Archive for December 5th, 2013

Train your Brain, Ninja style

Thursday, December 5th, 2013

Observing and memorizing a particular area, skill, facial feature, name…whatever, is a critical skill that any aspiring ninjutsu practitioner should learn in their intelligenceimages gathering repertoire. It sounds easy, just to remember something, right? But think on how difficult this can be, when you are learning a new skill set, or a quickly observed name on a letter or even a license plate. Training yourself to quickly identify, remember and then to recite back your observations is a skill set that can be developed and enhanced with diligent practice.

So let’s start with a exercising your brain!

Drill 1) Each week add a session to your training regime that includes puzzle solving, Chess, Sudoku, learning a new language, or even learning new words and phrases in your native tongue. This not only challenges your brain but actually helps it develop new neural connections and potential skill sets!

Drill 2) Observation! Go into a new store or someone’s office etc and mentally take note of everything you see, smell and hear(yes all of your senses), when you get back to a “safe” area, mentally dump all of this information into a written log. Review it later when you have an opportunity to go back into the area and see what you might have missed.

Drill 3) License plate drill. When you pull into your next parking spot, look at the two license plate numbers next to your vehicle and remember which side they are on, write them down and leave them in your vehicle. When you come back recite them to yourself and then visually check to see if you got them correct.

Ok here are three drills, but in addition to this when you are trying to remember something practice deep breathing! When it’s time to study or remember something new, switch your breathing pattern to be slower and deeper.  Deeper and slower breathing actually stimulates your brain to produce Theta waves which normally occur when your brain is in hypnogogic sleep. As you begin to breathe in deep and rhythmic manner, you will begin to feel calmer and then be more receptive to learning and remembering more of a situation, skill or observation!

Ok, now get out there and add this lesson to your practice!

 

Bufu Ikkan