How is it possible to note very fast? - Discussion
Nikolai Bobrov
I can definitely see that there are parts to every experience, but to me those parts seem arbitrary. For example, if I decide the in-breath into three parts as you say, there's no clear boundary for when one part becomes the next, so it still seems like one sensation except I'm labeling it as three. Seems to me that I should probably just try noting many sensations even if I can't perceive them well.
I can definitely see that there are parts to every experience, but to me those parts seem arbitrary. For example, if I decide the in-breath into three parts as you say, there's no clear boundary for when one part becomes the next, so it still seems like one sensation except I'm labeling it as three. Seems to me that I should probably just try noting many sensations even if I can't perceive them well.
Exactly! This is an important insight! The solid objects we think we experience are actually stitched together by the mind out of numerous fine-grained sensations (signals in the nervous system). These sensations seem arbitrary because there is no inherent "objectness" to them. You are on the right track - keep investigating
https://www.bps.lk/olib/bp/bp503s_Mahasi_Practical-Insight-Meditation.pdf
The goal of these practices is for everything to arise with quality of it being already noticed - it is the only way how you can be 'done' on this vipassana front.
Until that happens you do what you do and you refine it. For now as you say you can notice something, good. When you try to notice more stuff faster you force mind to try to find ways to have more things noticed and this will do few things at once:
- mind will already start adding noticing to sensations so it is easier to pick them up
- mind will put less effort in to what can be called your main awareness and it all being about this visualization of you noticing sensations - note: when you notice anything it is because it arose noticed, ALWAYS, this main awareness doesn't really do things it might seem it does and is just itself bunch of sensations
- mind works in pulses and times and rhythms these pulses happen will change and re-align - you can treat it as form of calibration of sorts
- other than noticing itself there will be of course improvements to method of 'noting' of choice - probably you are doing mental one word notes so they will improve
So again: the most important is things noticing themselves. Word notes are much less important but try to do them too, as fast as possible, just do not obsess about this aspect. The act of noticing has many elements to it, the thing you do, try to generally be aware how you do and notice these elements of it while you notice sensations. As you notice these elements mind will automatically try out to notice without these elements freeing bandwidth for noticing and you will be able to do whole acts of noticing faster and faster and at some point line between you noticing and things noticing itself will blur and disappear.
For breath concentration you can notice like Martin suggested beginnings, ends, pauses. I like to focus on all the subtle muscle movements that happen. Like I said mind works in pulses and muscle control also happens in pulses, they can happen fast fast so this can be good source of meaningful sensations and one which is aligned with brain controlling muscles so generally good to be familiar with. Any involuntary sensations like itches, kind of vibrations that happen can happen when meditating and they can be noted too. You can also notice from time to time you are doing noting, that you think about things, also including about breath, etc. In the end there is a lot of things to notice.
If that sounds overwhelming there is different version of noting where you only notice sense door in which sensations arise. So you note eg. touch, hear, see, smell, movement, etc. and focus on noticing things but simplify on labels and take it up from there maybe over time making labels more complex if you like. This modification is because these word labels being useful are not really the point of the practice. In fact you could remain completely silent and note without words. It is also possible to replace notes with visual representations and depending on person and their familiarity with visual visualizations it might be easier. I found it easier to do visualization of cyborg-like user interface with outlines of sensations and/or with lines pointing to them along with word labels, though instead of words my mind focused more on having fancy fonts representing itself through fonts and their colors. You can invent something yourself, whatever you find fancy or stick with word labels. Just note that in this practice again it is this sensations arising noticed what is most important and noticing sensations is already secondary and the way you represent act noticing even less important. Also this practice will improve faculties involved in noticing and faculties involved with presentation.
Besides in-breath out-breath... you already got it and are doing fine! Continue good work and it will bear fruits in no time
Until that happens you do what you do and you refine it. For now as you say you can notice something, good. When you try to notice more stuff faster you force mind to try to find ways to have more things noticed and this will do few things at once:
- mind will already start adding noticing to sensations so it is easier to pick them up
- mind will put less effort in to what can be called your main awareness and it all being about this visualization of you noticing sensations - note: when you notice anything it is because it arose noticed, ALWAYS, this main awareness doesn't really do things it might seem it does and is just itself bunch of sensations
- mind works in pulses and times and rhythms these pulses happen will change and re-align - you can treat it as form of calibration of sorts
- other than noticing itself there will be of course improvements to method of 'noting' of choice - probably you are doing mental one word notes so they will improve
So again: the most important is things noticing themselves. Word notes are much less important but try to do them too, as fast as possible, just do not obsess about this aspect. The act of noticing has many elements to it, the thing you do, try to generally be aware how you do and notice these elements of it while you notice sensations. As you notice these elements mind will automatically try out to notice without these elements freeing bandwidth for noticing and you will be able to do whole acts of noticing faster and faster and at some point line between you noticing and things noticing itself will blur and disappear.
For breath concentration you can notice like Martin suggested beginnings, ends, pauses. I like to focus on all the subtle muscle movements that happen. Like I said mind works in pulses and muscle control also happens in pulses, they can happen fast fast so this can be good source of meaningful sensations and one which is aligned with brain controlling muscles so generally good to be familiar with. Any involuntary sensations like itches, kind of vibrations that happen can happen when meditating and they can be noted too. You can also notice from time to time you are doing noting, that you think about things, also including about breath, etc. In the end there is a lot of things to notice.
If that sounds overwhelming there is different version of noting where you only notice sense door in which sensations arise. So you note eg. touch, hear, see, smell, movement, etc. and focus on noticing things but simplify on labels and take it up from there maybe over time making labels more complex if you like. This modification is because these word labels being useful are not really the point of the practice. In fact you could remain completely silent and note without words. It is also possible to replace notes with visual representations and depending on person and their familiarity with visual visualizations it might be easier. I found it easier to do visualization of cyborg-like user interface with outlines of sensations and/or with lines pointing to them along with word labels, though instead of words my mind focused more on having fancy fonts representing itself through fonts and their colors. You can invent something yourself, whatever you find fancy or stick with word labels. Just note that in this practice again it is this sensations arising noticed what is most important and noticing sensations is already secondary and the way you represent act noticing even less important. Also this practice will improve faculties involved in noticing and faculties involved with presentation.
Besides in-breath out-breath... you already got it and are doing fine! Continue good work and it will bear fruits in no time
