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alpha and theta brainwave
patterns, which are characterized by subjective feelings of relaxation, concentrated
alertness and well-being. It is in the alpha and theta states that the great feats
of super-memory, along with heightened powers of concentration and creativity, are
achieved." 3
And how do you achieve that state? Thousands of people
do it with daily meditation, or relaxing exercises, especially deep breathing. But more
and more teachers are convinced that some types of music can achieve the results much
quicker and easier. Says Webb: "Certain types of musical rhythm help relax the body,
calm the breath, quiet the beta chatter and evoke a gentle state of relaxed awareness
which is highly receptive to learning new information."
Of course many types of music can help you remember
messages when the music is accompanied by words - as television and radio advertising prove
every day. But researchers4 have now found that some baroque
music is ideal for rapidly improving learning, partly because its main 60-to-70
beats-to-the-minute is identical to the alpha brainwaves.
Skilled teachers are now using this music as an
essential ingredient of all accelerated-learning teaching. But for do-it-yourself
learners, the immediate implications are simple: play the right type of music at night
when you want to review your material, and you'll dramatically increase your recall.
In part that's because of how your brain works most
efficiently when you're dropping off to sleep. Some call it R.E.M. sleep. The initials
stand for rapid eye movement. And EEGs tell you why: it's almost as if your
mind - even with your body asleep - is using its visual cortex to take quick frame-by-frame
photographs of the day's main events.
Many researchers believe that in this state the brain
is sorting out new information and storing it in the appropriate memory banks. And quiet
relaxation as you review your Mind Maps, and reflect on the day's main points, opens up
the pathways to those subconscious storage files.
That probably also explains why you dream: your
subconscious is "dialing up" your old memories to collate the new information.
And if you're thinking through a problem, your subconscious sifts through some alternative
solutions, as we'll discuss in the next chapter.
The alpha state is also ideal for starting each new
specific study period. Quite simply, it makes great sense to clear the mind before you
start. Take your office problems on the golf course and you'll never play great golf. Your
mind will be elsewhere. And the same applies to study. Come
Contents Page Preface
Introduction
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