THE DAWN OF MEMORY TECHNIQUES

I've researched much of the history of memory training systems and techniques. That history is quite rich and bountiful. I'll talk just a bit about that and then, perhaps, show you some of the progression from those scattered bits of history (I don't want to write a history book) to the fascinating applications of the methods.

Yes, the history is worth a bit of exploration but truth be told, I am really and thoroughly, completely, result oriented .

Memory aids have been used for thousands of years. Those aids were of utmost importance, particularly to story tellers, orators, bards. There were no real note-taking devices then so the memory aids, systems, techniques, helped those bards and story tellers to remember their songs, their poems and their stories.

The orators of ancient Greece and Rome memorized their long speeches thought for thought by using a memory technique or aid called, “loci,” which means “places.” The orator would mentally connect the first thought of his speech to the first “place” in his home, perhaps the doorway. The second thought of the speech to the second place, perhaps the entry way or foyer, and so on. When ready to deliver his speech he'd think of the first place, the doorway, and that reminded him of the first thought. When he said what he had to say about that thought or subject he thought of the second place as he started the mental tour through his home. That second place reminded him of the next, second, thought of his speech. And so on to the end of his mental tour and to the end of his speech.

From that concept, through the mists of time, a cliché has traveled down to us – “In the first place; in the second place.”

And, it seems, that the idea wasn't new even in ancient Grecian/Roman times. It is noted in a 400-year-old Hebrew text ( The Heart Of The Lion , by Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh of Medina ; published in the year1611) that using memory systems is a clear mandate in the Bible as well as in Jewish Talmudic literature. On page 33, in a discussion about learning the Torah, there is a quote from a Talmudic scholar, Rav Dimi. In part: “One must set signs, schemes/devices, to establish the Torah in those who (try to) learn it. If so, it is enough for us with what has been said by the Bible and our sages on the existence of this Place Memory (loci) in the thoughts and schemes/devices, and their commandment on him to use them.”

It's interesting that when the orators, mostly monks and other religious people in those days, felt that their own homes had become too familiar to use as loci, they wandered the streets searching for other houses, other places. They soon realized that just about anything could be used as loci. The twelve signs of the Zodiac could easily represent twelve different, and sequential , places. Eventually, parts of the Bible were used as “places.” What's really interesting here is that in order to use the Zodiac signs or parts of the Bible, or anything else, as loci, the person had to first learn (remember) the Zodiac signs and the parts of the Bible. So the “search” enabled them to acquire more knowledge!

Yes, only the monks and philosophers of the Middle Ages were aware of, and applied, trained memory techniques. The techniques were used mostly for religion and were themselves basic to some religions. As an example, memory systems were used to memorize Virtues and Vices, and many priests and philosophers taught that trained-memory systems showed “how to reach Heaven and avoid Hell.”

A fragment of parchment that experts date about 400BC states that “A great and beautiful invention is memory, always useful for learning and for life. (I was thrilled when I found this in my research because I've written so often that there is no learning without memory !) Along those lines, Aristotle praised memory systems, and wrote that “…these (systems) too will make a man readier in reasoning.” Aristotle also wrote, as the first sentence of one of his books, “In order to think we must speculate with images.” Lovely; because, again, that's what I do, what I teach – just how to use mental images. It's a cliché of mine: Anything that can be visualized is easy (certainly eas ier ) to remember. And anything , I mean ANYTHING, can be visualized. Again, it's what I teach.

‘TRAINED MEMORY' & ITS HISTORY

Simonides (circa 500BC) is usually considered to be the “father” of the art of trained memory. But pieces of parchment dated over a thousand years before Simonides tell us that memory techniques were an important, no essential, ingredient of the orator's equipment. According to philosopher Quintilian – “We should never have realized how great is the power of a trained memory, nor how divine it is, but for the fact that it is memory which has brought oratory to its present position of glory.”

In De oratore , Cicero describes how he applied memory systems and how lawyers and orators of his time were all aided by memory systems, memory training. It was known way back then, near the dawn of civilization, that – and I just love this – memory training would help the thinking process itself . I love it because I've stated that fact so often in my books, lectures, seminars. Yes, applying my memory techniques will help you acquire a better-than-photographic memory, but it will also give you a much stronger sense of imagination , a keener sense of concentration , and a much better ability to concentrate , to focus attention – all part of the thinking process. And all just automatically, and definitely, go along with my trained memory systems.

In my very first book, back in 1956 , I used an anecdote about speeches at top of the chapter on speeches. Here it is, brought up to date just a bit:

The nervous speaker was introduced after dinner. As he approached the microphone his hands went into one pocket after the other – obviously looking for his notes. As he reached the microphone, he murmured haltingly: “My f-f-friends, wh-when I arrived here this evening only G-God and I knew what I was g-g-going to say. N-now only G-God knows!”

If you go into the history of it, it's amazing to learn how many did use memory aids. For example, Lucius Scipio used them to help him remember the names of all the people of Rome . (I've no idea how many people were in Rome then; I'm simply quoting things I learned in my research.) Cyrus was able to call every soldier in his army by name. And Seneca could memorize and repeat two thousand words after hearing them once.

Many books on the subject of trained-memory systems appeared during the 15th and 16th centuries. These, of course, were instrumental in making the general public more aware of the techniques. The best known of the trained memory books was The Phoenix , written by Peter of Ravenna in 1491. (Many books on the subject appeared after his book because it was so popular. Nothing new, of course. Who can count all the “memory” books [and “memory experts”] that appeared after my first book came out in 1956 !)

Memory systems were used by King Francis I of France and by England 's Henry III. Philosophers of the 17 th century taught memory systems and techniques; Francis Bacon taught one of them in his book, The Advancement of Learning . And some scholars insist that Leibnitz invented calculus as he was searching for a memory system that would aid in memorizing numbers. (One of the students of my MEMORY POWER course told me that he's memorized Pi to the 3000 th place! Just as a show-off thing.)

Numbers are perhaps the most difficult things to remember. They are, simply, concepts. What does 6 mean to you except that it's one higher than 5 and one lower than 7. Ordinarily, numbers cannot be visualized. That's “ordinarily.” One of the most important things I teach is - how to visualize numbers, of any kind, of any length. And even that is not a new concept. Stanislaus Mink von Wennsshein attempted to do just that way back about the year 1648. In 1730, Dr. Richard Grey of England modified the idea. Still, it was quite clumsy, difficult to apply, and not that helpful. The idea, however, had more than enough merit. I believe (at least I've been told) that I brought the concept to its present high level. It is now an amazing aid in remembering, memorizing, numbers.

TOTAL RECALL & THE ART OF MEMORY

I mentioned bards earlier, and that reminds me – the most famous of all, William Shakespeare – had memory aids, loci , built into the inside of his Globe Theatre to help the actors remember the lines in his plays! All playwrights want the actors to remember the lines they write. Obviously, and to this day. (Many well-known actors rarely touch a play or movie script without applying my memory techniques. Academy Award winner, Anne Bancroft , wrote to me – “Thank you for making the drudgery [memorizing scripts] part of my creative art. You are a miracle worker!”)

Philosopher William Stokes, in a book published in 1888, titled, MEMORY , talked about the public's interest in the art of memory training. In part: “The educated, the intelligent masses, the world, know not and seem not to care to know its (art of memory training) wondrous worth. The adoption of the art by a few paltry thousands cannot be regarded as anything when we consider the countless myriads peopling the earth – when we realize that it is essential to the proper exercise and full development of our intellectual existence as proper breathing is to our physical well-being.

“There can be little doubt that before long, it will be generally recognized as an established science; and posterity will look back, and regard this plea on behalf of memory as an indication of the intellectual darkness of this age of boasted enlightenment.

“Let us hope that the day will come when it shall be considered as great a disgrace not to use memory-improvement systems as it is at present not to read!” (Amen. I'm sure helping toward that goal!)

I think I've proved the point – the point that there's really nothing new about trained-memory systems, memory aids, et al. What happened, unfortunately, is that the idea of training one's memory fell into disuse for centuries. Interesting that some people who did use memory training systems publicly were thought to be witches! (If I were around then I'd have been burned at the stake.) Then people started using the ideas as entertainment. In the United States , during the vaudeville era, some performers used memory techniques to amaze the audience with “mental tricks.” But the systems were rarely used for practical purposes, or for serious learning. Occasionally, rarely, someone would attempt to popularize the systems, but usually without success – until I came along!

A couple of quatrains from a poem by Walt Mason titled, He Who Forgets (early 1900s),

No man will ever write his name
Upon the shining wall of fame,
Or soar aloft on glowing wings
Because he can't remember things.
The failures on life's busy way,
The paupers, friendless, wan and gray,
Throughout their bootless days, like you,
Forgot the things they ought to do.