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Questions Related to Noting in Equanamnity
- DanielThorson
- Topic Author
15 years 6 months ago #60686
by DanielThorson
Questions Related to Noting in Equanamnity was created by DanielThorson
A few questions related to noting practice, particularly while in equanimity.
1) Is it a problem that nearly all sensations are noted as 'vibration'?
2) Why is speed so important?
3) While in equanimity I can often just sit back and allow sensations to show themselves arise and pass. It is also very easy for me to see them as not-self while doing this. Is noting preferable to this? It is harder for me to maintain an attitude of not-self while actively noting.
I'll have more questions but don't know them right now. Any help you can give would be much appreciated.
1) Is it a problem that nearly all sensations are noted as 'vibration'?
2) Why is speed so important?
3) While in equanimity I can often just sit back and allow sensations to show themselves arise and pass. It is also very easy for me to see them as not-self while doing this. Is noting preferable to this? It is harder for me to maintain an attitude of not-self while actively noting.
I'll have more questions but don't know them right now. Any help you can give would be much appreciated.
- NikolaiStephenHalay
- Topic Author
15 years 6 months ago #60687
by NikolaiStephenHalay
Replied by NikolaiStephenHalay on topic RE: Questions Related to Noting in Equanamnity
Hi Daniel,
In my experience, it wasn't always necessary to note in high equanimity, but more necessary in low and mid, mid being a slippery bastard. But I did make sure I would now and then just note to make sure I wasn't spacing out. Cos that is the danger of high equanimity...You get embedded in that pleasant spacing out state and the pleasant sensations/vibrations.
You might want note the feeling tone of the vibrations now and then. I found, even post-path, that I was quite embedded in the pleasant blissful sensations I often experience, and just saying "vibrations" might allow the mind to dupe itself into a half embedded state. Being specific about the tone of the vibration makes sure you are not just noting half-arsedly.
What i do now is note "vibrations" but follow it with "pleasant", "neutral" or "unpleasant". This way you are much more assured of disembedding from the experience. This is my experience of course.
What do you mean by speed? The speed of noting? Daniel Ingram says to note constantly without pause. Kenneth says to give it a second or two between each note. I followed Daniel's advice up until 1st path but these days I am following Kenneth's advice and making sure I am aware of of what i am noting, to note it with as much detail as possible in the moment.
Just make sure you ARE disembedding from those high equanimous states once in awhile. I was really surprised when i realised I hadn't been doing that. I think Kenneth has said that it isn't necessary to be aware of the three characteristic constantly to get path. I kind of have to agree. I did though and it helped give me a reason to disembed and let go of things, but ultimately you don't really , really, "get" the three characteristics until stream entry in my opinion. That's when you really "know" them.
In my experience, it wasn't always necessary to note in high equanimity, but more necessary in low and mid, mid being a slippery bastard. But I did make sure I would now and then just note to make sure I wasn't spacing out. Cos that is the danger of high equanimity...You get embedded in that pleasant spacing out state and the pleasant sensations/vibrations.
You might want note the feeling tone of the vibrations now and then. I found, even post-path, that I was quite embedded in the pleasant blissful sensations I often experience, and just saying "vibrations" might allow the mind to dupe itself into a half embedded state. Being specific about the tone of the vibration makes sure you are not just noting half-arsedly.
What i do now is note "vibrations" but follow it with "pleasant", "neutral" or "unpleasant". This way you are much more assured of disembedding from the experience. This is my experience of course.
What do you mean by speed? The speed of noting? Daniel Ingram says to note constantly without pause. Kenneth says to give it a second or two between each note. I followed Daniel's advice up until 1st path but these days I am following Kenneth's advice and making sure I am aware of of what i am noting, to note it with as much detail as possible in the moment.
Just make sure you ARE disembedding from those high equanimous states once in awhile. I was really surprised when i realised I hadn't been doing that. I think Kenneth has said that it isn't necessary to be aware of the three characteristic constantly to get path. I kind of have to agree. I did though and it helped give me a reason to disembed and let go of things, but ultimately you don't really , really, "get" the three characteristics until stream entry in my opinion. That's when you really "know" them.
- RonCrouch
- Topic Author
15 years 6 months ago #60688
by RonCrouch
Replied by RonCrouch on topic RE: Questions Related to Noting in Equanamnity
i'm in equanimity now and am trying to sort out this low-mid-high stuff. Is there a good guide to the different parts of equanimity?
Daniel, one thing I'm finding is that the noting naturally "softens" in equanimity. I'm still very present and watching mindfully, but am not noting as much as in prior stages. Don't know if that is helpful or not, but I can say that it seems to happen by itself. The more I get out of the way, the less prominent the noting becomes.
Daniel, one thing I'm finding is that the noting naturally "softens" in equanimity. I'm still very present and watching mindfully, but am not noting as much as in prior stages. Don't know if that is helpful or not, but I can say that it seems to happen by itself. The more I get out of the way, the less prominent the noting becomes.