The easiest way to remember types of memory is by understanding the concept of Suno, Samjho, Jano and Karo (hearing, listening, knowledge and wisdom). Hearing is the shortest lasting memory. We hear and we forget is the rule.

Once we listen and understand the memory is longer lasting but the same memory becomes ever lasting if we not only hear, understand and know but also incorporate the knowledge in our practice.

These principles have been used by marketing people in brand recall. I know many pharmaceuticals play a game and ask 100 doctors to enter into a competition in which they have to write the company’s brand a number of times in one minutes and the one who writes that particular brand the maximum number of times is given a prize. By practicing the brand name repeatedly you create a permanent impact of their brand in the soul and it is unlikely that you will forget the brand and its recall value will increase every time you think about the molecule.

The same principle has been used by devotees of Rama and Shiva where they make people to write the name of Rama repeatedly everyday and the devotees of Shiva makes people writing the Om Namaha Shivae in a piece of a paper for years together. By doing so you inculcate the teachings of Lord Rama and Shiva. Unfortunately, devotees of Lord Krishna have not been able to make a brand out of Lord Krishna.

Many spiritual Gurus give a Mantra which is also based on the same principle. A mantra is nothing but a positive affirmation which you have to follow every minute of your life throughout your life. Once you start doing it, a time will come when it will become a part of your sole consciousness and you will start living and behaving in a way as of your positive affirmation. For example, Brahma Kumaris say that always say to you, in a manner of positive aspiration that “I am a peaceful soul”. After some time you will start behaving like a peaceful soul and you will lose agitation, anger and negative affirmations of life.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this write up are my own).