I'm starting to memorize the Bible and I was wondering if anyone had any advice on memorizing large texts. I got through James 1 today, but I want to make sure it sticks.
Tips for Memorization?
- Thread starter Michael Chris
- Start date
Texts, no, I don't know any schemes for memorizing stuff that abstract.
Lists of nouns (such as shopping lists), on the other hand, that I can help with.
Doesn't have to be nouns, really---anything visualizable will do.
Choose a location you're very familiar with. Could be your room, your house, your office, anything. Now, map a route through it which you can easily remember. This route should have a fair number of easily recallable discreet locations along it.
Now, walk along the route in your mind, and in each location, think up an image which associates an item on the list with the location. The wackier the image the better. For instance, if a location were my bedroom and the next item on my list was "jet engine", I'd get the scene from Donnie Darko.
This effectively bypasses short-term memory and dumps the list directly into long-term memory. Try it. Normally a human can't easily recall more than 7-8 or so words in a list that's read to them aloud, but with this technique it's easy to recall upwards of 20 with no problem.
Lists of nouns (such as shopping lists), on the other hand, that I can help with.
Doesn't have to be nouns, really---anything visualizable will do.
Choose a location you're very familiar with. Could be your room, your house, your office, anything. Now, map a route through it which you can easily remember. This route should have a fair number of easily recallable discreet locations along it.
Now, walk along the route in your mind, and in each location, think up an image which associates an item on the list with the location. The wackier the image the better. For instance, if a location were my bedroom and the next item on my list was "jet engine", I'd get the scene from Donnie Darko.
This effectively bypasses short-term memory and dumps the list directly into long-term memory. Try it. Normally a human can't easily recall more than 7-8 or so words in a list that's read to them aloud, but with this technique it's easy to recall upwards of 20 with no problem.
You want to memorize the whole bible?
You would need one heck of a mnemonic to remember that!
Make a story out of it.
Well, it's not like he uses his brain for anything else.
Just kidding Micheal. You are wacky, but we like you nonetheless.
Yeah. That sounds like something that I learned in public speaking and psych, Lindley! It really does work.
Just google it.
Well, I did look up some techniques. Just wanted to see if anyone here had any extra thoughts.
I think he meant to google the content of the Bible when you need it and be done with it.
Actually, I was referencing the thread where folks thought you shouldn't have to memorize stuff, just google it. 
Wasn't it DaVinci who used the image of a vast library? He would put different items on the "shelves" or something?
I think there are some of other faiths, I'm thinking Muslim Imans or Jewish Rabbis, who do memorize large portions of scripture.
Sit down for this as early in the morning as possible. Saying it out loud helps, too. Some people like to rock back and forth when reciting scripture to help with memory. I believe the Jewish faith and Muslims both do this. Good luck.
I forgot the best one: set it to music! A lot of people think that memorizing large chunks of text is difficult, but can rattle off hundreds of songs without any effort whatsoever!
The Bible Rap, maybe? Put it to a little hip hop?
Definitely true! I'm doing the English Standard Version primarily because I know it is respected and I find it immensely readable.
I use this for memorizing choir and fiddle music, but I suspect that it will work the same in your application. Break the verse up into manageable little blocks, say, 2 paragraphs each, or even just 1 paragraph if you have to. Read the first one aloud 3 times, reading directly from the text. Then, put the text down, and recite it 3 times. Then, move on to the 2nd chunk, and do the same thing. Once you've done that, read the first and second chunks together 3 times from the text, then 3 times without the text.
Each time you start a new chunk (say if you were to do bits one and two tonight, and chunks three and four tomorrow), review what you did the previous time from memory. The next day, go through chunks 3 and 4, memorizing each individually the same way, but when you combine them, start from the beginning again., so that you'll be reading 1-2-3-4 from the text aloud 3 times, then 1-2-3-4 without text. This may seem tedious, but you'll have it memorized in no time whatsoever.
If I've made it seem overly complicated, just have a look at my choir director's website. He explains it all in far fewer words.
http://www.hamburgschools.org/91920898030983/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=58847
Hope this helps.
Each time you start a new chunk (say if you were to do bits one and two tonight, and chunks three and four tomorrow), review what you did the previous time from memory. The next day, go through chunks 3 and 4, memorizing each individually the same way, but when you combine them, start from the beginning again., so that you'll be reading 1-2-3-4 from the text aloud 3 times, then 1-2-3-4 without text. This may seem tedious, but you'll have it memorized in no time whatsoever.
If I've made it seem overly complicated, just have a look at my choir director's website. He explains it all in far fewer words.
http://www.hamburgschools.org/91920898030983/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=58847
Hope this helps.
This is completely unnecessary. You only need to memorize a few key passages to throw out at non believers and gays...memorizing the whole bible is fruitless -- and I mean that literally..you will not find one gay person throughout!
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