PhotoReading - Day 20 - Pieces of Eight

Day : Day 20

So the weather here in the UK is terrible. Wimbledon is rained off. No surprise really. Is that rain coming from the sky or is the water come up from the ground? I don't think, anybody is quite sure anymore.

Therefore what to do? I could quite happily have a few too many cheeky beverages all in the name of human science and personal development. Then again, I do have an assignment to complete. OK, how about a deal...do the assignment and then have a cheeky few. Done!

What can I tell you? I was really excited to get started. Very much unlike University days! I've an assignment to complete, the weather is bad. The beer is chilling. PhotoReading here we come.

Already I've photoread the PhotoReading book today. After all my assignment will involve me PhotoReading many books in one siting. I just felt it would be to my benefit to read the book again. I focused my post viewing on the synoptic reading section.

My books today were (covers at end) :

The Structure of Magic II: A Book About Communication and Change - Richard Bandler

Ericksonian Approaches: A Comprehensive Manual

Principles of NLP - Joseph O'Connor

Training Trances - John Overdurf

Understanding Neuro-linguistic Programming in a Week

Instant Rapport - Michael Brooks

Hypnosis: A Comprehensive Guide - Tad James

The Sourcebook of Magic - Michael Hall

I've read all of these previously, never just given them the PhotoReading treatment. My purpose was pretty much set by the assignment question. I just further defined my PhotoReading purpose by asking what, where, when and how. My original assignment title was to describe X. Describe is pretty general a term I think. I didn't really need to preview as I've already read these books. I just went over the back, front covers and the table of contents.

I got into state before each book and then flipped through the books. All in all they all took me about half an hour to 45 minutes to go through. I then went away. I walked the dog...oh the excitement. Yet, it got me away from the books for about half an hour.

I then began to go through each book with my how, what, where and when questions. Sometimes I knew which book to go to for the answers. I grabbed what I needed looked at the table of contents or index, read and left. Others, I wasn't so sure of. I guess I need to pay more attention to my own internal signals. I was able to mind map each section that I needed to answer. I did go on to Wikipedia to see if there was anything else I could add to my mind maps. Aside from a few references, there wasn't. I then just sat down with my PC and began writing my assignment up. I writing came quite easily and rather fluidly. I was impressed. Although I'd made mind maps of the areas I wanted to cover. I didn't need to refer to them much. The first draft is done. I'll come back to it in a few days. When my mind has had further time to ponder my assignment question and add detail if required. I'll also be able to check over the spelling and grammar etc.

The assignment wasn't that difficult to complete, yet I still had to be motivated to do it. After all I don't, in theory, have to hand it in until early December. Now it is done. I can now begin planning more important things... October, my next piece of travelling, catching up with friends. In addition it is time to really putting into further practise the ideas of Tim Ferriss. Who at the moment doesn't appear to have caught on too much over here in the UK. Only a matter of time. By then, I'll be back on one of my favourite beaches.Thankfully I've got somebody over here who is able to chase me and quiz me on that side of things. Cheers Dan!

If I've not had too much of the amber nectar. I'm going to play with Direct Learning tomorrow.

Happy Travels

A

Technorati : Hypnosis, NLP, PhotoReading

PhotoReading Days 17 and 18 - Two of Everything

For some reason that escapes me right now the last few posts are missing. It is nobody's fault except my own. Everything happens for a positive reason.

So a quick recap over the last few days.

Day 17 I PhotoRead the following : The Virgin Wine Guide by Chris Orr and Day 18 I read Using LDAP for Directory Integration by IBM.

Whilst the Virgin Wine book was good as I love my food and wine.I'm not going to discuss about that one.Not much out of the ordinary except I drank another few glasses of wine.

The one I'll spend a little time on is the LDAP experience.

This happened in my current office. I was under a little pressure as LDAP isn't something I spend a great deal of time with. It was for work, not so much pleasure. The book was in a PDF format. Several 100 pages. I had to answer a question from a client and prepare documentation for implementing a solution.

I grabbed the PDF, prepared myself, which much to my relieve is relatively easy to do in my current office. I then already knew my purpose, since the client had posed a question that I needed to answer. I configured by Adobe Reader for full screen and for the software to turn the pages at a page a second. I was using the PhotoFocus technique by where you imagine an X on the page, yet, this was on my computer screen. The pages flipped by. I went through the book several times. The first time I was worried that people would ask me what I was doing. Thankfully they didn't. I was able to relax. Most people don't seem to care as long as you get your work done! I then went away from the PDF for a good half an hour. I even went outside for a walk. I had errands to run. This meant I was totally away from my reading material. I could allow my whole mind to process what had just happened.

I then returned to the book, looked at the table of contents and went straight to one chapter. In there was everything I needed to answer the question and prepare my documentation. I also implemented the solution into my test environment so that I could grab screen shots to put into my documentation.

Not bad for a few hours work. The client seemed pretty pleased too. This is great as I seem to have amassed rather a large collection of PDF documents.

Happy Travels

A

PhotoReading - Day 19- The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

Day : Day 19

Title : The Secret - Rhonda Byrne

So I've seen the film, heard the audio , blogged about it. Now it was time to read the book. Very quick, very easy. I know this book. I practise the secret some of the time. This and Tim Ferriss's book have reinvigorated my goal setting and manifesting the goals in my life . I've photoread this book several times now as I want to have this information at a very deep level within myself.

I've set up my vision board.

Happy Travels

A

The Secret - Aha - Do It, Done It, Stopped

All,

Wow, what a weekend. I didn't PhotoRead.I've had much going on in my head and I've been attending my course.

This weekend we learnt about TIR . A deceptively simple set of techniques for reducing and resolving trauma. Whilst the set of techniques didn't do much for me on the day. I did discover things about myself. To cut along story short. I felt guilty about certain events that had happened to me when I was very young. I was able to release the guilt about the event and the larger issue.

That night I watched The Secret

For me this was an aha moment. I've had many negative thoughts going through my mind the last few days. Yet I thought they were positive. I was asking for what I wanted. Yet, I was actually asking for what I didn't want. The irony for me has been. My last two large manifestations (travelling around the world for a year and got a car that I've wanted for the last 5 years).I've done the Secret Process without knowing it.

Recently I've been thinking about where to live, yet wondering why I'm not living there already. Firstly thinking about the Secret Process as I understand it. I've not been focusing on the idea completely. I found that hanging a picture or as one of the expert says a vision board has really helped me in the past.

For my travels, I hung a map on the wall and discussed my travels, where I was going, what I was doing. I was able to see it every day. I imagined myself on beaches, swimming with whale sharks etc.

For my car, I had the brochure, had the car as my desktop wallpaper.

Each and every day I've seen my goals. With both I've spent time imaging what it would be like to have them.

On each goal. I 'made up' my mind it was going to happen. Still not sure what the 'turn in the key' or my mind was that made the thoughts solidify. I think it maybe the constant visioning, discussing, planning and doing something to that goal. Although I don't always know what I consciously did as an action.

The creative process has worked it for me, why have I stopped or only use it for certain goals not everything that I want?

Thankfully, I've a really good friend on the course and we talked about it all over lunch. I've got him to get in contact with me by Friday.

Since I need to create a vision board or something visual that I can see EVERY DAY. This I think for me has been a really important step to achieve my other goals. They say only 2-4% of people write goals. I think I write enough for that 2%. Why do some work out and some don't? I'm watching the next 30 days/months as I fully apply the secret process. What is truly possible for us all?

For the last few days, I've been on a totally energetic level. Yes, I've had negative thoughts. I managed to catch myself. Then change the thought to something more positive. I've done this by thinking about what I really want. The people I'll be with. Sometimes, I've played music, that is just hi tempo and makes me smile. The willingness to sing or dance around ie change your physical state has an amazing affect on your thoughts.

Happy Travels

A

PhotoReading - Day 16- Natural Brilliance by Paul Scheele

Day : Day 16

Time : 2118

Location : Kitchen

Trigger Words : I seemed to be reading quite slowly tonight, the table of contents was quite long and rather detailed. I didn't look for specifically or see trigger words. More I noticed the bold print at the side of the pages and the occasional bold sub heading.
Title : Natural Brilliance - Paul Scheele

Purpose : This was really funny. I have been awaiting the arrival of half a dozen books from various on line books sellers the last week. So far none have arrived...grumble. I went upstairs to my selection of books that I already have and I thought, OK, pick a book that I've already read and see if I notice something different. On my shelves nothing appealed. I didn't even fancy browsing anything. Then I thought come on, I need to read and blog. A great motivator!!

Prepare and Preview: Then it popped into my head. I've the above book. Let's see what happens. At the moment I'm frustrated with my success of PhotoReading. Yet the irony is with non fiction, I don't want to read in a normal manner any more. I want an aha moment. I previewed the book, perhaps a little long as mentioned under the trigger word section. Yet I just went with it. The byline of the book caught my attention, move from Feeling Stuck to Achieving Success. I thought that is rather ironic. What am I, stuck.

Thoughts on Process : As if it wasn't bad enough. I could not find any large paper to mind map the contents or what I wanted from the book....stuck, stuck, stuck..However, everything happens for a positive reason. I just went ahead anyway. I am at that frustrated stage of learning that occurs in any skill acquisition. I PhotoRead the book and instead of waiting overnight or 20 minutes to activate. I just ploughed straight ahead.

Time Spent activating and how : I SuperRead and dipped. Only for about 20 minutes. Things that really stood out for me where: Paul has drawn several diagrams on moving and having no more stuck states. The diagrams are of 4 squares connected to form a larger cube. This immediately screamed at me Cartesian Coordinates. These are used in mathematics, quantum physics and a certain NLP language pattern to prove or disprove something is or is not true. I just need to focus on the prize...what is my end or ultimate goal with PhotoReading? Then I went to the chapters about PhotoReading and Natural Brilliance, since I want to experience this later on, if not sooner. I've many, many cook and wine books that I want to PhotoRead and then the ultimate goal, would be to be a more confident cook. I could open a cupboard and look at my shelves and go yes, tonight I'll have X. I'm wanting to Synoptic Read too.

It was the section in the book about. Find Evidence of Success that struck me. I'm asking myself is it working all the time at the moment. In fact I seem to be questioning much at the moment...not just about PhotoReading. Stop. Trust again my unconscious mind. Fear is the biggest stop sign of all. What is my fear from PhotoReading? That I'll actually enjoy reading? That I'll succeed? That I'll fail? That I'll have no more excuses for not reading? I'll need more money to buy more books. Much of what interests me just isn't available in my local library. Just focus on the prize!!

What is the one thing from the book that I can use right now in my life? Trust, Frustration is a signal..a question do yo really want this? I feel as though it has been brought to my attention not to worry so much...A little like life at the moment. I am questioning much. All will work itself out. Focus on what you want and it shall come your way.

Let us hope the other books turn up tomorrow. I'll be getting another reading list over the weekend.

It has got me thinking though with my trips to Dresden and Japan. How can I get ahead with learning the languages? Japanese will very much be self study at the moment, where as I've a little more time with German. I'll most likely attend an evening class for German, maybe even sign up to do an official exam. How will PhotoReading help with each and both?

As ever at the moment, I must beginning going through again and apply the ideas of Tim Ferriss to create my own DEAL lifestyle. This I like much! To those who I met travelling the world last year. I'm coming your way. Hold on.

Happy Travels

A

PhotoReading - The journey so far.

Dear All,

I sit here with a cheeky beer reflecting on the past days and what I've achieved so far.

PhotoReading holds much promise, yet I do wonder am I PhotoReading the book or skimming the book? Then again I don't want to go back and try the old/normal style of reading that I and most of us do. I don't have the time or inclination.

I've, to my knowledge had no direct learning experiences yet. I've looked at or read more books than I would every normally do in a year, let alone a month. It has only been 15 days, 15 books officially. Not to include emails, magazines and wet sites etc. How much practise did you do in order to be able to walk or talk? PhotoReading is easy in comparison.We've already done the hardest learning we'll ever have to do in our life by the time we are 7 or 8. Despite what teachers and schooling may tell us. Most exams don't actually matter in the real world.

I've noticed that I am sleeping better ie. I may only wake up once during the night and normally not too early. Very often before I would wake up several times in the night and at silly hours ie 4,5, or 6am. Getting into state is good. This constantly relaxation effort can only be a good thing for myself and my body.

When presented with books and book lists, I have begun to get excited. "I can PhotoRead these". I should get more book suggestions this weekend. Previewing a book is one of the greatest skills I have learnt and reinforced so far to date. PRing books from a library or well thumbed are easier when doing the photoreading step of the PRWMS. I've read all types of books, except fiction. In a variety of locations and times.

Moving forward, I am asking myself for an undeniable experience of PhotoReading success. Yet what is that? I am just wondering how I could test myself or prove to myself that it is working. Although this may put added pressure on me, I want concrete proof that the system is working, or I am doing it right...or just an aha moment.

Anybody wish to test me..recommend a book? How or where to go from here? I suppose you would have to ask yourself, how long would it normally take you to read book X and gain the information that you want from it. After all, PhotoReading isn't about photographic recall of a book and its material. It is getting the information and comprehension that you want in the time you have available, as they say.

Happy Travels

A

PhotoReading - Day 15- Japan by Mikiso Hane

Day : Day 15

Time : 2230/1500

Location : Kitchen/Train

Trigger Words : 15 - I hardly saw any trigger words from the text itself Most came from the index.

Title : Japan : A Short History - Mikiso Hane

Purpose : I'm off to Japan later in the year, so along with learning some of the language, I thought I'd better read more than just a guide book or two.. I read about the Geisha recently. This was a most fascinating book. I'll hopefully be stopping off in Kyoto. I'm wanting now to read more about the history of Japan, if nothing else to understand the history of their politeness. I thought I was polite and fairly well behavioured and mannered. I'm nothing compared to my Japanese friends. Yet like all cultures, we have things that irritate them and vice versa. The biggest thing that worries me about going other than the language is making a huge social faux par. Although my friends say not to worry. In addition how will this book add to what I already have read about Japan?

Prepare and Preview: As I began to prepare I became very excited and it was actually quite difficult to relax. The is a book that I've hired from my local library. It is actually rather tatty. The spine is broken, not all pages seem to be within the spine.

Thoughts on Process : PhotoReading the book was actually easier than I expected. If I have time I normally PhotoRead the book back to front and then front to back and in at least one direction I'll have the book upside down. I gave up going back to front as the state of the book and spine prohibited easy page turning.

Time Spent activating and how : I activated the book on a train. This for me was really interesting because originally I had wanted to super read and dip the entire book. Yet, when it came down to it. I wasn't actually that bothered. Therefore I changed my purpose to something that actually I might want to get from the book. This was a much better idea. I was interested in what I was reading and not just reading for the sake of reading.

Happy Travels

A

PhotoReading - Day 14- Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and Metaphors by Hammond

Day : Day 14

Time : 2300

Location : Living Room

Trigger Words : 10 and questions or areas that I wanted to read and gain ideas from.

Title : Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and Metaphors by Hammond

Purpose : This is one of my course books. I purpose for reading this was to dip in and out and use it as an on going resource. I Super Read and dipped for information that I'm curious about. I was looking for ideas to incorporate into my own work. I did wonder what might be the effect if I PhotoRead this book daily for a week or month.

Prepare and Preview: Getting into an accelerated learning state is becoming easier and easier. Previewing took me longer than I normally would do. I think I spent about 10 minutes. I read the several page introduction. The book has the largest in size pages that I've come across so far in all my books. To is uniformly laid out. I chose not to not and read all the bold print. Most of the bold print was already in the table of contents. I didn't look at the index.

Thoughts on Process : The largest book in size of and number of pages, yet it is was a very easy book too PhotoRead. Thankfully in a large part to it being second hand. Activation was quiet quick as I only looked at areas that I wanted to know more about. Using hypnosis in certain contexts or how to formulate suggestion. I think that further activation shall naturally happen as I do more hypnosis and as I read sections as and when I want. Again I wonder how just PhotoReading a book like this for several days continually may affect my work.

Time Spent activating and how : This is a book I shall often reference. So activation perhaps shall not happen in just a single sitting. I read information that I am currently curious about. There are certain areas that hypnosis is often used for that I have no interest in at all, so I skipped them.

What is the one thing from the book that I can use right now in my life? Language patterns and a reinforcement of things I already know and that I may discover. After all repetition is the mother of all skill.

The Future : Practise, practise, practise.

Happy Travels

A

PhotoReading - Day 13- Queer Eye for the Straight Guy by Ted Allen et al.

Day : Day 13

Time : 1100

Location : Living Room

Trigger Words : none

Title : Queer Eye for the Straight Guy - Ted Allen et al.

Purpose : I just picked this up, no pun intended from my local library. I, like many have seen the television show. What could I learn since I am certainly not as neolithic as some of the chaps they have on there show? Then again, that is television for you.

Prepare and Preview: Preview and preparing was quick simple and easy. It is a very glossy book with many pictures.

Thoughts on Process : In the end I didn't do the PhotoReading step itself. By the time I had previewed and formulate some ideas for what I wanted out of the book I had already got all the information out of the book.

Time Spent activating and how : Not really activating in the true PhotoReading sense. Yet all in all about 20 minutes.

What is the one thing from the book that I can use right now in my life? I've photocopied sections of the book since, it is full of recipe ideas. The section on culture is quite interesting. Ray, one of the five seems to be heavily into reading. Well hello PRing and PRers. He tells you what to read to ramp up your cultural knowledge. Oh and the idea of Pims and Champagne is pretty lethal as a drink mixture too. Although more testing may be needed just to make sure.

The Future : A complete new wardrobe is in order. Then again I knew that anyway. Roll on October. More cooking recipes to add to my ever expanding collection. Thanks to Jay, I'll be reading more fiction. I've already checked out some prize winning lists. In addition maybe magazines like Time Out,

Happy Travels

A

PhotoReading - Day 12- Uncommon Therapy by Jay Hayley

Day : Day 12

Time : 11:00

Location : Germany

Trigger Words : some

Title : Jay Hayley - Uncommon Therapy

Well what can I say. This was the worst PhotoReading session I have had so far. This is a book on my course reading list and yet I just could not, did not want to read it. I prepared, although not that successfully. Previewed, PhotoRead the book. Yet SuperReading and dipping was terrible. I kept asking myself am I PhotoReading, or just skimming. How will I know the difference? I gave myself an hour to activate the book and yet kept looking at the clock for my time to finish. In the end I just gave up. I wasn't enjoying the process or even motivated to do so. I felt uncomfortable, I just could not get 'into' the book.

Was it because of my purpose not being specific enough, or the fact I was in a new location, physically? Not taking the time and effort that I normally do to complete a book? Therefore the best thing for me to do was to stop. Or was that the easy way out. Am I being tested..do I really want to learn this skill?

The last few days before my travels I've been PhotoReading the German Dictionary. I'm curious to notice what happens. Will I be able to speak and or understand German any better than I do now? What is my purpose for PRing the dictionary, what is my ultimate application?

Happy Travels

A

PhotoReading - Day 11- Geisha by Lesley Downer

Day : Day 11

Time : 1100

Location : Travelling - Aeroplane and Dresden

Trigger Words : 20

Title : Geisha - Lesley Downer

Purpose : I'm off to Japan later in the year, so along with learning some of the language, I thought I'd better read more than just a guide book or two..

Prepare and Preview: This was done in an airport lounge, with much adrenalin running as about I was about to catch a plane to Germany.

Thoughts on Process : I just blanked everybody out of my mind as I flipped the pages. There is so much going on in a airport lounge, people just don't notice another traveller. Although sometimes I am questioning, am I applying the PRWMS or just scanning pages?

Time Spent activating and how : I SuperRead and dipped the book for ages and ages. Not only was this the longest/larges book to date, was in English and Japanese. There was so much to take in. I was very drained by the end of the whole reading, yet. happy as this was a huge accomplishment. I think all in all I activated the book for some 5 hours. In the past the size of book would have put me off from even picking it up.

What is the one thing from the book that I can use right now in my life? October, October, October. That is when I'm off to Japan. The book is a look at a fast disappearing area of Japanese culture. Yet it is truly a great piece of work. Now on to learning the language.

The Future : A book of this size and complexity, should be read over several days. In fact there was much information, I'll never read again or even need to know. Despite that, I'm glad I activated the whole book. Being able to activate such a long book, was quite an accomplishment. Just don't ask me to mind map it.

Side Note : Back from Dresden, so I'll be writing up the other books that I've PhotoRead over the last week, when I can.

Happy Travels

A