Memory training
Memory issues are of ongoing concern to many people. I get clients from many different age groups telling me they have issues with their memory. Children and teenagers with schoolwork, university students attempting to write theses, project managers, busy working mums and from age groups of primary school to old age. So memory issues are not just a symptom of getting older, or having some form of dementia or Alzheimer-type illness.
Memory training is something that could come a bit more easily if you know how energy works in the body. People who are able to bring more energy down from the head and focus on balancing their energy with meditation, prayer or exercise are often more successful in having a better memory. Meditation and prayer are useful because they still the mind; exercise because it releases endorphins which act with other chemicals to make a more healthy memory cocktail. Generally people who work out have better memory ability as exercise stimulates the circulation and gets more blood flowing to the brain.
A lot of people who notice their memory is not too good mistakenly think there is nothing they can do about it. But there is lots you can do. Start by drinking less alcohol, because alcohol kills off brain cells and reduces your capacity to use your mind productively even when you are not drunk.
Since we usually think in pictures it’s a good idea to associate things you want to remember with a picture. For example, if you need to take out the garbage tonight, imagine yourself taking out the garbage at 10pm. See yourself walking up to the front gate with the bin and then picture a clock with 10pm on it. Do this a couple of times in the day and odds are it will program you at 10pm to think, ‘What do I need to remember now?’ Your memory picture will then spring to mind.
Generally people who work out have better memory ability as exercise stimulates the circulation and gets more blood flowing to the brain.
Of course all of this is simply teaching you to focus better. Your memory works by moving objects from short-term memory to long-term memory. When you want to remember something, focus on it. Notice if it’s an object, a word, what colour it is, whether it has a smell and register all those things in your memory. Don’t just take a quick look. That is how you forget: you aren’t focused enough.
Repetition is an important part of memory also, so say out loud what you want to remember. When you repeat something out loud a lot of processes are involved. Thinking, feelings associated with the points to remember, you hear yourself saying the words, you speak the words and it sets a vibration of sound into the atmosphere. All these things combine to help you remember.
If it’s a phone number or credit card number you need to recall, put the numbers into sections. Picture the phone number in your mind. Picture the face of your friend. So if Becky’s number is 96258975 attempt to recall it as 962…589…75. By breaking it down and picturing Becky’s face, there is an association made in your memory with that number and Becky which you will recall in the future. You need to say it a few times out loud and perhaps ring the number a few times from your keypad for it to sink in. If you put it on your speed dial though you have no chance of memorising it; we usually take the easiest road and there is no need for you to remember it as the speed dial does the work for you.
Sometimes also your memory can be prompted by associating things with an area. An example might be that Peter lives in London and you have to call him tonight at 9pm our time. If you picture Peter and a cold London as it is now in winter, with the number 9pm, you then have some thought associations to link to the phone call.
Similarly if you have things to remember to do the next day make it easier on yourself by making ready those things the night before. For example, if you are packing a bag for work and you need to take your iPad, keys, wallet and phone but need to use them in the morning before you go, leave them in a prominent place near the bag, near the door for the morning. Also maybe leave a water bottle there, your vitamins, a piece of fruit for breakfast, your shoes and the form you need to sign for your son’s school (signed). That way in the morning when you wake up it’s all there ready for you.
A favourite of mine is to make lists. Supermarket lists, to-do lists, clearing out lists for tidying rooms, lists of which friends I haven’t seen in ages and need to call, Christmas card lists, gift lists – all kinds of lists. I write them in my diary or into my notes section of my phone then tick off as I get them done. It’s very satisfying to complete a list.
Part of memory training also involves treating your stress, anxiety and depression. When we are stressed, busy, rushed we often don’t think clearly and it leads to worry and turbulence in the mind. A worried mind may find it hard to remember, so lower your stress levels by learning meditation, doing yoga, tai chi or relaxation exercises which in turn will lower your anxiety and assist with future depression from these issues.
So there are many ways to train the mind, and also many supplements you can take to assist you, like vitamin B, ginseng and other naturally produced supplements in the healthfood store or on the pharmacy shelves in the natural supplements area. It’s a good idea though to talk to your natural practitioner about your memory because they are trained to assess what areas your memory may be failing you in and recommend exactly the correct supplements to take. If it is something more serious, they will refer you to the appropriate medical staff to assess you and assist you further.
