Richard I think we are coming at this from different directions, I am looking at noting and attention as ways of not suffering in the moments in which they are applied but you are looking at them in terms of penetrating reality. But maybe the more you are penetrating reality the less you are suffering and so we can just change our terminology and communicate on the same wavelength.
Ok assuming the above makes sense:
I do more wordless noting now because the mental noting covers up some of the subtle things I want to see.
Yes I agree with this... but there is still the question of the tradeoff between continuousness of practice and sharpness of discernment/lack of suffering.
I find that what matters is that you recognize the sensations arise and pass away and with labeling it's easy to just label when something is there.
I don't think I have ever noticed it to be important to see sensations disappearing (if that even happens)[1]... I know that it is common to say how important it is to see sensations arising and passing away but I have always thought of the utility of paying attention to sensations to be more about not mentally proliferating and to find a 'safe' space of wellbeing in sensate experience.
[1] it is hard to say where the borderlines of any sensations are both spatially and temporally
maybe we are on two different pages here, i don't really feel like you answered my question not that it is your fault or anything.