**Created**:: [[2023-10-10 Tuesday]]
**Link**:: https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g
**Duration**:: 18:57
# Summary
In this video, Zsolt presents his approach to Visual Zettelkasten, merging traditional note-taking with visual thinking techniques using tools like Obsidian and Excalidraw. He discusses the evolution of his note-taking process, emphasizing the creation of atomic visuals that serve as interconnected notes rather than separate attachments. The video culminates in an invitation to join a visual thinking workshop, aimed at enhancing participants' creativity and understanding through visual processing.
# Key Takeaways
- Visual Zettelkasten blends the principles of Zettelkasten note-taking with visual thinking to enhance understanding and connection of ideas.
- By using tools like Obsidian and Excalidraw, users can create visual representations that function as permanent notes within their note-taking system.
- The integration of visuals and notes into a single document streamlines the process of knowledge organization and retrieval.
# Content
Hey everyone, it's Zsolt here. In this video, I want to share my latest take on Visual Zettelkasten, a concept that blends the power of slip-box note-taking with visual thinking. But before we dive in, let's quickly revisit what Zettelkasten is all about. Zettelkasten is a note-taking and knowledge organization system that has its roots dating back to the early 20th century, pioneered by Otto F. Nöthra and Paul Otlet. It gained popularity through the work of academics such as Nicholas Luhmann and, more recently, Zettelkasten proponents. Essentially, it's a system designed to structure and connect ideas, breaking complex research into a web of interconnected atomic notes. Luhmann's approach involved using library cards to capture what people in the PKM community often refer to as permanent notes. He numbered these cards based on their research topic and sequential order, then stored them in a slip box. Zettelkasten, as traditionally known, is tailored toward academic work; however, as someone not involved in academia, I've struggled with adapting to and benefiting from Zettelkasten in my daily note-taking routine until recently. Creating a permanent note felt like an extra step in my workflow. I'd read a book, process my literature notes, add illustrations to capture key ideas, and only when I felt something was truly insightful, I'd create a permanent note in my slip-box system referencing the source and including my illustration. It was while reflecting on a comment from one of my recent videos—the idea mixer—that something clicked. A viewer suggested I should have named it Visual Zettelkasten. This comment sparked a revelation. Excalidraw in Obsidian provides a much more natural approach to Zettelkasten compared to my previous experiments, one that aligns with my thinking process more seamlessly. [* ](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g)
In the Excalidraw plugin, drawings are stored in markdown documents. Each drawing comes with two views: the Excalidraw view and the markdown view, allowing you to seamlessly merge drawings with your underlying notes. Switching between Excalidraw view and markdown view feels like utilizing both sides of a library card, mirroring Luhmann's approach. When I read something or take notes, I create simple visual representations of the ideas I encounter because creating these visuals helps me understand the ideas better. This is the way I think, and here's the Eureka moment: these atomic visuals are, in essence, already Zettelkasten notes themselves. There is no need to craft a separate note and attach my illustrations; all that's required is flipping the library card by switching to markdown view mode. Where I can add my Zettelkasten links and references, the illustration I created to digest a concept becomes an interconnected atomic visual permanent note in my slip-box system. Now let's delve into some examples to test out this new approach. I converted my Zettelkasten notes about the eight thinking maps by David and Hurley. I'll walk you through my restructured notes, demonstrating some of the cool Excalidraw and new Excalibrain features along the way. But before we dive into the implementation and explanation, I'd like to mention that the visual thinking workshop cohort 6 is just around the corner, scheduled from November 4th to December 9th. If you're eager to explore visual thinking in more depth, please accept my invitation to join me in this workshop to help you understand what has changed in my thinking. [* ](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g)
Let me first show you how I did permanent notes until now. What you see here on screen are my literature notes for "Deep Work" by Cal Newport, and you can see I have lots of highlights as well as images sprinkled throughout to capture key ideas in my literature notes. Let's take, for example, myelination. For myelination, I created this drawing to capture the essence of what I've read in the book—that deep work helps you quickly learn hard things, and there's an anatomical reason for that. You can see here that I explain how a neuron looks, as well as having some quotes from the book. Now I use the exact same image on my book on a page for "the perk," and you can see here I have my neuron right here. Because I thought that this idea was super important, I also created a permanent note about this, and you can see here again I have the same image referenced about myelination. Plus, I have some other thoughts here as well. Now, if we look at this permanent note in Excalibrain, then you will see here that my permanent note belongs to a map of content here. But more importantly, I want to bring your attention here that it links to this idea of myelination. So the permanent note itself is a separate document from my image, and if I click on the image, then I can see that my image links to my permanent note up here, but also links to my book on the page and links to other documents. These are all the places where I reused this image, including my literature notes, but also some other documents as well. Now, let's look at how this changes with my new approach. So now I'm going to look at the eight thinking maps as an example. This is also a permanent note, so if I bring up Excalibrain again, you can see here from the icons that this is a permanent note because this icon is my permanent note icon and this is my Excalidraw icon. So, I know that this is a drawing that's a permanent note. At the same time, by the way, the newest release of Excalibrain comes with this additional feature that you can define which tag is the primary type of the document, and you can also configure Excalibrain to display multiple icon prefixes if you have documents that have multiple types. You can include that in your drawing. But now let's look under the hood of the eight thinking maps first. So if I open the eight thinking maps, I can switch to markdown view by clicking here, opening as a markdown document, and then I switch over to the markdown view. Here you can see that on the flip side, the other side of the drawing, I have a similar permanent note as I had previously. First, I can also show you that this is the note type—that this is a Zettelkasten permanent note, and that's why this was displayed as a permanent note. As well as I have my Excalidraw tag here, that's why it was also an Excalidraw document in my Excalibrain view. But you can also see that I have my entire note right here, so this is my normal permanent note. You can see my related quotes, and you can see everything here up till the text elements, and this is what you need to understand. So let me just for one second open how the back side of myelination looks like. So if I come here to myelination and again I'm going to open this as a markdown document, you can see here that I have my front matter. Here don't change this, but between the front matter and between text elements, I can write whatever I want here, and Excalidraw is going to preserve that. So anything above text elements and below the front matter is open territory—that's the backside of your note card, and this is how I use it. So in the case of the eight thinking maps, I simply moved my permanent note template to the back side of my drawing. This way, my drawing is a drawing in the permanent note at the same time—sort of like flipping the document or flipping the library card around. On one side, I have the drawing that I use as my permanent note; on the other side, I have all my notes and links and references that also make up my permanent note. Now, if I take a look at this in Excalibrain, then you can see here that indeed, this is a permanent note and a drawing, and then I have all the eight thinking maps as a child of this core permanent note about the eight thinking maps. For example, if I click on the double bubble map, then you can see here that this permanent note—the double bubble map—links directly to a number of other items in my vault. The point I want to highlight is in all of these cases, instead of linking to a separate image that links—so again, let’s just for one second come back here and switch over to myelination example. If I open the myelination example, you can see here that in the case of my permanent note on myelination—or the idea of deep work being a crucial component for learning hard things faster—in this case, the links are not to my permanent note, but to the image. In terms of navigation and connecting ideas, there’s an additional bridge that hinders this connection. So just again, let's look at the Excalibrain view for the double bubble map. This is a much cleaner view, and it’s cleaner because I don't have a separate image that is linked in my permanent note, but my image is the permanent note. Just again to show you how it looks like, so if I flip my library card and open the double bubble map in markdown view mode, then you can see it here that I have my normal permanent note. [* ](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g)
Now, I want to show you two interesting features of this document. The first feature is I have this idea section here, and under it, if you notice, I actually have the same drawing, and this is sort of an infinite loop because within my double bubble map Excalidraw drawing on the flip side of the card, I have a note which references this. But because this is an image, it doesn't become this infinite loop; it will just display the image. Let me show you what I mean by an infinite loop. So here, if I would click on Untitled and add Untitled here again, then you can see that Obsidian actually stops after the fifth recursion, but you see that this is recursive in this case because I’m referencing an image within a markdown document. The image is processed differently by Excalidraw, and here I get the image. Why would I want to include the image here? Because I can also reference. Now if I take my double bubble map permanent note and I want to reference it in a document—so let's take this Untitled. I can simply reference it like this. I can include the image, and then I have the image right here. But in the way I configured my permanent note, because I have the idea section, if now I reference the idea section as I embed it, then I get the idea section, and again, because I reference the image inside the note, I get the image here as well. In my permanent notes, I have this idea section because for me, this is the best way to reference an idea. This is the summary that I can reuse, and it has all the details I want. The beauty of all this is I don't have a separate image and a permanent note; it's all the same file. So let me just again open Excalibrain and show you how Untitled looks like. So Untitled has a single document attached, which is the double bubble map, and there is no separate image attachment; the double bubble map is a permanent note and an image at the same time. Now as a final point, let me just show you this new feature in Excalibrain that allows you to have multiple tags on an image, and that allows you to define what's the note type. So now if I come back again to my double bubble map image right here, you will see that I have this data view tag here called note type, and whatever I place in the note type, that is going to be the primary look and feel of the image. So now if I delete this field from here and I type my primary note type to be Excalidraw, and now I switch back to Excalibrain, then you will see that the style of the note has changed because it’s primarily a drawing, and as a secondary, it is a permanent note. If now I switch this around and I delete exclamation; I don't need it here because I have Excalidraw here in my front matter; I add note type my Zettelkasten permanent note; I come back to Excalibrain, and I can see that this is a permanent note that is simultaneously an Excalidraw drawing. Just to show you how to configure this in plugin settings, if I open Excalibrain settings, I can scroll down all the way to styling, and here under styling, you will find two new settings. One is you can set the name of the style tag field, so by default it's note type, and then you can also configure whether to display all the style tags. So if I turn this off and come back to look at this note, then you will see that from now on, this is only a permanent note, and the Excalidraw tag disappeared from here. So hopefully, that gets the idea across that in this case, I have my permanent note on the backside of my drawing, and it's one and the same file. By having it in one and the same file, my references to this idea are much cleaner, much easier to follow up in my vault. If you're keen on exploring this idea further, I recommend checking out my video on breaking down ideas using the deconstruct script in Excalidraw. Let me conclude with a few additional thoughts on the visual thinking workshop. This workshop offers a unique opportunity to refine your summarization skills, problem-solving abilities, and big-picture thinking. It revolves around unlocking your brain's visual processing potential to enhance creativity and understanding. Whether you're a professional, a student, or someone looking to boost creativity, this workshop can revolutionize how you process and connect visual ideas. It encompasses online class sessions, office hours, access to valuable resources such as the demo Obsidian Vault, and a supportive community. So that wraps up our discussion on Visual Zettelkasten and the upcoming visual thinking workshop. Thank you for tuning in, and I'm super excited to explore this visual thinking concept and journey with you. Don't forget to check the workshop details in the video description below. Thank you. [* ](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g)
# YouTube Details
## YouTube Description
📽️ ✏️ Sign up for the Visual Thinking Workshop: https://www.visual-thinking-workshop.com/
🚀 Cohort 6 starts on November 4, 2023. 📔 We will be summarizing Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin into a book-on-a-page
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My PKM tools are Obsdian.md and the Excalidraw plugin.
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In this video, I explain a shift in my thinking in combining my Zettelkasten permanent note and my atomic visual summaries. The video includes a brief recap of what Zettelkasten is and a demonstration of my Visual Zettelkasten notes using my notes on the 8 Thinking Maps as examples.
------
If you find my videos helpful, please say thanks by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/zsolt
📩 If you want to connect, you can reach me: (@zsviczian) on the Obsidian Members Group (OMG) on Discord, or on 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/zsviczian
-----
[00:00](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=0) Intro
[00:16](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=16) Recapping Zettelkasten
[01:32](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=92) Zettelkasten feels like additional work
[01:58](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=118) The idea of using both sides of the "note card"
[04:11](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=251) Briefly about the Visual Thinking Workshop
[04:30](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=270) Case study walkthrough
[15:40](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=940) ExcaliBrain Note Type
[17:35](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1055) Wrapup
[17:47](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1067) About the Visual Thinking Workshop
[18:34](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1114) Closing
-------
🍿Watch next:
📽️ Deconstructing Visual Ideas with Obsidian Excalidraw using Excalidraw Scripts https://youtu.be/HRtaaD34Zzg
📽️ How to Take Smart Notes - Book on a Page https://youtu.be/o49C8jQIsvs
📽️ Deep Work - Book on a Page https://youtu.be/aI8RsmWv9Do
📽️ Idea Mixer - A Journey into Visual Connections https://youtu.be/ItV8PEaPorE
📽️ Thinking Maps https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6mqgtMZ4NP2VJULuSi0D2-CgK30Hh_0F
📽️ Getting started with Excalidraw https://youtu.be/QKnQgSjJVuc
📽️ Getting started with ExcaliBrain https://youtu.be/8LE_QdYQZVk
---------
Visual Thinking Workshop: https://www.visual-thinking-workshop.com/
My blog: https://zsolt.blog/
Obsidian: https://obsidian.md
Excalidraw-Obsidian: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin/
ExcaliBrain: https://github.com/zsviczian/excalibrain
#excalidraw #sketchnotes #obsidianmd #pkm
## YouTube Transcript
[hey everyone it's jolt here in this](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1) [video I want to share my latest take on](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=4) [visual zle Casten a concept that blends](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=7) [the power of slip boox note taking with](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=10) [visual thinking but before we dive in](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=13) [let's quickly revisit what zetel Casten](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=16) [is all](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=19) [about zetel Casten is a note taking and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=20) [knowledge organization system it has its](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=24) [roots dating back to the early 20th](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=27) [century pioneered by Oto F noira and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=30) [Paul otlet it gained popularity through](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=33) [the work of academics such as Nicholas](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=37) [Luman and more recently Zen irin](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=40) [essentially it's a system designed to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=44) [structure and connect ideas breaking](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=46) [complex Research into a web of](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=49) [interconnected Atomic](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=52) [notes lum's approach involved using](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=55) [library cards to capture what people in](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=58) [the PKM Community often refer to as](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=61) [permanent notes he numbered these cards](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=65) [based on their research topic and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=68) [sequential order then stored them in a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=70) [slip box zettle Casten as traditionally](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=73) [known is tailored toward academic work](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=78) [however as someone not involved in](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=82) [Academia I've struggled with adapting to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=84) [and benefiting from zetel Casten in my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=87) [daily note taking routine until recently](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=90) [creating a permanent note felt like an](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=93) [extra step in my workflow I'd read a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=96) [book process my literature notes add](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=100) [illustrations to capture key ideas and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=102) [only when I felt something was truly](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=106) [insightful I'd create a permanent note](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=109) [in my slip boox system referencing the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=111) [source and including my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=114) [illustration it was while reflecting on](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=117) [a comment from one of my recent videos](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=120) [the idea mixer that something](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=123) [clicked a Vier suggested I should have](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=126) [named it visual zle](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=129) [Casten this comment sparked a revelation](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=131) [exol draw in obsidian provides a much](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=134) [more natural approach to zetel Casten](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=137) [compared to my previous experiments one](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=140) [that aligns with my thinking process](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=143) [more](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=145) [seamlessly in the exol Dr plugin](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=147) [drawings are stored in markdown](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=150) [documents each drawing comes with two](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=152) [views the excal dra View and the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=155) [markdown view allowing you to seamlessly](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=157) [merge drawings with your underlying](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=161) [notes switching between excal View and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=163) [markdown view feels like utilizing both](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=167) [sides of a library card mirroring Lance](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=170) [approach when I read something or take](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=175) [notes I create create simple visual](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=178) [representations of the ideas I encounter](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=181) [because creating these visuals help me](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=184) [understand the ideas better this is the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=188) [way I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=191) [think and here's the Eureka moment these](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=192) [Atomic visuals are in essence already](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=196) [zetto cast notes themselves no need to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=199) [craft a separate note and attach my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=202) [illustrations all that's required is](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=205) [flipping the library card by switching](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=207) [to markdown View mode where I can add my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=210) [zle casting links and references and the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=212) [illustration I created to digest a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=215) [concept becomes an interconnected Atomic](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=218) [visual permanent note in my slip boox](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=221) [system now let's delve into some](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=225) [examples to test out this new approach I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=227) [converted my zetto Custer notes about](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=230) [the eight thinking maps by David and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=233) [Hurley I'll walk you through my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=235) [restructured notes demonstrating some of](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=238) [the cool excal draw and new excal brain](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=241) [features along the way but before we](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=244) [dive into the implementation and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=247) [explanation I'd like to mention that the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=250) [visual thinking Workshop cohort 6 is](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=252) [just around the corner scheduled from](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=256) [November 4th to December 9th if you're](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=258) [eager to explore visual thinking in more](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=262) [depth please accept my invitation to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=265) [join me in this](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=268) [Workshop to help you understand what has](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=270) [changed in my thinking let me first show](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=273) [you how I did permanent notes until now](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=275) [what you see here on screen are my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=278) [literature notes for deep work by call](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=281) [Newport and you can see I have lots of](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=284) [highlights as well as here and there I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=286) [have images to capture key ideas in my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=289) [literature notes let's take for example](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=292) [myelination for myelination I created](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=296) [this drawing to capture the essence of](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=299) [what I've read in the book that deep](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=303) [work helps you quickly learn hard things](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=305) [and there's an anatomical reason for](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=307) [that and you can see here that I explain](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=310) [how a neuron looks like as well as I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=313) [have some quotes from the book now I use](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=316) [the exact same image on my book on a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=319) [page for the perk and you can see here I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=322) [have my neuron right here as well as](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=325) [because I thought that this idea was](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=330) [super important I also created a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=332) [permanent note about this and you can](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=335) [see here again I have the same image](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=337) [referenced about my lination plus I have](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=340) [some other thoughts here as well now if](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=343) [we look at this permanent note in exol](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=347) [brain then you will see here that my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=350) [permanent](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=353) [note a belongs to a map of content here](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=355) [but more more importantly I want to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=359) [bring your attention here that it links](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=360) [to this idea of mation so](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=364) [the permanent note itself is a separate](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=367) [document from my image and if I click on](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=371) [the image then I can see that my image](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=374) [links to my permanent note up here but](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=377) [also links to my book on the page and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=380) [links to other documents these are all](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=383) [the places where I reused this image](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=386) [including my literature notes but also](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=390) [some other documents as well now let's](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=393) [look at how this changes with my new](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=397) [approach so now I'm going to look at the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=400) [eight thinking maps as an example and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=404) [this is also a permanent note so if I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=407) [bring up exol brain again then you can](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=410) [see here from the icons that this is a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=413) [permanent note because this icon is my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=416) [permanent note icon and this is my exol](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=418) [draw icon so I know that this is a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=423) [drawing that's a permanent note at the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=426) [same time by the way the newest release](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=429) [of EXC colrain comes with this](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=432) [additional feature that you can Define](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=434) [which tag is the primary type of the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=438) [document and you can also configure xol](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=441) [brain to display multiple icons](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=445) [prefixes if you have documents that have](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=450) [multiple types you can include that in](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=453) [your drawing but now let's look under](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=455) [the hood of the eight thinking maps](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=458) [first so if I open the eight thinking](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=461) [maps I can switch to markdown view by](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=464) [clicking here open as markdown](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=468) [document and then I switch over to the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=472) [markdown view you can see that on the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=474) [flip side the other side of the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=477) [drawing I have a similar permanent note](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=480) [as I had previously first I can also](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=484) [show you that this is the note type that](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=486) [this is a zle cast and permanent note](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=489) [and that's why this was displayed as a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=491) [permanent note as well as I have my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=494) [excal draw tag here that's why it was](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=497) [also an excal draw document in my excal](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=499) [brain view but you can also see that I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=503) [have my entire not](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=506) [right here so this is my normal](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=510) [permanent note you can see my related](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=512) [quotes and you can see everything](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=515) [here up till the text elements and this](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=518) [is what you need to understand so let me](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=522) [just for one second open how the back](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=524) [side of myelination looks like so if I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=528) [come here to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=531) [myelination and again I'm going to open](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=532) [this as a markdown document you can see](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=535) [here that I have my front matter here so](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=538) [don't change this but between the front](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=541) [matter and between text elements I can](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=544) [write whatever I want here and exol draw](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=548) [is going to preserve that so anything](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=551) [above text elements and below the front](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=555) [matter is open territory that's the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=559) [backside of your note card and this is](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=563) [how I use it so in case of the a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=566) [thinking maps I simply moved my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=569) [permanent note](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=572) [template to the back side of my drawing](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=574) [and this way my drawing is a drawing in](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=578) [the permanent note at the same time sort](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=582) [of like flipping the document or](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=585) [flipping the library card around on one](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=588) [hand side I have the drawing that I use](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=591) [as my permanent note on the other hand](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=593) [side I have all my notes and links and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=596) [references that also make up my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=600) [permanent note now if I take a look at](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=602) [this in exol brain then you can see here](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=605) [that indeed so this is a permanent note](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=609) [and a drawing and then I have all the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=612) [eight thinking maps as a child of this](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=616) [core permanent note about the eight](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=620) [thinking maps and for example if I click](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=622) [on the double bubble map then you can](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=625) [see here that that this permanent note](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=628) [the double bubble map links directly to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=630) [a number of other items in My Vault and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=636) [the point I want to highlight is in all](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=640) [of these cases instead of linking to a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=643) [separate image that links so again let's](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=648) [just for one second come back here and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=650) [switch over to my mation example so if I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=654) [open the myelination example then you](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=659) [can see here that in case of my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=662) [permanent note on my lination or the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=665) [idea of deep work being a crucial](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=669) [component for learning hard things](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=672) [faster in this case the links are not to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=676) [my permanent note but to the image and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=680) [in terms of navigation in terms of](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=684) [connecting ideas](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=687) [there's an additional bridge that](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=689) [actually in my mind hinders this](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=692) [connection so just again let's look at](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=696) [the excal brain View for the double](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=700) [bubble map this is a much cleaner View](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=703) [and it's cleaner because I don't have a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=707) [separate image that is linked in my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=710) [permanent note but my image is the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=712) [permanent note and just again to show](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=715) [you how it looks like so if I flip my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=718) [library card and open the double bubble](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=722) [map in markdown View mode then you can](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=725) [see it here that I have my normal](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=728) [permanent note here](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=732) [now I want to show you two interesting](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=735) [features of this document the first](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=738) [feature is I have this idea section here](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=741) [and under it if you notice I actually](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=745) [have the same drawing and this is sort](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=749) [of an infinite Loop because within my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=753) [double bubble](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=757) [map excolo drawing on the flip side of](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=758) [the card I have a note which reference](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=762) [is this but because this is an image it](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=765) [doesn't become this infinite Loop but it](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=768) [will just display the image let me show](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=771) [you what I mean by an infinite Loop so](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=774) [here if I would click on Untitled and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=776) [add Untitled here again then you can see](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=779) [that obsidian actually stops after the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=783) [fifth recursion but you see that this is](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=786) [recursive in this case because I'm](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=790) [referencing an image within a markdown](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=793) [document the image is processed](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=796) [differently by exol and here I get the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=799) [image why would I want to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=802) [include the image here within in the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=805) [image that's because I can also](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=809) [reference so now if I take my double](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=812) [bubble map permanent note and I want to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=816) [reference it in a document so let's take](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=819) [this Untitled so I can simply reference](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=821) [it like this I can include the image and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=824) [then I have the image right here but in](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=828) [the way I configured my permanent note](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=832) [because I have the idea section if now I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=836) [reference the idea section as I embedd](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=840) [it then I get the idea section and again](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=843) [because I reference the image inside the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=847) [note I get the image here as well in my](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=851) [permanent notes I have this idea section](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=855) [because for me this is the best way to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=857) [reference an idea this is the summary](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=861) [that I can reuse and it has all the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=864) [details I want and the beauty of all of](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=867) [this is I don't have a separate image](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=871) [and a permanent note it's all the same](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=874) [file so let me just again open exol](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=877) [brain and show you how Untitled looks](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=879) [like so Untitled has a single document](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=882) [attached which is the double bubble map](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=887) [and there is no separate image](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=890) [attachment the double bubble map is a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=893) [permanent note](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=897) [and an image at the same time now as a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=899) [final Point let me just show you this](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=903) [new feature in EXC brain that allows you](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=906) [to have multiple tags on an image and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=909) [that allows you to Define what's the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=913) [note type so now if I come back again to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=916) [my double bubble map image right here](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=920) [you will see that I have this data view](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=924) [tag here called note type and whatever I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=927) [place in the note type that is going to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=931) [be the primary look and feel of the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=934) [image so now if I delete this field from](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=936) [here and I type my primary note type to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=939) [be exol draw and now I switch back to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=943) [exol brain then you will see that the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=947) [style of the note has changed because](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=950) [it's primarily a drawing and as a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=953) [secondary it is a permanent note if now](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=956) [I switch this around and I delete](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=960) [excetra I don't need it here because I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=963) [have exol draw here in my front matter I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=966) [add not](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=970) [type my zle cast and permanent note I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=971) [come back to EXC colrain and I can see](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=975) [that this is a permanent note that is at](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=977) [the same time an excolo](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=981) [drawing just to show you how to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=983) [configure this in plug-in settings if I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=985) [open exol Brain settings I can scroll](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=989) [down all the way](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=992) [to styling and here under styling you](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=995) [will find two new settings one is you](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=999) [can set the name of the style tag field](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1004) [so by default it's note type and then](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1009) [you can also configure whether to](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1012) [display all the style tags so if I turn](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1015) [this off off and I come back to look at](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1018) [this note then you will see that from](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1022) [now on this is only a permanent note and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1024) [the exol dra tag disappeared from here](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1027) [so hopefully that gets the idea across](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1031) [that in this case I](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1034) [have my permanent note on the back side](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1037) [of my drawing and it's one and the same](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1040) [file and by having it in one and the](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1043) [same file my reference to this idea are](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1046) [much cleaner much easier to follow up in](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1050) [my world if you're keen on exploring](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1054) [this idea further I recommend checking](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1057) [out my video on breaking down ideas](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1059) [using the deconstruct script in xol](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1063) [raw let me conclude with a few](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1066) [additional thoughts on the visual](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1069) [thinking Workshop this Workshop offers a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1071) [unique opportunity to refine your](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1074) [summarization skills problem solving](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1076) [abilities and big picture thinking it](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1079) [revolves around unlocking your brain's](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1082) [visual processing potential to enhance](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1085) [creativity and understanding whether](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1088) [you're a professional a student or](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1091) [someone looking to boost creativity this](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1093) [Workshop can revolutionalize how you](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1096) [process and connect visual ideas it](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1099) [encompasses online class sessions office](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1103) [hours access to valueable resources such](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1106) [as the demo obsidian Vault and a](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1109) [supportive community so that wraps up](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1112) [our discussion on visual zle casting and](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1115) [the upcoming visual thinking Workshop](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1118) [thank you for tuning in and I'm super](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1121) [excited to explore this visual thinking](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1124) [concept and journey with you don't](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1127) [forget to check the workshop details in](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1129) [the video description](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1132) [below thank you](https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g?t=1134)