We all agreed she was a superlative teacher and excellent workshop leader. Perhaps their left brains are too strong, too engrossed in maintaining order to be able to relax. The topic is scribbled in the centre of the sheet and circled. Then, working quickly, every idea, related word, thought or concept that bears any relationship at all to the topic is scrawled anywhere on the paper. Successful mind mappers find themselves in an almost trance-like state.
Thoughts come pouring forth faster than they can be scribbled down.
Related ideas are connected by lines between the words, even when the words are far apart on the page. Writing one word seems to trigger another, and before you know it many aspects of the central topic have been, almost unconsciously, uncovered. This doesn't take more than 3 or 4 minutes. Indeed, it is difficult to extend this period, as the left brain gets restless, itching to get in there and organize all the information and ideas. Besides, if the session has been successful, the topic will probably be exhausted within this time frame.