In order to use these techniques effectively, it helps to have a basic understanding of how our own memories work so that we can choose the right tools for the job at hand, whether we’re memorising Spanish vocabulary or human anatomy.Īny effective memory system, whether it’s the hard disk on your computer, a simple filing cabinet or your own human memory needs to do three things. The method of loci is one of many mnemonic techniques, designed to enhance memory and learning. I’ve even used it myself in a number of speeches I’ve given - and it really works. This system of memorising became very popular with Classical orators like Cicero, who had to remember very long sequences of text and was also used by Mark Twain to teach his children the names and dates of all the English monarchs. To recall these he would just imagine walking through the space, encountering the objects, images or people as he went along. This involved visualising a space in great detail and associating various features of that space with mental images of physical objects, abstract ideas or people he wanted to remember. This experience sparked Simonides imagination and he set about creating a mnemonic technique we now know as the method of loci. In the aftermath of the disaster it was impossible for relatives who had just arrived on the scene to identify many of the bodies.īut as Simonides walked through the rubble, he found that he remembered where each of the guests had been sitting, and was able to help the families identify the bodies of their loved ones, so they could give them a proper burial. ![]() This turned out to be a stroke of good luck for Simonides because just after he left, the hall collapsed, killing almost everyone inside. ![]() As the banquet was in full flow, Simonides received a message that two young men were waiting outside for him. In 500 BC, the Greek poet Simonides attended a celebration organised by the Thessalian nobleman Scopas. ![]() 6 min read “Our memory is a more perfect world than the universe: it gives back life to those who no longer exist.” - Guy de Maupassant.
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