How to Use Radiant Thinking to Maximize T H E Your Brair ntapped PotentialMind Map fT am concerned about having too much to say or what to cover in a speech, I organize it by Mind Mapping the mi —Dr. Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One-Minute Manager Mind Map Book will do for the brain what Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time did for the universe.” —Raymond Keene, 0.B.E., Chess Grandmaster, Mind Sports Correspondent, Times (London) “Luse Mind Maps!” —Anthony Robbins, author of Awaken the Giant Within “More than a few serious minds out there are paying attention.” —International Herald Tribune ‘he use of Mind Mapping is an integral part of my quality ‘This program has provided savings of over $10 million this year for my orga- on (ten tim —Dr. Mike Stanley, Director of Special Projects, Boeing With 84 illustrations in full color and 44 in black and white UNLEASH AND HARNESS YOUR MIND’S UNTAPPED RESOURCES WITH THIS REVOLUTIONARY NEW PROGRAM FROM USD Oe se MON aOn EXPERT AND AUTHOR OF USE BOTH SIDES OF YOUR BRAIN ISBN 0-525-93906-0 | | | | 7805; 25939047" 9 9Foor lint is supor:bio-vompiiter Bhat divaricony achine on the market. If you understand how it works and how to work with it, you ean employ and enjoy astonishing powers of learning, memory, concentration, and creativity in planning and structuring thought © all levels, Now, in The Mind Map Book, Tony and Barry Buzan have provided a comprehensive operating man- ual for all who want to use their brains to their fullest potential ‘Mind Mapping and Radiant Thinkiing, the revolu- tionary new method of accessing heretofore untapped intelligences, was developed by world-famous brain- power expert Tony Buzan by analyzing original break- through scientific insights into the workings of the brain, Iisa process currently used with extraordinary success by multinational corporations, leading univer- champion athletes, and outstanding artists, The Mind Map Book is the only book that both explains the fundamental operation of the brain in terms of its thinking processes and explains how to unleash and harness its power. This remarkable book clearly and concisely describes how your brain actually stores and processes all the information that pours into it. Then, With the aid of vivid diagrams and exciting, easy-to-follow exercises, it shows you precisely how to: ® mirror and magnify your brain’s pattern of percep- tion and association in the way you learn, think, and create...and have it serve as the tool you need to suc- ceed in business as well as in school, in the studi, in sports, in your love life and other relationships % quickly master the right way to take notes, organize a speech, a writing assignment, a report ® join with others to pool thinking productively, memorize a mammoth amount of data, free your ideas to grow and expand constantly in depth and dimension (continued on beck fap)(continued fom eon flap) On another level, you will see how the great thinkers scientists, and artists of the past and present have lized the principles of Mind Mapping and Radiant Thinking. Include », are fascin ase histories of ordinary men and women, young and old, who have vaulted to achievements previously beyond their reach. Through this world-acclaimed program you will gain the information, the instruction, and the inspiration to make what has worked so well for so many work for you. From the moment you open The Mind Map Book you will know it is not a book that merely read: it demands to be used, Tony Buzan, the leading author- ity on the brain and learning tech niques, is Chairman of the Brain Foundation. An international media personality, founder of the Brai y, and the originator of Mind Maps, he is the author of fifteen books, including Use Both Sides of Your Brain, Use Your Perfect Memory. and Speed Reading (all available in Plume editions), He is also an Olympic coach, Barry Buzan is Professor of International Studies at the Uni- versity of Warwick and a Project Director at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Researeh in Copenhagen Jacket design and illustration by Robert uf Vieq Dt Cumptieh Black and white jacket photograph by Tsizo Tashiro/Photoniea DUTTON Fay rent Penguin usa 375 Hudson Street, New York, N.Y. 10014 Saud Printed in US.A. SaPhelpTHE MIND MAP BOOKHow to Use Radiant Thinking to Maximize Your Brain’s Untapped Potential by Tony Buzan with Barry Buzan va A DUTTON BOOK ; ® Mind Map i a registered trademark of the Buzan Organisation 1990We dedicate this book to the expanding freedom of human intelligence DUTTON Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Books USA Ine., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, U.S.A. Penguin Books Lid, 27 Wrights Lane, London W8 STZ, England Penguin Books Australia Lud, Ringwood, Victoria, Australia Penguin Books Canada Ltd, 10 Alcorn Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada MAV 3B2 ‘Penguin Books (N.Z.) Ltd, 182-190 Wairau Road, Auckland 10, New Zealand Penguin Books Lid, Registered Offices: Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England Published by Dutton, an imprint of Dutton Signet, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc. Published by arrangement with BBC Books, a division of BBC Enterprises Limited. First Dutton Printing, September, 1994 W9876S8321 (Copyright © Tony Buzan and Barry Buzan, 1993, All rights reserved LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-N-PUBLICATION DATA Buzan, Tony. “The mind map book : how to use radiant thinking to maximize your brain's ‘untapped potential Tony Buzan, with Barry Buran. ISBN 0:525.93904-0 L Intellect. 2.Brain. 3. Thought and thinking. 1. Buzan, Barry. Il. Title. BF431.B883 1994 153.4—de20 9415644 cP. Printed inthe United States of America Setin Plantin Designed by Sara Kidd Artwork by Julian Bingley Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, oF transmitted, in any form, or by any ‘means (electonie, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. PuOTOGRAPH, PAGE 2: Natural Archtectne Plate IACKNOWLEDGEMENTS n would like to thank the following for providing photographs and for jon to reproduce copyright material. While every effort has been made and acknowledge all copyright holders, we would like to apologise there have been any errors or omissions. van Amsterdam page 300 Planck-Institut, Dortmund, ), 122, 167 (both, B. Jones and M. 6k), 187 and 222 (both, N. A. Callow); Dr ‘Nicholson/Sigma Chemical Co. page 134; smn University Library, Evanston, s, USA Special Collections Dept. page 299 9: Oxford Scientific Films pages 62 K. G, Vock), 70 (Animals Animals! p78 (HL. Taylor), 95 (Animals Animals! J. Lemke), 118 (T. Tilford), 142 (R. Jackman), 151 (P Henry), 179 (T. Heathcote), 247 (S. Hauser) and 254 (J. Watts); Royal Collection © 1993 Her “Majesty the Queen pages 41 (botiom) and 301 (bottom); Royal Observatory Edinburgh and Anglo-Australian Telescope Board (D. F. Malin) pages 2-3; Science Museum, London page 2975 ‘Science Photo Library pages 30 (K. Kent), 42 J.C. Revy), 55 (A. Smith), 135, 155 (S. Moulds), 203 (NASA), 218 (J. Burgess), 234 (K. Kemt), 263 (Acroservice), 275 (J. Burgess) and 282 (M. Kage): Dr M, Stanley/Boeing page 171; Syndies of Cambridge University Library pages 295, 298 and 304; Tate Gallery, London page 303 (top); UPLBertmann pages 296 (10p) and 303 (bottom); Witt Library, Courtauld Institute of ArtMoraveké Galerie, Brno page 299 (top lef). technical reasons all but four of the Mind Maps in this book have been :d below. ‘Adam, page 143; Tony Bigonia, Richard » Matthew Puk, John Ragsdale, Chris ach, Thomas Spinola, Thomas Sullivan, Williams, page 171 (top); Claudius Borer ), page 119; Douglas Brand, page 227; Brown, page 106; Barry Buzan, page 226; ‘Buzan (sketches) page 73, Mind Maps pages 194 (original), 198 (original), 244, 258, 259 Pan Collins, page 146; Lynn Collins and Ayre, page 207; Kathy De Stefano, page page 219; Lana Israel, page 242; Jean-Luc Kastner, page 271; Raymond Keene OBE, page 259; Donna Kim and family, page 202; Charles La Fond, page 230; B. H. Lee, page 270; James Lee, page 215 (bortom); Jim Messerschmitt and Tony Messina, pages 266 and 268; Jonathan Montagu, page 290; Katarina Naiman, page 214 (Gortom), Vanda North, pages 126 and 239; Karen Schmidt, page 214 (op); Jan Pieter Six, page 262; Lars Soderberg, page 231; Norma Sweeney, page 1625 Sheikh Talib (ovina), page 2915 Nigel “Temple, page 263; Tessa Tok-Hart, page 186; Lady Mary Tovey, page 246; Graham Wheeler, page 227; Benjamin Zander, page 163 ‘The authors ofthe Mind Maps on pages 178 and 251 prefer not o be named, he authors would also like to offer their special thanks to Dr Stanley and ing for allowing the reproduction of Dr Stanley in front of his Mind Map erpiece! (See page 171.)APPRECIATION We would like to express once again our great appreciation and enormous thanks to: our parents, Gordon and Jean Buzan, for launching us on this incredible journey, and especially to Mum for the depth of caring and days of work she has contributed to the preparation of this manuscript; Vanda North, our External Editor, who put in as much work in helping us with The Mind Map Book as most authors do in writing their own creations; Lorraine Gill, the artist, for her profound insights into the importance and nature of seeing, the image, and the relationship of art to the brain, memory and creativity; Deborah Buzan for sus- tained encouragement and support over the many years of this project; Michael J. Gelb for his persistent and impassioned support of us, this book, and a Mind ‘Mapping World; our friends who spent so much time both reading and helping us with the various drafts — Paul Collins, who among many other things helped us realise that a quantum leap was a small one!; Judy Caldwell, who was able to -criticise in the true sense of the word, firing us with enthusiasm as she did so; John Humble, whose support for the concept of Mind Mapping over the years has provided a constant emotional strength; Sean Adam, for his enormous personal support, his 10-year commitment to the project and his consistent friendly cajoling of Tony to ‘get that book out’; George Hughes, the first to apply success- fully the Mind Map Family Study Technique; Edward Hughes, who applied Radiant Thinking and Mind Mapping to ‘ace’ Cambridge University; Peter Russell, the Brain Book man, for his continuing support; Geraldine Schwartz, who has done so much to help nurture the concept; Phyllida Wilson for regularly finding her way through the most complex of mazes while wrestling with the typing of this book; Tony’s office staff - Carol Coaker, Kate Morrell and Lesley Bias — for keeping all systems going throughout the creation of Te Mind Map Book, and for their Mind Map contributions to the work; my entire BBC team: Nick Chapman, Director of Consumer Products, Chris Weller, Head of Book Publishing, Sheila Ableman, Joint Head of Editorial, Deborah Taylor, Project Editor, Kelly Davis, Copy Editor, Kate Gee, Production Controller, Sara Kidd, Designer, and Jennifer Fry, Picture Researcher, for putting their hearts and souls into the project; Martin and Alison Cursham, who provided the summer respite that helped initiate the work; Caro, Peter, Doris, Tanya and Julian Ayre for pro- viding support, sustenance, and the beautiful home and grounds of Greenham Hall, where much of this was written; the Folley Family, for providing a home and work area of exquisite quality; Peter Barrett who was the first to develop a valid Mind Map computer software; and to all Mind Mappers, radiant thinkers and members of the Brain Club who have supported and inspired us. 6nder of The Brain Trust and the Brain Clubs, and the creator in 1942, Tony Buzan graduated from the University of 1964, achieving double Honours in Psychology, English, General Sciences. In 1966 he worked for the Daily ‘also editing the International Journal of MENSA (the vi ag authors, he has published 14 books (13 on the g and one volume of poetry). His books (which Use Your Perfect Memory, Make the Most of Training) have now been published in fifty ‘twenty languages. His classic book Use Both Sides de sales of a million, and is a standard intro- IBM, General Motors, EDS, Fluor Daniel, p and for students of the Open University. Fvecnine an international media star featuring in, presenting ‘many satellite broadcasts, television, video and radio pro- both national and international, including the record-breaking Use series (BBC TV), the Open Mind series (ITV), The Enchanted Loom ‘feature documentary on the brain), and numerous talk shows. His est videos are MindPower, distributed by BBC Video, which teaches the of Mind Mapping for business use, and which won a top award at the IVCA Festival, and Get Ahead, a one-hour video on developing ‘Brain et for Kids’, presented by Tony Buzan and Lana Israel. advisor to government departments and multinational organisations ng BP, Barclays International, Digital Equipment Corporation, Elec- Data Systems, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM), and is a regular lecturer to ling international businesses, universities and schools. Among members of Young Presidents’ Organisation he has become affectionately known as ‘Mr . He is Founder of the Memoriad, the World Memory Championships, ‘Founder of the Mind Sports Olympiad, the ‘Mental Olympic Games’. ‘of his work is devoted to helping those with learning disabilities. He is holder of the world’s highest ‘creativity IQ’. Buzan is an advisor to international Olympic coaches and athletes and he British Olympic Rowing Squad as well as the British Olympic Chess 7‘THE MIND MAP BOOK Squads. He is an elected member of the International Council of Psychologists and a Fellow of the Institute of Training and Development. He is a Member of the Institute of Directors, a Freeman of the City of London, and is also a Patron of the Young Entrepreneurs’ Societies of both Cambridge and Bristol Universities. Adding to his list of honours, including the YPO Leadership Award, was his recent recognition by EDS with the Eagle Catcher Award — given to those who attempt the impossible and achieve it! Barry Buzan Barry Buzan is Professor of International Studies at the University of Warwick, and a Research Director of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Research in the Studies Association 1988-90. He took his first degree at the University of British Columbia (1968), and his doctorate at the London School of Economics (1973). He has been extensively engaged in using and developing Mind Maps since 1970, and has been working with Tony Buzan on The Mind Map Book since 1981. In his academic work, he specialises in the history and structure of the international system as a whole. He is therefore necessarily a generalist, with a broad knowledge of world history, politics, economics, science and sociology. He has written and lectured widely on the conceptual aspects of internationsl security, on international relations theory, and on regional security in Europe, Southern Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and the Midtle East. He has been described by Lawrence Freedman as ‘one of the most interesting theorists of contemporary international relations’ Throughout his academic career Barry Buzan has used the Mind Map as a tool for grappling with massive and complex subjects, for preparing and giving academic and public presentations, and for planning and writing articles, pavers and books, His previous publications include: Seabed Politics (1976), People, States and Fear: The National Security Problem in International Relation, (1983, revised 2nd edition 1991); South Asian Insecurity and the Great Poons (1986, with Gowher Rizvi and others); An Introduction to Strategic: Studion Military Technology and International Relations (1987); The European Security Order Recast: Scenarios for the Post-Cold-War Era (1990, with Morten Kelstrup, Pierre Lemaitre, Elzbieta Tromer and Ole Waever); The Logic of Anarchy (1993, with Charles Jones and Richard Little; and Identity, Migration and the New Security Agenda in Europe (1993, with Ole Waever, Morton Kelstrup and Pierre Lemaitre).CONTENTS ION1 NATURAL ARCHITECTURE The Amazing Brain The Great Brains Brains in Quandary Radiant Thinking The Way Ahead [ON2 FOUNDATIONS Brainstorming Words Brainstorming Images From Brainstorming to Mind Mapping Mind Mapping ISION3 STRUCTURE Chapter 10 The Guiding Principles Chapter 11 Developing a Personal Style VISION 4 SYNTHESIS Chapter 12 Making Choices Chapter 13 Organising Your Own Ideas Chapter 14 Organising Other People’s Ideas Chapter 15 Memory Chapter 16 Creative Thinking Chapter 17 The Group Mind Map ll 16 24 26 39 43 53 59 63 63 7 79 83 91 91 115 123 123 132 139 147 153 165THE MIND MAP BOOK DIVISION 5S USES Section A - Personal: Chapter 18 Self-Analysis Chapter 19 Problem-Solving Chapter 20 The Mind Map Diary Section B - Family: Chapter 21 Family Study and Story-Telling Section C - Educational: Chapter 22. Thinking Chapter 23 Teaching Chapter 24 Creating the Master Mind Map Section D - Business and Professional: Chapter 25 Meetings Chapter 26 Presentations Chapter 27 Management Chapter 28 Computer Mind Mapping Section E - The Future: Chapter 29 Towards a Radiant Thinking and Mentally Literate World DIVISION6 ADDENDA Notes by the Great Brains Quiz Answers to Natural Architecture Plates Quiz Answers to Great Brains Quiz Also by Tony Buzan Bibliography Index 175 176 183 191 199 211 221 235 245 252 261 274 283 295 305 307 308 312 317FOREWORD y: In my second year at university, I strode purposefully into the library, sked the librarian where I could find a book on my brain and how to use immediately directed me to the medical section of the library! yhen I explained that I did not wish to operate on my brain, but to use it, T politely informed that there were no such books. the library in astonishment. ce others around me, I was going through the typical student's ‘pilgrim’s the slow realisation that the volume of academic work is increasing t the brain is starting to buckle under the strain of all the thinking, y, memory, problem-solving, analysis and writing required. Again, like Thad begun to experience not only diminishing returns but accelerating . The more I took notes and studied, the worse, paradoxically, I he logical progression of either situation led me to catastrophe. If I cut my studying, I would not absorb the appropriate information and would wsequently do progressively badly; if I were studying harder, making more putting in more time, I was similarly spiralling into failure. answer, I assumed, must lie in the way I was using my intelligence and skills - thus my visit to the library. Iwalked away from the library that day, I realised that the ‘problem’ of ing able to find the books I needed was actually a blessing in disguise. such books were not available, then I had happened upon virgin territory ‘most staggering importance. began to study every area of knowledge I felt would help shed light on the w do I learn how to learn? Phat is the nature of my thinking? hat are the best techniques for memorising? are the best techniques for creative thinking? What are the best current techniques for reading? Mhat are the best current techniques for thinking in general? there a possibility of developing new thinking techniques or one master hnique? a consequence of these questions, I began to study psychology, the uro-physiology of the brain, semantics, neuro-linguistics, information theory, mory and mnemonic techniques, perception, creative thinking and the sciences. Gradually I realised that the human brain functioned more u =THE MIND MAP BOOK effectively and efficiently if its various physical aspects and intellectual skills ‘were allowed to work harmoniously with each other, rather than being divided, The tiniest things produced the most significant and satisfying results. For example, simply combining the two cortical skills of words and colours trans. formed my note-taking. The simple addition of two colours to my notes improved my memory of those notes by more than 100 per cent, and perhaps éven more importantly, made me begin to enjoy what I was doing, Little by litle, an overall architecture began to emerge, and as it did, I began {© coach, as a hobby, pupils who had been described as ‘learning disabled’, ‘hopeless’, ‘dyslexic’, ‘backward’ and ‘delinquent’, All these so-called ‘failures. Very rapidly changed into good students, a number of them rising to the top of their respective classes. One young girl, Barbara, had been told that she had the lowest IQ her school had ever registered. Within a month of learning how to learn, she raised her 1Q to 160, and eventually graduated as the top student from her college. Pat, 2 Young American of extraordinary talent, who had been falsely categorised ag learning disabled, subsequently said (after having shattered a number of ere. ativity and memory tests), ‘I wasn’t learning disabled; Iwas learning pePRivep!? By the early 1970s artificial intelligence had arrived and I could buy a megabyte computer and with that computer I could receive a 1,000-page CPerating manual. Yet, in our supposedly advanced stage of civilisation, we were all coming into the world with the most astoundingly complex bio. computer, quadrilions of times more powerful than any known computer, and where were our operating manuals?! Te was then that I decided to write a series of books based on my research: An Encyclopedia of the Brain and Its Use. 1 started in 1971, and as I did so the page on the horizon became ever clearer ~ it was the growing concept of Radiant Thinking and Mind Mapping. In the carly stages of its development, I envisaged Mind Mapping being used Primarily for memory. However, over months of debate, my brother Barry Convinced me that creative thinking was an equally important application of this technique. Barry had been working on the theory of Mind Mapping froma very different perspective, and his contribution enormously accelerated my development of the Mind Mapping process. His own story is an intriguing one, and is best told by himself. 12FOREWORD ersected with Tony’s idea of Mind Maps in 1970, shortly after I in London. At that time, the idea was in its formative stages, to take on an identity of its own, as distinct from mere e-taking. It was just one part of Tony’s broader agenda of learning understanding of the human brain. As a sometime participant in tk, Iwas on the fringes of this developmental process. My own serious nt with the technique began when I started to apply it to the business doctoral thesis. me about Mind Mapping was not the note-zaking application d Tony, but the note-making one. I needed not only to owing mass of research data, I needed also to clarify my thoughts Political question of why peace movements almost always heir stated objectives. My experience was that Mind Maps were ‘tool for thinking because they enabled me to sketch out the © see quickly and clearly how they related to each other. oblem of bridging the gap between thinking and factor in success or failure for my fellow post- ed to bridge this gap. They became more and subject but less and less able to pull write about it. 1s competitive advantage. It enabled me | without going through the time-consuming By separating thinking from writing, I was . When it was time to start writing, I r a a firm sense of direction, and this made the enjoyable. I completed my doctorate in under s, and also had time to write a chapter for another then edit, a new quarterly journal of international or of the student newspaper, take up motorcycling, a Mind Map with my wife-to-be to compose our of these experiences, my enthusiasm for the creative he technique grew. sa central element in my whole approach to academic pier Possible for me to sustain an unusually high output of jand conference papers. It has helped me to remain a generalist here the weight of information forces most people to become also credit it with enabling me to write clearly about theoretical complexity all too often inspires incomprehensible prose. Its 13THE MIND MAP BOOK impact on my career is perhaps best reflected in the surprise with which I am frequently greeted when first meeting people: ‘You are much younger than I expected. How could you have written so much in such a short time?” Having experienced the dramatic effect of Mind Mapping on my own life and work, I became a propagandist for the particular importance of creative thinking within the broader range of applications that Tony was developing. At the end of the 1970s Tony decided that there should be a book about Mind Mapping, and we discussed how I might participate in this project. In the intervening decades we had developed very different styles. From his teaching and writing work, Tony had worked out a very wide range of appli- cations, had begun to link the technique to brain theory, and had worked out many of the rules of form. As an academic writer, I had ploughed a much narrower furrow. My Mind Maps incorporated only a few elements of form, almost no colour or image, and evolved a rather different basic architecture. I used them almost exclusively for writing projects, though I increasingly, and with great benefit, took them up for lecturing and management tasks. I learned how to think deeply over long periods, using Mind Maps to structure and sustain large research projects There were'several reasons why we wanted to collaborate on this book. One was the thought that by synthesising our two understandings, we would produce a better book. Another was that we shared a profound enthusiasm for Mind Maps, and wanted to make them more widely available to the world. A third reason was the frustration I had experienced when trying to teach some of my students the technology of Mind Mapping. Several unsuccessful attempts convinced me that Tony was right when he said that people needed to be taught not just a technique but also how to think. I wanted a book that I could give to people and say: ‘This will teach you how to think and work as I do’ ‘The working process that ensued has been very long. It has taken the form of a sustained dialogue at regular but infrequent intervals in which each of us has tried to bring the other to a full understanding of his own ideas, About 80 per cent of the book is Tony’s: all the brain theory, the linkage of creativity and memory, the rules, much of the technique, nearly all the stories, and all the linkage to other research. His also is the prose, for he did nearly all the drafting, My main contributions were in the structuring of the book, and the argument that the real power of Mind Maps is unleashed through the use of Basic Ordering Ideas. Beyond that, I played the role of critic, foil, nag, support and co-idea-generator. It took a long time before we fully understood and appreciated cach other's insights, but eventually we reached an almost complete consensus. Although 14FOREWORD , joint writing can sometimes produce a book that has much more range depth than either author could have achieved alone. This is such a work. As Barry has stated, we have practised what we preached, and preached we practised, in that we have used the Mind Map itself to write The Map Book. Over a period of 10 years, we have composed individual fnstorming Mind Maps, and then met and interlinked our two sets of ideas. deep discussion, we have incubated and blended the next set of ideas, time observing natural phenomena, individually Mind Mapped our tions of the next stage, and once again met in order to compare and on. ‘The Mind Map of the complete book generated the individual Mind Maps the chapters, each Mind Map forming the basis for the text of that chapter. process has given new meaning to the word ‘brother’, and especially to word ‘brotherhood’. Even as we were writing about it, we realised that we had created a group mind that contained all the elements of our vidual minds as well as the explosively synergetic results of their meeting. We hope that The Mind Map Book gives you the same thrill of discovery, itement in exploration, and sheer delight in the creative generation of ideas communication with the universe of another human being that we have ves experienced. 15 =INTRODUCTION The Mind Map Book and How to Use It Preview e Purposes of The Mind Map Book e Organisation of divisions e Organisation of chapters @ Doing the exercises e Levels of Mind Map knowledge @ Feedback @ The Mind Map Book and you PURPOSES OF THE MIND MAP BOOK This book is designed as an adventure to entice, delight, stimulate and challenge you. You will discover some astonishing facts about your brain and its function, and will take your first major steps on the path to freedom of mind. The Mind Map Book has five main purposes: 1 To introduce you to a new concept in the development of thought - Radiant Thinking. 2 To introduce you to the new tool that allows you to use Radiant Thinking to best advantage in all aspects of your life ~ Mind Maps. 3 To give you a profound intellectual freedom by demonstrating that you can control the nature and development of your thinking processes, and that your ability to think creatively is theoretically infinite.HOW TO USE THIS BOOK To give you practical experience of Radiant Thinking, and in so doing raise significantly the standard of many of your intellectual skills and jigences. ‘To give you a sense of excitement and discovery as you explore this new erse. IRGANISATION OF DIVISIONS > accomplish these goals, the book has been arranged in six major divisions: Natural Architecture this division you are introduced to the most up-to-date information about he human brain, its design, architecture and function. You are shown that wny of the great thinkers of history (referred to in this book as the Great sins) used skills that are available to everyone. You are then shown why, ite this, more than 95 per cent of people experience major problems in ch areas as thinking, memory, concentration, motivation, organisation of decision-making and planning. division also introduces you to Radiant Thinking and Mind Mapping, emonstrating how each is a natural offshoot of the brain’s fundamental struc- and how each can improve dramatically your mental performance. Foundations Foundations division guides you through the practical applications of the of the left and right hemispheres of your brain, demonstrating how you mn use each separately, and how you can then combine them in specific ways multiply dramatically the advantages you get from using your brain, The esult is the complete Mind Mapping technique (explained in chapter 9), Structure this division you are given the complete set of laws and recommendations using Radiant Thinking and Mind Mapping to best advantage. These laws nd recommendations are designed to increase the precision and freedom of thinking.‘THE MIND MAP BOOK In conjunction with this advice on how best to do a Mind Map, you are given guidance and encouragement to develop your own personal style of Mind Mapping. 4 Synthesis ‘The Synthesis division gives you an overview of all the different intellectual tasks you can successfully tackle with Mind Maps. These include: making choices (decision-making), organising your own ideas (note-making), organ- ising other people’s ideas (note-taking), creative thinking and advanced brain- storming, improving memory and imagination, and creating a group mind. 5 tse The Uses division is your menu of Mind Map applications. This is itself sub- divided into: ¢ Personal « Family ¢ Educational Business and Professional The Future ‘These headings represent the areas in which Mind Maps are most frequently used, In each area you will learn a full range of specific and practical Mind Mapping skills. These are designed to give you a comprehensive tool kit for your intellectual life and work. Specific applications include self-analysis, problem-solving, memory, essay-writing, management and meetings. The div- ision ends with the first-ever introduction of computer-Mind Maps and a glimpse of a mentally literate future. 6 Addenda This division has been included as a back-up for all that has gone before, and also for your amusement and entertainment. Consequently you will find information, which is given on the Natural Architecture Plates and Notes by the Great Brains, presented as straight data or, alternatively, as quizzes. 6.1 Notes by the Great Brains Quiz This is a collection of 17 notes from 14 of the world’s great thinkers selected from the fields of art, science, politics and literature. ‘To make this a quiz, opposite: Natural Architecture Plate 2 ' 18THE MIND MAP BOOK examine each note and attempt to identify its creator. The highest score on this quiz at the time of going to press was seven out of 17 — see if you can beat it! (For the answers to this quiz, see page 307.) 6.2 Natural Architecture Plates Throughout the book you will find images taken from the animal, vegetable, mineral and conceptual worlds which demonstrate nature’s architecture. These have also been arranged as an optional quiz. The object is to see if you can recog- nise nature’s maps, each of which mirrors in its own special way the structure and thinking patterns of your brain. At the time of going to press, the highest score in this quiz was 15 out of a possible 31. (See page 305 for the answers.) 6.3 Brain Foundation information For those who wish to continue their study of the brain, this section includes: details of books, training courses, video tapes and audio tapes, as well as the Mind Map Kit, the Universal Personal Organiser, and other Buzan products. You can also find out how to join the Brain Club, an international organisation designed to promote Mental Literacy and help you increase your mental, physical and spiritual awareness. 6.4 Bibliography The Bibliography includes novels, popular science and more traditional scien- tific volumes on the brain. It also mentions a number of research papers, should you wish to go further into this endlessly fascinating subject. ORGANISATION OF CHAPTERS 1 Chapter design Each chapter in The Mind Map Book contains the following main elements: © a natural architecture plate shows an image from the natural world reflecting Mind Map and Radiant Thinking forms © a preview of the chapter content a foreword introducing the main thrust of the chapter ¢ the chapter itself © an onword, linking each chapter with the next. 20HOW TO USE THIS BOOK dtext The Mind Map Book you will sages our students have repeate especially helpful in their learning. find boxed areas in the text. These ly asked us to emphasise, as they tof a paragraph indicates the beginning of provided to show why it is 80 ade throughout The Mind Map the book a at the star of text in which research stories are to follow the recommendations m: THE EXERCISES 1 gain a new dimension of understanding and expertise if you do the | in The Mind Map Book. These take the form of quizzes, Tris best to use a Mind Map pad (a blank white good-for-writing felt-tip pens, four or more bright g and a standard writing pen. vailable by post (see pages 308-11). , you will be ‘able to make full use of your Radiant abilities, and will learn these new techniques “Another advantage of following the recommended ‘Map pad becomes a visual record of your progress. we ‘ MIND MAP KNOWLEDGE ur level of knowledge concerning Mind Maps, your initial uid be to browse through the book fairly rapidly, scanning #5 ob those areas that will be of particular interest to you, and 1g your intial goals. ‘your approach will differ according to your level of knowledge and had either no experience with continue by reading The ‘Mind ch this, see are a beginner, meaning that you have aps or only the slightest acquaintance, as a study text. Fora succinct summary of how to approac] b ai —THE MIND MAP BOOK Chapter 14, pages 139-144. (For a fuller explanation of the study technique, see Use Your Head, 1989 edition, Chapter 9.) 2 Intermediate students If you are an intermediate, meaning that you have some knowledge of Mind Maps and have started some form of basic application, once again use the study technique. Try to perfect your technique in the light of this book, as well as pursuing your specific goals from the Mind Map Menu in Division 5 (Uses). 3 Advanced students Ifyou are advanced, meaning that you have considerable experience with Mind Maps, you are advised to concentrate more on the first three divisions, focusing on those areas where either you need more in-depth knowledge, or where the information is new to you. Then scan Division 5 (Uses) in order to reinforce, refine and supplement your existing skills. ‘Whatever your level, we encourage you to construct ~ either during or after reading The Mind Map Book ~ a Master Mind Map of the entire book. FEEDBACK The Mind Map Book will always be a work-in-progress. As such, we would enormously appreciate your feedback in many ways: 1 Stories ‘Any stories you have, or indeed stories of friends or acquaintances who have been able to use Mind Mapping in some notable or extraordinary way. 2 Research If you are aware of any research, experiments or studies that support any of the points we make in this book, please do let us know, care of the Buzan Centres (see pages 308-11), with references that are as detailed as possible. 3 Additions If there are any general additions, new chapters, or even new divisions that you would like to see incorporated in future editions, please let us know. — 22 eeeHOW TO USE THIS BOOK Great Brains’ Notes need as many examples as we can get! ExercisesiGames yourself have developed, or know of other people who have developed, ‘or games that can enhance the development of Mind Mapping tech- 1es, please send us an outline. Mind Maps arly, if you have superb examples of Mind Maps that could go into future s, please send originals or coloured photocopies for our consideration. Bibliography are other books or research papers you think are useful, please send us ation details. [HE MIND MAP BOOK AND YOU yu Who now read these words are doing so with your own unique personality uniquely developed set of learning skills. You will therefore progress at a ce and rhythm particularly suited to you. In the light of this, it is important you measure yourself primarily against yourself. The examples contained The Mind Map Book should be used not as standards that must be attained but as beacons to guide you towards your goal. When you have completed The Mind Map Book we recommend that you id it again rapidly. This ‘after completion reading’ will be like meeting an old again, and will give you a knowledgeable reader’s enhanced perspective n each of the developing segments.DIVISION 1 NATURAL ARCHITECTURE Whoever, wherever, you are, you are using — to read these words — the most beautiful, intricate, complex, mysterious and powerful object in the known universe: your brain. We are, as an evolutionary model, a mere 45,000 years old, and we now stand on the brink of a revolution that will change the course of human development. For the first time in the three and a half million year history of human intelligence, that very intelligence has realised that it can understand, analyse and nurture izself. By applying itself to itself it can develop new ways of thinking that are far more flexible and powerful than the traditional modes of thought currently in use throughout the world. Only during the last few centuries have we begun gathering information about the structure and workings of our brains. As excitement about what we find gains momentum, so does the number of papers and articles published on the subject. Indeed it has been calculated that in the last 10 years we have accumu- lated as much as 95 per cent of all information ever gathered about the human brain, Although still a very long way from a complete understanding (we are increasingly aware that what we do know is only a tiny fraction of what there is to be known), we now know enough to change, for ever, our view of others and ourselves. ‘What then are these discoveries and what are the answers to the following questions? 24NATURAL ARCHITECTURE What are the component parts of our brains? How do we process information? What are the brain’s main functions? How are the skill centres distributed through the brain? How do we learn and what do we recall most easily? Is the human brain fundamentally a pattern-making and pattern-secking 2 What are the techniques used by those extraordinary yet normal people who have been able to remember so much more than their peers? Why are so many people in despair over the capacity and function of brains? What is the natural and appropriate way to think? 0 What is the natural and appropriate expression of human thought? sion 1 answers all these questions, introducing you to the amazing natural chitecture of your brain on both the cellular and macro levels, and to the jor principles of brain function, You are shown how the Great Brains used ls that are available to everyone, and why it is that 95 per cent of people are tisfied with their mental functioning. In the final chapters of this division youare introduced to the new, brain-based mode of advanced thought: Radiant hinking, and its natural expression, the Mind Map. j 25CHAPTER 1 THE AMAZING BRAIN Preview © Foreword Modern brain research @ The psychology of learning ~ remembering © Gestalt ~ wholeness @ The brain as a Radiant Thinking Association Machine ¢ The development of the history of human intelligence @ Onword FOREWORD This chapter takes you on a Concorde-flight overview of the latest bio- Physiological and neurophysiological research into that amazing bio-computer ~ the human brain. ‘You will discover how many brain cells you have, and how they interact in astoundingly complex and sophisticated ways. You will also discover the true nature of your brain’s information-processing systems, and will learn about state-of-the-art research into the left and right hemispheres. As you read about the nature and workings of your memory, and about your brain’s other major functions, you will realise the extraordinary extent of its capacity and potential. MODERN BRAIN RESEARCH The brain cell Te was after studying the brain cell that Sir Charles Sherrington, considered by many to be the grandfather of neurophysiology, was moved to make the fol- lowing poetic statement:THE AMAZING BRAIN human brain is an enchanted loom where millions of flashing shuttles weave a dissolving pattern, always a meaningful pattern, though never an abiding one, shifting harmony of sub-patterns. It is as if the Milky Way entered upon some ic dance.’ each human brain there are an estimated one million, million (1000000 000 000) brain cells. ‘brain cell (neuron) contains a vast electrochemical complex and a power- ticro-data-processing and transmitting system that, despite its complexity, d fit on the head of a pin. Each of these brain cells looks like a super pus, with a central body and tens, hundreds, or thousands, of tentacles. we increase the level of magnification, we see that each tentacle is like the of a tree, radiating from the cell centre or nucleus. The branches of n cell are called dendrites (defined as ‘natural tree-like markings or es’). One particularly large and long branch, called the axon, is the ‘exit for information transmitted by that cell. lach dendrite and axon may range from a millimetre to 1.5 metres in length, {all along and around its length are little mushroom-like protuberances d dendritic spines and synaptic buttons (see overleaf). further into this super-microscopic world, we find that each dendritic ptic button contains bundles of chemicals which are the major mes- ers in our human thinking process. itic spine/synaptic button from one brain cell will link with a synaptic = brain cell, chemicals will be transferred across the minute, liquid-filled ce between the two. This space is called the synaptic gap. chemicals ‘slot into’ the receiving surface, creating an impulse that is through the receiving brain cell from whence itis directed to an adjoining in cell (see illustration detail, page 31). Ithough simply illustrated, the cascade of biochemical information that es across the synapse is awe-inspiring in its volume and complexity. It is, nicrocosmic terms, a Niagara Falls. brain cell may receive incoming pulses from hundreds of thousands of necting points every second. Acting like a vast telephone exchange, the cell : A single one of the brain’s million million (1 000000000 000) brain cells, dem- onstrating a radiant natural architecture. 27THE AMAZING BRAIN ntaneously compute, microsecond by microsecond, the sum data of ng information and will redirect it along the appropriate path. given message, or thought, or re-lived memory is passed from brain cell rain cell, a biochemical electromagnetic pathway is established. Each of pathways is known as a ‘memory trace’. These memory traces maps are one of the most exciting areas of modern brain research brought us to some startling conclusions. y time you have a thought, the biochemical/electromagnetic resist- ‘along the pathway carrying that thought is reduced. Itis like trying ar a path through a forest. The first time is a struggle because you to fight your way through the undergrowth. The second time you el that way will be easier because of the clearing you did on your journey. The more times you travel that path, the less resistance will be, until, after many repetitions, you have a wide, smooth ur brain: the more you repeat patterns or maps of thought, the less tance there is to them. Therefore, and of greater significance, repe- in itself increases the probability of repetition. In other words, the more 1¢s a ‘mental event’ happens, the more likely it is to happen again. n to the forest analogy, repeated use keeps the track clear, thus ging further ‘traffic’. The more tracks and pathways you can create and ‘clearer’, faster and more efficient your thinking will become. The of human intelligence can, in many ways, be related to the brain’s create and use such patterns. winter of 1973, Professor Petr Kouzmich Anokhin of Moscow Uni- de his last public statement on the results of his 60-year investigation nature of our brain cells, His conclusion, in his paper ‘The Forming and Artificial Intelligence’, was as follows: ‘can show that each of the ten Billion neurons in the human brain has a lity of connections of one with twenty-eight noughts after it! If a single has this quality of potential, we can hardly imagine what the whole can do. What it means is that the total number of possible OVERLEAF: Natural Architecture Plate 3 29THE AMAZING BRAIN < oe Ti ZB Zoi Five brain cells demonstrating part of the ‘neuronal embraces’ throughout the brain. ‘This image is simplified a thousand times and represents a microscopic area of the brain. combinations/permutations in the brain, if written out, would be 1 followed by 10.5 million kilometres of noughts!” ‘No human ‘yer exists who can use all the potential of his brain. This is why wwe don’t accept any pessimistic estimates of the limits of the human brain, It is unlimited!’ How is all this accomplished? By the biggest ‘embrace’ in the known uni- Verse ~ your brain cells embracing your brain cells. Each individual brain cell is capable of contacting and embracing as many as 10000 or more proximate brain cells in the same instant. It is in these shimmering and incessant embraces that the infinite patterns, the infinite Maps of your Mind, are created, nurtured and grown. Radiant Thinking reflects your internal structure and processes. ‘The Mind Map is your external mirror of your own Radiant Thinking and allows you access into this vast thinking powerhouse.THE MIND MAP BOOK rhythm spatial awareness Gestalt (whole picture) words logic numbers imagination sequence daydreaming linearity colour analysis dimension lists The brain’s cerebral cortex shown face-on. The cortical faculties shown make up the power- house of intellectual skills that can be used in noting and thinking. Your brain’s cerebral hemispheres In the late 1960s, Professor Roger Sperry of California, who was subsequently awarded the Nobel Prize for his research, announced the results of his inves- tigation into the brain’s most highly evolved area, the cerebral cortex (‘corter’ meaning ‘outer shell’ or bark). Sperry’s initial findings indicated that the two sides, or hemispheres, of the cortex tend to divide the major intellectual functions between them (illustration above). The right hemisphere appeared to be dominant in the following intel- Jectual areas: rhythm, spatial awareness, gestalt (wholeness), imagination, day- dreaming, colour and dimension, The left hemisphere appeared dominant in a different but equally powerful range of mental skills: words, logic, numbers, sequence, linearity, analysis and lists. Subsequent investigations by Ornstein, Zaidel, Bloch et al, have confirmed these findings. In addition the following has been discovered: 32THE AMAZING BRAIN jough each hemisphere is dominant in certain activities, they are oth basically skilled in ail areas, and the mental skills identified by oger Sperry are actually distributed hroughout the cortex. ‘current fashion for labelling people either left- or right-side dominant is counter-productive. As Michael Bloch stated in his Tel/Syn paper: ‘If, all ourselves “right brain” or “left brain” people, we are limiting our ability new strategies.” ying ‘I am bad at or do not possess mental skill X’ is both an untruth and fsunderstanding. If one is weak in any skill area, the correct statement must yet to develop mental skill X.’ The only barrier to the expression and n of all our mental skills is our knowledge of how to access them. 1e range of skills available to all of us include those previously attributed the left or right hemisphere:SSNS TOO tn _—_— THE MIND MAP BOOK 6 imagers © Daydreaming © Visualisation 7 Spatial awareness Dimension © Gestalt (whole picture) Radiant Thinking and Mind Mapping take all these elements into account, THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING — REMEMBERING Research has shown that, during the learning Process, the human brain pri- marily remembers the following: ¢ tems from the beginning of the learning period (‘the primacy effect’) ¢ Ttems from the end of the learning period (‘the recency effect’) © Any items associated with things or patterns already stored, or linked to other aspects of what is being learned ® Any items which are emphasised as being in some way outstanding or unique ¢ Any items which appeal particularly strongly to any of the five senses ® Those items which are of particular interest to the person This list of findings, taken together with the graph opposite, gives you infor- ‘mation thatis of critical importance in understanding the way your brain works, Tndeed it was this information (and not the ‘lefvright brain theory’, as many have assumed) which gave rise to my development of Mind Mapping. In the 1960s, while lecturing at various universities on the psychology of learning and memory, I began to notice the enormous discrepancy between the theory I was teaching and what I was actually doing, My lecture notes were traditional linear notes, Providing the traditional mount of forgetting and the traditional amount of non-communication. I was using stich notes as the basis of lectures on memory in which I was pointing Out that two of the main factors in recall were association and emphasis. Yet these elements were singularly lacking in my own notes! By constantly asking myself the question ‘What, in my notes, will help me to associate and emphasise?” I arrived, in the late 1960s/early 1970s, at an embry- onic coneept of Mind Mapping. (For a fuller discussion of recall during learning, see Use Your Head, or for readers in the USA, Use Both Sides of Your 34 4 ts‘THE AMAZING BRAIN ~ 2 HOURS POINT IN TIME WHERE LEARMNGENDS licting the high and low points of recall during a learning period. The reasons for 1s can be used to construct the basis for a new theory of learning (see page 34). y subsequent investigations into the nature of information processing, ture and functioning of the brain cell, and research into the cerebral confirmed and buttressed the original theory, and Mind Maps were rains tend to look for pattern and completion. For instance, most people, the words ‘One, two, three...’ will have to fight the impulse to add arly, if someone says, ‘I have the most fascinating story to tell you Sorry, I’ve just realised I’m not supposed to tell anyone’, your mind for completion! This in-built tendency of the brain to search for is satisfied by the structure of the Mind Map. The Mind Map infinite sequence of associative ‘probes’ which comprehensively inves- {dea or question with which you are concerned. ‘machine, your brain, has five major functions ~ receiving, holding, , outputting and controlling — explained as follows: 35 =CIEE ”— Oe THE MIND MaP BOOK 1 Receiving Anything taken in by any of your senses, 2 Holding Your memory, including retention (the ability to store information) and recall (the ability to access that stored information). 3 Analysing Pattern-recognition and information-processing, 4 Outputting Any form of communication or creative act, including thinking. 5 Controlling Referring to all mental and physical functions. data if you are interested and motivated, and if the receiving process is com- Patible with brain functions. Having received the information efficiently, you will ind it easier to hold and analyse it. Conversely, efficient holding and analysis Will increase your ability to receive information. Similarly, anaiysis, which involves a complex array of information-processing tasks, requires an ability to hold (retain and associate) that which has been receive and hold the information, ‘These three functions converge into the fourth — the outputting or expression by Mind Map, speech, gesture, etc. of that which hus been received, held and analysed. The fifth category, controling, refers to the brain's general monitoring of all Your mental and physical functions, including general health, attitude and 36THE AMAZING BRAIN DEVELOPMENT OF THE HISTORY OF HUMAN IGENCE of human intelligence can be seen as the brain’s search for ways of cating effectively with itself. the first human made the first line, a revolution in human con- $8 was precipitated, of which the Mind Map is the latest developmental For an in-depth discussion, see Lorraine Gills paper, ‘Line is man- n beings realised that they could externalise their internal ‘mental », development was rapid. The first marks evolved into pictures, begin- th the early Australian Aboriginal cave paintings. As civilisations gped, pictures were condensed into symbols and thence into alphabets pts, such as Chinese characters or Egyptian hieroglyphics. With the pment of Western thought and the spreading influence of the Roman the transition from picture to letter was complete. Subsequently, for the not inconsiderable power of the letter held evolutionary sway momentarily derided image. first humans to make marks were thus literally marking a gigantic in the evolution of intelligence, for they were externalising the first of the mental world. In so doing, they were fixing their thoughts time and space, and also enabling their thoughts to span those same ions. Human intelligence could now communicate with itself the infinite reaches of time and space. ymbols, images and codes eventually developed into writing, and this advance was the key to the emergence and development of large-scale ns such as those in Mesopotamia and China. These peoples enjoyed us advantages over those who had yet to develop writing, and therefore no access to the wisdom and knowledge derived from great minds of the ke a broad river being forced into a narrow sluice, the trend towards information gradually accelerated over the centuries, giving rise to ‘information explosion’. In recent times this ‘explosion’ has been partly iby the assumption that writing is the only correct vehicle for the learning, and dissemination of information.THE MIND MAP BOOK If writing is indeed the best way of taking in, analysing and passing on information, why are so many people having problems in the fields of learning, thinking, creativity and memory? Why do they complain of basic inability, loss of self-confidence, diminishing interest, and reduced powers of concentration, memory and thinking? Common responses to these problems include self-denigration, under-achievement, apathy and the acceptance of rigid and dogmatic rules, all of which further impede the natural functioning of the brain. We have taken the word, the sentence, logic and number as the foundation stones of our civilisation, forcing our brains to use limiting modes of expression which we assume are the only correct ones. Why have we done this? Because, in universal evolutionary terms, we are still only newborn babies. It is therefore understandable that we should have ‘experimented ourselves’ into the momentarily uncomfort- able position which the next chapter describes, and which subsequent chapters resolve. ONWORD From the physiological and psychological evidence, we know that the brain contains vast power waiting to be unleashed. To find out more about the brain’s true potential and how to utilise it, we need to look at those brains historically considered to be ‘great’. In the next chapter we meet some great thinkers of the past and ask whether they did indeed use a fuller range of associative, outputting and Radiant Thinking capabilities.CHAPTER 2 THE GREAT BRAINS The Great Brains » Using the full range of mental skills e Onword WORD considered to be ‘Great Brains’ in the fields of art, science, politics, ture, the military, business and education have all used notes to help them k In the light of information revealed in Chapter 1 about the workings of Chapter 2 examines the degree to which some great figures in history ised their vast thinking power. This is your chance to analyse and copy! GREAT BRAINS se of you who have been criticised for making ‘messy notes’ or ‘dood- 2, what follows will provide consolation and vindication! ing my lectures over the past 25 years I have frequently displayed the of an unidentified thinker generally recognised as ‘great’, I have then ited course participants to identify the originator of the notes. In every sup, the participants have mentioned — usually guessing wrongly ~ the names Vinci, Einstein, Picasso, Darwin, and at least one other major musician, jentist or politician. This experiment shows that we asswme that people like da Vinci and Einstein isthave achieved their greatness by using a wider range of mental skills than r peers. The examples that follow support this assumption, providing that the Great Brains did indeed use more of their natural ability, and unlike their more linear-thinking contemporaries ~ they were intuitively a 39 — EEETHE MIND MAP BOOK beginning to use the principles of Radiant Thinking and Mind Mapping. USING THE FULL RANGE OF MENTAL SKILLS A quick way of judging the excellence of your own or any set of notes is to look at the list of mental skills on pages 33-4 and check how many of these skills are incorporated in the notes ~ the more the better. ‘The notes opposite, by Leonardo da Vinci, demonstrate the point. He used words, symbols, sequence, listing, linearity, analysis, association, visual rhythm, numbers, imagery, dimension and gestalt — an example of a complete mind expressing itself completely. The notes, also opposite, by Picasso are similarly comprehensive, You can try to guess which notes have been written by da Vinei and which by Picasso as a limbering up exercise before trying the Notes by the Great Brains Quiz on pages 295-304. (See also page 18.) In Notes by the Great Brains Quiz (page 295), you will find more examples of great thinkers expressing themselves in ways that reflect the full range of their mental skills. ONWORD These notes, the external expressions of the thought processes of Great Brains of the past, reveal that they did indeed use a greater proportion of their inherent mental power than those around them. We know that we could all utilise the same inherent mental power. So why are so many people now experiencing such massive problems with thinking, creativity, problem-solving, planning, memory, and dealing with change? The reasons are explored in the next chapter, ‘Brains in Quandary’. 40THE GREAT BRAINS Yn M dion girl. pu Great Brain Note 2 41THE MIND MAP BOOK Natural Architecture Plate 4CHAPTER 3 BRAINS IN QUANDARY Standard linear notes The major styles of standard note-making/taking The tools used for standard note-making/taking » The disadvantages of standard notes The consequences for our brains The results of research on note-making/taking JREWORD chapter reveals the inherent weaknesses of note-making/taking systems rently used all over the world. By analysing the effectiveness of various styles king/taking, we can begin to evolve a system that works with our ns rather than against them. TANDARD LINEAR NOTES important, at the outset, to make a clear distinction between note-making note-taking. Note-making means organising your own thoughts, often in tive, innovative way. Note-taking means summarising someone else’s ghts, as expressed in a book, article or lecture. the past two decades, my colleagues and I have researched the note- ng/taking styles of individuals at all levels in schools, universities and s professions, This research has been carried out in many different intries and has included observation, questioning and practical experiments. ‘One of the experiments consisted of asking each member of the group to , within five minutes, an innovative, creative speech on the topic ‘The 43THE MIND MAP BOOK Toors MEMORY WORPS COMM PRESENT NUMBERS INNOV AND CREATE SEQUENCE PLANNING: LINES ANALYSIS. “sts DECISION MAKING Logic ET. ANALY SIS GME COLOUR The three major note-taking styles used by 95 per cont of note-takers and note-makers in all schools and professions around the world, regardless of language or nationality. Can you see why they leave ‘brains in quandary” (see pages 44-51)? Brain, Innovation, Creativity and the Future’, They were allowed to use a wide variety of papers, coloured pens and other writing materials, and were asked to include the following purposes in their notes: @ Memory ¢ Communication and presentation ¢ Innovation and creativity © Planning © Analysis © Decision-making Despite being offered a wide range of materials, the majority chose standard lined paper and a single (usually black, blue or grey) pen. The results are intriguing. THE MAJOR STYLES OF STANDARD NOTE- MAKING/TAKING The three major styles used in the experiment are illustrated above. 44BRAINS IN QUANDARY The sentence/narrative style consists of simply writing out whatever is to nmunicated in narrative form. ‘The list style involves noting down the ideas as they occur. ‘The outline numerical/alphabetical style consists of making notes in a rchical sequence consisting of major categories and sub-categories. lany people combine various elements of these three major styles. However, also a fourth, and more rare style, which is often described as ‘dis- ed’ or ‘messy’. This fourth style, as we shall see, is very much akin to Mapping. ‘over the world, the current standard systems of note-making/taking are While Middle Eastern and Asian notes may look different from notes, they actually use exactly the same elements. Although languages inese, Japanese and Arabic are written vertically or right-to-left, rather orizontally (see page 48), the presentation is still linear. y school, university and business we visited, the three major styles above were used by more than 95 per cent of those tested. TOOLS USED FOR STANDARD NOTE- ING/TAKING ch of the three major styles described, the main tools used were: ‘notes were usually written in straight lines. Grammar, chronological and hierarchical sequence were also used. Symbols included letters, words and numbers. Analysis lysis was used but its quality was adversely affected by the linear patterning, 45 —THE MIND MAP BOOK reflecting too great an emphasis on the linear nature of presentation rather than. content. A quick look back at Chapter 1 (page 33) reminds us that symbols, linear patterning and analysis, the major elements of current standard note- making/taking, are only three of the many tools available to the cerebral cortex of the human brain. These standard notes show an almost complete absence of ¢ Visual rhythm ¢ Visual pattern or just pattern © Colour ¢ Image (Imagination) © Visualisation ¢ Dimension © Spatial awareness © Gestalt (Wholeness) © Association As these missing elements are essential in overall brain function, and specifi- cally in recall during learning, it is not surprising that most of those participating in our research found the whole business of taking notes frustrating. The words most commonly associated with note-making/taking were: ‘boring’, ‘pun- ishment’, ‘headaches’, ‘finger cramps’, ‘homework’, ‘exams’, ‘wasted time’, ‘failure’, ‘rigidity’, ‘depression’, ‘fear’, ‘study’, ‘learning’. Furthermore, over 95 per cent of the notes were written in a single colour, a monotone (usually blue, black or grey). The word ‘monotone’ is the root of the word ‘monotonous’, And what does a brain do when it is bored? It tunes out, turns off, and goes to sleep. So 95 per cent of the literate human population is making notes in a manner designed to bore themselves and others to dis- traction, and to send many of them into a state of unconsciousness. And the method is working. We need only look at libraries in schools, universities, towns and cities around the world. What are half the people doing in those libraries? Sleeping! Our places of learning are becoming giant public bedrooms! opposite: Natural Architecture Plate 5 46EE im”§gp $< THE MIND MAP BOOK een pu Ss! AMM AE he oe we cy] ve i x © eyoyul rs A BB la we muy oy UNIT Sie es tll Geet Eta | 4 ete SO ie pp ee SI OL ag “o wits ev re WN oe WN uy aid J —_— Arabic notes exemplifying the similarity of global note-taking styles, reganiless of whether the direction i lf-to-right,right-toleft, or even, asin Asian languages, vertical (see page 45). 48 =BRAINS IN QUANDARY This global ‘sleeping sickness’ in response to learning is due to the fact that for the last few centuries the vast majority of us have been making Motes that use considerably /ess than half of the capacity of our cerebral cortex. This is due to the fact that the skills associated with our left and right hemispheres are not able to interact with each other in a way that produces an upward spiral of movement and growth. Instead we have saddled our brains with a note-making/taking system that encourages them to reject and forget! The combined disadvantages of these two factors take a heavy toll. [E DISADVANTAGES OF STANDARD NOTES are four disadvantages of current standard note-making/taking systems: They obscure the key words nt ideas are conveyed by key words. In standard notes these key words appear on different pages, obscured by the mass of less important words. factors prevent the brain from making appropriate associations between key concepts. They make it difficult to remember notonous (single colour) notes are visually boring. As such, they will be and forgotten. In addition, standard notes often take the form of ess similar-looking lists. The sheer monotony of making such lists puts the ain in a semi-hypnotic trance, making it almost impossible to remember their ‘They waste time dard note-making/taking systems waste time at all stages: encouraging unnecessary noting requiring the reading of unnecessary notes requiring the re-reading of unnecessary notes requiring the searching for key wordsTHE MIND MAP BOOK 4 They fail to stimulate the brain creatively By its very nature, the linear presentation of standard notes prevents brain from making associations, thus counteracting creativity and memory. In addition, especially when faced with list-style notes, the brain constantly has the sense that it has ‘come to the end’ or ‘finished’. This false sense of comple: tion acts almost like a mental narcotic, slowing and stifling our thought process, THE CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR BRAINS Repeated use of inefficient note-making/taking systems has a number of conse: quences for our brains: ‘¢ We lose our powers of concentration, as a result of the brain’s understandable rebellion against mistreatment. . ¢ We acquire the time-consuming habit of making notes on notes in an attempt to discover the ever more elusive essence of whatever we are studying. ¢ We experience loss of confidence in our mental abilities and in ourselves. ¢ We lose the love of learning so evident in young children and those who have been fortunate enough to learn how to learn, ¢ We suffer from boredom and frustration, « The harder we work, the less we progress, because we are unwittingly working against ourselves. Our current note-making/taking systems produce ever diminishing returns. What we need is a system that produces increasing returns. {Two stories are relevant at this point. The first concerns the case history of an autistic girl recorded in Springer and Deutch’s ‘Left Brain Right Brain! (1985). The authors report that superior artistic ability is often to be found in autistics who also have a severe language disability. They comment that ‘At the age of three and a half, Nadia was producing lifelike drawings with considerable detail...’ They suggest that these special abilities reflect the contribution of the tight hemisphere, and later note that Nadia’s drawing skills ‘diminished as therapy continued. Had Nadia been taught in a manner compatible with her brain’s fanction, she would probably have continued to develop her already strong attistc skills in addition to developing verbal skills. Mind Maps would have been the appropriate tool.BRAINS IN QUANDARY story concerns a young girl in New York, who at the age of nine ‘A student. By the time she was 10, she had become a B student; by the 11a C student; and by the age of 12 a D student, verging on total failure. ‘teachers and her parents were all mystified, as she had been studying if not harder, every year, and was obviously intelligent. nts arranged for me to meet her. After a long and sad conversation, y brightened up and said, ‘There is one area in which I am doing d better every year.” ch one?” I asked. otes, she replied. wer hit me like a thunderbolt, for it solved the mystery. In order to at school, she had assumed that she must make more and better °, to her, meant ‘more sentency’, as close as possible to verbatim, traditionally ‘neat’. As a result, she was innocently pouring more and into the very activity that was making her misunderstand and forget he was studying. This method was used deliberately by a Russian called hevsky, who had a perfect memory, to help him to forget! As soon as she sd what she was doing, she was able to apply Mind Mapping and reverse ING/TAKING ngs are supported by many academic studies on note-making/taking, y those by Dr Howe of Exeter University. ’s studies aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of different types of ig. Effectiveness was judged by how well students were able to talk from indicating a full and integrated understanding. They also had to be ‘use the notes for review purposes, to provide accurate recall and responses in examination conditions where the notes were no longer These were the results, from worst to best: Somplete transcript notes given. Complete transcript notes personally made. Sentence summary notes given. 51THE MIND MAP BOOK 4 Sentence summary notes personally made. 5 Key word notes given. (These sometimes proved to be particularly p because the person who received them was unable to make appropriate mental associations.) 6 Key word notes personally made. Howe’s studies show that brevity, efficiency and active personal involve- ment are of crucial importance in successful noting. ONWORD As we have seen, current systems of note-making/taking utilise only a fracti of the brain’s enormous learning potential. We also know that the Great Brai used a much greater proportion of the mental capacity that is available to all us. Armed with this knowledge, we can move forward into the next chay which introduces Radiant Thinking —a clearer, more natural and more effici way of using our brains. 52CHAPTER 4 RADIANT THINKING integrates the information from Chapters 1 to 3 and introduces t Thinking, a major evolutionary step in the understanding, and nurturing of the human brain. ANT THINKING ation - your brain’s processing system ppens in your brain when you taste a ripe pear, smell flowers, listen to er is both simple and amazingly complex. bit of information entering your brain — every sensation, memory or (incorporating every word, number, code, food, fragrance, line, colour, beat, note and texture) can be represented as a central sphere from |radiate tens, hundreds, thousands, millions of hooks (see opposite). hhook represents an association, and each association has its own infinite inks and connections. The number of associations you have already ‘may be thought of as your memory, your database, or your library. As d these words you may rest assured that contained within the mind that them is a data-processing system that dwarfs the combined analytical cities and storage facilities of the world’s most advanced computers (see 56).RADIANT THINKING Natural Architecture Plate 6THE MIND MAP BOOK As a result of using this many-hooked — multi-ordinate — information-pro cessing and storage system, your brain already contains maps of information that would have the world’s great cartographers gasping in disbelief. could th but see them. Your brain’s thinking pattern may thus be seen as a gigantic, Branching Association Machine (BAM!) ~ a super bio-computer with lines of thought radiating from a virtually infinite number of data nodes. This Structure reflects the neuronal networks that make up the physica architecture of your brain. A quick calculation will reveal that your already existing database of itemed information, and the associations radiating from them, consiste of mui quadriltions of data associations, tSome people use this vast database as an excuse to stop earning, explaining that their brains are nearly ‘full up’, and that for this reason they are not goin to learn anything new because they need to save the precious, remaining spac for the ‘really important stuff". But there is no cause for concern because ve now know, through the work of Dr Mark Rosenweig in Paris, that even if vom brain were fed 10 items of data (each item bei second for 100 years, it would still have used less than one-tenth of its storage capacity. Storage capacity is dwarfed by the brain’s ability to make patterns using th data it already possesses (also see page 134). However many items of data you have already stored, and however ma associations you have already made, your potential to radiate new patterns and combinations of ideas exceeds it by multiple quadrillions! The more you learn/gather new data in an integrated, , radiating, organ- ised manner, the easier it is to learn more. 56RADIANT THINKING s gigantic information processing ability and learning capacity e concept of Radiant Thinking of which the Mind Map is a iant Thinking (from ‘to radiate’, meaning ‘to spread or move in or from a given centre’) refers to associative thought pro- proceed from or connect to a central point. The other of ‘radiant’ are also relevant: ‘shining brightly’, ‘the look of teyes beaming with joy and hope’ and ‘the focal point ofa meteoric similar to the ‘burst of thought’. we gain access to this exciting new way of thinking? With the ‘Map, which is the external expression of Radiant Thinking. A d Map always radiates from a central image. Every word and image in itself a subcentre of association, the whole proceeding in a infinite chain of branching patterns away from or towards jon centre. Although the Mind Map is drawn on a two- ssional page it represents a multi-dimensional reality, encompass » time and colour. ore learning how to apply this powerful tool, it is essential to understand erational principles of the brain that generates it. It is also essential to il human brains have always functioned. In the evolutionary develop- our thinking processes, we have used single beams of the radiation, the full multi-dimensional powerhouse.CHAPTER 5 THE WAY AHEAD ord Mind Map ~ a definition hat Mind Map users have said ‘ORD defines the natural expression of Radiant Thinking: the Mind next evolution in human thought. IND MAP - A DEFINITION ind Map is an expression of Radiant Thinking and is therefore function of the human mind. It is a powerful graphic technique ch provides a universal key to unlocking the potential of the brain. jind Map can be applied to every aspect of life where improved and clearer thinking will enhance human performance. The ‘Map has four essential characteristics: ‘subject of attention is crystallised in a central image. main themes of the subject radiate from the central image as s comprise a key image or key word printed on an associated Topics of lesser importance are also represented as branches ched to higher level branches. branches form a connected nodal structure. opposirE: Natural Architecture Plate 7 59THE MIND MAP BOOK Mind Maps may be enhanced and enriched with colour, pictures, codes dimension to add interest, beauty and individuality. These in turn aid creatii memory and specifically the recall of information. Mind Maps help you to make a distinction between your mental st capacity, which your Mind Map will help you demonstrate, and your m storage efficiency, which your Mind Map will help you achieve. Storing efficiently multiplies your capacity. It is like the difference between a packed or badly packed warehouse, or a library with or without an o1 system. WHAT MIND MAP USERS HAVE SAID Mind Maps have been described by those who have used them, from five- olds to those at all levels of business and education, in the following ways; ‘a Neme Machine!” (‘neme’ meaning ‘a thought as a gene’) ‘the device that helps you look after yourself” “the mental training tool’ | ‘a Mind-Mirror’ ‘a brain-caring device? ‘my mental volcano’ ‘a device for accessing intelligence’ ‘a goal-centred thought network? ‘a device for manifesting intelligence’ “the epitome of summarising devices — use a Mind Map, save a tree! Save tree? Save a forest!” ‘the embryonic manifestation of Super-Logical Thought’ ‘the most comprehensive creative thinking technique’ ‘a multi-dimensional mnemonic [memory-enhancing] technique’ ‘a consciously self-controlled electroencephalogram!” ‘an externalisation of the brain’s internal thought patterns/maps? “the way, at last, in which I can enjoy using my brain!” ‘the pathway(s!) to mental Freedom’ ‘a Mind Map is an externalisation of all aspects of cortical skills and in ligences, allowing the brain to gain access more fluidly, gracefully and rap to its vast store of abilities’ ‘to the Information and Space Age, what linear note-taking was to the Industri Age’ Or, as one user put it when first using Mind Maps: ‘It is as if I'd been drivi 60