Learning State
"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." - Abraham Lincoln
in previous modules, we spent lot of time sharpening the axe. Now the time has come to chop down the tree.
I am making an assumption that you have finished all the lessons that are shared till now. It is very important that you finish the lessons before you proceed with this lesson.
All the lessons that I have shared till now focused on sharpening your axe. The next three lessons are the most important lessons of this course.
Next three lessons are:
- Learning state (Shared in this lesson)
- Right Mindset for reading
- Complete reading system
Let’s start with the today's lesson:
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The Learning State
Introduction:
While you are reading, your 100 % focus should be on reading and on nothing else. We make the mistake of reading a book, while your mind is focused on other things. One reason why we can’t understand what we are reading is because of lack of concentration (focus). One way of having 100% focus is to be in the right mental state while reading.
Best state for reading:
The best state for learning and reading is an alpha state.
Without going to theory or technical details, alpha state is a state where your brain activity is less and also in this state you have fewer thoughts. This makes the reading more productive and enjoyable.
If you read in the learning state, your focus on the reading material will be much more and you would have fewer distractions. This is the best state for learning.
Important:
You will be able to recall more information, if the state in which you have read the information and the state you are trying to recall are same.
You will be able to retrieve the information most easily, if you go into the alpha state again.
Memories are accessed, based on the state you are in when you were learning/reading. To retrieve the information, you have read, you need to be in that same state again. So if you are having difficulties remembering something, it could mean you need to first match that state.
This state has been given many names by many people like light trance state, learning state. Etc.
Now let’s understand how to go to alpha state:
Few ways of going in to alpha state:
- If you already know what alpha state is and follow some method of going to alpha state, I recommend you to continue using the method and not change it.
- If you have never experienced alpha state consciously before then follow this method.
a. Close your eyes, take 3 deep breaths and in your mind, start counting the numbers mentally backwards (slowly) from 100 to 1.
100…99….98…97….96…95………………………………….3….2….1 stop. You will be at alpha level by the time you reach number 1.
b. With more practice you can count the numbers backward from 10 to 1 or even 3 to 1 and you will be at alpha level.
3.You can also use Silva 3-2-1 method.
Going to alpha state is Silva Method's 3-2-1 technique.
Here are two guided inductions from one of Silva's courses:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/hi...1/Silva+01.mp3
http://www.mediafire.com/download/n6...e/Silva+02.mp3
The first's to get you familiar with the Alpha state. I'd suggest listening to it even if you have a lot of experience with altered states. You'll build a rapport with the speaker, and be more responsive for the second exercise.
The second exercise is to deepen your access to Alpha, and give you a trigger to enter it at will. After you've listened to this, there's no need to listen to the first one. The strange sound in the background is based on the "Frequency Following Response" -- your brain's tendency to match its brainwave cycles to any rhythmic stimulus. It's an added method to get you into Alpha.
After two or three listens, you ought to fairly reliably be able to enter the Alpha state on your own, using the 3-2-1 Technique. You'll have built up enough of an association. We're talking two minutes at most to get into the state.
Listen every day for at least a week, though. Silva trainers believe it's necessary for subjects to spend a total of 10 hours in Alpha before they can reliably utilize the state on their own. They squeeze the ten hours in using a bunch of 30-minute sessions over the course of their training.
I don't believe it takes quite that long, but you do need practice.
Even being in the proximity of Alpha will deepen your learning, so you will start seeing benefits right away. They'll just get bigger and bigger with time!
Some tips and suggestions for the 3-2-1 Technique:
- When you're visualizing each number, see it pulsing. Meaning, it appears, disappears, appears, disappears, appears, then disappears completely. This gives you a very definite association. If you don't like that, you might want to imagine three of them passing by. If you don't like that, just come up with your own representation.
- Remember to "say" the number three times in your mind. Once with each pulse, if that's what you go with.
- Make each number a different colour. This also gives you a more definite association. My 3's are platinum, 2's are gold and 1's are silver. Choose whatever colours work for you, but I'd recommend a higher contrast than I use.
That should be plenty to get you started.
The way you go alpha state is not important. What is important is you should be in alpha state before you start reading.
From now, make it a rule to read only in alpha state. If you are not in alpha state, then don’t read. YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THIS RULE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE BEFORE YOU START READING.
Like I have mentioned below, going to alpha level will be as easy as counting the number backwards from 3 to 1.
Action steps:
- Go to alpha state
- Read few pages from any non –fiction book.
- Share your experience below.
Possible experiences could be:
a. Better concentration
b. You were in flow while reading
c. Your reading speed is more.
d. Etc. etc. etc.
I am waiting for your experience.
I want you to get in to alpha state every time you read. Continue using pacer and drills as well.
~Srinivas Reddy