all

Michael

I do not know how many activation sessions I am spending but I would like to spend at most 30min on each chapter. I know this first one is going to take longer and that with practice I will be able to go faster. I was using part B of tape seven which gives you 10 min super reading and dipping and then some time for mind maping. Before I go onto the next section of activating I like to get up and get a drink of water and some streching exercises. I have photoread this text book twice. Once was around a week ago and the other was yeasterday morning at around 10. For questions I am asking all the questions that come to mind and I also review the chapter questions. Though I can usually use super reading/dipping when trying to look for the awnsers to the chapter questions and it works alright most of the time. For mind maps I go through the chapter and everything of relavence and some that isn't of relavence that just came to my mind i try to include in some way or another. I have read the mind mapping book and have made some successfull mind maps. I just haven't been able to make a mind map on anything I photoread yet. My inner talk when mind mapping usually consists of what color I want things whether or not to draw a picture or put a star by it. I also wonder whether or not I am choosing good key words. For dipping I usually only read untill I understand what that paticular paragraph or 3-4 sentences are about. I tried to get through the chapter in one pass because I guess that is just what I natually felt was right and most time efficient. I have tried on easier material but it didn't make a difference. Yes I am preview and gaining understanding of what the chapter is about but I don't know the things that the chapter are about and I want to learn that from the chapter which if I use the elementary reading I figure it out but it takes a long time to read through it like that. Yes I have been getting trigger words from every chapter. Thanx for all your help
whitehair

Sounds like your doing most of what the system has to say.

The first thing I note missing is your purpose.

The next thing I wonder about is the number of questions. I usually only have 3 or 4 per pass. Too many and the mind get scattered.

I don't use mindmaps, but I always imaged they were to facilitate the activation. They are not meant to be an end product. My concern is you are trying to duplicate your experience with mindmaps, rather than use them to explore ideas / connections / thoughts that enter into your conscious mind.

I remember seeing a post by Pete, saying that sometimes he gets to something like his 6 or 7'th activation pass and feels he know nothing, then on the next pass it all falls together. I guess on those big learning curves you have to add many layers before it you can see over the wall.

I hope that's given you something useful to chew on. Alexk will have a thing or two to add, I'm sure.

Sending love,
Iam2

If you have any question regarding mind maps, please feel free tocontact me or ask me on the forums. I use mind maps everyday.

As for photoreading - I,myself still learning the system. Question of mine:

During the activation, if you happen to super read about 1 or 2 pages and got absolutlt nothing from them, can that show that there is nothing relevent/significant for me or the answer i am looking for is not present?

Also i wanted to ask a long time ago, comapring to speed reading, what happenes to the pacer in activation of PWMS?

Alex, a question for you - do you use speed reading for forum posts? :-)

Thank you.

This is all good being able to find awnser to questions but what am I suppose to do when I get tested. If I can't awnser the chapter questions with out looking them up then how am I suppose to know them on the test?? One thing that I have been wondering about is the purpose. The purpose I generally use have to do with being able to awnser random questions about the material or being able to use it in conversation you know something like that. I was wondering if those are bad purposes because purpose is very important.
Thanx for the help
Brian

Whitehair, there are lots of other threads about PRing for school. Try a few searchs you'll get some good stuff. I've posted some suggestions for purposes on those threads.

The random question one is not a good purpose. Being able to converse with it could be a good purpose. It depends on how you intend to converse.

Students often think they have to know every detail. They don't. It's amazing how few concepts are in most courses. Unfortunately most people don't discouver the overal ideas until studying for exams, if even then.

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Ivan what's a pacer?

Sending love,
Iam2

Whitehair,

I note a couple of anxiety issues that are not directly related to your photoreading skills coming into play.

Mind mapping, worrying about what colours to use... my system is to have 8 different coloured markers on the right. Pick up one (makes no difference so it's usually the closest) Once I used it for the main branch it goes to the left side out of the way. I draw when I get the idea to draw... I don't care nor try to force it.

Purpose, Yours: What do you want to know from the book, Why do you want to know? When do you want to know it by? How much do you need to know (to get your best passing grade). Who is going to know that you know? Where are you going to be when you know?

Purpose, From the book/chapter: What is the book/chapter about? How does this apply to what I am learning? When does this apply? Where can I use this? Why is it relevant? Who can I tell this to.

These are general questions think of some that are more relevant to you.

Your other anxiety seems to be with remembering the stuff when you are tested.

Well that's what you create mind maps or notes for to help trigger your recall of the information. Ideally you are seeking to understand the information so that you can apply it. You won't need to be top of the class parroting back the information for the instructor. You really just need to do your best and pass. With your lifeskills you have already acquired you probably have more resources than you are consciously aware of.

So create your mind maps as beautiful or ugly as you please. Review the one you just created at the end of your study session. 5 minutes should do, if there is anything you put on it that you don't fully understand at this point then fix it. Next study session start by reviewing your last (say 5) mind maps if there is anything there that doesn't make sense at this point go back to the material and pull it back out this shouldn't take long. About once a week review your older mind maps... do the same for them. Don't worry if you seem to be forgetting stuff. A 70% recall is considered excellent in the long run. Without that review the recall can drop to 30%

If you feel you are answering the questions provided in the book or those you come up with too easily at this point... it is perhaps because you have a better understanding for the subject than you give yourself credit for. I don't know what textbook you are working with your limit of 30 minutes per chapter may be a bit harsh even for an experienced photoreader. Remember textbooks usually require less time to read but heaps more time to understand.

You have a conscious graps of the photoreading steps and seem to be doing all the steps. Remember it takes time to get used to doing something differently and your mind searches for reasons and excuses to avoid getting out of your comfort zone. So go easy on yourself. Smile at the learning curve you may not get there right now but later in the day you've moved ahead a little.
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Ivan

quote:

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During the activation, if you happen to super read about 1 or 2 pages and got absolutlt nothing from them, can that show that there is nothing relevent/significant for me or the answer i am looking for is not present?

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Yes and it could also mean consider rephrasing the question if you feel that the answer should be on those pages.

quote:

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Alex, a question for you - do you use speed reading for forum posts? :-)

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Nope I photoread them, hit post reply if required. Longer threads I superead and dip after it's in the reply window, to quickly locate the parts I answer or quote.

Alex