Hey everyone,

some of you probably remember me from my past practice logs, i am doing a lot better now, however practice has been inconsistent with university finals and all but now i am finished, so i am getting back in it over the summer since all i am doing is working anyways, especially since my girlfriend is in mexico for an internship until the end of july. 

Anyways to get to the point, I have been practicing here or there with noting aloud whilst staring at a candle flame to add in some concentration, do you guys think I can one trick pony this method all the way to stream entry if i am consistent with it? I was thinking 45 minute sessions twice a day or maybe more if needed? what do y'all reckon? any reccomendations or pointers would be appreciated. I may also open up a new log to keep me accountable! 

Also I would like to ask another question, do i need to go out of my way to pay attention to Annicca and annatta whilst noting? or do I just label this as "thinking" "looking" and so on? thanks

Hope you are all are doing well

​​​​​​​LJ

Anyways to get to the point, I have been practicing here or there with noting aloud whilst staring at a candle flame to add in some concentration, do you guys think I can one trick pony this method all the way to stream entry if i am consistent with it? I was thinking 45 minute sessions twice a day or maybe more if needed? what do y'all reckon? any reccomendations or pointers would be appreciated. I may also open up a new log to keep me accountable! 

I don't think this will be effective. What exactly is the technique and practice plan for noting with a little candle flame thrown in? That could mean different things to different folks. Your method as written is not very descriptive so it's hard to say if it will "work" to get you to stream entry.  

It's basically doing mahasi noting with eyes open as then I can also pay attention to sensations within the visual field. The reason I am using a candle flame is just so that I can have something to stare at rather than just looking at the wall, kind of a useless thing to point out so forgive me for including it. The reason i am noting out loud rather than silently is because I don't want to spend half my practice time lost in daydreams...noting aloud keeps you locked in the stream of noting as the voice is a very good feedback loop. I believe Kenneth folk and Shinzen young advocate for this kind of practice, not sure. So to sum up I am just doing good old mahasi noting but with eyes open and out loud...thats it really lol

Hi, I haven't read your previous stuff,so I dont know your situation. But 1) there are many ways to get to stream entry and 2) to get consentrated, what I have learned (though barely practiced) is to get morals and ethics good. Be a good person, get "merit" so to speak, by aiming your motivation on helping others, practice the paramitas, dont lie, steal, kill etc... maybe attend regularly some teachings you like , and develop aspiration to help endless amount of beings, feel it in your heart. It will stabelize your energies and make consentration waaaaay easier. Also, if posture is bad consentration will be hopeless and you will get dull and distracted, so this too you should get right Not meaning to sounds harsh, but sounds like alot of freestyling, and also some baggage for you (?), so just throwing out something, there are also of course teachers that help you with this. 
Best of luck. 

In my opinion the specifics of the practice are not as important as the basic recipe, and that you find the practices congenial so that you use them to follow the recipe.

The recipe as I see it is that you first use a some practice to get your mind to quiet down so you can be mindful and notice what is going on in your mind, and also make you somewhat contented and peaceful so that you can notice dukkha as it arises because of the change in how it makes you feel (including physical sensations in your body).

The second part is to then observe the activity of the mind and observe dukkha arising and fading. Observing dukkha arising and fading in your mind is a very simple and easy way to study dependent origination and the three characteristics without becoming bogged down in theory and concepts. It should help you see that thoughts emotions impulses and sensations and the sense of self (including the sense of self as an observer) arise from unconscious processes, they are not you, you don't control them, they are not yours, they are not reality.

These two parts of the recipe work together to help you to learn to let go of attachments and aversions including attachments to your self concept.

So does the practice help quiet your mind and help you to feel peaceful? Does it allow you to notice the activity of your mind and see dukkha arising and fading? Can you continue to practice in daily life after the formal sitting meditation?

Check Shargrol's: Every yogi should have multiple techniques in their toolbox if they wish to attain Stream Entry

Check also the whole "Toolbox" section 

Also, Daniel Ingram's take on The Seven factors of Awakening

Best wishes Louis!  

You can do this. Forget about Stream Entry. Lose all hope that it will happen to you. Rely entirely on the intimacy with this moment. At least 1 matter of fact sensation a second with honest intimate acceptance. Pleasant or unpleasant or neutral. All good. 

Start a log. Describe sensate experience as you go. Lose hope for SE. Only THIS moment is what counts. THIS is refuge. 

The practice is good. You Note all else plus you get to concentrate  in the visual field. All good. 

Note doubt about the practice. 

Check for tension in the body. Relax it every so often. Calm is important but also assertive to noting 1 sensation a second (speed naturally slows or speeds up, observe these as they present). 

Try and have at least one practice per day. Minimum 45 minutes. Observe the urge to get up early. Note it and observe what else happens around THAT urge! This is so fucking important Urge comes up, look what is happening in the body, in the image space, feeling tone ... connecting these puzzle dots are very important Louis! 

You can do this!  
As this journey can take years please take it as if SE will never happen and SE is a myth. What is not a myth is THIS moment. At least during the daily practice. 

If mindful during the day fine, if not fine too. But yes on the cushion it's good to note it all even when dull, tired, fed up, in doubt ... 

​​​​​​​btw, buy also into that visual around a Kasina object. Note pleasant feeling, note the changes in that Kasina, note the narrow or wide attention changing, etc ... it really is about you being very intimate with This moment as it is presenting itself. It's already perfect as it is. Note it. Even the jhanic aspects. It's good to be with any feeling toneas it comes up. Don't rush it. Don't push it. Let it does what it does. Note it. If aloud then treat it like aloud poetry reading Only your poetry book is your reality unfolding. Page by page.