Six mental functions to always exercise

These are six areas for constant mental improvement. They are inter-related, and improving one improves all the others simultaneously.

Use it, don't lose it!



1. Attention Span

This is the length of time that you are able to concentrate or focus on one thing without becoming restless or distracted.

How to Increase Your Attention Span


2. Focus

We all know what it means to focus. This link describes focus as various levels of awareness becoming more coherent. It is related to attention span, in that so long as we focus on anything, to an equal extent our attention is given to it, but long-term projects and goals also take a focus that transcends a single moment of attention. It is a mental force or energy, or a discipline, even. Zen. Effortless focus by being completely absorbed in your experience; realizing the union of your consciousness and your sensations.


3. Memory

There are lot of free online games that will help you build your memory, as well as many or all of the other functions listed here. You should never worry to have to consciously remember anything; all the information truly relevant to you is stored naturally in a magnetic "pool" and to remember it when it is needed is equally natural, no work required on your part. Anything accessible to your subconscious is possible for you to remember, transcending time.


4. Fluid Intelligence

Fluid intelligence has been described as "the ability to perceive relationships independent of previous specific practice or instruction concerning those relationships." Link. "Crystallized intelligence" by contrast is intelligence based on past learning. So one form of intelligence (fluid) is creative, novel, dynamic, etc., while the other (crystallized) is static, stagnant, etc. Vocabulary is given as an example of crystallized intelligence, based on the recollection of learned rules, and involving nothing creative or dynamic in recalling. Constantly solving new types of problems (look up hard word puzzles online) or constantly looking at old things in new ways are ways of increasing fluid intelligence.


5. Speed

The ability to do a lot in a small amount of time. Generally the better you can do anything, the faster you can also do it. There are also games online that will train your mental reflexes, your reaction time. In the case of playing very rapid strings of notes on a musical instrument and still making every note meaningful, or performing in a martial arts tournament, the faster things go, the more the rest of the world will seem to slow down to you...



6. Visualization

In any way you can manage it, not limited to the sense of "sight." But your ability to configure objects spatially in your mind, to create the image of scenes and figures, through lucid dreaming efforts, creative daydreaming or whatever you like, greatly increases your ability to mentally "map out" all sorts of problems and visualize complicated problems the way good mechanics can intuitively. It can offer one hell of a beautiful flower.

[edit on 10-8-2009 by bsbray11]

Umm. WTH?

Why isn't everyone else starring and flagging the crap out of this thread?

This is a answer to one of mine I was looking for.

If you could provide some more links that would be greatly appreciated for me myself.

Love the thread, Kudos!

Thanks for this - I have a rotten attention span!

Star and flag.

I love to exercise, and it's about time I start exercising my mind as well.

Thanks for posting the info.


Peace,
FK

I'm sure this is great information, but I lost interest and forgot what it was about...



Seriously, S&F. Great information that we could all use! Loved reading about Fluid Intelligence.

I absolutely LOVE this game for improving several of these areas: Fantastic Contraption I spend too much time improving them, in fact.

I would like to respond but I think I see something shiny...


Thanks OP

reply to post by bsbray11


Star and flag thank you now i can get an amazing atention span

In a world that has gone physical fitness and exercise crazy, these mind exercises are just as (if not more) important.

Big brains are sexy

S+F, nice one.

to me the bottom line of this article reads like: play video games of all kinds- a lot. though i am getting weary of all the violent subject matters in games as my testosterone level has seemed already gone past peak. i think the earlier gen of gamers get older and start controlling the industry we're going to see arise in less violent games. hooray.

[edit on 10-8-2009 by iknownothingiswear]

Great thread - thanks!

Everybody go exercise your brains. Now.

S&F from me

S&F

GREAT tips. Everyone needs to know this stuff.

Thanks.

Starred, flagged and added to favorites. Thanks for this thread

I dont know about the first to the fifth but about the Visualization I can
say that is far more developed than the other senses.
When I talk or listen to someone I imagine every single word visually,
sometimes it is a whole movie sort of speak other times it is just the
word in 3d if i cant imagine a scene . And when I want to make a 3d
model I can build it in my head the whole model.
My dreams are always in colour, and sometimes I can sense smell in them.
I tried not to visualize every word but I cant understand the words then.
I know this will sound crazy but sometimes when I smell something I
can assign a colour to the smell.

And I have a memory of a gold fish.

[edit on 10-8-2009 by defiler]

I try really hard to not do these things,just to make life more interesting.

Being fully aware and focused can become tedious at times.

I am going to get drunk now.

Originally posted by Republican08
Umm. WTH?

Why isn't everyone else starring and flagging the crap out of this thread?

I find it funny that right after that statement, this thread's flag count has skyrocketed and tons of people are saying "S&F". The reason I'm not flagging it is because I've seen countless versions of this thread. I thought these "mental functions" were a no-brainer, but considering the response, I guess it's a shock to some people.

However, first time or not, bsbray11 did put some time into it, so I'll give him a star.

[edit on 8/10/2009 by SonicInfinity]

reply to post by bsbray11


I exercise thoses all the time especilly playing my space computer game.I game i designed my self and took five years to plan.Sometimes a game may take up to eight hours to play.It depends how many rounds i play.I play the game myself as there is nobody i know around me who has the intelligence to play the game against me.I can place a game on hold for a few days play a few hours and then go back to it when i want.I will be starting a new game soon.

This is all unnecessary ......except with the exception of focus.

Mind training is all ego strengthening. Realize that you are not the mind. That aspect that thinks is what cause problems, suffering, duality. The mind has hijacked your true identity so why the hell would you want to strengthen a mask?

Spend your time seeing the mind for what it is. Spend time in no mind, no thoughts. Become the master of mind, body, actions, words.

Hey OP what about the 7th one??

7. Awareness/Observance

The state at which one becomes devoid of the "doing"conscious/mental thoughts of their oneself and is completely still in their own one presence and can sense the slightest of minutiae around them and can tap into the Dynamic (Subconscious) mind and thus is able to enhance superhuman abilities and determine the best course of action in each moment of time and space.
This is ultimately done by way of a meditative approach by way of a state of mental ex filtration of all thoughts in any given place preferably sitting in a chair and staring at a particular object in the room while the Dynamic mind observes all the periphery. Then like a Censor one simply chooses to let all trivial thoughts slowly drift away while intently staring. Remember the egoic mind can only take over when one is not focused and is just doing things and thus ego proceeds to hijack all intuitive thoughts and thoughts of shopping, going to movies, ring friend etc etc. abound. Watch in the mall how people are not in the moment and are just caught up in their
own conflagration of thoughts

[edit on 10-8-2009 by Epsillion70]

reply to post by dominicus


i disagree. Although it is highly important to strengthen ones ability to differentiate between ones ego and ones true self, to dissolve the veil of amnesia so to speak, i believe it is also just as important to train and strengthen ones mind.

To truly reach our full potential, we must achieve a balance between the Spirit and the Body. They must be equally strong, equally fast, equally effective. We must be strong of Mind and Body, as well as Strong in Spirit. Simply Focusing on one aspect will throw out of balance the whole, creating problems.

It is necessary to understand, truly understand, that the Mind is not who we are, but that doesnt mean we should let such a wonderful and amazing tool decay. After all, our Minds is how we communicate with this "reality" within which we reside. If this "reality" was unimportant, then it would not exist.

This is a wonderful thread.

Love and Peace

Totally cool. Even if we are aware of these points it's nice to see them altogether here in a neat and coherent list. It boosts our awareness of them. Great idea!