I just started doing Mahasi noting yesterday, noting about 1 sensation per second, and I've noticed when applying it to everyday life I get a "distracted" feeling like I'm in some sense more disconnected to what is going on around me. It's similar to when I'm stuck in my thoughts while trying to perform actions - I'm more likely to be clumsy or miss something important. For example, while doing noting practice crossing the street earlier today, I had a somewhat close call with a car that I don't think would have happened if I was not noting. I've decided not to engage in this practice while crossing streets!

Just wondering if this is normal, or if I'm doing something wrong, because I would think the point of noting is to be more connected with the present moment than in some sense more removed from it.

Most people start with sitting or slow walking in a safe environment while noting. Applying it to all day long is a bit heavy to start with. You are trying to clearly see what is happening with all your focus at each moment. If you are doing several things at the same time you may not be staying focused with all your attention. Try sitting comfortably and noting for 20 minutes and see what happens...try 30 minutes, try several times a day see what happens without distractions. Attention and focus are very important attributes.
Good luck
~D

I noticed the same thing when I first brought noting practice to my every day activities. For instance, I left the house without my keys, because I was more focused on noting sensations than paying attention to the macro-level activities I was doing. But I got over that quickly. Start with less demanding things like washing dishes or showering, and then move on to things that require more concentration. You'll find that noting eventually makes you more connected with what's going on in the sense of really paying attention to things.

Boy, this is getting really funny.


I can imagine that would be a problem. Doesn't sound anything like sati, now does it. The practice of sati in waking life is what the Buddha emphasized over and over. And here somebody comes along in the modern age and shows people how to become distracted from their mindfulness. Or at least that's the way some people are understanding the practice. What a laugh! I can only imagine Gotama rolling over in his grave (if he had one).


Now that is actually sound advice. Whether one is practicing noting during waking life, or attempting to build up their sati.

Better yet, if you're going to practice noting during waking life, just note by silent recognition of events without the mental verbalization activity. You know what that is? It's mindfulness practice. Pure and simple. Without the mental distraction of verbal noting. Noting in this way is akin to the instruction in the Mahasatipatthana Sutta: "Mindfully he breaths in [noting the in breath], mindfully he breaths out [noting the out breath]. Breathing in a long breath, he knows [notes] that he breathes in a long breath, and breathing out a long breath, he knows [notes] that he breathes out a long breath."

Mindfulness is the practice. Being mindfully present in each discrete event. It doesn't mean you have to verbalize that presence. Just BE THERE! Period! In each moment of your life. Be aware.

It's not THAT funny! ;-) There's a noting curve learning curve with anything.

A teacher on a retreat I was on said, "It'll be just when you're thinking you're walking most mindfully that you trip and fall."

Use noting if it helps you pay attention to what's going on. If it doesn't, don't use it. Noting is a means to an end, not the end itself.