The Victorious Mind
-Anthony Metivier
Mindfulness, Meditation, and Memory Improvement
Concentration
Signs of improvement show within a week
Improved concentration = improved observation = improved memory
Meditation improves memory without additional memory training
Two weeks of meditation for 10 minutes per day
the Challenge - Frustration Curve
Same concept as Progressive Overload
Test and Re-Test to establish new "maximums" (weightlifting)
Breathing/Relaxation/Focus Techniques
Pendulum Breathing
Let Every Breath: Secrets of the Russian Breath Masters (Book)
Progressive Muscle Relaxation - flex/release muscles, coordinate with breath. Inhale, flex, exhale, release, etc.
Alternate Nostril Breathing - both manually and "mentally" blocking off nostrils after inhales/exhales
Combinations of any of these
Systema Practices / Philosophies
Timing breathing with steps/gait, possibly in progressively longer intervals
Breath along with counting
Variant - include holds or pendulum breaths
Food/Diet
1 - Analyze/Log current diet
Do not try to make changes now if you don't want to
Create Action Plan and Commit
What is the ONE Thing* I can do?
Play the Long Game
Keep journals/logs/records of food and mood/feeling/etc shortly after
n=1
Lucid Dreaming
Three Three Major Guilt-Related Sources of Death Anxiety
Predatory Anxiety - getting preyed upon
Predator anxiety - guilt for having prayed on others
Existential Anxiety - from random or unpredictable events
Listen Deeply - people often mask their predatory nature and hide their feelings of having been preyed upon through stories they tell
"Whatever comes to mind..."
Have specific Dream Tools for recording dreams
Action steps to prepare
- Make a conscious decision to record dreams
- Leave the notebook open with the date at the top
- Ease into sleep with breathwork and/or relaxation
Action steps to record:
- Write as linear as possible
- Don't take too long - better to get the skeleton down first and add detail later
- Give yourself time (or use a supplementary notebook) to take more notes as more details arise
- Note any possible Memory Palaces
- Note future work to be done or areas to explore
To whom, exactly, are these dreams and interpretations occurring?
Free Will
We do not "choose", merely "select" from available options
Rules set us free
Exercise - Count breaths, but skip
For example, Breath in one, breath out skip two, breath in three, breath out skip four and so on. Count evens on the way down
Don't think of a red cat
This will be difficult or seem impossible at first, but eventually the mind will create a blank space where the digit should be rather than thinking of the digit in order to avoid thinking about the digit
you can do something similar with nonsense syllables - sa ta na ma or ah me to foa
Do we have free will? Is it real?
If so, who chooses? Who gets acted upon? Are they the same entity? How?
Journaling
Gratitiude Journaling
Perfect Present Journal - write out the perfect present in present tense
Meditate on these topics
Try for at least 90 days
Memory Palaces
Mostly review information I already know. Might be useful to revisit for inspiration in the future.
Beginner's Paralysis
Memorizing scripture is great on many levels
tradition
written to be memorable
chapter/verse allows organization
handy for life's troubles
Convert words to markers, markers go in MP. Use Major Method or PAO to encode chapter/verse numbers
Make peg words for connective words
Bee driving a forklift - before
Tutu - "to, two, too"
To whom is this experience happening?
Who is having the experience?
Who is this "other person" I am experiencing when I meet someone new? Where are they?
How are my thoughts behaving? Is it useful?
What's happening in the world is all that counts. All that shit in our heads? Worthless. Absolutely worthless.