Mike Gee:
I guess the reason for me asking is that "fast noting" makes me sort of play a game of "note as much as I can".
And the feeling I get doing this "noting pinball game" is markedly different from how I've done insight practice before, e.g. follow the breath, if something grabs your attention, notice it and go back to breath.
In this case, smaller things don't really "grab" my attention. My mind feels calmer here..?
either way, done properly, will work, but fast, clear noting has been shown to work well for many people who haven't had much luck with approaches emphasising calm.
Mike Gee:
But when trying to note fast, I try to note everything (not possible yet) that I notice, which fills my mind fast

that's part of the idea - to do this exercise in the most efficient manner, you want to be completely, even overwhelmingly, engaged with it.
Mike Gee:
Also, I see there is a difference in noting different things..?
When I note breath rising and falling, I am directing my attention to that area. The same, when I do walking meditation, I direct my attention to "lifting" and "putting". That is, this is an active focusing of attention, whereas the fast noting is more passive in that:
"my mind went there", "my mind went there" (i.e. noting pinball) and then sometimes I just passively notice I am breathing, and sometimes I actively redirect focus back to breath.
to do this exercise in the most efficient and well-rounded manner, you want to be able to work with both the passive and active forms of your attention's movement, and be able to keep noting through both regardless of whether you have to direct your attention or not (and, by the way, the mental act of directing attention is intention - worth noting).
Mike Gee:
I don't know if these reflections make sense?
yes, so carry on.
Mike Gee:
I don't do much of walking meditation (yet?), but sometimes. I also remind myself at times to note during everyday life.
walking meditation, though lacking the ease and bliss which can arise during focused sits (and which almost inevitably serve as a sort of carrot on a stick for the meditator), can be surprisingly powerful and purposeful; i recommend doing more of it and noting the intention involved in it, as intention is generally easier for a beginner to observe while walking than while sitting.
tarin