I just started to implement noting in my practice. I'm Swedish, so my noting will naturally be in swedish, and I'm not sure what words to use when noting in swedish. Let's say I notice I'm thinking. In english you note this as "thinking". In swedish it wold be either "tänker", as in "I am thinking" (could be "he/she/it//they/we is thinking" too), or "tänkande", as in "there is thinking". Another solution would be to note "thought" instead. Does it matter either way?

The reason I think it may is becouse I get the feeling that implying an "I" in your noting somehow defeats one of the major puropses of the practice, which is objectification/removing the self from experience. The verb for "thinking" in swedish doesn't have to imply an "I", it could for example imply that the mind is thinking, but I don't think this is what's going on in my mind at least.

Using the third form, as in "thought", "bend", "grab" etc., can of course imply an imperative, which may or may not be an interference.

Using the "there is thinking"-form in swedish means more syllables, which may or may not be an issue.

Any thoughts? 

To clarify my issue: When just sitting and meditating, noting the breath ("rising", "falling" or "in" "out") it feels really impersonal to me. The breath (it) is rising and falling, not me. The same goes for any bodily sensations that might pop up ("warmth", "tingling", "tightness"). But when it comes to noting something I'm doing, it's very different. During walking meditation for exemple, when I note "lifting", "moving", "placing" (using the swedish verbs), I feel like I'm actually describing what I am doing. I am lifting, I am moving, I am placing. The same goes for more informal practice when I'm "rising up", "approaching", "picking up" etc. 

Maybe a change in how I phrase my labels wont change this at all. Maybe with practice, walking and doing the dishes or whatever, will feel just as impersonal as the breath rising and falling ("My foot is lifting, moving, placing", "My body is rising up" etc.).

Maybe I should just experiment and see if I notice a difference... It just feels really weird... Plus, as I've said, it takes more syllables to note "impersonally", which means I need to do things really slowly to catch up. 

This has been discussed before...check it out

RE: Will noting with verbs strengthen the illusion of self?


Noting is just a hack to keep you on task....the task being to experience this moment of reality as closely as possible.
For me, it breaks down to 4 words to keep me on task usually - seeing, hearing, feeling, thinking.
Anything more than that slows me down considerably...Your direct experience is what matters....try playing with it and see what matters.
Good luck,
~D