| Don't let life pass you by, notice the small | | | | For instance, if you find that you keep |
| things in life and feel alive! | | | | forgetting someone's name, it's likely that |
| | | | you are too easily distracted and do not |
| Do you remember as a child lying on your back | | | | place enough emphasis or importance to the |
| on a beach or in the field and looking at the | | | | person's name when you are introduced. A |
| different shapes of passing clouds? If you | | | | deeper focus on the situation will improve |
| do, you will know how enjoyable it can be to | | | | your memory. A quick tip is to look at the |
| focus completely on one thing. To be | | | | person's face, without staring. |
| receptive, you need to allow all your senses | | | | |
| to explore the environment. The more sensory | | | | With a quick sweep of your eyes, notice what |
| pathways you open up, the more extensive and | | | | the person is wearing, the color of his or |
| exact your perception will become. This has | | | | her eyes, hair, skin. Take an interest in |
| been acknowledged by scientists in numerous | | | | that person, ask about where she was born, |
| studies. Students can memorize new material | | | | what are the person's hobbies, children, pets |
| twice as well if it is presented in a visual | | | | etc. Ask the person how her name is spelt. |
| form - for instance, as a film or video - and | | | | If there is only one way to spell 'Tom', the |
| not just by merely listening to a lecture. | | | | more relevant question is to ask how to spell |
| This is because visual cues from the eyes | | | | his last name. Take notice of it and make |
| play an important part in the learning | | | | interesting associations with it and tie it |
| process. | | | | in with what the person is wearing or the |
| | | | person's physical attributes. Is he or she |
| The best known method for focusing our | | | | tall or short, fat or slender? Does he or |
| thoughts towards what is important and | | | | she have freckles or a tan? |
| training our perception is Meditation. | | | | |
| Meditation has been practiced for thousands | | | | Your creativity is also influenced by how |
| of years by Buddhist monks for instance for | | | | intensely you deal with the job at hand. If |
| spirituality and to open up the mind to new | | | | you need a new idea urgently - for example, |
| knowledge. Zen Buddhism is about mastering | | | | an anniversary gift for a spouse, you perhaps |
| the art of Meditation to achieve remarkable | | | | need to let yourself be inspired by the world |
| things in life. Demonstrations have been | | | | around you. We often do not take the time |
| performed by a skilled archer and meditator | | | | to see what is around us. The flash of |
| with his eyes blindfolded and shooting an | | | | inspiration you need will come to mind if you |
| arrow so accurately that it will put out a | | | | allow your attention to move freely, |
| burning candle hundreds of paces away. He | | | | embracing all possibilities, even the ones |
| performs this feat by accomplishing the | | | | you previously disregard. So open up your |
| highest concentration and entering a state of | | | | senses, see to appreciate, smell new scents, |
| deepest calm. | | | | listen with intent and start to feel, both |
| | | | physically and emotionally. Start living and |
| In western psychology, the phenomenon of | | | | be alive and you'll find your memory, |
| controlled attention is also useful. Anyone | | | | concentration and creativity will start to |
| who wish to train or improve his or her | | | | blossom. |
| memory must begin by controlling perception. | | | | |