Equinimity/Noting and Concentration

William Finch, modified 12 Years ago at 6/21/11 5:57 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 6/21/11 5:57 PM

Equinimity/Noting and Concentration

Posts: 8 Join Date: 6/21/11 Recent Posts
Hello,

This is my first post so just to give some background: I have been practicing for almost four years. Within the first two months or so of practice I had this huge, life changing opening experience after an intense period of meditation that changed the course of my life. I had no knowldge of the A&P and would have described it at the time as a "meeting with God" minuses the religous or personal overtones. From there I dedicated myself wholeheartedly to practice (2 or more hours a day), retreats, etc. 9 months or so after the A&P experience it all seemed to fade and I've spent the better part of the last 3 years in what I now know as the "dark night". At the time I had no knowledge of this phase or any phases of practice and assumed that I had done something wrong along the way. I spent a quite a bit of time trying to get back to what I thought was good and normal practice. My practice did shift in the last six or so months, but often it still felt dry so I sought out a teacher who I've been working with. I'd never done noting practice before so I began to practice intensely again and sometime last week emerged into what I think is the "equinimity" stage, although the shifts between deep peacefulness and intense emotional reactivity in the first days felt less then equanimous. I've been practicing intensely, but had little desire to do so today because I felt fine and relaxed as I have for the last several days. To get the practice going, I did some "breath counting" practice and then went into the noting. After sometime with the noting I became aware at a deep level of this vast undercurrent of spaciousness. As thoughts of self or negative emotions came up they were seen as immaterial and floating, harmless, as did the body sensations that normally seem to have an edge of "me" or "mine" to them. This undulating, infinte spaciousness seemed to deepen into a peace I've never experienced. It felt very good and is very nice to be having these positive experiences after so many years of meditation feeling like a torturous, back-breaking chore. My question is this: What is the best way to work with this phase? Is it to do concentration and then noting? The noting was nice, but strange, as everything even my own voice noting out loud seemed far away and impersonal. Is it wise to note and concentrate and then allow for the experience of spaciousness to take over and investigate that, which is what I did tonight? If somebody has passed this way before and has any solid advice it'd be much appreciated. I only ask because I won't be speaking with my teacher for another couple of weeks. Thanks to anyone who bothered to read this to thw bottom or is wiling to offer advice.

Bill
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tom moylan, modified 12 Years ago at 8/15/11 4:17 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/15/11 4:17 AM

RE: Equinimity/Noting and Concentration

Posts: 896 Join Date: 3/7/11 Recent Posts
Hi Bill, i just saw your post...it was never answered! I hope that you have gotten an answer from someone or saw the answer for yourself.

I am assuming that your goal is to get stream entry, otherwise why do the noting practice. I am not qualified to say whether or not you are in equanimity or not. In fact I'm not qualified to say whether or not I am in equanimity, which is why I stumbled upon your post.

My two cents worth is that the answer always seems to be, NOTE IT. Whatever experience you have while noting is, while not irrelevant, not the main point. For example, several weeks ago I found myself in a place which I assumed was equanimity. In fact it wasn't, it was just a place where the external stresses of my life waned for a bit and my surface mood allowed a little ease. Don't get stuck on the maps. They are very useful but individual experiences and tendencies vary greatly.

So that said...any progress since you posted your lonely shout out in June?

Cheers

tom moylan

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