What are the ‘Mnemonics’?

D.

When reading my notes one commonly finds I mention mnemonics as I discuss accessing various focus-levels. My mnemonics are derived from the TMI technique of using pick-codes. The pick-code is a bookmark to a focus-level environment so to speak. It’s first introduced in the Lifelines course if I recall correctly. It is briefly instructed in principal but not strongly emphasized as a TMI practice.

I adapted the method for my own use, referring to my identifiers as mnemonics. Simply, the pick-code, or mnemonic, is an imaginary image one associates through extensive practice with some focus-level or state-object; later recalling the mnemonic to invoke the desired connection. I access levels sequentially.

In my hemi-sync training I specifically focused on creating imaginary images that cue my entrance to the desired respective focus-levels. I did this methodically so that I could reproduce access to the associated focus-levels at will. To this day I am strictly consistent with my mnemonics.

For example my mnemonic for Alpha Squared in focus-level 42 is an imaginary image of my name written cursive with the number 42 below that. My mnemonics for focus 12 to 21 are a set of elevator-floor indicator lights. For focus 10 I have a series of images for invoking that state. This series of mnemonics approach allows a step-wise achievement of focus 10’s Body-Asleep/Mind-Awake state.

That step-wise approach for F10 goes like this: I first tell parts of my body to go to sleep. Then, to invoke the mnemonic I envision a post in the ground on my left with the number 10 on it. I push this mind’s eye post into the ground. Next I envision the front wheel on an old 1920s car. I studied the wheel. Then I examine the fender, front bumper, and front grill. From there I look at the number 10 written in cursive on the top tank of the chrome radiator. After that I look up at a hood ornament. It has the shape of the number 10.

That’s my basic process for engaging the mnemonic series that gets me to F10. There are additional things I do to maintain that mnemonic.

When I wake up (quasi-waking) in the morning, I make a mental note how good it feels to be in bed. I try to get a good look at that feeling. At night, anytime I wake up, I put myself back to sleep using my mnemonic series along with the body commands. With making body commands I try to recall and remind my body how good it feels to be asleep in the morning; commanding each part of the body to go to sleep. I’ve been doing this for years every night.

For training one may use a F10 track to practice the body-asleep deep relaxation. Find some method of relaxation training that works for you. At times, for training, I envision a short staircase, say three to five steps. I relax and see myself at the top of the stars. Using whatever relaxation method one chooses, I work at relaxing further and envision myself moving down one step; re-execute your mnemonic.

The idea is one wants to memorize that state of relaxation and associate it with your mnemonic. One may repeat this loop of exercises for the duration of the F10 track. As you become more deeply relaxed, continue moving yourself down a step on your imaginary staircase and repeat your mnemonic. Keep repeating this process until you are at the bottom of the imaginary staircase. You can practice this as much as you need.

Continuing with the original discussion: I found I was able to access the focus-levels without hemi-sync by invoking these visual bookmark images in my meditations after about 100 hrs of hemi-sync training, but it took about 400 hours of hemi-sync training for me to do this well and, alas one may get rusty if one skips meditations for a length of time. The reason it took that long to train is it never dawned on me to try meditations without hemi-sync.

Once I visually produce one of my mnemonics I start connecting to the respective level. It generally takes some effort for me to produce a mnemonic image in my mind’s eye so there is some effort and repetition in initializing the shift. Ultimately, the successful “shift” is what I call consolidating, ie arriving there. I can’t explain how I do that.

Often the purpose of my meditation session is solely the practice of reinforcing these mnemonics. That is I will load up some hemi-sync take-home CD¹ and go practice the mnemonic associations, shifting thru many focus-levels. To anyone starting out with hemi-sync I strongly recommend this practice. Meditating without hemi-sync is what I call a manual mediation. It is not uncommon for my manual meditations to be more powerful then with hemi-sync and in the manual meditations I’m not constrained by the time limit of a hemi-sync track.

Another one of my practices is what I call working on the blank-slate. I practice this in all levels. In this type of practice meditation I work to achieve a calm settled mind in some focus-level and then I observe and critique all thoughts, images, whatever is arriving at my mind’s eye in that level. In this way I practice policing all front-loads, memory-loads, and other thoughts. In this exercise I’m not seeking anything other than to practice connecting, discerning, and weeding out my own thoughts. I am not concentrating on my navel! My attention is purely outward. The goal is to achieve and control a pure objective single-minded observational stance of one’s mind’s eye. This becomes a basic skill and is my default poise of mind in all focus-levels.

Some people including TMI instructors push the idea of using your imagination to kickstart some experience. I don’t do that and I don’t recommend it.

It is very important to recognize that everything one encounters is not necessarily authentic or valid. Some can fall prey to fantasy experiences resulting from stuff they learned from the Internet, read in some book, seen on TV, or just heard from someone else – such as an TMI instructor.

These front-loads may be random and they may be motivated by a strong desire to have some experience – any experience. In a focus-level one may be very susceptible to suggestion – from anywhere. If one doesn’t get to know the noisy garbage in one’s own mind, one may not discern the validity of their own experiences.

Another meditation exercise: Feel the Stones