Seeking enlightenment:
My problem is I can feel some momentum building when I do sitting practice. However it is really hard to continue the pratice when I am at work or at home. Once I stop sitting practice I can continue for about 10 mins whilst doing other tasks. However if try to note whilst doing other tasks I either speed up too fast and am continually trying to build up momentum but never developing a rhythm, it feels rushed and that I am scrambling to be mindful and never attaining it. Or I have to concentrate really hard on noting to the extent I have to abandon the task I was working on.
Can you become aware of one of the following while at work or at home?
1. Thoughts arising: Here you can just pay attention to what type of thoughts are arising in the moment and label them as the type they are. E.g. Planning thought, worry thought, curiosity thought, searching thought, frustrated thought, happy thought etc.
You can also play the cat and mouse game with thoughts. Be the cat and watch for the very beginning of a thought. The very moment it arises. The thought is the mouse. You can also observe strictly the middle of a thought or the end of a thought too, switching it up to then include each part of the thought in the observation, the beginning, middle and end. Make the job of momentum practice be interesting as one will be more inclined to maintain the momentum.
2. Becoming aware of the specific mood of the moment: Here you just simply become aware of your current mood and label it as well just like the thoughts. E.g. worry, agitation, happiness, relaxed, angry, nervous, etc. Simply label your mood every now and then. Also make it more detailed if time permits. Become aware of it mentally and physically. Get interested in what a 'mood' is made up of. Is there a physical component? What is it? Is there a mental component? what is it? Momentum will be maintained when one starts to cultivate interest in what is happening in this very moment of being alive.
3. Body movement: Here just simply pay attention to every body movement no matter how subtle or gross for a minute or so, whenever possible. Maybe make it more detailed and interesting by trying to catch the intention to make a body movement BEFORE the movement is made. Make it interesting.
4. Even though this question is used in an actual freedom practice, it essentially leads to paying attention to the current moment (vipassana). How Am I Experiencing This Moment Of Being Alive? (HAIETMOBA). Ask this question every so often and just simply pay attention to exactly what is going on in the very moment. Maybe a mood will become apparent. Then label it like I mentioned above. Maybe even investigate its components. Maybe a thought will become apparent. Then do as mentioned above concerning thoughts. Maybe another sense door (eye, ear, tongue, nose, body /sensations) will become apparent. Label them as they do. Ask the question WHENEVER and WHEREVER you can as often as you can.
Also, with any of the above, you can simply watch them with one of the 3 C's in mind. For example, watch how thoughts just simply end. Pay attention to thoughts with this notion in the forefront of the mind. Switch it up. Pay attention to how thoughts arise and pass seemingly without 'you' controlling them. They can just arise so out from control they seem so very impersonal. Simply watch thoughts with this notion in the forefront of the mind. Watch how thoughts might actually seem to create tension in the mind, perhaps seemingly unsatisfactory in nature. Contemplate how thoughts can be seen to be impermenant and impersonal and how these two notions when seen can make thoughts seem quite unsatisfactory . Watch them with this notion in mind. Do this for all phenomena.
Get really interested in your experience in any given moment. Put sticky notes around your house and work place where you can to remind you to ask HAIETMOBA and simply pay attention. Pay attention to whatever is taking centre stage in the field of experience. What is making up this very moment of experience of 'seeking enlightenment' (you)?
Personally, I took it quite intensely on board to do this at all times a month or so before the course where I got MCTB 1st path. I got very very very interested in the experience of a felt sense of self. I began to simply note everything it seemed to be made up of in any given moment I remembered to. Image, sensations, thought, image, sensations, thought etc. as each of these phenomenon arose to give the impression of a felt sense of existing.
Get interested in the current moment, the whole field of experience. It takes this type of interest to be able to progress rapidly. Resolve and just simply pay attention to the whole field of experience as much as possible. When you have responsibilities at work and home, then lend all attention to what you need to do there. But in any given moment when able, bring the mind back to this very moment. What the frack is happening right now in this mind/body organism? Right frackn now!!!!!!!!!! Notice and note it if needed. Noting it will reinforce the noticing of it. It being any phenomena of mind and body arising in the moment.
Nick