Loci Method: How To Memorize An Entire Book

The loci method is the most effective memory technique for memorizing a list of terms, a complete mind map, or an entire book in a very short amount of time. This technique uses a route with specific anchor points where words or images can be mentally placed. The loci method is based on our excellent memory for places and things that we can visualize.

Creating a Route

To create such a route, use a building or a path (e.g., your way to work) that you know well. For your first route, it’s best to use your house or apartment. Start in any room and select three to six objects in that room as anchor points. Ensure that these objects are about one to three meters wide and at least half a meter apart from each other. Possible anchor points could be a bed, television, wardrobe, chair, sink, or other memorable objects. It’s best to arrange the anchor points in a clockwise direction, as you need to remember the order of the anchor points. Then, do the same with other rooms to create a route with as many anchor points as possible.

Once you’re finished, mentally walk through your route as many times as necessary until you can recall each anchor point in about half a second. With 40 anchor points, you should be able to go through your route in 20 seconds.

Applying the Loci Method

Now you can use your route to memorize a list of words that contains as many terms as there are anchor points in your route. For this, associate the first word on the list with your first anchor point, the second word with your second anchor point, and so on. For example, if your anchor point is a wardrobe and the word is “sheep”, you can imagine opening your wardrobe and finding a sheep sitting inside and mows. If your anchor point is a desk and the word is “books”, you can visualize several books piling up on the desk, with some already falling down. See and hear a book hitting the floor. Bring movement into your mental images and use as many senses as possible during the creation process. Try to see, hear, and feel these images clearly, or imagine tasting or smelling something. Also, incorporate emotions into your images. This makes them more memorable, and you can recall the words more easily.

If you regularly walk through the route with the memorized terms, you can remember the terms for as long as you want. However, if you want to use the route for a different list, you should not walk through it for one to two days so that the associations fade somewhat, and then you can place new items in the route.

Memorizing a Book Using the Loci Method

You can use the loci method while reading to remember the content of the text much better. After each section, take a short break and find a suitable keyword or image that represents the content of that section. Visualize this and place it in your route. This way, you can recall the content of the entire text even days later. With a bit of practice, you should be able to create these images within just two to three seconds and place them in your route. After reading the text or at the end of a chapter, you can go through your entire route again and summarize the content of the text.

Additionally, you can create a mind map with all the stored keywords. This will help you retain them securely and allow you to quickly memorize them again if you forget some keywords or if you have temporarily used your route for other purposes.

Tasks

• Create a route with at least 30 anchor points, as described above.
• Once you can confidently walk through the route, try to memorize the following 30 words in 5 minutes and then recall them in the same order in another 5 minutes:

Pants	Table	Diamond
Car	Teeth	Bomb
Butterfly	Computer	Fishing Pole
Tube	Book	Compass
Tea	Candle	Sand
Family	Tiger	Garbage
Rock	Rocket	Balloon
Chair	Supporter	Hammer
Finger	Hat	Magnet
Airplane	Bowling ball	Flowers

• Create additional routes and practice the loci method. It’s best to practice in everyday situations by memorizing shopping lists, to-do lists, or any other lists you want to remember using the loci method.
• Read a chapter of a book and find a suitable image or keyword for each section that summarizes the content of that section. Memorize these images and keywords with the loci method by placing them in your route. After reading the chapter, go through your route again and summarize the content.