Contents
Hello, dear readers of Valery Kharlamov’s blog! Today we will talk about what the Cicero method is. It is one of the simplest and most effective ways to memorize. It is mastered in just a couple of workouts and, importantly, it is applied in absolutely any conditions and situations, regardless of whether you are in line or on your way to work. In general, given all the advantages over other techniques, I want to say that it was not in vain that he was named after the famous orator from Rome — Marcus Tullius Cicero.
A little about the history of origin
Although it is called the method of Cicero, the great speaker has nothing to do with the history of the emergence of this unique technique. He just actively used it in preparation for performances. Shocking the public with the fact that he did not need records at all, declaring a large amount of material simply from memory.
There is a legend that during one large-scale feast in ancient Greece, a roof suddenly collapsed, under the rubble of which many people died. However, one poet Simonides managed to get out of there alive. Relatives of the victims asked to tell where their relatives were at that moment, so that, having unearthed the bodies, they could bury them with all honors.
Simonides was able to name every one, focusing on the fact that the room was well known to him. It only remained to remember who was doing what at that moment in order to accurately indicate the coordinates. Subsequently, the poet realized how valuable his discovery was, and set about improving it. These days, you can find other variations of names such as the room system or the method of places.
Advantages and essence of this method
The bottom line is that a person, presenting the image of the room where he spends the maximum amount of time, whether it is an office or a bedroom. Mentally places in it those key units that should be fixed in memory for a long time. Moreover, unlike other techniques, it is really possible to memorize a whole text, and not just a series of words. You can use the same room countless times, the information will not be confused and lost.
An amazing feature is that absolutely under any conditions you can use it, the main thing is that you are not distracted at this moment, otherwise you will not be able to concentrate. And as soon as you need to remember the learned piece of material, you will imagine the image of the selected room, and all the data will instantly pop up.
This method affects spatial imagination, developing it and improving it, so over time you will be completely unconscious, without making any effort to remember everything that is needed. Plus, it develops thinking, the ability to concentrate and analyze the situation of various places that a person visits. Using it on a regular basis, you will be able to capture a lot of details that you did not notice before, which will only improve the quality of your life.
The method relies on connections created “automatically” in the brain due to the frequent perception of the same visual stimuli. Here, for example, when you come home, you turn on the light unconsciously, since the reflex has already developed. You know well not only which side of the room the switch is on, but you can easily find it by touch.
And so, daily observing the same objects in the room where you spend a lot of time — you form these connections, using which you can gain control over your memory.
Instructions and recommendations
- The first step is to decide what the sequence of zones of your apartment or office will be. It is recommended to start from the corridor, eventually moving to neighboring rooms, depending on the layout of the home. Usually this is a toilet, bathroom, kitchen, and then a hall, bedrooms and balconies.
- If you are a beginner, then it is better to focus on one room, and over time, having honed your skills, you will move to a new level, like in a game, opening up a new space. Now you should close your eyes and imagine that you are currently in the corridor. Look around, only very carefully, and select for yourself 10 static objects, that is, those that you usually do not move or rearrange.
- Now you need to consolidate the material, think about the sequence of finding these items. By the way, instead of premises, you can use well-known routes. Let’s say that on a daily commute to work, what shops, cafes or stops do you encounter?
- Now that the preparation is complete, it’s time to move on to the material to be learned. And to be more precise, you need to place it depending on which method you have chosen — route or office, home. Let’s take for example an office in the office and the need to remember the list of products for dinner. You arrived at work, and as soon as you entered the office, you immediately noticed a hanger on the right. Arrange lemons on it, decorating it like a Christmas tree. Then, after walking a couple of steps, you stumble upon a closet, open the doors and neatly put lettuce leaves on the shelves … I think that’s enough, the principle is clear, right?
- When the time comes to get the learned material from the depths of memory, mentally walk along the route, carefully looking around, and all the information instantly “pops up” in front of you.
- In the future, add new items, you can even go “for a walk” around the house, especially if there is a need to remember too much information that does not fit in one room.
Additional recommendations
- Training should be on an ongoing basis so as not to lose the skill, but only move forward, and the performance will increase.
- To simplify the process, bring some details to the point of absurdity, then they will surely be remembered. For example, you are preparing for the presentation of the project, and at the bus stop you meet the President of the United States, he is reading a newspaper, the first column of which contains a large piece of text from your notes. Sitting on the bus, on the back of the seat you see the continuation of your speech, written in clumsy handwriting using a marker, etc. etc.
- Play with the dimensions of the images, imagining that the closet is the size of a cat, and the chair is up to the ceiling.
- Also focus on the dynamics and brightness of objects. If you imagine the usual mezzanine painted bright orange and swaying from side to side, then remembering this piece of furniture will be much easier.
- It will help you if, before proceeding with the steps from the step-by-step instructions, you actually walk along the usual path or room.
- Connect sensations and feelings, that is, in addition to what you see, you must also hear, smell and even taste.
- Also a good help in the development of memory, online games can serve to develop brain strength. I have already recommended this service to you several times, Here is the link.
Conclusion
And that’s all for today, dear readers! Develop, improve, and then you will become a harmonious conscious person, the main thing is to persevere and not retreat in the face of difficulties. Try the Cicero method in practice, and to make it easier to master it, see the article «TOP 10 ways to develop and increase your mindfulness that will help absolutely anyone.» I wish you success! Take care of yourself and loved ones!