Hi everyone,

As I try to figure out my practice for 2013 I have been experimenting with noting (again) while I go through the jhanas to whatever the current peak is. But I find I am most often doing "vibrating, vibrating, vibrating, sound, vibrating, vibrating, itching, changing, gone, vibrating, vibrating, vibrating...." which I think may not be as optimal is it could be.

I also often find myself searching around for something to note...

Can anyone help me figure out what and how to note?

Added: Currently I am not reaching the 4th jhana. illness over xmas set me back quite considerably.

Many thanks,

Note all this stuff:

Hierarchy of Vipassana Practice

Catch all those subtle movements. You may want to practice outloud noting to keep you honest when there's gaps in noting.

Do you note the very act of 'searching' at all? That is the tricky thing, it is like at times 'i' must note this and that, and must have somethng to note, and when there appears nothing to note, 'i' believe i have to find something for 'me' to note. The focus is too narrow to include the very act of looking for somethng to note and the looping of the mind creating a self reference point, the sensations being overlayed and read as 'me-ness'. Allow the mind's focus to broaden a bit more to encompass those aspects of experience that are seemingly 1st person and getting frustrated due to 'searching' for soemthing to note. Allow the focus to widen as far as it can so that it is as enclusive of the entire field of experience as possible, including senstions of 'you', the mental movements (such as wanting something to note) seemingly using this habitual 'i'-making process as a base to jump from and whatever else is arising in this very moment. This widening of focus may also trigger the fashioning of 4th jhana/11th nana territory.

Nick

Thanks Richard. I will read that again. I read it when it was first posted but can't remember a damn thing

Thanks Nick. I did actually figure this out but it feels a bit odd. I will keep at it and make a better point of widening as you suggest to see if I can make it more automatic. Today I noted [searhcing, frustration, confusion, lost, spacing out] and this at least kept some continuity in the stream of notes. I appeared to reach RO, thought of late it often feels like Im experiencing somebody else's stages - they seem often to be totally unfamiliar so its hard to tell where I may be!

Of course to make sure to let go of clinging to thoughts (including thoughts about meditation).

Wow, this is interesting: you've had this interest in noting for a good while now, Bagpuss. I have absolutely no advice, but when you crack this nut for yourself - get some noting or release from it - I'll bet you'll speak to it well!

(Here's the second post, BtG ;)

Oh here's another piece of obvious gold in the same thread I referred you to:

Thanks Katy. I do appreciate it!

Re interest in noting - well couldn't agree more of course. I think i need to develop this as "another tool", perhaps that would ease the dilemma for me. It seems effective sometimes and less so others, but I think I have a little way to go in learning it yet...

They are indeed stunningly good quotes Richard, thanks.

My current hurdles with noting are:

• Sometimes i feel confused to the point that I can't find a word for the present moment. I mentally clam up and "clamming up" doesn't seem to occur to me at the time
• I mis things and watch myself noting something that happened a second a ago as I mis the present moment

Are these points just beginners issues that will get better with practice?

I think none of those things are a problem. It's the anxiety that you fail to note when you can't note something and I think noting without labels is something you can mix with a noting/labeling practice. Shinzen Young says it's good to note when there is sluggishness and when there's too much restlessness it's good to do the "do nothing" (Shikatanza) practice. As long as you are paying attention to what is then it's more about consistency to note during pleasant and unpleasant experiences. Those are the times we get caught up in thought bubbles about likes and dislikes and we don't pay attention and then let go, we just cling to those thoughts and release cortisol into our bloodstream.

EDIT: If things are fast it's okay to just acknowledge it or even "ta, ta, ta" in your mind a la Ingram.

Got it, thanks Richard. I did that and it works just great. No decisions to be made, just NOTEicing which is really just a tweak on my main practice anyways.

I've got Shinzen's 5 Ways pdf here but never read the instructions for Do Nothing (perhaps the clue was in title! heh) but I will do.

Cheers,