The Einstein Factor

What is it that constitutes being a “genius?” This question is explored in The Einstein Factor by Win Wenger, Ph.D., and Richard Poe. Wenger’s 20 years of research led to his conclusions, and his premise is that each of us can increase our intelligence and learn to think like a genius by practicing his method of Image Streaming, a stimulating mental exercise.

Einstein felt that “you could stimulate ingenious thought by allowing your imagination to float freely, unrestrained by conventional inhibitions.” Following his intuitive thought that defied accepted laws of physics, Einstein’s creative thinking in visual image and feeling came first, then was expressed verbally and mathematically.

In using Wenger’s Image Streaming exercise, we’re asked to sit in a comfortable chair, eyes closed, and “describe aloud the flow of mental images through your mind.” There are three very important factors to remember when practicing this:

· The images must be described aloud, either to another person or into a tape recorder;

· Use all five senses in your descriptions (i.e: in describing a snow-covered mountain, how does it taste, feel, sound and smell in addition to how it looks?);

· All descriptions must be phrased in the present tense.

This exercise was found to help answer questions posed to the subconscious mind and also incidentally to raise the I.Q. It creates many memory networks or pathways in the brain that are linked together. The more we do the exercise, these connections or pathways are reinforced.

Everyone has an Image Stream, but we’ve learned to squelch this natural tendency. Fortunately, we can relearn creative thinking by practicing — and the book goes on to teach us how to enhance the power and clarity of the technique.

This article appears in May 5-11, 2004.