topic Symbolic tokens to assist the mind in Staying well

Symbolic tokens to assist the mind

white knight — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 05:59:06 GMT

I love words. One word I’ve always warmed to is Mnemonics. Mnemonics (pronounced without the M) means “to assist the memory”. So at school we had an early Menonic in algebra. A word made up was BODMAS and as you can see 45 years on I still recall that word. One had to remember what order to carry out mathematical equations. Brackets, division, minus, addition and subtraction (BODMAS)

I personally extended this Mnemonic method to all forms of my life where I needed to remember processes. In the RAAF for example or the prisons I’d apply it to safety proceedures, in Fire stations I’d apply it to the danger level of chemicals in storage warehouses. It has served me well rather than remembering 1-20 chemicals I’d make up a word.

And as time has gone on I’ve modified this so it slots in with my method of thinking. Australian cricket is a fine example. Every 4 years we play against England for the “ashes”. The “ashes”…a tiny urn the size little bigger than a golf ball, said to contain the ashes of wickets burned in Sunbury many decades ago. Both countries fight for the honour of that urn! a symbolic token albeit historic

Apply that symbolism to the mind is no different. Remember the saying “it’s the thought that counts”? Give a lady a rose you picked from your garden on Valentines day should be admired probably more than flower sent by courier? (and cheaper). What about a tiny daisy held in your hand as you return indoors to apologise for something? Symbolic tokens that can change the course of your life, it can be that powerful.

A post here by you the member can change anothers life. The humility of that is that you would not likely ever know. Humility, one of lifes most fabulous gifts. Hundreds could read it…they might not reply but they have absorbed your words.

Symbolism can be effectively used as a positive thinking aid. It took me a long time to get my head around this. How can you turn things from negative to positive. It's got to the stage now that I pity those that cannot as it is truly life changing.

As an example. Upset one day I sat on my garden seat tears falling. I picked a flower.

PROBLEM FLOWER

Of all my problems

I pick a daisy flower

I take a petal for each of my woes

and count them by the hour

And when finished this flower destroyed

my problems as big as a city tower

I thought I had lots of issues

but not as many as that flower...

Using a destroyed flower as a symbolic token.

Tony WK

Symbolic tokens to assist the mind

BballJ — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 11:57:41 GMT

Hi white knight,

What a great post and one I fully agree with. It the small things that make the difference. The amount of things I have learnt from being on this website is amazing, the support from people like yourself is amazing and I have to agree, if you cannot turn a negative into a positive, you have to learn how because that is a great way to cope in life. I try to see everything from a positive stand point even though its dark and stormy, If I try and see the positivity in it, I know the sun will come out again.

My best,

Jay

Symbolic tokens to assist the mind

TBella — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:35:49 GMT

BRILLIANT!!!!! 👍🏻

Thank you for sharing this.

Symbolic tokens to assist the mind

white knight — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:36:09 GMT

Hi Bballj

Quote

" The amount of things I have learnt from being on this website is amazing, the support from people like yourself is amazing and I have to agree, if you cannot turn a negative into a positive, you have to learn how because that is a great way to cope in life"

That is great feedback for so many people.

Thankyou

Tony WK

Symbolic tokens to assist the mind

white knight — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:38:39 GMT

Thankyou Tbella.

Tony WK

Symbolic tokens to assist the mind

white knight — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 18:11:42 GMT

Hello

Medications, illness and/or aging can have an effect on memory. A lifetime friend now 79yo is losing his ability to remember details of his building knowledge. He was a builder for 45 years and we are building a house currently by ourselves.

This frustration he is enduring is sad to observe.

Do you have any tips in increasing memory capacity?

TonyWK