I came across many people including young students who are very much forgetful, so this prompted me to write the topic. They can not remember things properly. Even I can not remember the names easily. Recently I found that my mother can’t remember the recent incidents properly but she is neither emotional nor  is she aggressive. Keeping these things in my mind, I thought of writing some memory exercises. These techniques are useful for all. Students can do the exercise regularly for better performance. 

There are many techniques to improve memory. The memory depends on age. Some old people remember the old experience well but forget the present. We tend to forget the name, password, telephone numbers etc, etc. very often and sometimes it is very difficult to memorize again.

Lets find out some of the common & simple techniques to remember the things well.

Mnemonics: It is a greek word which means “Aid to memory”. This system usually makes use of visual imagery to provide useful association and connection to memory. Some popular devices are—-

a) Pegword method: We build up a picture in our mind. We have to remember a set peg words rather than a location.

The peg words numbering 1 to 10 may be memorized by—

One is won 

Two is tow  

Three is tree  

Four is more 

Five is hive 

Six is mix 

Seven is heaven

Eight is rate 

Nine is Rhine

Ten is hen 

If these images don’t attract, then change them for something more meaningful.

b) Link and story method: Link and story is one of the easiest mnemonics. Create a memorable story and link with the present situation.

I’ll mention the remaining techniques in next write up.

When I started reading the book ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ by Louise Hay, a question raised in my mind, can we really heal our life? I started experimenting myself. After five chapter, I got  mouth ulcer near my lips and it was really painful. I thought if I follow the new pattern that she has mentioned in her book, it may subside and go away. I started saying this in my mind for several times for atleast two to three days. My condition worsened more. I felt feverish. Ulcer widened, I was really unwell.

I searched internet for Home remedy, started following one or two, but in vain. I joined  yoga class for regular practice but ulcer is in the same condition. Then I realised that I have to find out my own cause of suffering. As I myself delved in spirituality from young age and followed the goodness of onself and others, I began to analyse myself. In every step of my life, I analysed and did the things and always went ahead. I always listened to my own conscious and did the work. As we live in the society, we have to sometime listen to  other people also. But I have noticed one thing that whenever I listened to others and not followed my own conscious, I did a mistake and suffered.

 So while writing the previous topic on my site — For the students — I saw the quotes of  Swami Vivekananda and started working on consciousness more. Then I realised, I may have scolded or got angry with someone, when my house was full of guests few days back. The ulcer, though its there yet, is diminishing very slowly.

 I realised,  due to our own action we suffer in life. Due to our own action, we enjoy our life physically and mentally. We all are different entity in this world. We all are born with certain natural phenomenon, certain Sanskar. Accordingly, we behave and act.

Reading books, gives us some information but our life is different, our experiences are different, our living style is different, our way of thinking differ, so is our Action-Reaction.

To the students—–

1. Time is very precious. Time will not come back. You have to wait for the right time and opportunity.
2. Haste is waste. Don’t hurry in life. Wait for the right opportunity.
3. Everyone born in this world has some purpose, search and analyzes that purpose.
4. Don’t forget your own capacity.
5. Don’t compare yourself with other, you are an individual. Don’t kill your individuality.
6. You are the best in your own way. You are the best, doesn’t mean that others are worst.
7. Envy kills oneself.  Try to do the work on  your own way.
8. Don’t try to follow anyone; you are the best in your own talent. Find out the way.
9. Negative thought never grows, it pulls you down, and  the thought which grows upward is positive thought.Reap the  positive thought.
10. Limit your work load.
11.  If you are not sleeping for 7 hours, you are playing with fire, even if you have low stress.
12. “Those who brood on the past and never live here and now, this is the cause of their suffering.” So live in the present.
13.  If you feel that, you are a child and you are learning in every moment, from everyone, you are learning forever.
14. Discuss each and every moment with your family and dear ones.
15.  Smiling and Laughing is the best medicine forever.

 At the end I end it with swami Vivekanand’s words—

 Teach yourselves, teach everyone his real nature, call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come when this sleeping soul is roused to self-conscious activity.

As a mother, I gave birth & showed you the light of the Earth,

You crawled, you stood, you ran and climbed the train’s Berth.

I spent many sleepless night when you had high fever,

Next day took leave from work,neglect you never.

I sat with you to teach the lesson but can’t help you to learn,

Everywhere I was there with you to help and not to get any burn.

In each and every path of life, I gave you the direction,

I gave you freedom in every step to take a proper decision.

I taught you the right and wrong, what I knew was the right,

You had sometimes chosen the wrong path and I had scolded a lot.

I gave you so many toys, when you make my expectation clear,

You might not have liked those toys, but accepted them with honour.

I taught you to share with all and never to become selfish,

You followed it often, continued it & never a chance to miss.

Though I taught you to respect elders, yet can’t force you to follow

I tried to give you the value of life, but may not teach you to follow.

I told you many moral stories and discuss about God,

Godliness is difficult to follow as it is like a iron rod.

Though I had carried you in my womb and taken care till now,

Yet you have to learn to surrender the EGO and exact system to bow.

There is a saying ‘Failure is the pillar of success ’. Young people do not believe in this saying. They become disappointed if success does not come easily.

Failure is the challenge to success, which we have seen in many instances. The student, who always stands first in the class and first in everything, cannot tolerate the failure. Failure teaches us more things what success cannot. For example, this year, I have seen in the newspaper that one boy appeared twelve times in SSC exam and passed. He was also working somewhere. As soon as he passed, he immediately got a promotion and his mother was very happy. After being demotivated for twelve long years, he now decided to continue his studies. Now if he was disappointed by his failure, he would not have got his promotion and remain in the same place. So success is the progressive realisation of worthy dreams, goal and objectives. If anybody sees the summit of success in the beginning and does not work for it, his dreams will be day-dreaming and he will never be successful in life.

I call success as the eye ball of fish where Arjun concentrated seeing the reflection of a fish in water and pierced the fish with his arrow. For success, one needs to concentrate on the goal and aim for it.

People become sad when they are unsuccessful drowned in planning. The realisation of one’s drawback is the pillar of success. Once a person realises his mistake and rectifies it, his path of success is ready for exploration. Negative thought brings negative vibration in the body. So success or failure depends upon the vibration of one’s thoughts.

But the main enemies of success are over enthusiasm, carelessness and sleeping nature (lazy).

If the goal is not correct according to ones nature and is over enthusiastic by working harder and harder, the goal cannot be achieved.

If the goal is aimed at destination and does not carefully guide the aim, it is difficult to arrive at the point of goal, destination and objectives and success will run away from the point of goal.

If the goal is not by action but only by day-dreaming, it will be only a dream not the real picture.

Wildly running after the goal is akin to seeing a mirage in the desert. It will be like searching for precious diamond in a heap of sand.

Human beings are the highest creation of God. Human-beings have intelligence, which makes them rational & thinking animal. This rationality depends on thinking and reasoning. Thinking and reasoning go hand in hand for success. The people who have developed these ability are regarded as efficient and respectful in the society.

Those who can think clearly and put efforts on reasoning are considered as successful people. Artists, litterateur, economists, scientists, who have extended their thinking and reasoning, have become powerful, successful and famous beings of the world.

Nowadays people are facing lot of problems due to competition, high price, environmental condition, constrain in food availability etc. There is no ready-made solution for the problem. Reasoning is the only solution for the problem. It is difficult to feed the brain or mind for proper reasoning. Reasoning is the most complex form of adjustment. Well organized mind can easily expose the complexity of reasoning.

According to Maier," Reasoning is productive thinking in which previous experiences are organized or combined in new ways to solve a problem".  According to Rudolf Arnheim,"All perceiving is also thinking, all reasoning is also intuition, all observation is also invention".
When to Reason
a) Difficult situation: i) Identify the difficult situation ii) Explain the difficult situation iii) Condition of the situation iv) Evaluate the situation. These can be gathered from people’s experiences,T.V., pictures, film etc. After getting the information, it should be evaluated. Then information can be organized and classified. Then it is easy to impart reasoning to the situation and solve the problem easily.

Art of Reasoning

1.Know the Life Problem:
The life problem can be 3E–Education, Economy and Employment
Education: There is difficulty in enrolment in any faculty of choice.
Economy: High fees,High price etc.
Employment: Right job & Right kind of environment.
2. Lack of knowledge:
Family members are ignorant of 3E. They sometimes depend on the environment or today’s trends.They are forced to be with the trend.
3. Discussion:
Parents should take interest in the well-being of the children.They should discuss the interest of the child and then take a decision.
Discussion should take place between loved ones as love can take the thing ahead.
Teachers are the maker of society. They are the back-bone of future generation.They should consider child as individual and treat accordingly.
4. Solve the problem:
After gathering all the above mentioned information, now the time has come to give reasons to your thought. This is the crucial moment of brain and mind. Right reasoning means success ahead. Many a time after discussion and knowledge, we can’t give reasoning to our thought and our success hampered. So reasoning is the Gateway of Success.

At the time of Buddha’s birth, spiritual culture of India was at low ebb. Buddha was born in 560 B.C. at Kabilavastu. He left his palace in search of three woes of men—weariness, disease and death. Whenever people used to ask him about these three woes, he used to insist that one should experience the truth for oneself as it was the belief of sages.
Buddhism maintains that every person possesses the Buddha nature. Buddha means – one who has achieved a state of perfect enlightenment and full humanness. The four Truths which Buddha taught are: 1) there is suffering, 2) there is cause of suffering, 3) suffering can be overcome, 4) way to overcome the suffering. These suffering can be erased by knowing the path of happiness. These can be attained by the noble way of freedom, Nirvana, wherein there is no more birth, no suffering, no old age and no death. This Nirvana should be emphasised, may be achieved in this present life. Be earnest in efforts and shall be free from great evils.
The Nirvana of Buddha is not a state of wiping out but the attainment of the unchangeable reality, which can be positively described as the eternal peace. But what this peace really is, no words can define; all definition can be only symbol and can be only a vague suggestion. Buddha employs terms for its description such as misery and death, freedom from sensuality, from the ego, from delusion (a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea), and from ignorance. This state of freedom is attainable by the noble kind of wisdom. The wisdom is not the wisdom of intellect, but a state of ‘Sunyata’ in which no subject-object relation exists, and in which one transcends both intellect and mind representing the truth.
This Nirvana can be accomplished by following the Eight-fold Path—i.e. The Noble Eightfold Path describes the way to the end of suffering…..

Eightfold Path

i) Right view–Right view is the cognitive aspect of wisdom. It means to see things through, to grasp non-lasting and imperfect nature of worldly objects and ideas, and to understand the law of karma and karmic conditioning. Right view is not necessarily an intellectual capacity, just as wisdom is not just a matter of intelligence.
ii) Right intention—It is the kind of energy that controls our actions and included in cognition of wisdom. Buddha distinguishes three types of right intentions: 1. the intention of renunciation, which means resistance to the pull of desire, 2. the intention of good will, meaning resistance to feelings of anger and aversion, and 3. the intention of harmlessness, meaning not to think or act cruelly, violently, or aggressively, and to develop compassion.
iii) Right Speech-–It is included in ethical conduct to moral discipline. This aspect is not self-sufficient, however, essential, because mental purification can only be achieved through the cultivation of ethical conduct. Buddha explains not to speak deliberate lies and not to speak deceitfully. Speech should not hurt others. Speak friendly, warm and gently.
iv) Right Action—The second ethical principle, right action, involves the body as natural means of expression, as it refers to deeds that involve bodily actions. Right action means not to harm, no cheating, no fraud, to abstain from sexual misconduct. Right action means to act kindly and compassionately, to be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships harmless to others.
v) Right Livelihood—Right livelihood means that one should earn one’s living in a righteous way and that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully. Buddha explains to avoid alcohol and intoxicants products and not to slaughter the innocent animals.
vi) Right Effort—-Mental energy is the force behind right effort; it can occur in either wholesome or unwholesome states. If there is no right effort, it can produces desire, envy, aggression, and violence Right efforts makes the person self-disciplined, honest, benevolent, and kind.
vii) Right Mindfulness-– It is controlled by cognition . It is the mental ability to control the repulsive nature . The cognitive process begins with an impression induced by perception, or by a thought.
viii) Right concentration—The last path of Buddhist philosophy is the development of a mental force that occurs in natural consciousness. Right concentration comes through meditation according to Buddhist philosophy.
The first two paths are for wisdom. The 3rd and 4th paths are for ethical conduct and the last three paths are for mental development.
Personality development in Buddhism is the improvement of internal and external characteristics. The improvement of internal characteristics is emphasised in Buddhism as it leads to the enlightenment of the ultimate goal of Buddhism. Nirvana is the state of mind in which all cravings and desires have been extinguished. Nirvana can only be achieved through self-discipline, meditation, and realisation of impermanence of selflessness.

In Buddhism, a human being is made up of five components: i) skanda-rupa i.e. material form, ii) samjna means cognition, iii) Vedana means sensation, iv) Samkhras means disposition or a habitual inclination; a tendency, v) Vijanana means consciousness. From Ignorance springs the samkhras, from the samkharas springs consciousness, from consciousness springs name and Form, from name and form springs six senses, from six senses springs contact, from contact comes out sensation, from sensation springs out thirst or desire and from desire attachment, from attachment, the existence, from existence springs birth and from birth old age and then death—. These all elements constitute personality of a person.
Personality in Buddhism means characteristics that are specific to an individual. These are displayed by individual’s good or bad behaviours through body, mind and speech. Personality is divided into two ways i.e. implicit personality and explicit personality. Implicit personality means inherent in the nature of a person. Explicit personality is through Body and Speech. Development of Implicit personality is by improving through Eight-fold path the explicit personality.

Dharma Wheel

The dictionary meaning of aggression is an unprovoked offensive action .e.g. a student is upset for failing and asks the teacher or principal to take the examination again, but it is not in the system says the teacher, resulting the student into aggression. When the mind cannot express its will, the outburst action is called Aggression. It is ignorance and egoism.

Irritation, frowning, resentment, indignation, rage, fury, wrath are the varieties of aggression, according to the degree or intensity.

There are many general causes of aggression—
1. Broken Home
2. Poverty
3. Racism
4. Inequality
5. Chemical imbalance in the brain
6. T.V. violence
7. Sexual repression
8. Sexual freedom
9. Overpopulation
10. Bad genes

Human desires are endless. Every human-being wants comforts & luxuries. Everyone wants perpetual health, unconditional love and continuous attention. Some people are realistic to the situation but some are violent due to frustration. They compare themselves to other and when all the requirement are not fulfilled, they become aggressive.

What are the causes ?
There are five key factors — Neurosis, Desperation, Envy, Greed and Collectivism.
Neurosis — Irritating thoughts and acts causing harm to self and others. e.g. not getting the love of his/her choice
Desperation — Worst situation and the environment push the person to do the unwanted act. e.g. slum dweller (Child) does not know who his father is and enters into criminal act.
Envy — Inequality brings the person to become envious. e.g. in the class comparison between two equal calibre or two mischievous children.
Greed — Greed is the obsessive desire for material possession. e.g. by hook or crook get the material of desire.
Collectivism — Social collective — society, the people, state, mob tendency etc. has rights, needs and moral authority.

Types of aggression:

Identification:

• Has a substance abuse problem
• Engaged in violent behaviour
• Tantrums and uncontrolled angry outburst
• Continues to exhibit antisocial behavior
• Often engaged in name-calling, cursing and abusing
• Bringing weapon to threaten or attack
• Sudden poor performance
• Few or no close friend
• Little parental supervision
• Blame others for own mistake
• Express sadistic, violent, prejudicial or intolerant attitude
• Destructive nature by damaging environment
• Not empathetic to others pain

Remedy :
Some actions minimize most of the aggression :

• Create a constructive environment where general norms are accepted by reasoning and analyzing.
• Provide rational, moral, emotional, spiritual education to adolescent and youth, explaining that aggression neither solves self and others problem.
• Greed, Intoxication, Desire, Lust and Envy are irrational as they instigate by decreasing goodness and positiveness.
• Reject the “myth of the Mob tendency” – involving the nation, state or race when inner-self identity is lost and innovative or creativeness will die.

Human is identified by Soul, which is Peaceful, Blissful and Freedom loving. Due to social, cultural and geographical environment make them violent like animals without controlling the basic instinct. Aggression leads to frustration and loneliness.

Aggression may never be eliminated entirely, but it can be reduced to very low levels by creating societies of freedom, self-awareness and compassion.

Today the world has progressed through and through. Few years back students used to write an essay on ‘Are we happier than our forefather?’ May be that time it was true in many senses, but day by day that question doesn’t arise at all. The world is progressing in the field of technology in such a way that without that world stand still.

Though growth and development are abundant, problems are immense in the mind of the people. In this condition motivation is necessary. Motivation of students is a requirement of the present century.

Motivation is innate or inborn  behaviour or as acquired from the environment. It is a psychological or internal process initiated by some need or want. Some kind of activity  satisfies these needs or wants.

In every walk of life, motivation plays an indispensable role. Human being is guided by some forces or drives. Each and every activity has some or the other motive. The act of accomplishing demand is also dependent on motivation. It is said  that the motivation is the heart of learning. Adequate motivation results in promoting attention, interest and bring enthusiasm in pupil for better learning. Learning can not be completed without consistency, persistency and purpose.

Motivation is derived from the word ‘movere’ means to move. As per physics Work is done if a thing is moved or else any amount of Energy expended is useless. It is the process of stimulating, encouraging and directing pattern of activity through energy transformations within the cells of a being. It is done through praise, encouragement, love and trust. Motivation can be stressed by some incentives i.e. reward or punishment.

According to Lowell, “Motivation may be defined more formally as a psychological or internal process initiated by some need, which leads to the activity which will satisfy that need”

Who can be Motivated

The person who has some need or wants to satisfy himself can be Motivated easily. This need gives direction to the behavior to satisfy the person to achieve his goal. The following behaviour may be motivated :

1) Desirous: Some people are very much desirous to achieve something in life. They can be motivated easily.  They  may be ready to do the work in any situation.

2) Devotion: If a person is having ardent love for anything, he achieves it  at any cost. He makes variety of efforts to achieve his goal.

3) Attention: An object of thought is clear before the mind, if attention is towards the goal. The idea of making efforts is present in attention. Interest creates attention.

4) Perseverance: If the person is having steadiness in  his work, it is easier to achieve the goal. Through motivation they show the diligence in work.

5) More energetic: When the person is motivated, he becomes more energetic to do the work faster. E.g.  the child can be motivated by telling the story of Hanumaan, he does his work faster. Activeness through right Food. Body and Mind are related.

6) Discipline: Through motivation, a person can be disciplined e.g. understanding of the value of time-table, uniform, story of Army, Air force, etc. take the person close to his goal.

7) Determination: Motivation helps to determine the person’s crave to acquire his goal.  Determination can be brought by inducing reward.

8 ) Improvement of self image: Self respect is the step towards achieving goal. Motivation helps in improving the self image. ‘I am the Best’. “Faith will move mountains”

9) Efficiency: Through proper motivation the person can be made more efficient. ‘Build-up Confidence’

10) Pleasure: The motivated person gets pleasure from success. ”Happiness is the most important thing in Life’”

‘Devotion, Determination and Discipline’ is the resolution of success.

A perspective on learning/teaching is an inter-related set of belief and intention that gives direction and justification of our action.

What is co-operative learning?

“Two are better than one ” According to Johnson and Holubec– Co-operative learning is the instructional use of small group through which students work together to maximize their own and each others learning.”

Co-operative learning involves structuring classes around small groups that work together in such a way that each group member’s success is dependent on the group’s success.

There are three psychological perspective of co-operative learning

1) Motivational Perspective—-Small group can be rewarded. It is mainly focused on reward or goal.

2) Social cohesion Perspective— Rely on one another for success. Help each other to learn. Know the team properly and individual’s importance.

3) Cognitive Perspective—-This can be divided into two parts–

a) Developmental Perspective— Interaction among the group increases and their mastery of the concept is clear and long lasting. Discussion will take place in the group and team will learn from each other. Develop better critical skill.

b)Cognitive elaboration Perspective—Lear nee must engage in  learning. They must learn the topic together for better result. Remember better and longer.

Characteristics of Co-operative learning

There are Five Characteristics of co-operative Learning.

a) Team Formation: In co-operative learning ,there should be 2 to 4 students in a   group. Two to four student will discuss properly and learn the given topic successfully.

b) Positive interdependence: Team should trust each other to achieve their goal.

c) Individual Accountability: Every member of the team should know each one‘s ability. Every member should know the importance of each individual. Everyone should learn in that process.

d) Social skill: Every member should listen to others view, resolve conflicts. Unity among the team is very important.Team spirit is needed in co-operative learning.

e) Structuring and structure:Some of the simplest structures are:

i) Think-pair-share—Students think of answers individually,then form pair and answer jointly, then share with the class.

ii) Numbered head together—A team of 4. Each one is given 1,2,3,4. Questions are asked. Group will work together and answer the question.

iii) Round table–Can be used brainstorm ideas, discussion among the group.Pen and paper is required. One of the group members will answer. When the the time is called, group stops.

iv) Jigsaw—Group with 5 students. It is a puzzle.

Thus it can be concluded that co-operative learning is successful when every member of the team  has learnt the material or has understood the given material . The students grow socially, intellectually and positively.