Instructions

Mind Palace/Method of Loci aims at improving recall and retention, it also may help to organize our thoughts, feelings or plans. It combines spatial memory (the layout of the place) with the visualisation of objects. Mainly used for memorizing, but adjusted creatively, can support reflection on our relations or coping with anxiety. This exercise focuses on tending to our relationships.

• Create a location in your imagination, such as a secret garden, mysterious mansion, beautiful palace or cave system. The location should have distinct rooms or areas that you can easily visualize.
• Visualize the location in your mind and create a mental map of the different rooms or areas. Optionally you can support your imagination by drawing it, although just visualisation should be enough.
• Assign each meaningful relation to a specific location (e.g. with your parents, brother, close friend, boss, work colleagues, partner, hobby-sharing colleagues, cousin etc.). It can be with a person or a group if you have the same attitude towards them. Think about the relationship that right now is a priority in your life and place it in the main area of your location. Pay attention to the details of each area, such as the colours, textures, and objects.
• Put items that are symbols of memories connected to the relationships in their locations. Make the items more memorable, and use vivid and unusual imagery. Also decorate or organize their room/area in the way how you feel your relationship right now (e.g. can be cheerful, full of flowers, full of dust and spiderwebs, or just neat and plain, or crazy hippie style, or dark and gloomy etc.)
• Once you have assigned all the relationships to specific locations, practice recalling them in order. Imagine walking through the location and visiting each relationship in their place on your mind map. Perhaps some doors are closed or barely open, and some alleys are blocked by fallen trees.
• Once in a while revisit and refine your mental map and imagery, give yourself time to walk through it, reflect upon your relationships, and think about empowering them by symbolically renovating the rooms, adding some items that can picture it or setting boundaries by symbolically putting a fence or double door.
• If establishing a new relationship, celebrate it by adding a new room/area to your Mind Palace. While feeling down, you may visit a room/area with the most supporting relationship, find comfort there, bring back good memories and cherish it.