CONVERTING NUMBERS TO MENTAL IMAGES

Now you are about to find out why the Body List has the unusual anatomical terms!

It is to introduce you to the phonetics and the numbers associated with the Body List. 

First please stand up and go over the list saying the number and touching each body part as you proceed.

1 - TOE
2 - KNEE
3 - MUSCLE
4 - REAR
5 - LOVE HANDLES
6 - SHOULDER
7 - COLLAR
8 - FACE
9 - PATE
0 - CEILING

 

The phonetic sound for the number 1 is “ta”.  Say “ta” as in toe.  Pay attention to the position of your tongue against the roof of your mouth and touching your front upper teeth.  Your tongue is in exactly the same position when you make the “da” sound.  "Ta" is the soft sound and "da" is the hard sound but phonetically they are the same. From this point onwards the number 1 will be associated with the “ta” or “da” sound.

As you go through the list say the number, the word and the phonetic sounds out loud.

Number 2 on the Body List is "na" for kNee.  The “k” is silent and the phonetic sound for 2 is “na”.

Number 3 has the sound “ma” as in ma for mother.

Number 4 has the sound “ra” as in rain.

Number 5 is”la” as in lady.

Number 6 has several different but very similar sounds.  From “shoulder” we get the “sh” sound.  However, the “ch” sound as in “child” and the “ja” sound as in “January” are produced in a similar manner with the lips open.  Try it! Thus the "sh", "ch" and "ja" sounds are all associated with the number 6.

Number 7 has 2 different but similar sounds.  “Ga” as in game or mug and also “ka” as in “collar” and “kind”. One is soft and the other hard.

Number 8 has the “fa” and the “va” sound as in “face”, "phone" and “value”

Number 9 is associated with “pa” or “ba” as in “patience” and “baby”.

The number zero is associated with the “za” or the “sa” sound. For example, zebra or ceiling.

Note that the letter “c” can have either the “sa” sound as in Cecelia or the “ka” sound as in cater - so depending upon the pronunciation it can represent 7 or zero. Also the letter “g” can have a hard sound as in “garbage” (representing 7) or a soft sound as in “magic” (representing 6).

Another way of remembering these phonetic sounds is with the following associations:

• 1 is a single vertical down stroke as in a cursive “t”.
• Cursive "n" has 2 down strokes.
• Cursive "m" has 3 down strokes.
• R is the fourth letter of the word four
• L is the Roman numeral for 50 - beware do not use "V" for 5.
• J is like a back-to front 6
• Two number sevens can be put together like a letter K
• 8 is similar to a cursive "f"
• 9 is a back-to front P
• The first sound of “zero” is “za”

If you are into mnemonics, Harry Lorayne developed this nonsense phrase “TeN MoRe LoGiC FiBS” to memorize the phonics for the numbers from one to zero.

To help you remember the phonetics associated with each number we will shortly have an exercise for you.

PLEASE DO NOT PROCEED UNTIL YOU HAVE MEMORIZED THE PHONETICS OF THE NUMBERS.

Now we are going to develop images for each of the numbers between 1 and 100.  The only rule is that vowels, Ws, Hs and Ys have no numerical values.

Here are the images for the first 10 numbers

1          TIE
2          NOAH the vowels and "H" have no significance. The image is an ARK.
3          MA (your mother).
4          RYE - the image is a bottle (of rye whiskey).
5          EEL - make sure that you see a grey slithering slimy EEL
6          ASH - visualize a FIREPLACE full of ASHes.
7          KEY – make sure that you see an enormous KEY.
8          IVY - picture a house covered in IVY (preferable a house that you know).
9          BEE - the mental image is a BEEHIVE.
10        TOES  as the number ten is a one and a zero.

Here is another exercise for you.  How about memorizing 10 items by pegging them to the number list?

The List

1. Camera
2. Lightening 
3. Telephone
4. Ocean liner
5. Skeleton
6. Centipede
7. Computer
8. Tomato
9. Bicycle
10. Bridge

First develop an image with a camera and a tie. Perhaps you could visualize yourself putting your tie to your eye and taking pictures. However, a better image would be seeing yourself taking photographs with a camera but every time you click the camera MILLIONS of brightly colored ties shoot out of the lens. Just let your imagination run riot.

Next "see" Noah and his ark in a violent thunderstorm and as each bolt of lightening strikes the boat the animals panic and start attacking each other.

As you have been told before the mental images that you develop are much more powerful than those developed by others. Now develop your own images for the rest of the list.

Make sure that your images are bizarre, in color and have action. 

Now write down the list on a piece of paper.  How did you do?  If you missed any it is because you did not create a memorable image.

If you have a partner test each other by asking each other what is object #7?  And number 5?  What about 1?

What you have just learned is that you can learn a list in sequence with either the link system or by pegging but with the peg system you can recall a numbered list in random order.

Here is the next set of number images:
11           TOAD.  As we said earlier the “T” and “D” both represent the number 1.
               The mental image here is a brightly colored giant frog.
12           TIN and visualize an enormous tin can.
13           TOMB.  Note - the B is silent.  Picture either a tomb stone or a cemetery
                   but use the same image every time you think of 13
14           TIRE. 
15           TOWEL.  As we said before “W” has no numerical value
16           DISH
17           TACK.  The image here is a thumb tack
18           TV
19           TAP – a spigot
20           NOSE

 

AN IMPORTANT NOTE.
Please do not change any of the images until you have been introduced to all the numbered images, playing cards, directions etc as one of your changed images might conflict with something that you will be shown later.  For example, do not use TUSH for 16 because it will conflict with the image for number 23 which you will soon be introduced to.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW ALL OF THESE 20 IMAGES BEFORE PROCEEDING.

An easy way to lock the number images into your long term memory is to print up the list and take it with you as you go about your business.  Whenever you have a free moment such as waiting for a traffic light to change or waiting on hold for someone to answer their telephone, mentaly go through the list of numbers.  If you cannot remember a specific number image try and work it out phonetically but if you still cannot recall it look it up on your printed list.  In next to no time you will know them all.

Now for another 20 numbers.
21           NET
22           NUN
23           ENEMA – note that not every image begins with an “N”. See also the image for 5?
24           NERO.  The image is “seeing” Nero playing his fiddle while Rome is burning!
25           NAIL A hammer and nail make a better image than a finger nail
26           NACHO
27           NECK
28           KNIFE
29           KNOB
30           MOOSE
31           MAT     
32           MOON 
33           MUMMY  This must not be your mother
                   but use either a sphinx or a pyramid. Use the same image every time          
34           MOWER  A lawn mower            
35           MAIL- an enormous envelope
36           MATCH
37           MUG    
38           MOVIE 
39           MOP

After you are thoroughly familiar with the fist 40 numbers study the remaining images in groups of 20
               
40           RICE
41           RAT   
42           RHINO 
43           RAM     
44           ROWER
45           ROLL of bread
46           ROACH
47           RAKE    
48           ROOF   
49           RUBY – a ring
50           LASSIE
51           LID  An eyelid     
52           LION     
53           LOOM  
54           LURE –a fishing hook
55           LILY
56           LEECH   
57           LOCK    
58           LAVA  A volcano   
59           LIP         
60           CHEESE
61           SHEET   
62           CHAIN  
63           JAM      
64           CHAIR  
65           SHELL
66           CHOO CHOO - a train     
67           SHEIK   
68           CHEF     
69           SHIP      
70           CASE
71           CAT       
72           COIN    
73           COMB  
74           CAR       
75           COAL
76           CAGE    
77           CAKE    
78           CUFF    
79           COB (corn)       

     
80           FEZ – a red felt hat worn by Shriners and some middle eastern men.
81           FIT – picture either an epileptic convulsion or a VERY tight filling girdle. 
82           PHONE                
83           FOAM  
84           FUR          
85           FILE
86           FISH      
87           FOG      
88           FIFE – a small high-pitched flute.  Seen in military or marching bands      
89           FOB – a pocket watch on a chain                
90           BUS
91           BAT       
92           BONE   
93           BUM – a hobo  
94           BEER        
95           BELL
96           PEACH 
97           BIKE      
98           PUFF    
99           PIPE      
100         THESIS

Go over this list frequently until you know it perfectly. Should you temporarily forget a number image try and work it out phonetically. For example if you cannot recall the image for 89 you can try FAB, or FEB or FIB but when you try FOB the image of the pocket watch will come to mind.

 

Here is the same list in a convenient table format for printing

1  TIE	2  NOAH	3  MA	4  RYE	5  EEL
6  ASH	7  KEY	8  IVY	9  BEE	10 TOES
11 TOAD	12 TIN	13 TOMB	14 TIRE	15 TOWEL
16 DISH	17 TACK	18 TV	19 TAP	20 NOSE
21 NET	22 NUN	23 ENEMA	24 NERO	25 NAIL
26 NACHO	27 NECK	28 KNIFE	29 KNOB	30 MOOSE
31 MAT	32 MOON	33 MUMMY	34 MOWER	35 MAIL
36 MATCH	37 MUG	38 MOVIE	39 MOP	40 RICE
41 RAT	42 RHINO	43 RAM	44 ROWER	45 ROLL
46 ROACH	47 RAKE	48 ROOF	49 RUBY	50 LASSIE
51 LID	52 LION	53 LOOM	54 LURE	55 LILY
56 LEECH	57 LOCK	58 LAVA	59 LIP	60 CHEESE
61 SHEET	62 CHAIN	63 JAM	64 CHAIR	65 SHELL
66 CHOO CHOO	67 SHEIK	68 CHEF	69 SHIP	70 CASE
71 CAT	72 COIN	73 COMB	74 CAR	75 COAL
76 CAGE	77 CAKE	78 CUFF	79 COB	80 FEZ
81 FIT	82 PHONE	83 FOAM	84 FUR	85 FILE
86 FISH	87 FOG	88 FIFE	89 FOB	90 BUS
91 BAT	92 BONE	93 BUM	94 BEER	95 BELL
96 PEACH	97 BIKE	98 PUFF	99 PIPE	100 THESIS

 

Another number list

To help with remembering telephone numbers and other situations where the number either starts with a zero or has several zeroes here is an additional list:

00         SAUCE – the image is ketchup
01         SUIT
02         SUN
03         SUM – writing on a blackboard
04         SORE – an ulcer on your skin
05         SAIL
06         SASH
07         SOCK
08         SAFE
09         SOAP

 

The number shape list

0	BALL			5	SEAHORSE
1	PENCIL			6	ELEPHANT TRUNK
2	SWAN			7	BOOMERANG
3	HEART			8	SNOWMAN
4	SAIL			9	BALLOON

These images can be used as a convenient list for pegging

To help you practice how to use the number images here is an exercise using a numbered list of 10 objects

If you would like to do a similar exercise with 20 objects click here.

We suggest that you make up your own list of objects and practice pegging them to the numbers 20 through 39 and so on to help you be very familiar with all the number images.

In the next section we will go over how to remember long digit numbers.