Hi, Piers. What are you hoping to achieve from your practice?
Piers Mackeown:
...I might end up noting this or that initially when sitting for an hour but then ending up noting the pain in my knee for example again and again and again... "pain" "pain" "pain" plus getting perhaps bored and frustrated with that (and then noting that too).
Hmm, are you returning attention to RAFA between each noting of "pain?"
BTW, I don't know what they require of you at a Goenka retreat, but it's generally not necessary to cause yourself discomfort while sitting. Sitting in a chair is usually perfectly adequate. If you must sit in a posture which puts tension on the kneecap, try
stretching the quadruceps beforehand.