Chris B:
thank you for your responses, they are both helpful and encouraging. I will read up on the experiences others had with this. And of course I will try to stay with my noting practice without getting lost in the content.
As for what comes next: After the A&P-like stage described above there is a stage that seems like I stopped meditating entirely, all the pleasant and extraordinary sensations fade out, noting requires more attention and effort and I generally feel like I "fall back” into ordinary everyday experience. I felt a bit irritated and disappointed when this occurred for the first time, but as it seems to repeat itself I think it could be the end of A&P and the first part of dissolution. Do you think that's a good guess? I’m going to investigate this further.
yes, and have a look at what leigh brasington, an experienced meditator,
wrote about how he handled the shakes (gross piti), as well as the transition from second to third jhana ... no irritation, no disappointment, just an attention to the subtlety of changing experience (the key word here is 'subtlety', as third jhana is far more subtle than second).
when the piti fades, keep your concentration continuous and allow your attention to open out into the periphery as it naturally does (noting where the edges of your mind become prominent). note the contentment (out of which can arise an expectation that something more interesting should happen - if so, note that); note the mental haze (which typically follows second jhana when concentration isn't already well-developed - this may be residue from going through the corruptions/imperfections of insight[1]); note the 'background noise' (that becomes more prominent after piti has faded). note these, and other, things well, then later, when it is applicable, appreciate the ambit of your entire field of awareness. whether you traverse this territory quickly or slowly does not matter; what matters is that you gain insight from the passage. the way to gain insight is to note the three characteristics. you can definitely do this while in jhana.
tarin
[1] mahasi,
the progress of insight,
IV, 4 (cf. ingram,
MCTB,
4. The Arising and Passing Away)