I will soon give this speech about improving one's memory, but I will have only about eight minutes to do so and therefore cannot explain the whole system. I could never remember numbers very well. So years ago I learned "The Harry Lorayne" memory system, and with it, was able to remember the first 150 decimals of the "pi" ratio for a long time. I could have remembered a lot more digits, but I was satisfied that Harry's method works extremely well. Therefore I recommend it for everyone.

“Doctor, doctor, I've lost my memory."
"When did it happen?"
"When did what happen?"

I think that we all have had moments when we tried to recall telephone numbers, names, faces, etc., and became frustrated because we were not quite able to do so.

Well, I have very good news for you. Most likely you do not have a poor memory. You may only have difficulty recalling what is stored in your brain. So today I will briefly demonstrate how, with a some practice, you will be able to recall a lot more than you might ever have thought possible. With lessons from The Harry Lorayne Memory Isometrics Course.Ó Time magazine called it “a never-fail system to remember everything.” It teaches you how you can store information and assemble a virtual file index in your head. And later retrieve this memorized information again by using this virtual linked-files index.

You “rediculize” objects by visualizing them being in at least one of the following states or conditions: Action, Proportion, Exaggeration and Substitution. You will be amazed how much easier it will be to remember something which is ridiculous. And the more ridiculous your visualization incorporating these mental aides, the better you can remember them, and in the sequence in which you linked them together initially. And much later you will still remember your objects in sequence even though you will have forgotten the ridiculous images which helped you remember them.

This how Harry Lorayne remembers numbers. He uses the sounds of consonants in words to represent numbers. Consonant sounds such as S, T, R, M, N, etc. But we will exclude the use of consonants which can sometimes be silent such as “h” or” w“.

To help us remember the consonant-number association, we choose consonants that remind us of the numbers they most closely represent. For example, the consonant “t” resembles the digit “1.” “n” can represent 2. To help us remember this association, “n” has 2 legs, 3 is “m” which has 3 legs. And so on.

To help us remember the association of the basic digits of our decimal system, we can remember the expression: “TeN MoRe LoGiC FiBS. I kid you not.

For example, to help us remember long numbers, we visually link a sequence of objects, keywords, to represent numbers. The underlying numbers are represented by the consonants in such words. Suitable words for use with number-word associations from 1 through 100 are listed in the hand-outs which I gave you. You do not have to remember these, because you can choose your own linking peg words. But I found it easier to memorize this list, and did so by using the Harry Lorayne method. That way I don’t have to think up new representative words. With some practice you can even count with these words just like with numbers.

Now then. In order to remember as many numbers as you wish, you visualize their representative objects in ridiculous ways, and link them with ridiculous associations. This is a lot easier than you might think. And this becomes easier with practice and with the re-use of the same 100 key words. You can practice visualizing the number-consonant pairs while driving a lonely stretch of highway. Practicing ridiculous linked keyword associations will even make you arrive a lot faster at your destination. Or shake you out of your virtual world, when you crash you into a lava rock cave, mistaking it for a tunnel. In desperation you try to unlock the car door with your finger which gets stuck in the lock. I just told you the numbers 58-47-78-57, because that’s what “lava,” “rock,” “cave” and “lock” represent.

Now let me elaborate as to how you might visualize a ridiculous sequence of objects to help you remember numbers which you cannot see or feel. That is why they are the most difficult for most of us to remember. Let’s remember the digits represented by the symbol P . In mathematics it represents the ratio of 3.141 ad infinitum. For the first number 3 visualize your mother, “Ma.” Then a “tie” for 1, because it contains only the consonant “t.” “Rye,” as a loaf of rye bread, can represent 4, because it only contains the consonant sound “r.” And so on.

Now close your eyes and actually visualize your “Ma,” which represents the digit “3.“ She is so tall that her hair is getting scorched by the sun. Actually see her giant stature with your mind’s eye. A ridiculous exaggeration in size. Then add a fluorescent, psychedelic tie, hanging from her waist, and it is so long that Ma keeps stumbling over it. Ridiculous Exaggeration and Action. The next number in the series of P is 4, so visually link a long “tie” with a loaf of “rye” bread fixed to its end. And they are spinning around your neck. You are desperately trying to take a bite out of it as it zooms around. Ridiculous link association and action. You associate the tie with a ridiculous way of eating “rye” bread. Next is again a “tie” for the next digit of 1. And so forth.

As I said before, supposedly this memory system works for anything you want to remember. But we are running out of time. So in conclusion, I will prove that this system works by reciting the decimals of P in proper sequence, while you can follow me on your hand-outs. Please count how many mistakes I will make. Remember I’m going to translate the words in my memory into numbers: 3.14159 26535 89793 23846 ……83011 94921.

“Doctor! Doctor! Now I can remember my wife‘s birthday, and I won‘t have to sleep in the doghouse this year!”