(Monroe Institute Blog - August 21, 2018) SECRETS OF LEARNING, MEMORY & CONCENTRATION by Leslie France In many countries including the US, millions of kids and their parents are gearing up for the new school year. Shops and stores are stocking to serve the back-to-schoolers. Internet vendors are primed and ready! Technology is a big part of the shopping list—computers, phones, tablets, games, readers, printers, earbuds, you name it. But what about technology for memory, learning, and brain support? Put it on your list because that’s available, too. Years ago, I listened continuously to Concentration while at work. Turned down to just above audible level, Concentration sounds a little like the surf, swooshing rhythmically in the background. At first, I didn’t feel anything in particular and soon forgot all about it. Not until much later did I realize I’d been focusing clearly and sharply on my work for hours without needing a brain break. I felt mentally fresh. Wow. While I was reaping the benefits of Concentration in the workplace, groups of learners were being introduced to it in the classroom, at home, and in therapy environments. As one mom reported— Homework time meant a daily struggle with my easily distracted seven-year-old until I introduced her to the Concentration CD. Now she goes into her room on her own, puts on either Concentration or Surf, and contentedly gets to work. I’m grateful for the improved grades, of course, and even more for the improved atmosphere. Of course, Concentration was only the beginning. Recordings for challenged learners were introduced: Remembrance and other Hemi-Sync® Exercises Related to ADD/ADHD. Suzanne Evans Morris, PhD, known worldwide for her groundbreaking work with kids with feeding and oral-motor issues, has used Hemi-Sync for decades with her young clients. In an article published in 1990, Hemi-Sync® and the Facilitation of Sensory Integration, she described a poignant and dramatic response— Some of the children, so sensorily dysfunctional that minimal contact or other sensory input caused extreme defensive reactions, and in one case, seizures, became visibly relaxed and focused after Hemi-Sync introduction. One child who could not tolerate being touched or held, reached out to Dr. Morris after listening to a Hemi-Sync METAMUSIC® tape for a few minutes. “A hug tells you you’re doing something right,” she said. Educators also began to discover the tremendous potential of Hemi-Sync for enhanced learning. Super learning and accelerated learning exercises came into popular use. A user reported— I was worried about passing the test I would soon have to take to become a court reporter. I had been studying hard, but my speed wasn’t what it needed to be. After I started using the PAL (Progressive Accelerated Learning) Student Package for practice sessions, my speed picked up. I knew I’d pass, and I did so in a relaxed and confident manner. Barbara Bullard, MA, Professor of Speech Communication, and co-designer of several powerful Hemi-Sync learning tools, introduced Human Plus to her students as a means to accelerate learning. The Brain: Support and Maintenance exercise uses Hemi-Sync to enhance the body's natural ability to maintain optimal brain function by improving blood flow to the brain and normalizing its chemical and electrical activity. Think Fast is another great exercise that helps to speed up and clarify your thought processes. It’s great to know that learners everywhere have this unique and effective set of tools at their disposal. And after all this time, I’m still using Concentration at work! Note: Hemi-Sync® is a registered trademark of Interstate Industries Inc., dba Hemi-Sync®.