Kind of Newbie Question - Discussion
This is awesome Carol, best wishes for attaining your meditation goals!
One thing we've seen on this website is that maps are both empowering and distracting. If you spend too much time trying to map where you are, it gets in the way of developing the "momentary concentration" that is the feature of Mahasi Sayadaw style noting practice -- i.e., concentration that is developed by noticing the imperminance of sensations, urges, emotions, and thoughts --- rather than through settingly on a single object.
Yes, your experiences are very common. Also, your concerns about "mind throwing up distractions" is very common --- but distraction isn't a concern with noting practice. Instead of just staying on the breath and trying to get away from distraction, noting practice uses all experiences, even experiences of distraction and dukka, as _fuel_ for practice. By simply noting the distraction -- in that moment you are not distracted. By noting "negative" sensations, urges, emotions, and thoughts -- in that moment you are mindful. So even the "worst" sits are fuel for developing attention and mindfulness.
That's what makes the noting practice so powerful. No particular mindstate is required, just momentary attention which leads to momentary concentration... which leads to a gradual uncovering of different aspects of confusion as described by the nanas.
If you feel stuck in a nana, chances are you are making the sensation, urges, emotions, and thoughts of that nana into a problem.
I often recommend people who are interested in the maps to at least understand that each nana has an insight that is available because of the challenge of the nana. So the nanas, while sometimes difficult, are our teachers. They give us a basic insight.
The nanas are also only partial answers, so they have a basic flaw to be seen, too. This is why each nana leads to another...
If you are very geeky, this is a great table to print out and have on the wall: http://static.squarespace.com/static/5037f52d84ae1e87f694cfda/t/5055922624acbaa64592c1c3/1347785254496/
With all of your experiences, I suspect you might be a quick study! Again, best wishes for your practice!!
One thing we've seen on this website is that maps are both empowering and distracting. If you spend too much time trying to map where you are, it gets in the way of developing the "momentary concentration" that is the feature of Mahasi Sayadaw style noting practice -- i.e., concentration that is developed by noticing the imperminance of sensations, urges, emotions, and thoughts --- rather than through settingly on a single object.
Yes, your experiences are very common. Also, your concerns about "mind throwing up distractions" is very common --- but distraction isn't a concern with noting practice. Instead of just staying on the breath and trying to get away from distraction, noting practice uses all experiences, even experiences of distraction and dukka, as _fuel_ for practice. By simply noting the distraction -- in that moment you are not distracted. By noting "negative" sensations, urges, emotions, and thoughts -- in that moment you are mindful. So even the "worst" sits are fuel for developing attention and mindfulness.
That's what makes the noting practice so powerful. No particular mindstate is required, just momentary attention which leads to momentary concentration... which leads to a gradual uncovering of different aspects of confusion as described by the nanas.
If you feel stuck in a nana, chances are you are making the sensation, urges, emotions, and thoughts of that nana into a problem.
I often recommend people who are interested in the maps to at least understand that each nana has an insight that is available because of the challenge of the nana. So the nanas, while sometimes difficult, are our teachers. They give us a basic insight.
The nanas are also only partial answers, so they have a basic flaw to be seen, too. This is why each nana leads to another...
If you are very geeky, this is a great table to print out and have on the wall: http://static.squarespace.com/static/5037f52d84ae1e87f694cfda/t/5055922624acbaa64592c1c3/1347785254496/
With all of your experiences, I suspect you might be a quick study! Again, best wishes for your practice!!
Welcome, Carol Lynn, from another older person (66). I'm terribly impressed by your work so far. I too would like to get as much out of practice before I croak 
. Been at it with these folks for about 9 years.
In my case, the earlier stages passed pretty quickly, almost unnoticed, but every mind is different. I was plunged into a dazzling A&P at the age of 19 as a result of a traumatic event and putzed around for years in a long-term Dark Night. The maps affect different people in different ways. Not sure what to say about moving on from your pattern, but if you want to open a practice thread, you can get more specific input.
. Been at it with these folks for about 9 years. In my case, the earlier stages passed pretty quickly, almost unnoticed, but every mind is different. I was plunged into a dazzling A&P at the age of 19 as a result of a traumatic event and putzed around for years in a long-term Dark Night. The maps affect different people in different ways. Not sure what to say about moving on from your pattern, but if you want to open a practice thread, you can get more specific input.
