Do you need to remember more than you can hold in your head? Whether you’re memorising a shopping list or delivering a speech—the challenge of remembering all the pieces can be daunting.

With the help of a few centuries of neuroscience research and an ancient mnemonic trick, the Method of Loci can help you unlock your brain’s limitless capacity to recall information.

What exactly is the ‘Method of Loci’?

It’s an age-old mnemonic device that uses visualisations of spatial environments as a memory aid. But, because of the word ‘loci’, like the word ‘location’, the technique is about memorising and recalling information through the place.

It’s become a powerful tool used by memory contestants, speakers preparing for a talk, and persons with cognitive impairments for one main purpose: To help them store and recall almost anything.

Method of Loci is an age-old mnemonic device that uses visualisations of spatial environments as a memory aid. Credit: SHVETS production/Pexels

How does it work?

Think of a location you know well—a winding street with familiar shops, a room in your childhood home, or a cafe you visit every week.

Once you have a setting, imagine yourself walking through the space and ‘placing’ items in each ‘loci’—a corner or a shelf. Envisioning yourself laying down the memory markers in a place you’re familiar with helps your brain to hold onto the items, words, or numbers you need to remember so that later, it can retrieve them just as quickly.

But the technique can be taken a step further. When you’re in the setting where you plan to recall the information—for example, the supermarket lobby—use that environment to your advantage.

Go through the room and mentally store the items you need to remember in the little loci. Once you get into the groove, you’ll subconsciously be able to recall the information when the time comes.

Brain images show that the human brain processes images faster and with more recall than words and numbers.

With the Method of Loci in your memory arsenal, you can quickly tap into your psychological brain power to easily remember anything.

Are you ready to unlock your brain’s unbeatable ability to recall? Get familiar with the Method of Loci and let it help you capture your shopping lists or deliver a speech with flying colours.

Ready to start using the Method of Loci? We’ve compiled four tips to remember items for any occasion:

1. Choose locations with defined features. A street or a building with lots of little shops or a classroom filled with unique corners will be easier to remember.

2. Place items in each corner to make it easier to recall them quickly.

3. Go to the actual spot where you will need the information later and scan the environment like at home. This will help trigger your recall at the needed moment.

4. Utilise permanent fixtures in the space. Don’t depend on a coffee mug you saw that day that won't be there later. Choose more unchanging features such as furniture or physical characteristics of the room.

You can learn more about this method here:

​

By mastering the technique of position-based recollection, you can tap into your brain’s potential to remember anything and everything. Now, go put your memory to the test!

Key Takeaways

• The method of loci is a mnemonic memorisation technique that uses visualisations of specific spatial environments to help recall information.
  
• This technique is still used and can assist people with mild cognitive impairment, individuals preparing speeches, and contestants in memory contests.
  
• One can apply this technique by visualising places, items or topics that need to be remembered in specific locations within a familiar place and retrieve this information by mentally walking through this place and 'picking up' each item.
  
• The efficacy of this method can be increased by 'placing' memory items around the room where the person will be when they need to recall the information.
  

Have you tried the Method of Loci before? Or do you have other techniques that could help people remember anything? Share them in the comments below!

 

[gamiry]

Do you need to remember more than you can hold in your head? Whether you’re memorising a shopping list or delivering a speech—the challenge of remembering all the pieces can be daunting.

With the help of a few centuries of neuroscience research and an ancient mnemonic trick, the Method of Loci can help you unlock your brain’s limitless capacity to recall information.

What exactly is the ‘Method of Loci’?

It’s an age-old mnemonic device that uses visualisations of spatial environments as a memory aid. But, because of the word ‘loci’, like the word ‘location’, the technique is about memorising and recalling information through the place.

It’s become a powerful tool used by memory contestants, speakers preparing for a talk, and persons with cognitive impairments for one main purpose: To help them store and recall almost anything.

View attachment 33807

Method of Loci is an age-old mnemonic device that uses visualisations of spatial environments as a memory aid. Credit: SHVETS production/Pexels

How does it work?

Think of a location you know well—a winding street with familiar shops, a room in your childhood home, or a cafe you visit every week.

Once you have a setting, imagine yourself walking through the space and ‘placing’ items in each ‘loci’—a corner or a shelf. Envisioning yourself laying down the memory markers in a place you’re familiar with helps your brain to hold onto the items, words, or numbers you need to remember so that later, it can retrieve them just as quickly.

But the technique can be taken a step further. When you’re in the setting where you plan to recall the information—for example, the supermarket lobby—use that environment to your advantage.

Go through the room and mentally store the items you need to remember in the little loci. Once you get into the groove, you’ll subconsciously be able to recall the information when the time comes.

Brain images show that the human brain processes images faster and with more recall than words and numbers.

With the Method of Loci in your memory arsenal, you can quickly tap into your psychological brain power to easily remember anything.

Are you ready to unlock your brain’s unbeatable ability to recall? Get familiar with the Method of Loci and let it help you capture your shopping lists or deliver a speech with flying colours.

Ready to start using the Method of Loci? We’ve compiled four tips to remember items for any occasion:

1. Choose locations with defined features. A street or a building with lots of little shops or a classroom filled with unique corners will be easier to remember.

2. Place items in each corner to make it easier to recall them quickly.

3. Go to the actual spot where you will need the information later and scan the environment like at home. This will help trigger your recall at the needed moment.

4. Utilise permanent fixtures in the space. Don’t depend on a coffee mug you saw that day that won't be there later. Choose more unchanging features such as furniture or physical characteristics of the room.

You can learn more about this method here:

​

By mastering the technique of position-based recollection, you can tap into your brain’s potential to remember anything and everything. Now, go put your memory to the test!

Key Takeaways

• The method of loci is a mnemonic memorisation technique that uses visualisations of specific spatial environments to help recall information.
• This technique is still used and can assist people with mild cognitive impairment, individuals preparing speeches, and contestants in memory contests.
• One can apply this technique by visualising places, items or topics that need to be remembered in specific locations within a familiar place and retrieve this information by mentally walking through this place and 'picking up' each item.
• The efficacy of this method can be increased by 'placing' memory items around the room where the person will be when they need to recall the information.

Have you tried the Method of Loci before? Or do you have other techniques that could help people remember anything? Share them in the comments below!

Good Lord even this has a name now. I can go back to about 18 months of age. To me it's just normal and some will know from what I've said earlier that I've even remembered our friend Vegepatch from quite a while ago. If I have trouble recalling something I close my eyes and mentally go through the alphabet and often what I want pops up. If something crops up you want to remember, think of it a few times through the day. You'll usually recall it in the future.

 

[mylittletibbies]

It is strange how the brain works
I do a lot of crosswords. Some days I can have what I call brainfog. I know that I know the answer but it just won't come to me.
The other day I had this happen on about six occasions, I put the book away in frustration with myself. A couple of hours later I thought I would have another go. Every one of the answers came to me straight away.
I do crosswords every day. I prefer puzzles such as codecrackers or logic.
Have won a few prizes over the years,
the main one being a lovely white leather lounge. Still trying for the car or the cash
By the way, for those who don't know, when you buy puzzle books, the car and cash are not available in each book. You can enter in each book but those two main prizes are only drawn once a year.
Also something else many don't know. To collect any prize valued at over $500 you must be able to produce your receipt, the book or at least the front cover. You also need to hang onto them for a few months after the close date because the prizes take a while to come.
When I won the lounge, value $3,999, if I hadn't had proof of purchase I would not have received the prize.

 

[oldchook58]

It is strange how the brain works
I do a lot of crosswords. Some days I can have what I call brainfog. I know that I know the answer but it just won't come to me.
The other day I had this happen on about six occasions, I put the book away in frustration with myself. A couple of hours later I thought I would have another go. Every one of the answers came to me straight away.
I do crosswords every day. I prefer puzzles such as codecrackers or logic.
Have won a few prizes over the years,
the main one being a lovely white leather lounge. Still trying for the car or the cash
By the way, for those who don't know, when you buy puzzle books, the car and cash are not available in each book. You can enter in each book but those two main prizes are only drawn once a year.
Also something else many don't know. To collect any prize valued at over $500 you must be able to produce your receipt, the book or at least the front cover. You also need to hang onto them for a few months after the close date because the prizes take a while to come.
When I won the lounge, value $3,999, if I hadn't had proof of purchase I would not have received the prize.

I really enjoy this weekly magazine, its not as good as it used to be years ago but I still get it as I like doing the puzzles and entering the competitions. I am yet to win anything and do keep the mags for 6 months or so then give them away. Congratulations on winning the lounge and glad you kept the proof of purchase so receive your prize. I have the same trouble, can't get the answers one day and go back a few days later and it comes straight away! I worked out how to do Soduko and find it challenging, I'm better on letters than numbers! PS. I still have the Australia Day necklace and earrings which came with the mag years ago, I wear them once a year when we go out.

 

[mylittletibbies]

I really enjoy this weekly magazine, its not as good as it used to be years ago but I still get it as I like doing the puzzles and entering the competitions. I am yet to win anything and do keep the mags for 6 months or so then give them away. Congratulations on winning the lounge and glad you kept the proof of purchase so receive your prize. I have the same trouble, can't get the answers one day and go back a few days later and it comes straight away! I worked out how to do Soduko and find it challenging, I'm better on letters than numbers! PS. I still have the Australia Day necklace and earrings which came with the mag years ago, I wear them once a year when we go out.

Congrats on working out Soduko, I have never been able to.
My 15 year old granddaughter has been able to do them in a flash since she was about 10.
On the other hand she can't do code crackers or logic. I guess we are all different.

 

[oldchook58]

Congrats on working out Soduko, I have never been able to.
My 15 year old granddaughter has been able to do them in a flash since she was about 10.
On the other hand she can't do code crackers or logic. I guess we are all different.

I was really hard for me but I was determined to work it out and it requires my complete concentration when I start on it. I felt so satisfied when I finally finished it and all the numbers were correct. Instead of putting the coloured number answers top to bottom I was putting them left to right, it took me a while to work that out, then I read the instructions again so now can input the correct answers to those very hard questions. You can do it!

 

[Frigate]

Do you need to remember more than you can hold in your head? Whether you’re memorising a shopping list or delivering a speech—the challenge of remembering all the pieces can be daunting.

With the help of a few centuries of neuroscience research and an ancient mnemonic trick, the Method of Loci can help you unlock your brain’s limitless capacity to recall information.

What exactly is the ‘Method of Loci’?

It’s an age-old mnemonic device that uses visualisations of spatial environments as a memory aid. But, because of the word ‘loci’, like the word ‘location’, the technique is about memorising and recalling information through the place.

It’s become a powerful tool used by memory contestants, speakers preparing for a talk, and persons with cognitive impairments for one main purpose: To help them store and recall almost anything.

View attachment 33807

Method of Loci is an age-old mnemonic device that uses visualisations of spatial environments as a memory aid. Credit: SHVETS production/Pexels

How does it work?

Think of a location you know well—a winding street with familiar shops, a room in your childhood home, or a cafe you visit every week.

Once you have a setting, imagine yourself walking through the space and ‘placing’ items in each ‘loci’—a corner or a shelf. Envisioning yourself laying down the memory markers in a place you’re familiar with helps your brain to hold onto the items, words, or numbers you need to remember so that later, it can retrieve them just as quickly.

But the technique can be taken a step further. When you’re in the setting where you plan to recall the information—for example, the supermarket lobby—use that environment to your advantage.

Go through the room and mentally store the items you need to remember in the little loci. Once you get into the groove, you’ll subconsciously be able to recall the information when the time comes.

Brain images show that the human brain processes images faster and with more recall than words and numbers.

With the Method of Loci in your memory arsenal, you can quickly tap into your psychological brain power to easily remember anything.

Are you ready to unlock your brain’s unbeatable ability to recall? Get familiar with the Method of Loci and let it help you capture your shopping lists or deliver a speech with flying colours.

Ready to start using the Method of Loci? We’ve compiled four tips to remember items for any occasion:

1. Choose locations with defined features. A street or a building with lots of little shops or a classroom filled with unique corners will be easier to remember.

2. Place items in each corner to make it easier to recall them quickly.

3. Go to the actual spot where you will need the information later and scan the environment like at home. This will help trigger your recall at the needed moment.

4. Utilise permanent fixtures in the space. Don’t depend on a coffee mug you saw that day that won't be there later. Choose more unchanging features such as furniture or physical characteristics of the room.

You can learn more about this method here:

​

By mastering the technique of position-based recollection, you can tap into your brain’s potential to remember anything and everything. Now, go put your memory to the test!

Key Takeaways

• The method of loci is a mnemonic memorisation technique that uses visualisations of specific spatial environments to help recall information.
• This technique is still used and can assist people with mild cognitive impairment, individuals preparing speeches, and contestants in memory contests.
• One can apply this technique by visualising places, items or topics that need to be remembered in specific locations within a familiar place and retrieve this information by mentally walking through this place and 'picking up' each item.
• The efficacy of this method can be increased by 'placing' memory items around the room where the person will be when they need to recall the information.

Have you tried the Method of Loci before? Or do you have other techniques that could help people remember anything? Share them in the comments below!

This method is quite similar to the Memory palace by Leonardo da Vinci and Sherlock Holmes.