Hi there!

I'm a french student currently studying law. I've the exams in about three weeks. I've been using seriously the photoreading whole mind system for a couple of months with paraliminals since last week. The exams require to memorize a lot of information: names, titles, dates... If I take a manual of just one subject, I've to know pretty much everything it is written in it. So I can't do much synthesis. I already use mindmapping but I find it very long even trying to put only the necessary information. Is there a way to learn 100% of my manuals more efficiently?
Also, what should I do before the exam? Photoreading a lot of books related to the matter without activating them? Listening paraliminals and what else?

I appreciate very much the help provided to the people here.

Thanks!

Chunk it down with purpose. You want to connect what you learn with easy memory access. That means have a focus what you're going to learn / activate each layer and see to it that you hook it to your memory web.

Review your mind maps and test your memory in the weeks prior to exams. That way you can refresh what you drop from your easy memory access.

While textbooks cover a lot exams won't be on all of it. Get hold of old exams and test yourself with them. That will show you what you need to activate from the textbooks as well.

Alex

Ok purpose, that's something I may skip sometimes but I never felt the difference bewteen photoreading with or without purpose. I'll give it more importance.
The thing is, I don't have time to mindmap everything, there is so much... How do I do?

Anyway, thanks for the help!

In layering, we add more information to our conscious mind each time. So how does this compare to what I have read at few posts where Mr. Pete says -'you may not feel you are getting much initially, but after a while *BAM* and it all suddenly comes together...' ?

If it is the 'GEL' phenomenon mr. Pete refers to, doesnt it mean, the book gets activated 'spontaneously' after a while we work on it?

Oh my bad, you are right, I didn't know what meant "layering" until I found the answer on this very forum while in fotofocus.

Thanks guys, now I have to prepare those exams!

No it means when you do enough activation layers it comes together. Like a painting one stroke at a time.

So do 5 or 6 20 minute activation layers and it will start coming together around then. It can seem like nothing happens. The mistake is to give up too soon.

If you spend only 30 minutes with a book with traditional reading and only read the first chapter, you know you're not done. You usually have another 12 chapters to go (on a 200 to 300 page non-fiction book). Even after reading for an hour you're not going to say your finished.

Beginning PhotoReaders give up in the first 10 minutes. Give it some more activation layers for it to gel.

Spontaneous activation is spontaneous. It's unplanned and cannot be co-erst into being because anything you then do becomes manual activation.

Reading without a purpose is like putting a target up on one wall and then putting a blindfold on, spinning a couple of times and then start throwing darts to hit the target. Spinning wild and fast and exhausting yourself you could eventually hit the target. But you'll keep having to throw darts because you don't know if you've hit it.

Purpose is, setting yourself up so that you at least know when you've hit the target. In this case you'd be taking the blindfold off to check periodically. That's why you activate in layers so you can check if you're still on target for the outcome you need from what you are reading.

Alex

Is 'gel' that thing when we feel we have got a solid command over that book and can speak about it even after 5 years?

I read somewhere on the forum that you you can still discuss a book in detail which you have activated 5 years back! But when I activate my books and also mindmap them, I cant really speak much when I visit them after a week. I need to see my notes and mindmap again and again. Is it because I am a beginner?

Thanks..

It's really gelled if you can talk about the book 2 days after closing it. The memory will have forgotten as much as 80% of what you read (and learn) if you don't use it or do something to remember it. The layering as you learn helps the retention.


The fact that you need to look at your notes means you're not particularly interested in the subject or haven't worked out a use for it. If you're able to call up information easily it is because it's connected to something interesting to you.

Subject for school usually fall in the category, "what's the point?" Failing to answer that you lack curiosity and interest so you need alternative methods to bring the memory into play.

If you're studying you have to work with the memory curve. If you want long term memory of what you learned Review it daily for a week. Then once a week for a month then once a month for six months and then once annually, though most people will find they are actively using the information in their career or it's redundant to their needs by that point.

The ease of reviewing mind maps 90 seconds to 3 minutes is usually enough and more useful than notes. Also mind mapping if you're being playful while creating the branches, helps to introduce interest that is often lacking in compulsory classroom subjects.

Alex

But we photoread the text so that it goes into our long term memory, right? so why would I need to see it again so frequently? Is it because it didnt go into my long term memory at first place when I photoread it?

Alex I am really very confused now. When you say you can talk about a book you activated 5 years back, do you re -visit those books regularly? I believe you dont.

I am not activating textbooks though. They are already interesting enough and I enjoy studying them. Other Non-fiction books and also novels I am speaking about.
Novels are the toughest when it comes to activation. Whatever mind probe I do, I dont understand a thing unless I read them slow.

thanks..

If you don't have a path through the jungle you won't have quick access to the prize.

The lack of neural pathways is what is why we forget. What did you have for lunch on the 28 November 2014?

That information is in your long term memory, like the book you PhotoRead. You haven't created neural pathways therefore you've lost ready access to the memory. It's still there and a difficult challenge to call it up.



Maybe that's because I didn't put enough emphasis on...

Use it or Lose it


I used the information. I don't have to review what I'm using. I remember the sources because they attached to my memory web in a useful way. The experience of having information that I can use and do use regularly.

The books I don't call on, aren't important. If I need information from them I'll know which book needs another activation layer. It's not necessary to know that you know.

I'm probably a lot of information that I've activated without remembering where on the page I found it. Not that it matters. I use information on a daily basis. What I don't use... it isn't the end of my world.

Novels ... what's the purpose?

Alex

Novels, these days I am reading purely to get entertained. My purpose is to have a movie-like experience while complete the book at a faster rate.

I have been doing as per instructed- rapid reading without superread and dip. But I find myself going faster at the beginning of the book and eventually slower as the story progresses. Its fun that way too though. But it then comes down to the speed of regular reading and thus consumes lot of time.

I have tried reading back to front and picking trigger words and forming questions before rapid read, but it doesnt help unlike non-fiction.

Thanks..

Then PhotoRead and activate. Won't finish the book as fast as non-fiction books since you're looking for a movie like experience and that involves an immersion into the characters. If you've ever watched a movie and read the book you'll notice that they cut out a lot from the book and rewrite it so it fits the time of a movie.

So looking at that you'd be looking at spending 2 to 6 hours with a book depending on the number of pages and how much immersion / entertainment you seek.

The speed at which you rapid read is determine by how much you use regular reading rather than rhythmic perusal, superreading and dipping etc.

It's also determined by how well you honed your activation skills.

Rapid Reading is superreading and dipping, skittering and rhythmic perusal and analytical reading as necessary. If you leave out superreading and dipping you're left with skittering and rhythmic perusal as the fastest techniques you're choosing to use.



Reading the front and back is previewing. That's where you decide whether you're interested in the book.

If that hasn't helped dump the book for one that interests you.

use Postviewing to build a curiosity for the book that satisfies your purpose. During postviewing of a novel you can do a bit of activation, you'd probably ask who is the main character, where is it set, what's the mood of the book? What era is it set, Am I still interested in spending a couple of hours with this author.

If yes rapid read, and in case you missed it, rapid reading means using all the activation techniques that apply to what you're reading for your interest and purpose. So don't dump superreading, believe me some sections of the book are unnecessarily descriptive that you will get when you rapid read just like looking at the scene in a movie. You'll get all you need with a rapid read of those sections when you've already PhotoRead the book.

Alex