As the name suggests, this is one of the most basic exercises you need to do to improve your memory. Please note that, this Basic Association forms the core of all memory techniques you will learn in this book.

Just to have some practice with the basic association, let us take some random pairs of objects and link them together, using VAP & CoMBS (Discussed In Previous Posts). We are going to use the VAP & CoMBS throughout all our exercises of memory practice.

If you master the application of VAP and CoMBS, then you can achieve any level of competency as far as memory skill is concerned.

Now let us proceed for the random pairs linking exercise. When we finish the exercise, you will understand the power of association. Just go on reading the following and Visualise.

When associating the pair of words, use the following checklist:

The VAP-CoMBS Check list
V -Did I Visualise clearly?
A -Did I associate?
P -Did I have fun?
Co -Is the association colorful?
M -Is there some action in it?
B -Are the images too big or too small?
S -Is it different, creative, funny?

The first pair of random objects is:

Elephant And Car

Think of some novel, creative and funny way of linking Car and Elephant. Do not forget to use VAP & CoMBS. For your guidance, I will give you some ideas.

One good idea is all that is necessary for the association to work. But here we I will be discussing multiple ideas – so that you can choose one that makes most impact on you. You can also come up with as many associations as you can. There is no rule that you have to choose only from among the associations given hereunder.

The idea is to initiate you into using VAP and CoMBS.

An elephant is driving car

An elephant is dancing on the car

The elephant is crushing the car.

And so on.

Make sure you check all boxes of the VAP-CoMBS check list.

Now

Fan And Cat

On a fan, a cat is sitting

On a fan, there are cats in place of fan blades

As you switch on a fan, a cat jumps off the fan

Pen And Table

Big, long pens are used as legs of table
Pens are used to create the table top

Hospital And Rope

In a hospital, all patients are tied up with ropes
In a hospital, all doctors tie a rope around their waist
A hospital is dragged away with the help of a rope

Tajmahal And Horse

Tajmahal is being carried away on a horse back
Tajmahal is being attacked by a horse
There are several horses inside the Tajmahal

Now, do not go back to see the associations. Here is a random list of all those objects, which figured in the above exercise. Try recalling with what object each one of them is linked.

Recall Test:

• Rope with ______________
• Fan with ______________
• Pen with ______________
• Tajmahal with ______________
• Car with ______________
• Cat with ______________
• Horse with ______________
• Hospital with ______________
• Elephant with ______________
• Table with______________

How did you fare in the test? How do you rate the exercise? Is it easy, very easy, difficult or very difficult?

Did you notice, as you think of one of the objects in the pair, the other one is just flashing in your mind?

Imagine how wonderful it would be –

If the answer flashes in our mind, when we look at the question?

When you think of the name of your speech, the entire list of points of the speech flash in your mind?

When you think of the wallet, the place where you put that flashes in your mind?

Whenever, you have to recall something, we are given some information and are expected to recall something else in relation to the given data.

Most memory tasks can in fact be viewed as associating together two factors –

a book to an author
a speech to its points
an element to its atomic number
an event to its date
and so on.

Just think what would happen if you have a method with the help of which you can associate these two factors. When you think of one of the factors, the other will flash in your mind! By using VAP and CoMBS, its very easy.

Applications of Basic Association

In every Memory System you use!