[Continue from Part II: HOW TO BECOME AN INTELLIGENT LEARNER] 

Enter the Peak Learning State

According to Paul Scheele, principal developer of the PhotoReading technology, the brain must be adequately prepared in order to study or ready efficiently.

Two mental exercises will accomplish this preparation:

a) Clearly state your purpose, and

b) Generate a resourceful state of mind;

Clearly State Your Purpose

Reading everything many times in order to achieve total comprehension would take a tremendous amount of time. It would also not be worthwhile in most cases. 

Since all reading ultimately serves some purpose, it is best to learn to set a specific purpose.

Here are a few questions which can help you establish a purpose in your reading:

i) What is my ultimate application of this material?

ii) How important to me is what I am reading, and in the long term, how worthwhile is it?

Once these questions are answered, try to narrow down your purpose:

iii) What specifically do I want or need to remember from the material: Is it “global overview” or is it small information I want?

State to yourself the purpose for reading every time you read. 

Get into this reading habit. This tends to engage the brain, to increase your concentration and sharpen your focus. It also reinforces your ability to choose when to make the power of your brain to work for you.

You will undoubtedly find yourself choosing not to read the less important materials. You can then release any sense of guilt about procrastinating or failure to read by default. Instead, you can start affirming, “I can accomplish anything I sincerely set my mind upon.”

Generate a Resourceful State of Mind

Many studies have shown that a relaxed & resourceful state of mind is crucial for efficient reading. When a person is relaxed and alert while reading, he is more likely to be faster, more fluent, and less distracted. He will be more able to comprehend, retain and recall what is read.

I would like to introduce you to ‘The Tangerine Technique’ developed specifically for PhotoReading.

Using the Tangerine technique, a reader can quickly and easily establish a relaxed state of alertness. 

An added feature of this simple technique is that it automatically directs a person’s available unit of attention. The result is an immediate improvement in reading skills.

Further studies have shown that both reading and memory require attention. A person has seven, plus or minus two, units of attention available at a conscious level. 

By fixing one’s attention on a single point, a person can effectively focus his other available units of attention to perform the task at hand.

Research also indicates that the actual location of one’s point of attention is important. For example, when driving a car, the best point of attention is down the road – not on your dashboard or the rear bumper on the car in front of you. 

For the efficient reader, the ideal point of attention is just behind and above the head.

The Tangerine technique helps locate and maintain the ideal point of attention for reading.

Basic Steps to Follow:

i) Hold an imaginary tangerine in your hand. Feel the size, shape, weight, texture, and experience the smell of the tangerine;

ii) Gently close your eyes and place the tangerine so that it delicately balances just behind and above the back of your head. Become aware of the feeling;

iii) Imagine your field of vision opening up;

iv) Open your eyes while maintaining the feeling of the tangerine resting on just behind and above the back of your head. Read;

By playing with this technique, you will navigate reading material with increased speed and fluency. Your ability to concentrate on the information improves and reading becomes more relaxing.

For the first few weeks, you will have to consciously place the tangerine just behind and above the back of your head. Soon it becomes an automatic (unconscious) process so that whenever you approach reading materials, the imaginary tangerine floats into place.

[to be continued in Part IV]