Memory Craft: Improve Your Memory Using the Most Powerful Methods and Tools from Around the World

Our brain is a muscle. Like our bodies, it needs exercise. In the last few hundred years, we have stopped training our memories and we have lost the ability to memorise large amounts of information. Memory Craft introduces the best memory techniques humans have ever devised, from ancient times and the Middle Ages, to methods used by today's memory athletes. Lynne Kelly has tested all these methods in experiments which demonstrate the extraordinary capacity of our brains at any age. For anyone who needs to memorise a speech or a play script, learn anatomy or a foreign language, or prepare for an exam, Memory Craft is a fabulous toolkit. It offers proven techniques for teachers to help their students learn more effectively. There are also simple strategies for anyone who has trouble remembering names or dates, and for older people who want to keep their minds agile. Above all, memorising things can be playful, creative and great fun. 'Weaving the deep history of memory techniques along with the techniques themselves, Memory Craft is a memory book like no other I've ever read.' - Nelson Dellis, four times USA Memory Champion 'With her infectious enthusiasm and depth of personal experience, Dr Lynne Kelly teaches us how we too can memorise anything...[and] potentially protect our memories from decline as we age.' - Dr Meredith McKague, University of Melbourne Cover......Page 1 Praise......Page 2 Also by the author......Page 3 Title Page......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 CONTENTS......Page 8 LIST OF FIGURES......Page 14 INTRODUCTION......Page 16 What you’ll learn......Page 20 Why memorise?......Page 24 CHAPTER 1: A medieval starting place......Page 26 Medieval memory arts......Page 27 Visual alphabets......Page 28 My visual alphabet......Page 32 Memorising anything, from a shopping list to a speech......Page 34 Medieval bestiaries......Page 38 My bestiary for memorising names......Page 40 CHAPTER 2: Creating a memory palace......Page 46 The first written record of memory palaces......Page 47 Australian Aboriginal songlines......Page 49 Creating a memory palace for the countries of the world......Page 51 Memory palaces in history......Page 55 The modern tale of Solomon Shereshevsky and Alexander Luria......Page 59 Virtual memory palaces......Page 61 Continuous memory palaces—my History Journey......Page 62 Why absolutely everywhere needs a name......Page 66 My History Journey......Page 67 Mnemonic verses......Page 71 Dominic’s Rule of Five......Page 73 CHAPTER 3: Stories, imagination and the way your brain works......Page 76 Indigenous knowledge systems......Page 77 Memory and the human brain......Page 81 Exceptional memorisers are made, not born......Page 84 Putting it all together—learning foreign languages......Page 86 Learning French......Page 87 Songs reworded......Page 91 Memory palaces everywhere......Page 92 Memorising vocabulary isn’t enough......Page 93 Online courses......Page 94 A very different language: Chinese......Page 95 Chinese and me......Page 98 I chose my hook, the radicals......Page 100 A final realisation......Page 102 CHAPTER 4: Characters, characters everywhere......Page 103 Māori ancestors......Page 105 Introducing rapscallions......Page 106 My cultural ancestors......Page 107 Ancestors in the History Journey......Page 110 The Dominic System for numbers......Page 112 Characters in the stars......Page 118 CHAPTER 5: Weird and wonderful portable memory aids......Page 121 The lukasa of the Luba people......Page 123 Encoding the birds......Page 125 Adapting for change......Page 129 Memory boards galore......Page 132 Ceremonial cycle balls......Page 134 Genealogies in wood......Page 136 My genealogy staves......Page 140 Objects acting on a tiny stage......Page 141 The memory device that never leaves: your body......Page 145 Astronomy in the palm of my hands......Page 147 Wearing your memory aids as jewellery......Page 151 Knot your strings into a personal khipu......Page 154 CHAPTER 6: When art becomes writing......Page 158 When and what was the first writing?......Page 159 The start of the art-to-writing story......Page 160 Tibetan mandalas as a memory palace......Page 162 My mandalas for science and law......Page 164 Are they mnemonic symbols or are they writing?......Page 166 From art to writing in China......Page 170 From Sumer to the world......Page 174 Lessons from Greco-Roman times......Page 177 CHAPTER 7: Lessons from the Middle Ages......Page 183 The art changes purpose......Page 184 Medieval lesson 2: Add emotion to everything......Page 187 Medieval lesson 3: Lay your information out in grids......Page 188 Medieval lesson 4: Give character to abstract concepts......Page 190 Medieval lesson 5: Break it down into small portions......Page 191 Medieval lesson 6: Separate those short portions on the page......Page 192 Medieval lesson 7: As always, use memory palaces......Page 193 Medieval lesson 8: Meditate upon your memory palaces......Page 194 Medieval lesson 9: Decorate your walls, but do it systematically......Page 196 Medieval lesson 10: Leave room on your notes for additions......Page 197 Medieval lesson 11: Add playful little drawings......Page 198 My medieval manuscript on musical instruments......Page 199 Memory treatises of the Renaissance......Page 200 CHAPTER 8: Learning in school and throughout life......Page 202 Permanent memory palaces for all students......Page 205 Using the same memory palace for science and fine arts......Page 207 Using song, stories and the wonderful rapscallions......Page 212 Let’s sing, dance and make musical memories......Page 214 Memorising word for word......Page 221 Memorising in mathematics......Page 225 Memorising equations......Page 229 So much to memorise: medicine and law......Page 230 CHAPTER 9: Does memory have to decline when you age?......Page 234 Is memory loss normal?......Page 235 What is dementia?......Page 237 Memory palaces and dementia......Page 238 The power of music and memories......Page 241 Prevention is better than a cure (which doesn’t yet exist anyway)......Page 242 Dementia and identity......Page 243 A winter count for your life......Page 244 CHAPTER 10: Memory athletes battle it out......Page 251 The disciplines......Page 252 Memorising a shuffled deck of cards......Page 254 Adding an action and object to your person......Page 256 A haunting fear of ghosts......Page 258 Memorising numbers......Page 259 Sidetracking to memorising pi......Page 263 Memorising strings of 1 and 0......Page 265 Names and Faces......Page 267 Random Words......Page 268 The glamour event: Speed Cards......Page 269 Australian Memory Champion, Anastasia Woolmer......Page 270 The impact of training on concentration......Page 273 APPENDIX A: Table of memory methods......Page 292 Pic section......Page 276 APPENDIX B: Bestiary......Page 298 APPENDIX C: Prehistory Journey......Page 302 APPENDIX D: My chosen ancestors......Page 314 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 320 ABOUT THE AUTHOR......Page 324 NOTES......Page 326 INDEX......Page 328 Improve your memory using the most powerful methods from around the world Cover 1 Praise 2 About the author 3 Also by the author 3 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 CONTENTS 8 LIST OF FIGURES 14 INTRODUCTION 16 What you’ll learn 20 Why memorise? 24 CHAPTER 1: A medieval starting place 26 Medieval memory arts 27 Visual alphabets 28 My visual alphabet 32 Memorising anything, from a shopping list to a speech 34 Medieval bestiaries 38 My bestiary for memorising names 40 CHAPTER 2: Creating a memory palace 46 The first written record of memory palaces 47 Australian Aboriginal songlines 49 Creating a memory palace for the countries of the world 51 Memory palaces in history 55 The modern tale of Solomon Shereshevsky and Alexander Luria 59 Virtual memory palaces 61 Continuous memory palaces—my History Journey 62 Why absolutely everywhere needs a name 66 My History Journey 67 Mnemonic verses 71 Dominic’s Rule of Five 73 CHAPTER 3: Stories, imagination and the way your brain works 76 Indigenous knowledge systems 77 Memory and the human brain 81 Exceptional memorisers are made, not born 84 Putting it all together—learning foreign languages 86 Learning French 87 Songs reworded 91 Memory palaces everywhere 92 Memorising vocabulary isn’t enough 93 Online courses 94 A very different language: Chinese 95 Chinese and me 98 I chose my hook, the radicals 100 A final realisation 102 CHAPTER 4: Characters, characters everywhere 103 Māori ancestors 105 Introducing rapscallions 106 My cultural ancestors 107 Ancestors in the History Journey 110 The Dominic System for numbers 112 Characters in the stars 118 CHAPTER 5: Weird and wonderful portable memory aids 121 The lukasa of the Luba people 123 Encoding the birds 125 Adapting for change 129 Memory boards galore 132 Ceremonial cycle balls 134 Genealogies in wood 136 My genealogy staves 140 Objects acting on a tiny stage 141 The memory device that never leaves: your body 145 Astronomy in the palm of my hands 147 Wearing your memory aids as jewellery 151 Knot your strings into a personal khipu 154 CHAPTER 6: When art becomes writing 158 When and what was the first writing? 159 The start of the art-to-writing story 160 Tibetan mandalas as a memory palace 162 My mandalas for science and law 164 Are they mnemonic symbols or are they writing? 166 From art to writing in China 170 My narrative scroll: the story of timekeeping 174 From Sumer to the world 174 Lessons from Greco-Roman times 177 CHAPTER 7: Lessons from the Middle Ages 183 The art changes purpose 184 Medieval lesson 1: Make every part of your page look different 187 Medieval lesson 2: Add emotion to everything 187 Medieval lesson 3: Lay your information out in grids 188 Medieval lesson 4: Give character to abstract concepts 190 Medieval lesson 5: Break it down into small portions 191 Medieval lesson 6: Separate those short portions on the page 192 Medieval lesson 7: As always, use memory palaces 193 Medieval lesson 8: Meditate upon your memory palaces 194 Medieval lesson 9: Decorate your walls, but do it systematically 196 Medieval lesson 10: Leave room on your notes for additions 197 Medieval lesson 11: Add playful little drawings 198 My medieval manuscript on musical instruments 199 Memory treatises of the Renaissance 200 CHAPTER 8: Learning in school and throughout life 202 Permanent memory palaces for all students 205 Using the same memory palace for science and fine arts 207 Using song, stories and the wonderful rapscallions 212 Let’s sing, dance and make musical memories 214 Memorising word for word 221 Memorising in mathematics 225 Memorising equations 229 So much to memorise: medicine and law 230 CHAPTER 9: Does memory have to decline when you age? 234 Is memory loss normal? 235 What is dementia? 237 Memory palaces and dementia 238 The power of music and memories 241 Prevention is better than a cure (which doesn’t yet exist anyway) 242 Dementia and identity 243 A winter count for your life 244 CHAPTER 10: Memory athletes battle it out 251 The disciplines 252 Memorising a shuffled deck of cards 254 Adding an action and object to your person 256 A haunting fear of ghosts 258 Memorising numbers 259 Sidetracking to memorising pi 263 Memorising strings of 1 and 0 265 Fictional Dates 267 Names and Faces 267 Random Images 268 Random Words 268 The glamour event: Speed Cards 269 Australian Memory Champion, Anastasia Woolmer 270 The impact of training on concentration 273 APPENDIX A: Table of memory methods 292 Pic section 276 APPENDIX B: Bestiary 298 APPENDIX C: Prehistory Journey 302 APPENDIX D: My chosen ancestors 314 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 320 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 324 NOTES 326 INDEX 328 In her bestselling book The Memory Code Lynne Kelly uncovers the memory methods of the ancients. She has now tested them thoroughly and in Memory Craft she shows how anyone of any age can use traditional memory methods to expand their memory capacity and to memorise whatever they want.Our brain is a muscle. Like our bodies, it needs exercise. In the last few hundred years, we have stopped training our memories and we have lost the ability to memorise large amounts of information.Memory Craft introduces the best memory techniques humans have ever devised, from ancient times and the Middle Ages, to methods used by today's memory athletes. Lynne Kelly has tested all these methods in experiments which demonstrate the extraordinary capacity of our brains at any age.For anyone who needs to memorise a speech or a play script, learn anatomy or a foreign language, or prepare for an exam, Memory Craft is a fabulous toolkit. It offers proven techniques for teachers to help their students learn more effectively. There are also simple strategies for anyone who has trouble remembering names or dates, and for older people who want to keep their minds agile. Above all, memorising things can be playful, creative and great fun.'Weaving the deep history of memory techniques along with the techniques themselves, Memory Craft is a memory book like no other I've ever read.'- Nelson Dellis, four times USA Memory Champion'With her infectious enthusiasm and depth of personal experience, Dr Lynne Kelly teaches us how we too can memorise anything...[and] potentially protect our memories from decline as we age.'- Dr Meredith McKague, University of Melbourne Our Brain Is A Muscle. Like Our Bodies, It Needs Exercise. In The Last Few Hundred Years, We Have Stopped Training Our Memories And We Have Lost The Ability To Memorise Large Amounts Of Information. Memory Craft Introduces The Best Memory Techniques Humans Have Ever Devised, From Ancient Times And The Middle Ages, To Methods Used By Today's Memory Athletes. Lynne Kelly Has Tested All These Methods In Experiments Which Demonstrate The Extraordinary Capacity Of Our Brains At Any Age. For Anyone Who Needs To Memorise A Speech Or A Play Script, Learn Anatomy Or A Foreign Language, Or Prepare For An Exam, Memory Craft Is A Fabulous Toolkit. It Offers Proven Techniques For Teachers To Help Their Students Learn More Effectively. There Are Also Simple Strategies For Anyone Who Has Trouble Remembering Names Or Dates, And For Older People Who Want To Keep Their Minds Agile. Above All, Memorising Things Can Be Playful, Creative And Great Fun. 'weaving The Deep History Of Memory Techniques Along With The Techniques Themselves, Memory Craft Is A Memory Book Like No Other I've Ever Read.' - Nelson Dellis, Four Times Usa Memory Champion 'with Her Infectious Enthusiasm And Depth Of Personal Experience, Dr Lynne Kelly Teaches Us How We Too Can Memorise Anything... [and] Potentially Protect Our Memories From Decline As We Age.' - Dr Meredith Mckague, University Of Melbourne