| | The key is that Mind and Body leads to Cause and Effect, in which you notice that this leads to that, this follows that.
You note the breath, the breath moves. You stop noting the breath, it stops. You note the breath slowly and smoothly, it does that. You note rapidly and jerkly, it does that. Same with the feet in walking practice. This is Cause and Effect.
You notice that intentions lead to actions, that you know you will breathe before you breathe, that you know what you will think just before you think it, that you can feel a memory of sensations after they happen, that mental impressions follow sensations.
These are Cause and Effect, and to get to Cause and Effect, you note the sensations that arise in Mind and Body, and it doesn't really matter so much which, but early on, in this territory, the simple practices of noting the breath and the feet and wandering mind and thinking and hearing and seeing and remembering and the like are very useful and move things along quickly, so don't worry too much about what is exactly what, as all will become clearer as you go, but just keep at it, second after second, minute after minute, and, if on retreat, hour after hour, and before you know it, Cause and Effect is there, and before you know it, Three Characteristics is showing up, and before you know it, there's the A&P, etc.
Thus, practice simply, straightforwardly, consistently, second after second, note after note, sensation after sensation, steadily, and it should all work out. There is this simple, nearly mechanical beauty to things at this point, but investigation, as you mention, is always good, so just stay with the primary objects and notice what else arises also and note again and again and again and you will see how it all fits together and builds very nicely. |