Bhaktananda Memory Lesson Review 8/18/80 from an SRF devotee

[Jitendra Hydonus]

Bhaktananda Memory Lesson Review 8/18/80

Memory

We all need memory, for any sort of progress. It is false that memory can’t be developed. Memory is like a muscle – the more you use it, the better it gets.

Train the conscious mind to remember by the practice of introspection.

Train the subconscious mind by practice of recall, creative imagination – not daydreaming.

Train the superconscious mind by meditation, practice of the presence and being calm and even-minded. Calm in the heart, even – with the mind.

Rap the skull and say to yourself

I am awakening millions and millions of brain cells
I am awakening millions and millions of brain cells
I am awakening the whole brain

Vocabulary memory Use devices in your home to remember things that you need to learn. Put a string across the room with close pins, and hang paper to learn vocabulary.
For such learning you must be interested, and use emotions and feeling.

Forgetting why you came into a room? Avoid “what am I here for?” as you walk from one room to the other, think only one thought – what you are going to get or do in the other room – as you walk from one room to the other. Don’t let other thoughts intrude.

Being Introduced to People: Do not try to think of what to say. Concentrate on only one thought – be interested only in the name. That is all.

We desire things and think of them all the time. We should think of God like that.

[guest88]

thank you steve for these recent post
deep down these feel right
but all to often walking astray i tend to forget
its nice coming home though and feeling nourished or re-energized
should take bhaktanandas advice and strengthen my memory
maybe next time i will be stronger in tomorrows journey
thanks

[Jitendra Hydonus]

Bhaktananda Memory Lesson Review 8/18/80

Memory

We all need memory, for any sort of progress. It is false that memory can’t be developed. Memory is like a muscle – the more you use it, the better it gets.

Train the conscious mind to remember by the practice of introspection.

Train the subconscious mind by practice of recall, creative imagination – not daydreaming.

Train the superconscious mind by meditation, practice of the presence and being calm and even-minded. Calm in the heart, even – with the mind.

Rap the skull and say to yourself

I am awakening millions and millions of brain cells
I am awakening millions and millions of brain cells
I am awakening the whole brain

Vocabulary memory Use devices in your home to remember things that you need to learn. Put a string across the room with close pins, and hang paper to learn vocabulary.
For such learning you must be interested, and use emotions and feeling.

Forgetting why you came into a room? Avoid “what am I here for?” as you walk from one room to the other, think only one thought – what you are going to get or do in the other room – as you walk from one room to the other. Don’t let other thoughts intrude.

Being Introduced to People: Do not try to think of what to say. Concentrate on only one thought – be interested only in the name. That is all.

We desire things and think of them all the time. We should think of God like that.

i guess some things just have to b repeated over and over to remember them and practice them. Such is the case with these suggestions that Brother Bhaktananda gave. i feel somewhat responsible for transmitting his words since i was so fortunate to b in the presence of such a saint in my early 20's. i think if we, as spiritual aspirants on the path,  should make an effort to recognize the blessings we have had from others thru out our lives. If we do this it will soon become apparent just how much God has blessed us when we feel discouraged.

i practice the energization exercises daily which include rapping on the head that Brother mentions in this talk. i also quite often  wonder; how do i remember peoples names?  He gives some good advice for that here. He was always so practical in his advice, that he gave, on so many details of living this life in the material world.

Jitendra

[mccoy]

Since I seem to suffer the drawbacks Bakhtananda speaks about: not reminding why I went from one room to another; not reminding people's names.

I gather they are a consequence of age and Bakhtananda himself maybe suffered them himself and devised methods to overcome them.

Unignorable suggestions from the most popular SRF monk ever!

[Jitendra Hydonus]

Since I seem to suffer the drawbacks Bakhtananda speaks about: not reminding why I went from one room to another; not reminding people's names.

I gather they are a consequence of age and Bakhtananda himself maybe suffered them himself and devised methods to overcome them.

Unignorable suggestions from the most popular SRF monk ever!

Thanks for bringing this one up again... it seems I forgot it!     

He could be very funny. His humor was quite wry. I remember he mentioned once in a lecture about colds: he had a cold for over a month and he explained during the sermon that someone mentioned it to him and he said he would "have to look in to it." As if he was not even aware of it or it didn't seem to affect him. Then he said that colds were a natural phenomena to release toxins in the body.

[Jitendra Hydonus]

Recently, I have recognized just how important it is not to let other intruding thoughts infringe on our consciousness when we have set out to do something. It is as simple as Bhaktananda said in the first entry here….the example about the room I find appropriate, since at times I can walk from one room to another or out to the car and other thoughts capture my attention so I forget what I just came to do and must gather my thoughts to proceed with the project at hand.

And I ‘forgot’ that he reminded us of and exercise in the SRF lessons that can be done anytime of the day to stimulate memory retention; rapping the head and say to oneself; “I am awakening millions of brain cells.” This thought can also be added to the ‘energization exercises’ while practicing rapping the skul.

Bhaktananda Memory Lesson Review 8/18/80

Memory

We all need memory, for any sort of progress. It is false that memory can’t be developed. Memory is like a muscle – the more you use it, the better it gets.

Train the conscious mind to remember by the practice of introspection.

Rap the skull and say to yourself

I am awakening millions and millions of brain cells
I am awakening millions and millions of brain cells
I am awakening the whole brain

Forgetting why you came into a room? Avoid “what am I here for?” as you walk from one room to the other, think only one thought – what you are going to get or do in the other room – as you walk from one room to the other. Don’t let other thoughts intrude.

Being Introduced to People: Do not try to think of what to say. Concentrate on only one thought – be interested only in the name. That is all.

We desire things and think of them all the time. We should think of God like that.