Memory Palace - The Method of Loci - An ancient but effective memory technique

This is a tutorial on building a memory palace using the method of loci to learn sequences of items by anchoring them along a mental journey within a familiar setting.
This technique, also known in various forms as the journey method or the Roman Room technique, has been used for memorization since ancient Greece and was utilized by Roman orators such as Cicero, who saw memory training as part of the study of rhetoric.

1. MemoryPalace/TheMethodofLoci
ThemethodofLociissimpletoexplainbuttakessomepracticetobecomemoreproficient.However,
youcanrealizeimmediateeffects.
1.Beginbychoosingaplaceyouareveryfamiliarwith,suchassomewhereyouhavelived,
worked,orstudied.
2.Planoutapaththroughtheroomsandotherlandmarksofthearea.Youcanhavemultiplestops
perroom,andusetheoutsideifithelps.Focusonspecificlocationsyoucanlinktogetheron
thepathandvisualize.Trytogetatleasttwentyspecificpositionsonyourpath.
3.Takealistyouwanttomemorize.Youcanstartwithalistofcountriesinaspecificcontinent,
countiesinastate,Englishkings,Americanpresidents,oryourshoppinglist.
4.Foreachitem,inorder,createamentalimageatthenextavailablepositiononthepath.
Visualizesomethingmemorable,andifpossiblelinkittothepriorplace.
5.Maketheimageforeachlocationinteractwiththelocationifpossibleaswell.Makethemstand
out,comealive,andinteractwiththesurroundings.
6.Practicerememberingtheitemsintheirplacesasyoumentallytravelthroughyourmemory
palace.Youcandothiswhilebuildingupthelistifitislongersoyoukeepyourprogress.
7.Youshouldcombinethiswithspacedrepetitiontomaintainthelistforalongertimebypracticing
itatincreasingintervals.
MemoryPalaceExample
WewillusethethirteenoriginalcoloniesthatbecametheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
FromWikipedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_Colonies
TheThirteenColoniesintheirtraditionalgroupingswere:theNewEnglandColonies(New
Hampshire,Massachusetts,RhodeIsland,andConnecticut);theMiddleColonies(New
York,NewJersey,Pennsylvania,andDelaware);andtheSouthernColonies(Maryland,
Virginia,NorthCarolina,SouthCarolina,andGeorgia).
Nowimaginetheseitemsinorderwhilewalkingslowlythroughyourmemorypalacewitheachinits
orderedplace.

2. 1.Connecticut-"CanIcut?"cuttingsomecakewithasoupcan
2.Delaware-DEL-aware,akeyboardwithaglowing,pulsatingredDELkey
3.Georgia-aGeorgiapeach(awomanfromGeorgia,holdingapeach)
4.Maryland-asmallplanecrowdedwithbrides,landingattheotherendoftheroom.
5.Massachusetts-amassivepileofchewinggumstucktoLegosets
6.NewHampshire-ahobbitfromtheshirewalkinginwithanewham
7.NewJersey-someonewearinganewsportsjerseywiththetagsstillon
8.NewYork-atinyYorkshireterrierpuppywearingabow,comingoutofagiftbox.
9.NorthCarolina-awomanwearingaT-shirtthatsaysCarolwithawickedYankeeaccent
10.Pennsylvania-ahumanoidpencilwhoislookingveinypreeninginavanitymirror
11.RhodeIsland-aroadieforabandwearingisland-styleclothes
12.Virginia-avirgindoingwhateveryouprefer,maybewaitingforsomeritualsacrifice
13.SouthCarolina-aSouthernBelledressedforaballwearingasashthatsaysCarol
PuttingtheItemsinPlace
Hereisasketchofthefloorplanofaformerhomeofmine.Itisbettertoimagineaplaceyouare
familiarwithinsteadofthisone,butitiseasiertodemonstratetheconceptwithaconcreteexample.
Therearethirteenlabeledlocationswhichwewillusetoillustratethemethod.Wehavenotusedas
manylocationsaswenormallywould(around20),becauseweonlyneedthirteen,andit'sbeneficialto
keepthingssimplewhenjuststarting.out.

3. Thelocationsare:
1.HomeOffice
2.Office/shopHallway
3.Entryway
4.Kitchen
5.Mainbathroom,withlaundryarea
6.FrontBedroom
7.Livingroom,picturewindow
8.Porch
9.Diningtable
10.Den,fireplacearea
11.Deck
12.MasterBedroom
13.Masterbathroom
Firstpracticewalkingthroughyourmemorypalaceinyourmindvisualizingitinasmuchdetailas
possible.
Makesureyouhavetheorderofthelocationsclearsothatyoucanremembertheminorder,easily
beforemovingontothenextpart.

4. Next,wewalkthroughourimageryandimagineitineachofthelocationsinorder.
Fortheroomlabeled1,ahomeoffice,Iimaginecuttingaweddingcakewithacanwhilesaying"CanI
cut?"toremindmyselfofConnecticut.Similarly,for2theoffice/shophallway,imagineagiantkeyboard
withadeletekeylabeled"DEL"pulsingwitharedlightandcontinueinthesamewayforeachimagein
eachlocationinorder.
SpacedRetrievalIntervals
Therearevariouswaystostructuretheintervals,butthesimplesttorememberisaversionoftherule
offive:5xadayfor1day,onceadayforfivedays,onceaweekforfiveweeks,onceamonthforfive
months.Theoriginal"RuleofFive"originatedwithmemorychampionDominicO'Brien.
Visualizations
HerearesomeAI-generatedimagestohelpwithvisualizingthingsonyourfirstgo,butyourimagination
isthebestwaybecauseitwillalwaysbeavailableforuse.

5. Ihopeyouhaveenjoyedthispost,andthatthememorypalacetechniquehelpsyouwithyourstudies
andothermemorizationneeds.IfyoulikedthisarticleyoucanSubscribetoLearnedMemory.com.