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L E A R N I N G W I T H L I G H T
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* DEDICATED TO THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD *
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FOREWORD
Years ago, during a seminar in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, I came into
contact with an elderly French gentleman who was not only a scientist,
a teacher and a physician, but also a metaphysician. His name was
Francis Lefebure and during his seminar, he mentioned, among other
things, an ancient technique which he had 'reactualized' and which,
according to him, had incredible learning-enhancing effects, especially
with young people. Since I manifested a keen interest in his method, he
showed me numerous testimonies of persons who had used it, and who had
fully confirmed his claims.
Later on, I got the same type of feedback from different people in the
province of Quebec, where I was living at the time.
Dr. Lefebure went back to France to try and spread his method further,
but his untimely demise put an end to his efforts. When I saw
Dr. Lefebure a second time, in Montreal, shortly before he died, he told
me about a dream he had: to spread his method internationally, for the
benefit of the children of the world, so that "tomorrow's world would be
a better one than to-day's". He never realized his dream.
Now, more than ten years later, and in order to honour his memory, I
would like to use this wonderful international communication tool -
Internet - to spread his method worldwide.
It is based on the two following theories:
a) Information is stored in the brain in the form of symbols, images
and sounds, rather than in 'words'.
b) Using light to directly access the brain increases the absorption
and permanency of new symbols, images, etc., fostering faster and
greater creative abilities, memory and intelligence.
The text that follows explains the technique and its different modali-
ties. It is very simple and gives results in about a month. It can be
applied by anyone engaged in a learning process, but is most effective
with younger people. Children up to about age fourteen will have to be
assisted and motivated by an adult - any adult: teacher, professor,
educationalist, school psychologist, parent, friend or any other type of
educator or concerned adult.
YOU will be staggered by the results, just as I have been.
------------------------
LEARNING WITH LIGHT
I - INTRODUCTION:
A) A little story for us, children of all ages
Once upon a time, there was a little girl whose life was not very happy:
she lived in an orphanage and, because she seemed slightly retarded, she
was not accepted by the other children. But one day, everything in her
life changed: a lady adopted her and took her to live in a house by the
sea, where she was free to do what she wanted. And what did the little
girl do? Well, for hours on end, for days and months, she would slowly
rock her head from side to side while watching the reflection of the sun
on the water. After a few years of this solitary game, people noticed
that the little girl had become... a genius.
B) Explaining the tale
In fact, the above is not a modern fairy tale, but the true story of
Minou Drouet, the child prodigy whose poetry impressed the world when
she was only about twelve years old. She was so famous for a while that
sometimes, when she would pass through a town, great crowds would gather
to see her, as though she was a state dignitary.
What explanation is there for this extraordinary mental progress? By
staring at the sun's reflection on the water, the little girl had mixed
her child's fantasies with the coloured light pulsations which encircle
spots of sunlight. These luminous 'halos' that appear when small waves
stir the sun's reflection on the surface of the water are one of the
numerous forms of 'phosphenes' that can be triggered in a person's mind.
The Webster's Dictionary defines 'Phosphene' as follows: a luminous
impression due to excitation of the retina of the eye by some cause
other than the impingement of rays of light (as by pressure on the
eyeball when the lids are closed) - compare AFTERIMAGE.
And 'Afterimage': a usually visual sensation occurring after the
external stimulus causing it has ceased to operate.
(As in other writings related to this subject, we will henceforth use
the word 'phosphene' in place of 'afterimage'.)
What happened is analogous to a chemical reaction between the child's
thoughts and the phosphenes, a combination which on the one hand renders
thought more dense (in the same way that a chemical "salt" is denser
than the acid and the base from which it is derived), and on the other
hand releases a type of energy which stimulates all the mental
faculties.
In this method of "learning with light", we are going to use these
extraordinary properties exhibited by phosphenes to enhance learning
abilities, the generation of ideas and the power of creativity.
In this text, we will only use 'post-phosphenes', that is, the afterglow
or "persistence of vision" which ophthalmology calls "afterimage". In
fact, these strange visual phenomena occurring on the retina of the eye
are only perceived as 'light' because our brains and nervous systems have
been conditioned to respond in this way to stimuli originating in this
particular part of the organism. But the conscious utilization of this
after-glow produces quite unexpected results...
---------------------------------------
II - THE TECHNIQUE
The type of 'post-phosphenes' we are going to use will be those that
remain after the intentional exposure, of about thirty seconds, to a
particular type of light. On the retina, they appear, sequentially, as
green, red and blue spots. We will just call them 'phosphenes', because
the Greek word "phos" means 'light', and we'll be working with light.
And what we'll do, is mix different types of thoughts with these
phosphenes.
A) Equipment:
1) A reflector used in photography. This is a metallic shade, 25 cm
(10 in.) in diameter, with a frosted (non-shiny) inside surface.
2) A 60W frosted light bulb, either of the type used in photography
enlargements (silica coated), whose inscriptions are on the side of the
bulb, or a regular frosted bulb, whose inscriptions (which are not
embedded in the glass but printed on top of it) can be erased with a fine
sand paper. (The best choice is the bulb used in photography, because it
lights up in a uniform fashion - the light spreads all over the bulb -
whereas in the regular, everyday bulb, the light is concentrated in the
middle and is, therefore, less pleasant to look at.)
The insistence on "frosted" is because both a defrosted, shiny,
reflector and a non-frosted, transparent, light bulb would have a
bedazzling effect, would be unpleasant to look at and would make an
irregular phosphene, with bright streaks and dark spots, which would be
much less efficient for the purpose we are going to use it for.
Also, when mixed with thoughts, phosphenes do link up with the mind, and
one wouldn't want to imprint on the individual's mind words such as
"General Electric" or "Westinghouse" in lieu of the lessons to be
learned or other positive thoughts to be acquired. Hence, the need to
erase the writings on top of regular light bulbs.
------------------------
B) How to use the equipment:
A phosphene has to be created in the individual's eye by looking for
about 30 seconds straight into the lit reflector at a distance that
doesn't cause an unpleasant sensation of brightness. This distance
varies from one person to the other and can usually be reduced after a
few days of practice. There is absolutely no risk whatsoever involved in
this, however, frequent blinking is strongly recommended to moisten the
conjunctiva, without moving the eyeballs though, so as not to blur the
phosphene. It is also advisable to drink a fair amount of water before
and after the exercise.
When turning off the light of the reflector and closing one's eyes, the
first phase of the phosphene has to be of a bright green (or, sometimes,
yellow) colouring; if the phosphene starts out with the red (second
phase) colouring, it hasn't been made strong enough and its duration
will be shortened. One can then opt for:
(a) a longer exposure to the light,
(b) looking at the reflector from a shorter distance, or, if one is not
bothered by the brightness,
(c) switch to a 75W bulb.
The total duration of the phosphene, eyes closed, is, typically, about
three to three and a half minutes. If the room one works in is brightly
lit, a better phosphene will be created by putting one's hand over one's
(closed) eyes or, better still, by lowering a headband or a blindfold
over one's eyes. (They should be put over the forehead in advance, so as
not to lose any time during the first phase of the phosphene.)
In a typical phosphene, the initial green circle will be promptly
surrounded with a red rim, which will progressively expand towards the
centre, overriding the green circle. Likewise, the red circle will be
surrounded with a blue rim, which will push its way towards the centre
until it completely eliminates the red circle. When applying the method
with a child, let him/her first play with the phosphene and its pretty
colours - they're really interesting and fun! If one starts immediately
with the technique proper, the child will pay attention to the phosphene
itself rather than to the ideas being mixed with it, which would be
counterproductive.
After this typical green-red-blue cycle, one will notice a diffuse,
greyish, faint light where the phosphene used to be, and which probably
already started as a rim formation at an early stage of the phosphene.
This diffuse light can be used to finish off the exercise, if need be.
Initial sessions can last for about ten minutes, that is, three
phosphene cycles. After a few days of practice, the length of these
sessions can be extended to a duration of some 15-20 minutes. As a rule,
with children, always follow their natural inclinations - both with this
and with factors such as brightness of and/or distance from the
reflector. Some children like a bright light, others a very close
exposure to the reflector, for a shorter period of time.
Just let them do as they please (and so can anyone else), because this
technique is positively danger-free for any type of normal eyes. It even
constitutes excellent gymnastics for the retina, both mechanically and
chemically, because of the alternations of light and darkness. One
should always, however, remove eye glasses when looking into the
reflector.
Some people with strong vasomotor reactions could experience, during the
first days of practice, a slight watering in the eyes or a light
forehead migraine. These symptoms will disappear after a few days. If
and when this occurs, move the reflector farther away from the eyes or,
better still, temporarily use a weaker bulb.
The only time when a more prudent approach is recommended is in the case
of infectious conjunctivitis. (But even then, a higher sensitivity to
the light should not be mistaken for an increase of the infection.) In
those cases, each individual will have to determine the intensity of
brightness that is best suited for him/her.
One, final, thing to remember: the results from mixing thoughts and
phosphenes are achieved independently from the brightness of the light
used to build the phosphene - provided the light is strong enough to
create a normal phosphene.
And now on to the technique proper...
---------------------------------------------------
C) The Phosphenic Techniques
1) Reminder
As we have said before, the 'learning with light' concept consists of
mixing one or several thoughts with a 'phosphene', used in the
restrictive definition given previously. These thoughts will be mental
images of a visual or auditive nature. The examples given below are in
no way an exhaustive list of all possible applications of learning with
phosphenes; they merely aim at illustrating the technique, which can be
applied in any field an individual intends to learn, get acquainted with
or study.
2) Modalities
a) General
Pick the subject to be studied before looking into the lamp. Given that
the phosphene appears as a flat surface, it will be easier, the first
days, to choose a 'flat' subject to be studied, such as a GEOGRAPHICAL
map, for instance. Start to examine the map attentively, just before
looking into the lamp, successively paying attention to each of its
details. Then, look away from the map, turn on the light and start
building the phosphene, ALL THE WHILE mentally rememorizing the details
that were just fixed into the mind. While looking into the lamp, 'see'
again the shape, the borders, the mountain ranges, the rivers, the
forests and the cities pictured on the map.
Another ideal application of this modality would be the solution of a
problem involving a geometrical figure (first flat, then spatial).
(This same technique can be used by anyone wanting to work out a
three-dimensional concept. For example, an architect who has to work,
several months on end, with the same visual image - that of a house
he/she has to build. If he/she constantly puts that picture inside a
phosphene and keeps it there for the duration of the phosphene,
unusually bright and innovative ideas will appear in his/her mind
after a while.)
For a SHORT TEXT that has to be memorized (we'll look at the particular
modality of long texts in (b)), proceed in a similar way: read and
repeat one or two sentences of the text (or whatever else is to be
learned), turn on the lamp, keep repeating the sentence(s) while
building the phosphene, and keep repeating them during the presence of
the phosphene on the retina.
Once the phosphene has gone, read the same passage over again. This is
very important, for certain details might have been skipped or forgotten
during the process.
Then go to the next passage and so forth, proceeding in the same manner
for the whole (short) text to be memorized.
Any passage can be repeated if one feels it should be better
assimilated. There are no strict or absolute rules with this method -
just follow one's intuition.
For a COMPOSITION, condense the theme to be developed into a precise,
visual, image; for instance, to describe a walk in a forest, put the
image of the forest into the phosphene. A symbol can also be used in
this context: the use of symbols plays an essential role in the
functioning of the brain and will produce just as good, if not better,
results than a 'photographic' image. Symbols are strictly personal, and
the instructor should show the necessary patience in allowing the pupil
to find the symbolic image or representation that he/she finds most
appropriate.
Some people, irrespective of whether their memory is 'visual' or
'auditive', will prefer auditive representations (either concrete or
symbolic) of what they want to learn or work on. These tendencies,
whether permanent or occasional, should never be inhibited. Such
'auditive thoughts' could be musical tunes, the rustling of the wind in
tree leaves, the sound of the sea or the gurgling of a brook, or
whatever else one fancies.
--------------------------------------
b) Special Applications
(i) Turning now to LONG TEXTS to be studied, a forty page chapter out of
a History manual, for instance, or any other subject that requires a
lengthy and elaborate thought process, it is obvious that these texts
can neither be memorized nor translated into an endless series of
images.
In this case, first attentively read the text to be studied, summarize
it if necessary, and then choose the idea that seems the most difficult
to remember - a date or a proper noun -, picturing it as if it were
written black on white in the book one is studying or on a special sheet
of paper, or in big white letters on a blackboard.
If this process seems too tedious, one could take the most pleasant
image that the text conjures up in one's mind, or the one that would
best represent the whole chapter, or the most beautiful picture inserted
within the context of that chapter, or the passage or description that
has moved one the most, and put one of these into the phosphene.
The energy liberated by mixing these two elements will spread to the
other ideas contained in the chapter (and related to the chosen
picture). This energy will then contribute to the imprinting in one's
mind of the whole chapter to be studied.
(ii) Solving MATH PROBLEMS. First carefully read (several times, if
necessary) the terms of the problem. Repeat them while looking at the
lamp and go on repeating them in the presence of the phosphene. It is
not necessary, however, in this case, to extend the operation until the
phosphene has completely disappeared (three minutes): the mental repeti-
tion can be interrupted here before the phosphene has fully turned red
(about one minute).
This rule doesn't need to be strictly interpreted: if one feels the
problem is difficult and one feels inclined to keep on repeating the
terms mentally for longer parts of the phosphene, one can of course do
so.
If one does stop, however, before the end of the phosphene, the next
thing to do is to watch the rest of the phosphene in a completely
PASSIVE way, while blanking one's mind. If need be, repeat the operation
as many times as one feels comfortable or inclined to do so.
During this 'empty-mindedness', the phosphene stimulates the brain and
the solution will appear much more easily, although not necessarily
immediately (sometimes only hours later). But one will feel more 'in
control' of the problem, getting a better grasp of it, which will in
turn help to bring about the solution.
Some people will even prefer, after reading the terms of the problem
several times, to build a phosphene and then JUST WATCH IT IN A
COMPLETELY PASSIVE FASHION for its full duration - without repeating the
terms of the problem. Watching the phosphene helps to eliminate all
conscious thoughts - and allows the brain to function on the last
subject one has concentrated on: the terms of the problem.
(iii) To improve one's SPELLING. We will examine here the two most
frequent types of spelling mistakes made by pupils and students. The
method used in this case calls upon the so-called 'motor memory', i.e.
the memory conveyed by the muscular feelings drawn from the movements of
the fingers engaged in the act of writing.
1) Mistakes in usage spelling, i.e. the spelling of words
independently from agreement or other grammatical rules: To start with,
one will write several times the word(s) one usually misspells. Next,
build a phosphene while spelling out aloud these word(s) - seeing the
word(s) and letters in one's mind. Then, with a headband or a blindfold
over one's eyes, write the words without seeing them. This will heighten
the feeling of movement transforming into brain memory and originating
from the fingers and the hand while they write the word(s).
2) Grammatical mistakes: The individual will have to do dictations in
the presence of phosphenes while somebody (a teacher, friend or member
of the family) watches what he/she writes, and as soon as a mistake
appears, have the individual rewrite the sentence correctly - always
with the eyes blindfolded and in the presence of a phosphene. This
process will help in the progressive building of muscular reflexes,
while the role of the 'intellectual memory' will also progressively
diminish. (The individual might want, here, to reread the grammatical
rule before starting the exercise, and the helper remind him/her of the
rule whenever he/she makes a mistake. This whole modality can be adapted
to personal preferences.)
(iv) Learning a FOREIGN LANGUAGE: Here, we'll call, once more, upon
'auditive thought'. It has been repeatedly noticed that individuals who
listen to the foreign language they want to learn in the presence of a
phosphene will acquire a much better accent in that language.
Here is how to proceed. Have the individual listen to a sentence on a
tape in the foreign language. (The tape can be professionally made,
copied from a record or be dictated by a native from a country where the
language is spoken.) The sentence to be learned should be well
understood and, if necessary, logically analyzed and explained.
Build a phosphene. Listen to the sentence in the presence of the
phosphene. Stop the tape and repeat the sentence, once or twice, aloud,
and once or twice mentally. Keep on repeating this double process until
the phosphene fully disappears.
Check by listening to the sentence again, and only proceed to the next
sentence if the one you are working on is spoken out loud without
mistakes. The mental repetition will enhance the 'visual memory' of the
language-learning process. The verbal repetition will pull into play the
motor memory of the whole vocal system.
(v) WRITING AN ESSAY. First carefully read the theme of the essay to be
developed. This is a typical instance where an abstract thought has to
be 'condensed' into visual or auditive symbols - or both. The individual
should be given absolute freedom of choice as to the symbols that are
going to represent the theme of the essay.
- First phosphene:
Once a symbol is decided upon, place it inside a phosphene and
simultaneously repeat in one's mind the theme of the essay to be
written. When the phosphene has subsided, at least one idea, however
small, will appear, associated with the chosen symbol.
If one has the impression that no idea whatsoever has manifested, start
the process over again, until the first idea comes up in one's mind. It
is most likely, however, that not sufficient attention has been paid to
the appearance of the first idea. Or, the latter might have been
unconsciously rejected because it seemed absurd, or was too loosely
related with the theme. So, once an idea does come up, write it down,
and use it for the next stage of the process.
- Second phosphene:
Place the first idea in the second phosphene; this idea can be a logical
sequence, such as a sentence, or, again, an image, or both. Repeat
it/them mentally during the presence of the phosphene. One will notice
an increase in the number of ideas that comes up in one's mind - and
they will appear with greater clarity. Once the phosphene has
disappeared, write the ideas down.
- Third phosphene:
Proceed in the same way with the second idea or, if more than one have
come to the mind, with the clearest or most striking one. One will
notice a widening of the flow of ideas.
- Subsequent phosphenes:
Keep on proceeding as above. And don't worry if the quality of the
upcoming ideas doesn't appear very satisfactory. With this method, ideas
will come about in more 'elementary' and (at least apparently) less
logical associations. But...
- Last phosphene:
If one perseveres, quite unexpectedly a much more profound, more
'philosophical' idea will manifest, one that will link all the previous
ideas into a logical construct. According to those who have used this
method, results are achieved in a remarkably shorter period of time.
If one feels so inclined, one can also, at any of the above stages,
resort to the "math" modality described above and just observe the
phosphene passively, in the hope some ideas will appear spontaneously.
The above process can also be applied in other fields, such as work
environments, or any other circumstance where ideas need to be generated
'ex nihilo'.
-----------------------------------------
D) A Few Observations
Results are rarely immediate. Like with any other endeavour,
'perseverance' is also the keyword here. It will, therefore, be
necessary to support children's efforts in the use of these techniques.
The need for unfaltering support seems to last, typically, for about one
month. After that, the results achieved become so obvious that
enthusiasm generally replaces the need for prodding.
A few technical observations:
During the initial stages of mixing phosphenes and thoughts, it does
happen that the phosphene 'disappears' when one concentrates on the
thought and comes back when the thought is pushed aside. This is due to
the fact, as we have explained in the beginning of this paper, that
phosphenes are only perceived as 'light' because our brains and nervous
systems have been conditioned to respond in this way.
This 'mutually exclusive pattern' of phosphenes and thoughts does
disappear after a few days (at the most) of practice. Individuals might
also experience difficulty with the mixing of phosphenes and thoughts,
and will strain in trying to achieve the proper results. They should be
told to do neither, because the combination of these two elements will
come naturally with practice: as with learning anything new, proficiency
is never achieved from the start.
Another complaint that is often heard is that thought are unstable and
fleeting. Thought almost always exhibits these characteristics, and it
is because the phosphene is often so bright and clear that one expects
the thought to have the same qualities. For identical reasons, the
individual might even complain that he/she didn't 'see' anything (i.e.
that nothing came to the mind in the way of thoughts, images or
solutions). In both cases, the subject should be reminded that a little
patience would be in order and that, to recreate a vanished mental
image, a slight concentration effort might be necessary... Everything
WILL fall into place with regular and sustained practice.
On the positive side, beginners will sometimes observe that they feel
pleasantly relaxed when using this technique. Phosphene mixing often
does produce that effect on individuals, something, presumably, no one
will complain about.
---------------------------
E) Effects of Learning with Light
After one month of use, surveyed individuals will almost always claim to
have achieved the following results:
1) Increased Level of Attention: The increase of attention, or
concentration, capacity doesn't only apply to thoughts mixed with
phosphenes but equally to everything else in life, between the sessions.
This effect on attention (the ability to concentrate for three minutes
on the same subject, for instance) is often evident after only a few
sessions.
2) Enhanced Memory: This is a very important aspect of phosphene mixing
and the one that will singly attract the vast majority of people wanting
to experiment with this method. This memory enhancing effect is often
evident after only a few sessions - and primarily, as can be expected,
in relation to the subject to which the phosphene mixing has been
applied. But it also spreads to other fields of learning and manifests
as a GENERAL IMPROVEMENT OF MEMORY.
We would like, here, to remind the reader that, as a rule, results do
not appear during the exercise but after a more or less lengthy period
of time.
A number of children who do a fifteen to twenty minute exercise each day
have achieved a raise in their school marks after only a month of
sustained practice. The results are even more striking when the exercise
is done twice a day (morning and evening, for instance).
3) General Effect on Intelligence: People who have used this method
report a general improvement of their intellectual faculties and their
creativity, which seem to have been stimulated by the interaction of the
phosphenes and thoughts. There is also a marked increase in intellectual
curiosity which sometimes translates into a very strong desire to learn
and a very real passion for certain subjects.
4) Thoughts become more vivid, ideas more abundant and the desire to
take initiative is stimulated.
These claims might appear 'strange' or 'unbelievable'. I would like,
here, to quote an expert in the field of alternative learning methods:
"Each time you note, or remark, or in some way respond to one of your
own perceptions or ideas... You reinforce that particular perception;
you reinforce the behavior of being perceptive; you reinforce, on-
line with consciousness, those parts of your brain and mind which,
from off-line, had given rise to that initially subtler perception."
(Win Wenger, author of "Beyond Teaching & Learning" and "The Einstein
Factor")
When such perceptions or ideas are reinforced with an image, their
mental effects are tremendously enhanced. This is the basic tenet of
"Suggestopedy", the teaching technique based on Suggestology and
according to which the process of education starts, not when the child
hears what is taught, but when the words he or she hears trigger in
his/her mind a 'mental coding'. A child can hear the same thing ten
times, but if this 'perceived' message doesn't trigger in the child's
mind an AUDITIVE OR VISUAL IMAGE, he/she won't retain anything. But when
the child creates such an image - and mixes this image with a phosphene
- the mental effects become tremendously powerful. Moreover, learning
becomes play.
Learning while playing - mastering the world as if it were a game -
isn't that every child's dream?
(A number of theories do exist concerning the mechanisms and effects
of the phosphene/brain/mind interaction, but they cannot be fitted
into this short paper, which strictly aims at helping the reader
achieve both rapid and lasting results, mainly in the academic field,
by applying the techniques of phosphene mixing.)
----------------------------
F) A Few Afterthoughts. The techniques given above can be adapted to
individual needs, restrictions and tastes. When working with a child,
one does well to pay attention to the child's natural inclinations.
Children have generally retained a much greater intuition than adults
and often feel instinctively what should or should not be done.
As an example of this, children often like to do whirling movements.
These are natural, instinctive, movements aiming at developing the brain
and its mental faculties. Whirling dervishes have adopted them as their
principal technique on the road to mysticism and enlightenment.
From a scientific point of view, this spinning of the body around its
central axis puts into motion the cephalo-rachidian fluid that nourishes
the brain, which then starts to act as a dynamo of sorts. It is
therefore very beneficial, contrary to what certain adults might
'logically' think.
The effects of this movement on children are tremendously enhanced when
done in the presence of a phosphene. So, if a child wants to do this
exercise with a phosphene, just to 'play' or to 'have fun', this natural
tendency should be encouraged and certainly never repressed. And
speaking about 'movement', I would like to finish this short paper with
the following quote:
"It has been observed by numerous researchers that if you have a
person with learning difficulties walk in a figure eight pattern
while looking at a point on the wall and crossing mid line by
touching the rising right knee with the left hand and then the rising
left knee with the right hand, you will see a measurable improvement
in the ability to learn. This crossing over the midline of the body
presumably stimulates the corpus callosum, a thick band of neural
fibers in the middle of the brain and implicated in many learning
problems. This technique has become a cornerstone of many movement
oriented methods to improve learning capacity such as Educational
Kinesiology. I have seen remarkable improvements in learning ability
through such methods."
More on this subject in (3) of the Bibliography below.
----------------------------
A VERY SHORT COMMENTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
1) Lefebure, Dr. Francis: Le Mixage Phosphenique en Pedagogie.
(Self-published). Distributed by Editions Phosphenisme, 3, rue de la
Chapelle, 75018 Paris, France.
The text of this paper is completely summarized and translated from
this book, complemented by personal documents drawn from instructions
Dr. Lefebure bestowed upon the author.
2) OSTRANDER, Sheila & SCHROEDER, Lynn: Super-Learning. A Laurel Book.
Dell Publishing.
The famous Lozanov method of "tapping the reserves of the mind".
A special learning method in its own right, some of its fundamental
techniques could be combined with phosphene mixing.
3) HANNAFORD, Carla, Ph.D.: Smart Moves - Why Learning Is Not All In
Your Head. Great Ocean Publishers.
Recently published (1995), with an extensive bibliography, this book
is a real treasure and a MUST for anybody involved in education or,
generally, child rearing. Its chapter on "Brain Gym" is a compendium
of easily performed exercises ALL children should practice regularly.
(It contains, inter alia, a description of the "Cross Crawl", which
ties in with the quotation above.) Because, as Ms. Hannaford writes,
"... we have missed a most fundamental and mysterious aspect of the
mind: learning, thought, creativity and intelligence are not
processes of the brain alone, but of the whole body." And: "My
fascination with the role of movement in the learning process came
out of the miracles I witnessed with children labelled 'learning
disabled'."
DO read this book, about which Dr. Willis Harman, president of the
Institute of Noetic Sciences, writes: "It is seldom that we find
something so really original and groundbreaking written about
education." Ms. Hannaford also has a number of important things to
say in her book about food, health - and the consumption of water,
some aspects much too often neglected in the field of education.
The author of this paper is convinced that, when combined with
phosphene mixing, these simple exercises will really "produce
miracles".
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If you have questions or comments about this method of "learning with
light", please DO address them to the author, at the following e-mail
address:
cv576@freenet.carleton.ca
Your comments about this method will contribute to its enhancement and
improvement in practical ways - for the benefit of all.
In the name of the children of the world: THANK YOU!
Donald Guenen,
Ottawa, Canada, Easter Sunday, 1996