2. Practice Example 2
In the chart beside this text, I drew only Latin numerals in various colors. The length of the numbers and the colors accompanying them are enough to weigh down and confuse the Working Memory (WM), without needing to perform any calculations at all.
For instance, I select the number LXVII (67) on the right of the first row, XII (12) on the right of the second row, LIX (59) in the middle of the fourth row from the bottom, VI (6) near the end of the fifth row from the top, and IV (4) at the end of the fourth row from the top. With these numbers, I close my eyes and begin to practice.
+ • I begin by drawing each stroke of the first number, LXVII, while simultaneously remembering the color of each stroke. L is a single stroke and is dark green. X is composed of two strokes: the forward slash / is reddish-purple, and the backslash \ is deep magenta. When I draw the \, its color overlays the / to form a blended hue, just as in the image. Then I continue to draw V, I, and I—colored red, orange, and bright yellow, respectively.
+ • Next, I move on to draw XII: The X has two strokes—/ in dark green and \ in reddish-purple. The first I is dark red, and the second I is red.
+ • I stop short of drawing or memorizing the remaining numbers because I want to forget them—and to use that forgetfulness later as a reserve tool to overload WM. I begin rearranging LXVII and XII into different combinations: Take L from the first number and X from the second to form a new LX (60). Take X from the first and II from the second to create another XII. Take VII from the first and X from the second to form XVII, and so on. While rearranging them like this, I make sure to carry over their original colors—or, for a greater challenge, assign new blended colors. For example: When combining X from the first number with II from the second, I look for the third color from red in the base color palette (red, orange, yellow, and green)—and assign green for the first stroke / of X, blue for the second \, dark green for the first I, and reddish-purple for the second I.
+ • By this point, the mind freezes—WM is jammed, unable to recall the numbers or their associated colors. That’s when the stillness of samādhi sets in—without even needing to use LIX, VI, or IV, and without having done any actual arithmetic. Naturally, there are still countless combinations I could create from just LXVII and XII: LX and VII, X and X, L and II, and many more.
So, does this so-called “math” method actually involve doing math? No. What this method presents is a way of applying psychological principles and memory theories to reach samādhi—that quiet, still state of the mind.
(End of Part 2/11)
