thanks nikolai!
during and when i got back from retreat (more evident when i got back from retreat)
regarding the sensing body vibrations, i felt i could not see my thoughts
it felt sorta alien, because im used to living in my head (My personality type is INTP). i felt so in touch
with the real world and my body, i didn't feel like me at all.
I observed the equivalent sensations to the body of each negative thought i had and they were powerful and obvious, not
something i was used to.
I remember equanimity states doing noting and doing Goenka, noting felt more 3D and balanced like IMAX, Goenka equanimity felt like the outside world
was crushing me.
Habits i got from Mahasi Noting was noting other peoples' suffering, and being pretty sensitive to it to the point that
being with a lot of people or in public, i get to note everyones' suffering and restlessness and have it affect me.
From Goenka, i got the habit of staying with the breath, multi-tasking. Anchoring with the breath and interacting with the world at the same time.
great style. isnt It actually not being here and now. You feel less alive or engaged, yet more at peace. You have less clarity with outside stuff
I consulted with the asst. teacher if this was the right thing to do and it was exactly and i was a bit surprised becoz of my previous style of
only allowing one object. he said, eat while being aware of the breath and try to be aware of both.
maybe thats what makes the music/Chanting Ok makes you get used to 2 objects. and also there to make other
techniques harder to pull off

and of course to develop equanimity. perhaps goenka is really clever in designing the rules just like how zen has these
rules to trick the students
though maybe my sensitivity to sound is strong, is it just me, i got 1st path doing sound, and i used to visualize the physical space that the sounds create
(like sonar?) i thhink sound is a good object. it has the right amount of stimulation compared to breath but not enough to make u restless. also maybe its more natural becoz of our evolution for us to be like watchmen. equanimity and sound go together intuitively