Has anyone tried not following the Goenka instructions?

I sat one goenka course before and i found the technique very good. It surprised me.
However, I attained 1st and 2nd path doing the Mahasi/3 Characteristics. Going for 3.
I assume that this will make practice more powerful and progress faster in this retreat if i use this.
I have never tried doing this for more than 2 1/2 days straight so it would be something new to do Mahasi/3Characteristics
for that long.

Any advice on how to approach equanimity and aiming to get a path, with the cycling faster than pre-stream entry, where you stay in equanimity until you fall back down. Now, theres a time-limit before you're going back to the 3 characteristics again after a 2nd path fruiton

Thanks
Metta

Although I am one to talk. I got 1st path by doing my own thing on a Goenka retreat after 9 years of following instructions. But lately I have thought how beneficial the Goenka technique has been for me. It has made me utlra-senstive to every sensation on the body in and out, at any time (that might be a bit of a path influence) but I think being aware of every vibration on the body wherever attention goes will help your practice a great deal, if you aren't already feeling the subtlest of vibrations on the body already. It was the ultimate jumping ground and preparation to take things to another level for me and I think it is still influencing my experience of the paths and jhana etc..

I say, why not just follow the instructions to see where it takes you. It could get interesting and if you feel it's not benefiting you, do what you have to do to get more enlightened.

Give it a chance. You are already 2nd path! No need to rush it too much. My experience tells me this thing is going to get to 3rd path in it's own god damn time.


Have an awesome course DNYogi!!!!

Lots of metta mixed with fruition bliss,

thanks nikolai!
during and when i got back from retreat (more evident when i got back from retreat)
regarding the sensing body vibrations, i felt i could not see my thoughts
it felt sorta alien, because im used to living in my head (My personality type is INTP). i felt so in touch
with the real world and my body, i didn't feel like me at all.
I observed the equivalent sensations to the body of each negative thought i had and they were powerful and obvious, not
something i was used to.

I remember equanimity states doing noting and doing Goenka, noting felt more 3D and balanced like IMAX, Goenka equanimity felt like the outside world
was crushing me.

Habits i got from Mahasi Noting was noting other peoples' suffering, and being pretty sensitive to it to the point that
being with a lot of people or in public, i get to note everyones' suffering and restlessness and have it affect me.

From Goenka, i got the habit of staying with the breath, multi-tasking. Anchoring with the breath and interacting with the world at the same time.
great style. isnt It actually not being here and now. You feel less alive or engaged, yet more at peace. You have less clarity with outside stuff
I consulted with the asst. teacher if this was the right thing to do and it was exactly and i was a bit surprised becoz of my previous style of
only allowing one object. he said, eat while being aware of the breath and try to be aware of both.

maybe thats what makes the music/Chanting Ok makes you get used to 2 objects. and also there to make other
techniques harder to pull off and of course to develop equanimity. perhaps goenka is really clever in designing the rules just like how zen has these
rules to trick the students

though maybe my sensitivity to sound is strong, is it just me, i got 1st path doing sound, and i used to visualize the physical space that the sounds create
(like sonar?) i thhink sound is a good object. it has the right amount of stimulation compared to breath but not enough to make u restless. also maybe its more natural becoz of our evolution for us to be like watchmen. equanimity and sound go together intuitively

If you have second and are going for third, the precise technique is not so important, but some things to watch for can help:

First: resolve to get third.
Second: notice that all phenomena are transient and aware where they are in a wide open, centerless way.
Third: see all sensations all through the center, including everything to do with practicing, effort and all of that come and go.

None of this is contrary to Goenka instructions.

Further, were you on a mahasi retreat and they assessed you to have second path, you would be unlikely to be given noting practice, unless something caused you to flounder and thus you needed to get unstuck, but instead would be given something much more direct: see the Three Characteristics of every and all phenomena from the time you first woke up in the morning to the time you went to sleep at night, directly, completely, totally, all through everything, in every instant.

If you are actually second, you don't need noting unless you really get stuck or just really like it and want to add it in. It would be like going to college and spending time reviewing the fact that "C" "A" "T" spells "CAT". You already know "C" "A" "T" spells "CAT". Time to read Shakespeare.

Hi Daniel,

Could you clarify what you mean b y seeing the sensations all through the center? What do you mean when you use the word center?

Thanks,

Nick

For most, the middle of one's head. For some, the middle of one's chest.

Regardless, all through every sensation in the full volume of the experience field.

Aaah that makes sense. I seem to be doing a lot of that at the moment. Thanks for the clarification.

Yes thats right i dont do noting much. I do but more softly when im stuck or Dark night

I feel my center deep in the upper abdomen/bottom of the lungs

my to do: do more lying down meditation/try lying down meditation duringfree meditation time. stretch my legs on the bed every so often while meditating. (w/c i couldnt pull off well in the hall). try to sit in the front row so ill feel like everyone is watching me and do better.

this time around no more evening fruit.

question:during the times where ur in equanimity and your chi is strong, your sensations are very subtle(like the point where you can sweep fast and thru your spine), would you really push it or should you conserve energy. these r the times i often push more, and end up burning out

thanks Daniel and Nikolai,
Cheers!

Steady keeping at it every second, every sensation, including tiredness, fatigue, drowsiness, boredom and any other sensations that might comprise burning out. They too are objects for insight.

All sensations naturally showing themselves.