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Have you ever experienced trauma in your life that created mental blocks, or worse, PTSD?
Or do everyday situations remind you of terrible experiences from your past?
I know I am not alone when I say that there are painful memories that can be haunting.
From the death of a loved one, to near-death experiences and childhood trauma, we all have that “thing” that pops up from time to time and haunts us …
If we let it.
But here’s the powerful truth:
We don’t have to live our lives in a constant state of fear that these memories will be triggered.
Although we can’t prevent memories from flooding back at inopportune times, we can change how we respond to our triggers.
A Powerful PTSD Survival Story
To help those suffering from any kind of unwanted memories flooding their awareness, here’s what I’ve done:
On this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, I sit down with the founder of Bushcraft for Kids, Nicholas Castle.
His organization teaches children survival and outdoors skills to increase their self-motivation, life skills, and confidence through adventure.
Using these same memory techniques he teaches to his students, he explains his journey from being a young boy struggling with dyslexia to a former law enforcement officer living with post-traumatic stress disorder.
His secret to overcoming these setbacks?
The thing that struck me most about our conversation was how versatile Memory Palaces became for Nicholas.
Not only was spatial memory and mnemonics essential to his success in his educational career, but also throughout his time in law enforcement. This role included public speaking, a healthy, but still stressful situation he had to deal with on top of his PTSD.
And you know what?
Nicholas enjoying a forest that also serves as a Memory Palace
Memory techniques saved the day yet again. A bit of time out in nature helping other people seems to have contributed to Nicholas’ success too.
If you want to know how Memory Palaces can help to transform every facet of your life, especially if you are dealing with the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, like Nicholas, this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast is for you.
Press play above and discover:
- How creating memory palaces can improve confusion from dyslexia (a condition that didn’t stop Dominic O’Brien from creating the Dominic System)
- An important point about the logic behind creating Memory Palaces (including prompts for and how to create them)
- The relationship between magic and memory through association
- Notes on the influence of Tony Buzan and Harry Lorayne
- How mnemonics can improve public speaking
- The precise way memory techniques reduce the stress responsible for so much memory loss
- How using memory techniques can help to influence large groups of people
- Commonalities between hypnosis and mnemonics
- The potential of memory techniques to manage PTSD symptoms
- The versatility of meditation practice for concentration
- How to use a Memory Palace Network as a practical learning tool
Further Resources on the Web, This Podcast, and the MMM Blog:
Memory Techniques and Dyslexia
Test for Dyslexia: 37 Common Traits
How to Practice Memory Techniques For Studying Tough Subjects
Amazing.
I originally intended on just listening for a few minutes but stayed to the end. I would have liked to hear a little more about his memory loss but it might be something that brings discomfort for him.
I have a lot of reactions to the podcast but to keep it short I will just focus on one. In his very real experience, Memory Palaces aren’t just location, location, location, image, image, image. He had lots of locations in memory, lots of images that would normally flow easily because of their connection to those locations. But an entire block of those memories, twelve years of those natural location/image memories simply disappeared from his consciousness.
Apparently, what was left from that period were those memories connected to memory palaces. Only those memory/image locations stored in his brain survived. Not just an image stored in connection with a location as many of life experiences are, but a connection that is synthesized in the way you always describe. Bigger than life, more bright, louder, with a strong smell and distinctive texture. Built on top of an element of emotional connection that is unexpected and novel for the story line presented.
Thousands of images of his daughter connected to locations in the house he lived in for a dozen years while she grew up. Gone. All that remained were those constructed connections. Constructed in the manner that you prescribe. Amazing really!!
I think you should make this podcast an essential part of your Masterclass.
Thanks for responding to this part of Nic’s story, Ron. Much appreciated.
I do highly recommend that everyone in the MMM Masterclass follow both the podcast and the YouTube channel. They’re all designed to work together for training and ongoing inspiration and growing insight across the board.
By the way, later this week I’m updating the course on memorizing cards. It puts a new spin on some of the core techniques that will improve your memory practice across the board for dealing with other topics. I hope you will find it useful.
Thanks again for your comment, and look forward to any more reactions about this or other MMM Podcast episodes you’d like to share. The more I know, the more ideas I have for future episodes. 🙂
Hi Anthony Metivier! I believe stress can deal with “Memory” because the difficult situations and trauma made people behavior and mind disturbing, avoid concentration and focus to remember information. The nature, time, care, good food, friends, cure to us all. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this comment, Maricela. Time spent in nature is indeed a wonderful cure. All the better because it provides so many Memory Palaces. 🙂