William Atkinson - The Essential Works of William Walker Atkinson - 50+ Books in One Edition

Study maps and take imaginary journeys from place to place on the map. Follow up rivers from source to mouth. Take imaginary trips on the railroad, tracing the journey with the finger. Get a school geography and get to work when you are indoors. When you are out­of­doors keep on noticing things, directions, landmarks, etc.

If you live in a large city, procure a copy of the city map and study it carefully. Start from a given point on the map and proceed to another given point, noticing the names of the streets over which you travel, and also the names of the cross streets you pass, not forgetting to keep track of the direction. Then work your way home over the same route, watching carefully that you turn the right corners, etc.

Then make the same trip (on the map) by another route, returning in the same manner. It is astonishing how this practice will brighten up your sense of locality and direction. Once in a while, memorize the names of the streets in the order in which you pass them on the map. One can get well acquainted with the city in which he is living in this way. On holidays, or other times, when you contemplate a long walk or ride, go to your map before you start and trace out the line of your trip, studying it carefully. When you then go over the same ground in person you will be continually noticing the cross streets, etc., because of your previous work on the map. A little practice of this sort will prove quite interesting, particularly if the trip is to some strange part of town.

In your study of maps, it is well to memorize them at times, wholly or in part. Look at the map and study its parts and details. Then put the map away and endeavor to reproduce it on paper, in the rough, endeavoring to note as many points of interest as possible. Then gradually add the details in their relation to each other. The object of this map drawing, of course, is to fix location and direction in your mind, and not to make an artist of you. In this practice you will find that if you lay aside the map after gazing at it a few moments and then close your eyes you will see the picture of the map in your “mind’s eye.” The first attempt at forming this mental picture will not prove very satisfactory, but open the eyes again and take another look at the map and fill in what you have missed in your mental picture. Then close your eyes again and fill in the missing parts. After a few trials you will be able to reproduce the picture in the mind with reasonable accuracy, when you may reproduce it on paper. Schoolboys sometimes form these mental pictures of their geography maps, and thus making their geography lessons much easier. When asked to “bound” a State, they are able to bring up the mental picture and describe it as if the map were actually before them.

This study of maps may seem to have but little connection with keeping you from getting lost or “losing your bearings.’” But you will find that it will so rapidly develop your interest and strengthen your faculty of location that you will be able to manifest the improvement when you are out­of­doors. Always remember, of course, to keep your eyes open and to notice where you are going, which task will now have fresh interest to you, thanks to your journeys on the map.

A story is told of an American traveler who was traveling in Europe with a party. It was soon noticed that he seemed perfectly at home in the strange cities visited, and that he not only knew the names of the principal streets, but the location of the points of interest and important buildings as well, and also the direction from one part to another. It appeared as if he had visited the place before, whereas it was his first trip abroad. When asked for an explanation by his puzzled friends, he replied that when he was on the train going to a particular city he would take out his map and guide book and carefully study them, noting carefully the general plan, the points of interest, direction, etc. He would especially note the location of the railroad station and the hotel at which he intended to stay. He would then shut his eyes and recall these points, and make the trips between them, mentally. After about fifteen minutes or half an hour he was sufficiently acquainted with “the lay of the land” to find his way about without difficulty. In this way he learned Cologne, The Prague, Old Vienna, Dresden, London City, Paris around the Opera House and other places.

After one has studied maps, with interest, they grow very real to him and a close connection between the actual points and the pictured ones is noticed. Remember, in practicing the exercises herein given you are developing not only the memory, but the faculty itself, upon whose ability to record clear impressions the remembrance depends.

Any faculty may be developed by interest and use. Remember this and you have the key to all self improvement.

Table of Content

Treating of the faculty of remembering the faces of those with whom we come in contact—Showing the importance of having a good memory of faces and the embarrassment attendant upon a poor memory of this kind—This chapter takes upon the matter from the cause to the remedy, and a careful study and application of the principles laid down will undoubtedly result in a great improvement along these lines—There is no attempt made to teach any “trick method,” the idea followed being that an intelligent training of the faculty must result in an improvement in the faculty itself, which will in turn be the cause of an improved memory of this kind— Exercises are included.

THE FACULTY of remembering the faces of persons with whom we meet varies greatly in degree among different individuals. Many persons have to meet a stranger several times before they recognize him at sight. And many persons seem to easily forget faces with which they have grown familiar, if the owner happens to pass from their immediate circle, for a year or two. On the other hand many persons recognize the face of any person whom they may meet, and the impression once formed seems to remain forever, subject to instant recall. Detectives have this faculty largely developed, and so have many hotel keepers, and others whose business brings them into contact with many people, and to whose interest it is to remember and recognize those with whom they meet. It is a valuable gift, as one’s chance acquaintances feel most kindly disposed toward him when he readily recognizes them. And on the other hand, the failure to recognize a man may make him dislike you and may result in even gaining his active ill­will.

A deficiency in the development of this faculty indicates that the person has not used actively that portion of the mind taking cognizance of the appearance and features of those with whom he comes in contact. Such people look at others, but do not really see them. They are not interested in faces, and give but scant attention to them. The rule of “slight interest, slight attention; slight attention, poor memory,” applies here. The person who wishes to develop this faculty should begin to study faces, taking an interest in them, and paying attention to them. In this way the power of observation is directed to features and appearance, and a great improvement may be noted in a short time. We recommend to such persons the study of some elementary work on physiognomy, which will give to the study of faces a new interest, which will result in a greatly improved memory along these lines.

To cultivate the power of observation as applied to faces and features (after determining to take an interest in them, of course,) you should study the face of every person you meet, taking note of the general shape of the head and face, eyes, nose, mouth, chin and forehead, at the same time holding the thought, “I’ll know you the next time I see you,” which thought will cause the Will to operate in the direction of recording a clear and distinct impression.