Author: StacyCurl
Forum: Dharma Overground Discussion Forum

I started doing Noting practice a couple of weeks ago and thought my fledgling experiences might be of some interest.

I've been following the breath at the abdomen, noting the raising and falling, I sometimes get stuck in the noting and it becomes a mantra disconnected from the sensations, then I focus more clearly on the sensations and soften the noting, but sometimes forgetting to note. I also sometimes find myself solidifying pleasure in the body into the 1st concentration jhana (I think) or just drifting off into sleep. I then installed a timer on my iphone and geekily programmed it to chime after 1 minute then 2, then 4, etc. [111111112222448].

I found it much easier to follow the breath when I tried to discern the difference between rising and falling, I also found it easier to stay with the breath if I thought of a space in which the raising and falling are occurring in (maybe what Eckhart Tolle means by the Now) but I don't want to risk solidifying that space into a concentration object. I haven't noticed any speed up when noting the breath but have gradually felt more centered on the sensations.

I've also dabbled a little in a choiceless noting of everything that arises, of course a lot of things arise and if I attempt to note them all I get scattered or spaced out, I also find myself mechanically scanning for the next feeling, sight, sound, etc. I found it works best when I focus clearly on a sensation, perceive it clearly and note it a couple of times (even though there are distractions) before letting my attention be pulled by a distraction. When doing this I noticed a more natural feeling of speeding up rather than a manic scattered one. I shall continue to dabble in this practice but mostly stick to sessions of just noting the breath.

Cheers.

that sounds great, so don't forget to note the space too that things seem to be happening 'in'. it doesnt even have to be a verbal note, just a noticing of it in between other notings will do (but if you prefer verbal noting that can be helpful too). i would also at this point begin to pay a bit of attention to how the noticing of space/awareness has the effect of broadening out your meditation (which is reflected in the natural speeding up you're finding) to include whatever your mind comes across.

by the way, the speeding up of the breath only happens to some people and possibly not even most people; the speeding up of your mind as it nears and then enters 2nd jhana territory, however, seems to be a defining feature of 2nd vipassana jhana.

oh and welcome to the board.