correct noting

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Squirrel Master, modified 12 Years ago at 9/15/11 7:21 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 9/15/11 7:21 AM

correct noting

Posts: 28 Join Date: 7/8/11 Recent Posts
Hi guys,

I have some doubts on the correct noting of the breath since a while. when my abdomen rises Im not sure if i should note only one time rising for the whole time the sensation of rising lasts, or if i should note multiple times rising,rising,rising.
The way i perceive the breath is as one long sensation, not multiple sensations arising and passing away!
but still often it seems more natural to note one in/outbreath multiple times, coz it fits better with the "speed of my mind".

so whats ur opinion on that: one time, multiple times? or does the noting not matter so much as long as i perceive the sensation clearly, as to use the noting only as a support to perceive the sensation?

greetings and have a wonderful day!
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(D Z) Dhru Val, modified 12 Years ago at 10/24/11 1:38 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 10/24/11 1:38 AM

RE: correct noting

Posts: 346 Join Date: 9/18/11 Recent Posts
I am a novice so take what I say with a grain of salt...

But I had the same exact problem but was able to overcome and notice A&P by first doing the the beginners exercise presented by Mahasi Sayadaw.

Here (look under beginner's exercise)...
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/wheel370.html

Basically start noting 'sitting' rather than the breath, try to bring awareness to the fact that you are seated with your torso erect at as great a frequency as possible (every time you feel, think, or otherwise precieve anything other than the fact that you are sitting means your awareness has wandered and needs to be refreshed on the torso).

Note 'sitting', only when you refresh your awareness of the fact that you are sitting.

Eventually the 'speed of your mind' will reach fast enough that you are able to 'refresh' your awareness of the fact that you are sitting multiple times a second.

Then turn your attention to the breath and you will be able to quickly be mindful of many consecutive sensations that make up what you currently precieve as one breath.
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Gerry T, modified 12 Years ago at 10/24/11 8:09 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 10/24/11 8:09 PM

RE: correct noting

Posts: 60 Join Date: 4/4/11 Recent Posts
D Z:
I am a novice so take what I say with a grain of salt...

Note 'sitting', only when you refresh your awareness of the fact that you are sitting.

Eventually the 'speed of your mind' will reach fast enough that you are able to 'refresh' your awareness of the fact that you are sitting multiple times a second.


Hi, I'm a beginner at the noting as well, and have a question..

If you are aware of sitting why would you need to refresh your awareness, unless it drifted away? Said another way, should I only note again when I realize that my awareness has drifted?

When I am concentrating, depending on the strength of my concentration, it may be five, ten, fifteen seconds before my mind gets distracted.

Thanks for your help.
Gerry T.
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N A, modified 12 Years ago at 10/24/11 10:15 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 10/24/11 10:14 PM

RE: correct noting

Posts: 157 Join Date: 7/10/11 Recent Posts
Stefan F:
I have some doubts on the correct noting of the breath since a while. when my abdomen rises Im not sure if i should note only one time rising for the whole time the sensation of rising lasts, or if i should note multiple times rising,rising,rising.

Multiple times.

The way i perceive the breath is as one long sensation, not multiple sensations arising and passing away!

There is no such thing as a long sensation! A "long sensation" is an abstraction our brains create from joining individual sensations together. In daily life this is great, but in vipassana these abstractions are not helpful. The present doesn't have a "length"; past and future don't matter!
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(D Z) Dhru Val, modified 12 Years ago at 10/25/11 3:11 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 10/25/11 2:57 AM

RE: correct noting

Posts: 346 Join Date: 9/18/11 Recent Posts
Gerry T:


If you are aware of sitting why would you need to refresh your awareness, unless it drifted away? Said another way, should I only note again when I realize that my awareness has drifted?


Sayadev reccomends this for people with overbalanced concentration in the link I posted earlier in the thread. This is also probably closer to the actual description of what I did.

1) Notice the fact that your body is touching the ground 'touching'.
2) Notice the fact that your back is erect 'sitting'.
3) Go back to notcing the fact that your body is touching the ground 'touching'

Again try to alternate between being aware of 'sitting' and 'touching' as fast as possible.

Keep going faster and faster. You will realize that you can't be aware of both sensations at once. Keep in mind that the gold standard of reality in Vipassana is only what is experienced in the moment.

Then shift attention to the breath. And do the rising / falling exercize.

Soon it will become clear that the whole thing is kind of like a movie, what we normally see as one long moving picture is actually a bunch of still frames put together.

Hope this makes sense.
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Gerry T, modified 12 Years ago at 10/25/11 8:35 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 10/25/11 8:35 PM

RE: correct noting

Posts: 60 Join Date: 4/4/11 Recent Posts
Thanks DZ. Yes. That does make sense.