In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, we're looking in depth at the new book Unlimited Memory by Kevin Horsley. The pros, the cons and everything in-between.
Program Notes
Kevin Horsley's recent book, Unlimited Memory is worth your time. If you're a student and user of memory techniques, this written version of the podcast will tell you why.
There Are No New Memory Techniques Under the Sun … Or Are There?
As most people interested in the art of memory techniques know, there's nothing new under the sun. The memory improvement methods were invented thousands of years ago and refinements have been slim.
But that doesn't mean that innovations haven't occurred. Not only that, but memory techniques improve every time someone takes up using them and feels the power of empowered recall. And that's why no matter where you are in your journey as a memorizer, Horsley's book merits your full attention.
Why?
Because if you've never learned memory techniques before, his straightforward and energetic manner will serve as a great introduction to memory improvement.
And if you're already an old hat with using mnemonics but have lapsed, Horsley will inspire you to get back in the saddle.
New Ways To Think About Old Techniques
Plus, you'll find new ways to think about the techniques. Fresh perspectives can be more valuable than the techniques themselves in some cases if they inspire you to keep going. And the book is filled with great quotes that place memory techniques in interesting new contexts. In fact, every single one is worth committing to memory.
Horsley's quotable too. "Conflict," he points out, "is the opposite of concentration," and much of the book talks about removing everything that gets in the way of your progress so that you can focus on.
Horsley's point about conflict in this context should be confused with having conflict in your associative-imagery, however. Although I'm not interested in being critical of the book, it is slim on how to include rigorous to help you
a) memorize information and …
b) recall it.
Mnemonic Examples On Almost Every Page
For those who feel the need for examples, you couldn't find more to choose from. For each principle, you get tonnes of written illustration to imagine along with. From a pedagogical standpoint, this may be overkill and the book lacks some guidance on how to be creative and "see" those images in your mind.
In terms of visuals, there are a couple throughout the book, with the illustrations limited mostly to explaining number memorization using the Major Method. I personally like the limited number of illustrations because it is important to recreate what you see in your mind, not what others see. This is why the overkill on text-based images can help you so long as you work at recreating them in your mind.
Use These Powerful Visualization Exercises
If you would like some fast and easy exercises for developing your visual imagination, try looking at paintings and then recreating them in your mind. You can also verbally express them on paper in a short paragraph and use what you've written as the basis for recreating the imagery in your imagination.
And please realize that you don't need to literally "see" the images in your mind in order to increase your memory power when using this memory tech
Published on 10 years, 11 months ago
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