Turn Your Mind To Something...
Did you "see" the eclipse yesterday? Since Niagara was in the full eclipse path, we experienced total darkness. I think many of us were connected in our participation of child-like awe. Rare moments like this in life really make us realize how grand the world, the universe, and indeed, life is...
Do you enjoy those feelings of mind expansion? You don't need to wait for a celestial celebration. There's an easy, accessible way to stretch yourself with a blank piece of paper and a few coloured pencils, pens or markers of your choice.
Have you heard of Mind Mapping? The Mind Map method is a trademarked process created by Tony Buzan. It's a learning and memory tool using a graphic technique that has multiple applications for both adults and children.
The basics of the process are straightforward:
- 1. Start with a central image. For example, a grocery bag or fridge to represent what you want buy at the grocery store or farmer's market.
- 2. Create a few key, curved branches emanating from this central image in different directions. Make each one a different colour and name it using a single word. For example, one main branch may be vegetables. Another, fruit. Another, grains, etc.
- 3. Create detailed branches stemming from each main branch, using the same colour for each section. For example, coming off of the vegetable branch, you might have a smaller branch for broccoli, another for carrots, one for lettuce, etc.
Some key elements of mind mapping:
- use curved, organic branches rather than straight lines
- use colour to distinguish main branches and their related detailed branches
- use single words rather than phrases
- draw images since these doodles will help your memory
There are several items at Figg Street Co. that are perfect for creating mind maps. Here are a few options:
