Hugh Fox:
Was just looking for some discussion as to the merits of each approach. I've been practicing noting style vipassana since the summer, (a few years concentration style practice prior to that) and have switched between using the breath as a focal point and just noting anything that arises without specific focus.
I have found the breathing approach does yield some calm and contented feelings, but I do not really experience any particular insights into the nature of experience etc. I am also prone to becoming a bit mechanical and the 'rising-falling-sitting' notes become mantra like and repetitious. The opposite of mindfulness....
I have had the "mantra like and repetitious" experience also, and I have found one way to prevent that is to add an additional focal point - I use the sense of touch, and I note it in between noting rising and falling. So my notes go rising-rising-touching-rising-touching-falling-falling-touching-rising-rising-falling and so forth. This adds an element of unpredictability that removes the repetition.
By "touching" I mean any awareness of any part of my body touching clothes, the bed, pillow, or any other part of my body. So I notice my attention flickering and bouncing around between my breathing and various parts of my body, and this leads to insight.
