How to mix first gear and second gear practice

Hello everyone,

I was wondering what was the most efficient way to use daily life time in order to reach first path. The noting practice seems very difficult to implement outside of the retreat context, and i 'd like to know if doing the witness practice (while in daily activities) would better serve my formal sitting (1st gear then) than being at pains to implement the noting ? or i should try harder to do first gear all the time?

sorry for my english (i'm french)

thank you

nicolas

obobinde,

For me I didn't really get into 2nd gear until later. The reason is that until you are getting to the 6th Jhana it can be a bit hard to know if you are doing the witness right. I found working on concentration with a Kasina and using breath counting to be hugely beneficial throughout the day (I'm talking using whatever you can as a kasina - cups, cards, tv, clocks, whatever).

You can also have a vipassana style of mind without noting (although noting is preferential). You can try and be aware of some of the sensations you are uncovering in your meditation while you go about your daily business. I also found it really good to be aware of emotions on the physical level (for me this was usually in the center of the chest). You can become aware of how you react and how that process unfolds. You can also see how emotions are the physical response to thoughts/memories.

It is also helpful, I think, if thoughts are getting out of hand, to really watch them. See how they are put together. Watch how they arise without any prompting on your part. You don't decide to have an idea, it sprouts up. It will also fade away if you don't engage it and allow it to branch off like a tree. If you aren't thinking what to think next, what is?

Learn to have the same looking/experimenting mind that you have in meditation when not meditating. It is a hugely beneficial and powerful practice to keep an awareness of your breathing on some level. This will show you how much the mind wanders and also gives other benefits such as a calmer mind and body.

Some suggestions, hopefully something is of use.

Best advice is to practice as much as possible. This stuff will come naturally as you gain some confidence and ability. Your noting will improve as you progress, but there are times when it isn't practical. You'll figure out what's best for you.

I think if you are able to dwell in the Witness, even without having accessed the 6th jhana and it is easier to do so than noting while you go about your daily activities then do that. Dwelling in the Witness will take you in the same direction of developmental awakening as noting in my opinion. You are objectifying your experience still. Just at a different level.

Just be wary when communicating to people in the Witness as you might come across as very aloof. Myself, I would switch to being mindful of what they are doing or what they are saying, paying attention in detail to what they wish to communicate. If you are noting and dwelling in the Witness while communicating to people it can get tricky and people might think you are weird. Hehe! When I was not interacting with people, I would be noting or dwelling in the Witness alternating between the two. I usually found noting to be extremely affective for the dark night stages and dwelling in the Witness was easier during the equanimity of formations stage. . Both are great and will keep your progress moving forward! This is just my opinion.


Edited to add, to be clear, you can't note while in the Witness as that will snap you out of it. Do one or the other. They are gears. You shift them when needed. You do what you feel is working for you in the moment. If the noting doesn't feel right and the Witness does, you do that, and viceversa. But if you haven't really developed your noting skills, you will find if you do that it becomes a masterful tool to have in your yogi tool box for when you find yourself embedded in some phenomena or other.

My 2 cents
Nick

Good point Nick. I was doing the witness as well, prior to going over it with Kenneth, but I wasn't really using it as a main practice because I still had doubts about whether what I was taking to be it was the real deal or not (I'm certain it was at this point).

If you can do witnessing practice, do it, it's really great. If you aren't sure, it will become clear in time how to do it and at that point you can take it up with confidence.

thank you guys,

i'll try to put into practice some of these advices and let you know how it went.
this board is definitely a great place.

"The noting practice seems very difficult to implement outside of the retreat context, and i 'd like to know if doing the witness practice (while in daily activities) would better serve my formal sitting (1st gear then) than being at pains to implement the noting ?

nicolas
"

I have found noting to be very valuable method for off the cushion mindfulness practise. I started to develop mindfulness slowly by first doing it at times when I was not distracted by any outside influences like when going to work, walking with the dog, filling the dishwasher or brushing the teeth. As the noting vocabulary develops and the ability to quickly recognize sensations, emotions and thoughts as they arise becomes easier, one can do it while working, in dull meetings, watching movies or even while talking. I think it is especially important to continue noting even when falling asleep, as it continues the mindfulness through the night and when dreaming.

Even noting with words can be dropped as the concentration develops and just noticing instead. At best all the sensations form an integrated experience with little room for thoughts. Even the sense of self seems to dissolve leaving just sensations arising and passing on their own. When the mind is not calm or outside distractions make it harder to concentrate I just turn back to noting with words. I have found myself doing noting from the moment I wake throughout the day as much as possible. Sometimes I forget it, especially when working, but it easily comes back during the coffee brake or when walking to a meeting.

Antero.

"I have found noting to be very valuable method for off the cushion mindfulness practise. I started to develop mindfulness slowly by first doing it at times when I was not distracted by any outside influences like when going to work, walking with the dog, filling the dishwasher or brushing the teeth. As the noting vocabulary develops and the ability to quickly recognize sensations, emotions and thoughts as they arise becomes easier, one can do it while working, in dull meetings, watching movies or even while talking. I think it is especially important to continue noting even when falling asleep, as it continues the mindfulness through the night and when dreaming.

Even noting with words can be dropped as the concentration develops and just noticing instead. At best all the sensations form an integrated experience with little room for thoughts. Even the sense of self seems to dissolve leaving just sensations arising and passing on their own. When the mind is not calm or outside distractions make it harder to concentrate I just turn back to noting with words. I have found myself doing noting from the moment I wake throughout the day as much as possible. Sometimes I forget it, especially when working, but it easily comes back during the coffee brake or when walking to a meeting.-Antero."

This is wonderful, Antero. You have really internalized this practice and you describe it in a way that I think people can readily understand.

Read this, everyone!

this is very inspiring thank you.