meditation and memory

I also found the section on meditation particularly interesting but more so the power of meditation. It is a “power of thought” that should turn into “habit of thinking” which requires practice, much like the rest of becoming a good orator (411). The habit of thinking will then “depend on the strength of our memory, whether that we have embraced in our minds flows forth easily, and…relying on no hope but that of recollection, from casting a glance in advance” (412). Plato would probably not be a fan of this state of mind, but to me it makes sense. If the ideal orator needs to have a proper education in all subjects, using memory as a tool to help retain all the information seems so necessary. Of course, I think it comes down to being able to use the information in such a way that is better for yourself and others rather than just being able to regurgitate. When we are able to meditate on the information, we are able to more holistically put it into use and use it in a much more functional way.