I gave my PhotoReading book as a present to a friend, and ordered a new one for myself from Amazon. They had it packaged as a deal with the Einstein Factor, so I purchased that as well.

One idea that struck me greatly from Einstien Factor is Napolleon Hill's council of nine advisors he created from historical figures. I've been working towards putting together a council of my own.

I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for using Direct Learning on biographical information? I figure the biographies should be easy enough to come by, but supplimental materials seem a bit hazier. For example, I'd like to start with Leonardo DaVinci. I figure, he's been very helpful to Janeway, he may be helpful to me.

I was able to find a book called "How To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci." Amazing. For the other ancilliary book, I choose a book on the inventions of the Da Vinci.

About 2/5 through the fourth book, my internal chanting "4-3-2-1, keep-the-state, see-the-page" started to echo with a voice I knew was Leonardo's. (Well, it was the voice of Rhys Davis, who played Leonardo on Voyager). I imagined him standing behind me and holding my Tagerine in place. MUCH more effective than just imagining a Tangerine. I tend to forget the Tangerine, but hearing Leonardo's voice reminded me to concentrate on the Tangerine he was holding. I think he ate it when I was done, but I wasn't looking.

Because we're part of each other, he reviewed my existing knowledge and recommended Buckminster Fuller as the second member of the Council. He also recommended that each of us choose some sort of symbolic artifact that can represent us in our dreams, so we summon each other when needed. Mine is any sort of fox. (My last name is Fox), and his is the Mona Lisa, or any reproduction thereof.

Wow. I listened to the PhotoReading Activator tape. (This tape, by the way, activates the skill of PhotoReading - it is not a shortcut to activating PhotoRead materials). As I was listening to it in my Quite Scene, which started as Janeway's Da Vinci Workshop program and then turned into a modern park in Australia (because it's too damned cold to "relax" in Wisconsin), I saw the stack of books I had PhotoRead on Da Vinci. At the words "you are the master of the books you read" (or something to that effect), I pointed at the books and exploded them into word-dust. The letters swirled around me and transformed me into Da Vinci. I then went back into the park and I saw as he sees things.

It's a multi-level thinking that deals with the internal structure of things. He's good at drawing people because he understand anatomy, and he's good at making *striking* paintings that don't have to use anything surreal, because he knows the internal structure and functioning of the mind.

I also understood that his John the Baptist picture is Pan. Every time I PhotoRead a book with that picture in it, I would have to turn back and examine the picture and postview the caption. There's something about that picture that really captivated my imagination, and now I know what it is.

This is the most fun I've had in weeks. I read five books in under a half hour, made a new imaginary friend, and have acquired new eyes to see the world through.

I just *had* to tell you; your post here was so filled with enthusiasm that some of it spilled out from my computerscreen and hit me!

All I wanna do is run home and grab the stack of books that have been waiting for me since Christmas. Now I am ready!!

... but first ... work for my pay ...

Laughing-heart

Thanks! Ironically, it was my procrastination that got me to do it. Because I kept forgetting to bring back an overdue video to the library, my card is suspended until I pay the fine (about $7 or so). So, without any excuses, I had to find everything I needed in one library and PhotoRead the whole stack without checking anything out.

Also, I didn't have much pressure because there's little harm in getting anything "wrong." If my Inner Leonardo isn't anything like the biographies say he was, but I get Genius Insights from my imaginary friend, I win. If I get horrid insights from him, I have enough faith in my other-than-other-than-conscious mind to argue with him.

ABSOLUTE worst case scenario, I get taken over by "Leonardo" and start working on an 80-ton bronze sculpture of some horses.

I have sjaykum1 to thank, actually. I realized that I was trying to hard and not having enough fun. I think it was fear of not "getting anything from it" that stopped me from Direct Learning much before.

I have to tell you - I loved reading your post, too. Being a HUGE star trek anything fan, I've seen all the episodes about fifteen billion times. . . and it was very easy to grab an image of what you're talking about, and I'm thinking you may be on to something.

I have one inner council member so far with whom I have become acquainted, but have not based mine on historical figures or anyone remotely real. It sounds like a good idea, and a heck of a lot more fun than my approach.

I can see that I really have no choice but to get around to reading Einstein Factor (she says, with a wicked grin on her face.)

When I went through the activation script, one of the scenes involved me spending a whole day with my right-hand tied to my belt, in order to develop the use of my left-hand. Pretty cool idea, huh?

Loved your posts Kaiden.
I think Leonardo was a excellent choice.

Might I suggest, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain or The NEW Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain books as something to add to you Da Vinci creation. I may help even more than tying your right hand to your belt.

I've discovered that photoreading books on biographies very helpful. The trick is to collect a series of books about the same person and possibly anyone who was in their affiliation, time frame, neighborhood, etc.
It is very important to affirm that your genius mind differentiates fact from fiction, since most biographies, as well as history, are written from one's opinion or perspective.

What is this Activation tape you talk of Fox?

The "PhotoReading Activator." It's a tape given to participants of the PhotoReading Seminar. I was able to obtain one due to a limited-time promotion for people with the home-study course. Personally, I believe the tape is misleading in title. I would have called it the "PhotoReading Supercharger." It doesn't actually "activate" PhotoRead materials, but it does "activate" your use of the skills. There's really no "magic bullet" for spontaneous activation, but I have been able to do it with multiple books.

Strangely enough, PhotoReading 16 books on ethics and morality caused me to spontaneously activate just about all of them during a conversation with my girlfriend. We started talking about the subject, and I gathered enough information from her probing of my mind to write the chapter without doing any formal activation at all. Otherwise, it would take me about 8 hours to syntopically activate all of them.

Hi, Kaiden et al!
I remember back in 2003, when i was still in the submarine Navy, I was on duty one day. It was after i had read this thread and talked to Kaiden online about his progress with his da Vinci persona.
I wanted to give it a go, and the only book i had was Thomas Harris' "Hannibal". So I PR'd it with the purpose/intent of activating a Lecter persona.
What followed was interesting. About 2 hours later, I was lying down in my bunk, trying to go to sleep. As I drifted into hypnagogia, I heard "Hello, Bill".
Naturally, I woke up quite rapidly :-)
I said "who's that?"
I heard "mentally", "It's me, Bill".
It was, of course, the voice of Anthony Hopkins, not Brian Cox. Although Brian Cox did a fairly decent rendition of Lecter. His was the first performance also.
Over the course of the next few days, I mentally conversed with Dr. Lecter. I call him that, because a couple of times, when i was "calling" him to talk, I said "Hannibal, are you there?"
He would only answer to "Dr. Lecter", strangely enough.
Another day, sitting at home, i was working on a "Cryptogram" puzzle. I go through spurts of working on those until i get bored with it and need a break.
Anyway, I gt stuck on a three-letter combination, that I could not figure out what it was, and make it fit into the rest of the puzzle.
I closed my eyes, and mentally said , "Dr. Lecter, I could really use your help on this one."
I heard "OK".
I opened my eyes, and on the paper, in place of the three-letter combination i had looked at previously, I SAW THE ACTUAL WORD THAT WAS TO BE THERE, DECIPHERED. This only lasted for about half a second, but I wrote it down, and IT WAS RIGHT!
I know...I know... you're thinking, "it's ok as long as you don't let Lecter photoread any cookbooks.", but I haven't "spoken" with that persona in about 2 years now".
It is an interesting proof-of-principle nonetheless.
I've been toying with the idea of doing this again, with someone else this time.
any thoughts!?!?
BILL PERRY

Oh, wow! This 2 year old thread has spiked up my interest in doing more with photoreading - again. I have gone to the weekend workshop but have done little since then when it comes to practise and develop further skills. I'll definitely start photoreading some books and activating them on a weekly basis. Talking about Voyager brings back some good memories.