# Memorisarion and aphantasy **URL:** \ **Category:** General Memory Chat\ **Tags:** aphantasia\ **Created:** [February 14, 2026, 3:46pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760 "2026-02-14T15:46:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/cab0a1/32.png) [@Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Cpss)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 3:46pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/1 "2026-02-14T15:46:20Z")
I would like to memorize cards and I have aphantasy. I can’t create anchors. I never retrieve the cards. I would appreciate any tips. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Goldfish](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/goldfish/32/30371_2.png) [@Goldfish](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Goldfish)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 5:59pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/2 "2026-02-14T17:59:39Z")
I’d suggest training words a bit, actually. I also don’t see “images” or anything when I place cards or numbers, I just think about the scene existing at that locus and what “makes sense” for the interaction. And that’s a skill that I feel came from grinding words, where you have no idea what you’re about to see and you have to create more on-the-fly scenes. So because the mental “pictures” don’t exist for me in the traditional sense, I’ve put a lot more training energy into creating arbitrary “reasons” that the thing is happening at that locus, and I feel that has translated decently to cards/numbers. @LynneKelly has written extensively about this exact issue; [Here’s a good link to start.](https://www.lynnekelly.com.au/?page_id=4236) ---
**Author:** ![Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/cab0a1/32.png) [@Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Cpss)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/3 "2026-02-14T20:15:23Z")
Thank you very much!! ---
**Author:** ![LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/lynnekelly/32/385_2.png) [@LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/LynneKelly)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2026, 12:06am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/4 "2026-02-15T00:06:42Z")
For me, the secret is to use logic and story, not images. So every card is a person, with Action and Object. I tend to use only one of those aspects though, finding using two cards at a time easier than the three I used to use. I have refined this since I wrote Memory Craft and discovered that I have aphantasia. I now have each of my suits reflecting a characteristic - historical, occupations, family member, friend. I do look at the card image (the A with a club, friend Jane with her truck so the round bits are wheels with a flat tire, for example) and try to find a way that will trigger the character. Or I use logic. Whatever my brain seems to prefer. I find these very different groups make the story easier to link to the card at short notice. My memory palace for cards is one I walk often and know very well. I had to physically encode it because trying to imagine it wouldn’t work. I hope that helps. Lynne ---
**Author:** ![Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/cab0a1/32.png) [@Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Cpss)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2026, 12:48am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/5 "2026-02-15T00:48:57Z")
Thanks for tour reply! I reduced 4 per loci to 2 per loci. My palace is NATO alphabet. From Alfa to Tango. Tomorrow i will try audio. Since i haver 20 loci letters i put a rhytim ta-ta ta-ta ta-ta, and 2 sounds plus NATO Exemple Loci1, loci 2, loci 3. Al-pha vol-ta bru-ce Bra-vo prin-ce pe-ter Char-lie she-rék se-te … Volta is shirt for travolta my Ace of clubs sete is Seven on portuguese for Ronaldo, my King of diamonds. .. Best of luck .. Custódio ---
**Author:** ![wesleytwiggs](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/439d5e/32.png) [@wesleytwiggs](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/wesleytwiggs)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 3:56pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/6 "2026-02-17T15:56:49Z")
Makes sense. I focus on the emotion of the scene for words too. If a particular emotion doesn’t quickly connect with the words, I impose one onto it. I make myself feel a certain way about it so that I remember how that location felt. ---
**Author:** ![Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/cab0a1/32.png) [@Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Cpss)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 9:01pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/7 "2026-02-18T21:01:45Z")
How do you connect cards with the loci? ---
**Author:** ![LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/lynnekelly/32/385_2.png) [@LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/LynneKelly)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 9:38pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/8 "2026-02-18T21:38:13Z")
I imagine the character and action (PA/O) at the location. But each of my locations is a single concept. So a table is a picnic, the lake is water … the location is more a story starter than an image. I add the person and then the action/object however my brain creates the story. You need to trust your brain to make the logical link. I used to do proper PAO but now I do PA or PO, whatever comes naturally. AC and 2D: I get friend Jane with a rubbish collector’s bin. If that is at the picnic table, then I need Jane and a rubbish bin. I would have Jane dropping her picnic rubbish next to the bin, so that I get the emotional response of ‘bad act, Jane.’ Emotion always helps stories. I don’t imagine I could ever get as fast as those just creating images, but it worked fast enough for me to get below 5 minutes for a deck for competition. I know I could get it down a lot more with practice, but I am putting all my practice time into a few other palaces (countries of the world, history, Chinese) at the moment. But this discussion has got me wanting to do cards again! Hope that makes sense. Lynne ---
**Author:** ![Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/cab0a1/32.png) [@Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Cpss)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 10:10pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/9 "2026-02-18T22:10:04Z")
Apreciate tour reply. I Will give a try. Stay well. Custódio PS..feedback later. ---
**Author:** ![Dominduchami](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/91b2a8/32.png) [@Dominduchami](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Dominduchami)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 5:58pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/10 "2026-02-19T17:58:27Z")
While the videos here are obiously focused on multiblind memorizing, you might find the core prinicipal helpfull (for context, Mark Boyanowski is the former world recors holder for multi) https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL2OAnJAV2nvZDHEHKAyWxvxTtpmtQ_wEo&wmode=transparent&rel=0&autohide=1&showinfo=1&enablejsapi=1 ---
**Author:** ![Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/cab0a1/32.png) [@Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Cpss)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2026, 11:27pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/11 "2026-02-25T23:27:05Z")
I just give up. J can’t link the scenes. ---
**Author:** ![LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/lynnekelly/32/385_2.png) [@LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/LynneKelly)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 1:07am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/12 "2026-02-26T01:07:01Z")
I am so sorry. ---
**Author:** ![bestieboots](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@bestieboots](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/bestieboots)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 7:23pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/13 "2026-02-26T19:23:49Z")
Imagination, not visualization. ---
**Author:** ![Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/cab0a1/32.png) [@Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Cpss)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 8:48pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/14 "2026-02-26T20:48:47Z")
““You need to trust your brain to make the logical link.”” .. What do you me by that? ---
**Author:** ![LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/lynnekelly/32/385_2.png) [@LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/LynneKelly)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 2:32am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/15 "2026-02-27T02:32:38Z")
I mean to relax and not overthink it. Just let your brain come up with the link by just playing with the words. Trying hard to work out a link interrupts your brain’s natural ability to make associations. It’s something I learnt slowly - I am very much an overthinker! Lynne ---
**Author:** ![Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/cab0a1/32.png) [@Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Cpss)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 10:40pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/16 "2026-02-27T22:40:39Z")
Hello, Lynne I still can not do it. For some reason i dont remember anything. Loci dont work for me. Can you give me one example of your self dialogue for a pair of cards. Thank you very much. Custódio ---
**Author:** ![LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/lynnekelly/32/385_2.png) [@LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/LynneKelly)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 1:37am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/17 "2026-02-28T01:37:24Z")
If my first two cards are the Queen of Spades and the Four of Diamonds, then I have QS - person is Queen Victoria. 4S action is painting a picture. My brain would say, picnic table where Queen Victoria is painting a picture. So my self-talk would be: _picnic, queen vic paints_. Even with aphantasia, I would have a concept of that image, just not see anything in my mind’s eye, because I don’t have one! Lynne ---
**Author:** ![Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/cab0a1/32.png) [@Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Cpss)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/18 "2026-02-28T18:47:19Z")
Thanks for your reply. .. And later how do you remember those 2 cards.? .. How do you link information to the locus.? ---
**Author:** ![LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/lynnekelly/32/385_2.png) [@LynneKelly](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/LynneKelly)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 9:59pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/19 "2026-02-28T21:59:42Z")
Sorry, I was vague. The picnic table is the locus. My palace is a walk starting at the botanical gardens. I can say the locations as a sort of mantra: picnic table, lake, fountain, toilets, gate … Picnic-locus Queen Vic - QS and painting 4D. ---
**Author:** ![Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/cab0a1/32.png) [@Cpss](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Cpss)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 10:05pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/memorisarion-and-aphantasy/108760/20 "2026-02-28T22:05:00Z")
Ok . Thank you.