So, I've started watching Sherlock on my Netflix and highly reccomend it 'cause it is the shit. Anyway, I don't even know if I'm allowed to do this but I had to repost someone else's blog because it's fantastic and interesting. I should make it clear that this is not my work but I want everyone to read and enjoy anyway!

by Enoch Gawain | on June 23, 2012

Sherlock Holmes Photographic Memory Technique

Sherlock Holmes is THE crime fighting genius. In order for him to use his incredible deduction skills to solve crimes he has to remember every single detail. Not only that but he remembers in perfect photographic detail. That makes an interesting fictional character but is it even possible?

The short answer is yes. My favorite rendition of Sherlock is from the BBC TV series. (Picture above, I highly recommend it) In the show Sherlock has to face many complex problems. Whenever he has to solve those problems he goes into his “Mind Palace.” A place where he can re-live any memory or recall any detail.

You would think that a “Mind Palace” is only capable  for the high level geniuses. But actually it is a very simple and fun technique that anyone can do! I enjoy this technique and do it in my free time.

It is quite simple and use the brains visual power. The fact is we are amazing at remembering places we know. Using this skill we can leverage it to memorize everything and anything.

I will leave Joshua Foer to give it some context in his TED keynote speech: Feats of memory anyone can do

If you can’t see the video click here

Wow! Could you imagine how it would feel to memorize at much information as Joshua?! Let’s analyze Joshua’s mind palace and see how we can use it for ourselves!

Sherlock Holmes Photographic Memory Technique Steps:

1. Choose a Palace

First you have to choose a place to be your palace. The better you know this place the more effective you will be. Joshua uses his house as his palace. This is one of the best places. After all you are there every day making it much easier to remember.

This doesn’t have to be your house, you can use your place of employment, school or your walk in your favorite park for example.

2. Choose a Route

In the place of your choosing you have to commit to a set route.  You will use the route to travel through your palace.

Joshua’s route starts outside his house and then walks into his house, through his foyer, then to his living room and so on.

Be specific and have fun with it! Turn your route into an adventure. For example if you are using your house as your palace. You can walk up to your front door and open it, then look left and right before entering your house. The more specific you get the better.

2. Create Memory “folders” on your path

Just like a computer you can create folders which you can use to store any information you want. You can do this by memorizing certain features along your route. You will use these features like folders to effectively store visualizations which associate to the information you want to remember.

On Joshua’s route he starts out at his front door. The front door is his first feature. He knows exactly what material it is made out of and what color it is.  He then moves into his foyer and notices the quality of light. His second feature. He then moves on to the next room and notices his coffee table. His third feature. He then moves to his kitchen with his oven as a feature and so on. You can see that it doesn’t necessarily have to be an object.

Walk through your route and make note of the features you see. Have fun with it! For example part of your route could be something like this: When you walk into your living room and see the faded grape juice stain from your aunt penny (first feature). Then you look up to see a a picture on the wall of you and your best friend after a ball game. (second feature) Then you see the next feature.

3. Embed it between your ears!

Practice remembering your features by physically walking in your mind palace place on your route. As you come to a feature describe every detail about it out loud.  After that you can practice visualizing your route in your mind palace. Again say out loud each feature when you come it. It might help you to also write it down or ever draw the feature.

When you think you have got it perfect… practice it again! Do it until you can’t get it wrong.

4. Have fun storing information with your mind palace!

I promised this would be fun and this is the part you get to have it! Since you have mastered your palace you can now put it to good use. Let’s see how Joshua does it:

Joshua wants to remember his speech. In order to he places specific details about his speech within each memory folder he created. He does this by going through his mind palace and placing crazy, colorful, raunchy visualizations that associates to what he wants to remember.The more colorful, crazy, and raunchy it is better!

Joshua has organized his mind palace like an adventure. As he follows his route in his mind palace each feature has a visualizations that associates to what he wants to remember.
For example his speech starts out with him talking about a bizarre contest he went to. Since it it is the start of his speech he starts at the beginning of his mind palace. His first feature is his front door. When he sees it  He then visualizes:

“a pack of overweight nudist on bicycles. They are competing in a naked bicycle race and are heading straight for his door. They are pedaling really hard, they are sweaty and bouncy. They then crash into the front door of his home, bicycles go flying, wheels are rolling past, and spokes end up in awkward places.”

What a way to remember a contest! It is an image you could never forget! And that is why he will remember it. Make your visualizations images you will never forget.

Give your visualizations life. For example when Joshua imagines Cookie Monster. He can feel Cookie Monster’s blue fur tickling him under his nose. He can smell the oatmeal raisin cookie that Cookie Monster is about to scarf down. The more you feel, hear, smell and taste about the visualization the better you remember it.

5. Turn into a crime fighting genius

Store everything that you need remember in your palace. For example a grocery list, or maybe the details of every road in your city so you can easily catch and apprehend fleeing criminals.:P

Have some fun spending a little time everyday coming up with the most crazy and color mental images you possibly can to remember anything. 

Sherlock Holmes Photographic Memory Technique Conclusion:

First off Sherlock Holmes must have the most dirty and colorful mind on the planet to remember things so well! Jokes aside this is one powerful technique which you can use to memorize anything you want. I like it because it is a lot of fun and works so well!

It can help you remember everything and anything. If you are like blogger “baby genie” she could hardly remember everyday stuff. She how she used this Sherlock Holmes Photographic Memory Technique to remember everyday stuff she used to forget.

I hope you enjoy this technique and have a lot of fun remembering because that is how it should be!

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P.S. If you liked this post check out my post on How to Improve Focus and Concentration with only a Penny