What is this PhotoReading I keep hearing about?
Article by Nina Potter
Published in the Meta Institute's Quarterly Magazine 2005

PhotoReading is a whole mind system for processing written materials so that you can read faster and learn more in less time. It’s a way to use your mind to learn the way nature intended…by using your brain the way it works best.

PhotoReading is liberating.
Many people find themselves surrounded by stacks and stacks of unread materials with more coming in every day. It can get overwhelming when the joy of reading something that you really want gets lost in the stacks of required reading from your job or school. What is your comprehension level of the books you don’t have time to read?

Some people have trouble remembering what they’ve just read the day before. The old, slow way of reading that we were taught in grade school is the hardest way to understand and remember new written material. It’s why many people put off or even dread the process of reading.

The ability to break through reading materials 2 to 10 times faster is something you were born with. It’s a natural process that is fun and easy and enjoyable. When Paul Scheele developed the PhotoReading system 20 years ago he had studied people who had discovered this natural ability and used it to accelerate their learning. He learned about brain functions and how the human mind works so that everything known about accelerated learning could be incorporated into the system.

So how does it work?
The PhotoReading whole mind system consists of 5 steps, the third of which is also called PhotoReading. When a PhotoReader picks up any piece of written work, they first determine what it is they want from the material and then decide which of the steps they want to use in that situation. It’s very flexible for differing needs of the reader and the specific answers they’re looking for.

In the preparation step, a reader will determine what their purpose is for reading that piece of information whether it’s a magazine article, professional journal, email or website, fiction, or non-fiction book. They will then take a few seconds to enter the ideal state of focus and concentration that will allow the information to flow into their mind. This important key to getting into an ideal state of mind for learning has been known for over 5,000 years but is not taught in our elementary schools.

In the PhotoReading step, a reader will first prepare by entering the accelerated learning state where brain waves are in the 5 to 10 cycles range that has been identified as ideal for learning and creativity. The reader then mentally photographs the pages to get all of the material into the other-than-conscious web of information we already possess. This process involves using peripheral vision along with several of the multiple intelligences we use to learn instead of limiting reading to simple word recognition. Think of it as taking in an entire landscape rather than a single tree branch or blade of grass. The reader is now laying down the foundation for optimal memory recall at the same time.