should I note things in my peripheral awareness while I note my breath

yoni cohen, modified 5 Years ago at 10/12/18 3:58 AM
Created 5 Years ago at 10/12/18 3:58 AM

should I note things in my peripheral awareness while I note my breath

Posts: 8 Join Date: 10/2/18 Recent Posts
Hi guys,

When I note the rising and falling of my abdomen I can sense very subtle body senstions in the background of my attention.

Should I note the sublte body senstations or just focus on my abdomen and change my noting only when my attention moves naturally from the abdomen?

I tired to note those suble body senstations but I coudn't alternate fast enough between them and the abdomen movements... It go tme confused.

Thank you
J C, modified 5 Years ago at 10/16/18 4:30 AM
Created 5 Years ago at 10/16/18 4:30 AM

RE: should I note things in my peripheral awareness while I note my breath

Posts: 644 Join Date: 4/24/13 Recent Posts
All sensations are perceiving themselves, and this includes sensations in what you're calling your "peripheral awareness." Call it whatever you want, but if calling it "peripheral awareness" prevents you from noticing it as a sensation that comes and goes, doesn't satisfy, and isn't you, that term isn't helping insight practice.

When you sense sensations in the background of your attention, your attention did naturally shift from your abdomen! That's exactly what it means to sense those sensations. In each moment you can only notice one thing and that's what your attention naturally shifts to.

So yes, note them, but you don't have to use a full word label if it's going too fast - just note "flick," "flick," "flick," or just observe them as they are without a label. (See the Kazoo Player analogy in MCTB2.) As you practice you'll be able to observe faster and faster.

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