As one who is currently experiencing the dukkha Nana's it seems the wisest option would be to focus on noting practice.  However, I am really more of a fan and inclined to Samatha development.  If I hadn't passed the A&P on a Goenka retreat I would have surely started the path of TMI, as I still want to.  That being said, since the dark night is already a present circumstance I get the notion that paying attention to the three charecteristics would be a more optimal method in getting through it.  I also have heard Samatha is easier to practice after stream entry which is why if noting practice and stream entry would be better goals for the current situation and focus on the development of Samatha and Jhanas after.  Curious to hear anyone's opinion and experience with this.  Thanks.

I was a Shamatha practitioners for nearly 2 and half years. Got me all the way to A&P, then to DN and I've lost it there totally. 

I rolled up the mat and was 7 years without practice basically shitting all over my life and living in agony. 

Last year got sick of it and strongly decided to get out of the DN no matter what. Opted to use Kenneth Folk's Freestyle Noting Aloud anf it worked like charm. Well, I've got hammered hard during the Re-observation but I was armed with Ingram's adice "Acceptance" and I've let the Tsunami of DN crush over me without loosing the stream of consciousness, without any laps in mindfulness. This is where Noting Aloud really paid off well in my case. 

Took me about 5 months (45-90 mins 1-3 times a day) to plow through the DN, then through EQ without clinging to it (which can result in falling back into are-observation again). 

You might not need Aloud noting if you have no issues with getting lost in Hindrances. If like me you do get sidetracked often then by ALL means get into noting Aloud to keep you on top of the Hindrances so not to loose the constant stream of consciousness. You really want to say , when sitting for 45-90 minutes that you have honestly been mindful throughout, in a matter of fact way. 

This worked for me. 

It used to be common for people to be advised to practice shamatha after passing something . Yeah..

Do you mean practice once through it?

Kenneth Folk:


https://www.dharmaoverground.org/dharma-wiki/-/wiki/Main/Jhana+and+%C3%91ana+/en

As per Daniel, he said Vipassana is not the best take in this situation,  Shamatha is better for the mood boost and immunity effects.

If indeed you are hammered by the DN, I don't see how samatha can help much on its own as the VERY Concentration is being Dissolved into shreds How can I get myself into pure calmness in the DN Nana? The very sense of calmness is being shred to pieces as well.
All one can do is keep noting those sensations and mind states as they offer themselves. "Acceptance" and "Persistance in Noting 1-10 snesations/mind states a second" is the best way to plow through this, taking that you are a balanced enough person and will not get hurt during such unpleasant investigation of the 3C's. 

One should also be certain that this indeed is DN which is more about unpleasant mind states. In case there is more unpleasantness in the body sensations then maybe this is the 3C's stage. Still ACCEPTACE applies here too as above but yes remembering to calm down and relax those bodily tensions that can occur is a good idea.

My Bad. By this situation i mean the covid thing. Just quoting Daniel in the Guru Viking interview.

Oh I see in that case I'm the one apologizing  

I have always been told that the majority of the time shamatha is appropriate in the dark night.

Maybe it works well for certain personslities. 

EDIT; personalities might be a wrong word. 

As passing DN has lots to do with Acceptance and Noticing mind states, feelings and sensations I see no reason why Shamatha wouldn't work IF you are not prone to hindrances and you don't have a heavy load of emotional issues. 

Apparently some folks don't sweat DN at all and pass it very fast   I wish I was such  

The answers are hiding in plain sight, regardless.

I have had complete conversations with people as regards to know me. Thank you noting for this...all in silence.

+1.

I could not agree more.

Shamatha is also better for not making it worse. It makes it possible to bear it.

I have been told that Sleeping Buddha Syndrome has heard correctly.

I believe this is not just horseshit, but idiotic bullshit, and harmful in the extreme if it is spoken by someone with any credibility.

The Dark Night is by definition out of our control; it is the fire that burns away what is keeping us from [God, Enlightenment. Whatever You May Call it that you're doing this path shit for]. Even if, in later paths, or rounds, you don't sweat it, you should qualify that up down left and right as RARE AS SHIT and of ABSOLUTELY no fucking relevance to most practioners, who starngely enough ACTUALLY FUCKING SUFFER TO ACQUIRE THE KNOWLEDGE OF SUFFERING.

Jesus fucking christ this one makes me mad. I know daniel speaks of this, and I am shocked at that. I believe it unskillful talk, and even actively dangerous and disheartening for the vast majority who slog thrugh the dark night fo the years that JOhn of the Cross says it takes, at a minimum. ("If it is authentic, the process will last for a number of years.") 

If you're fucking zipping through no fucking sweat, don't call it a fucking dark night, I say. It's a dangerous misappropriation of a concept rooted in horrific reality, if you want to mix that little bon-bon of brief unease with the steady diet of shit sandwiches of an authentic and efficacious dark night.

love, tim