Hello!

In MCTB it is mentioned, that it is better not to focus on the content but to focus on 3 characteristics. What is "content"?
Any idea?

peace

Getting lost in thought stories and creating reactivity (because the amygdala needs labels to react to). For example if you are fixating on thoughts and keep adding stories/scenarios/rehearsing while meditating you're just manipulating the reactive part of your brain (clinging). When you pay attention to the present moment you're brain will only react to what's happening NOW. Because thoughts and concepts can be repeated over and over again you naturally will turn that into a habit so when you are in the present moment the habits of daydreaming will try to assert themselves so you wouldn't add any clinging to it but you wouldn't try and repress the thoughts with more thoughts. You would just let it pass away naturally. The senses are registering phenomenon in the present moment so it is a good anchor when your practice is weak. As you get better you rely less on reactivity and more on present moment observation.

The 3 characteristics:

Impermanence: Thoughts hit the knowing part of your mind (consciousness). They change and go away and never stay the same.

Stress: If you think about likes and dislikes constantly you are getting your brain to release addictive or stressful chemicals that don't make you feel free. Much of our willpower is affected by what we like or dislike in a short-term superficial way. Perceptions that an object is worth hating or craving is where it all starts.

Not-self: Because thoughts are known by consciousness then how would the knowing be a "you" and the thoughts be a "you" at the same time? The thoughts are pretending to do things your body and senses are doing. It's like you have an actual experience but the thoughts project analysis of likes and dislikes via perception/recognition and then your brain reacts and creates a chemical experience on top of the true experience. Eg. If you are told a movie you are going to see is really bad it will affect your perception of the movie before you see it and it will take effort to not quickly judge it while you are watching it. So it feels like a "me" when thoughts trigger this affect (unless it's neutral thoughts). Thoughts are not a "self" but just thoughts. A self-concept is just that, a concept. Thoughts cannot replace observation and real experience. They can create a chemical experience when they trigger likes and dislikes.

If instead of seeing "bright" or "yellow", you see "the sun", that's content.
If instead of feeling "pressure" or "cold", you feel "the pavement", that's content.
And so on

The gold standard for reality

There can be many gold standards for reality, but when you are meditating the gold standard of reality is your own first person subjective view of reality. Meaning if you can't feel your finger, then for the purpose of meditation it is not there.

While noting you should try to 'refresh' your attention of sensory data from this first person subjective perspective as much as possible.

When you get caught up in some content about what is happening you are failing to pay attention to the first person subjective view.

(Someone shared a really cool word document with a tl:dr map of insight and these sorts of tips, but I can't find it at the moment.)

3 C's

Remember in the gold standard we said that if you can't sense it, it doesn't exist.

The 3 C's are 3 somewhat counter-intuitive but true characteristics of first person subjective view.

I think actually it is best to just start with noticing Annica (impermanence) first rather than all 3 at the same time.
- In the context of noting the goal is to notice that when you are paying attention to one thing, you don't really sense the other till a later moment.
- And then after that your attention is drawn to something else.

Then notice Dukkha (craving and aversion) in addition to Annica,
- We either cling to sensations or are averse to them, even though they are impermanent and transitory.
- Notice lack of any satisfactory sensation.

And then add Annata in addition to the above two.
- Try to find a set of sensations that is 'you'.
- Notice how when you focus in on them the sense of where 'you' are has shifted.
- Now shift focus to this new place.
- And continue doing this as fast as you can till the whole field of perception starts getting shakey

Woaaa! and I already speculated about beeing sort of depressive ^^ good to hear, that it's not just my experience.



now that sounds interesting...

a set of sensations that are "me"... Mental images of my body and face come to my mind.
when I try to focus to "this new place" its kind of like "going back","moving back"

I don't know if I'm trying to fool myself while doing this.