I don't like triplets

Hiya.
I know meditation to get lulled into calm (i.e. meditating just to get relaxed and a nice feeling) isn't really the goal here.
But is the purpose to expose yourself to aversive feelings explicitly?
Doing triplets I always bring out the best of these I've got...
They don't make sense in a way.
Itching, unpleasant, happy
for instance
the two first are related. I may have the unpleasant paired with the itching, but then I sort of always have to stop and tell myself
"Hey, so third foundation, what is there?"

This has been a fundamental obstacle for me in understanding the technique (i.e. the noting what comes up vs. LOOKING for something to note). And it's ok to note feelings that arise when doing this "frustration, loathing, anger, sadness", etc...
But is this the porpoise?

It's always the hardest for me as well to note mind-states. It has reaped great benefit though. Just practice. It sounds like you are doing it right. They don't have to make sense. The first two are obviously related because one is the sensation, the other is how it feels. This says nothing about what your mindstate will be.

But yeah it gets easier with practice. I suggest you dedicate a part of your sit to noting mindstates exclusively. When I first started noting my anxiety with kenneth in a session I found layers of emotion, like anxiety on top with sadness underneath. It was quite a revelation.

There's always a mindstate. You could be embedded at that level if you find it difficult to note there. Also, here's a hint, "searching" is also a mindstate.

Hi Meekan,

I did not see the point of noting triplets either. I cannot remember what it was that Kenneth once said, but he made me see how powerful technique doing triplets can be. After that I noted only triplets on and off the cushion. At first it was very hard and frustrating indeed, especially off the cushion, but with practise it became easier and easier.

There is little room for thoughts and fantasies if you do triplets. That is what makes it so powerful and boosts the progress considerably. At first it comes slowly and uncertainly, but after some time it starts to flow naturally like breathing.

Antero.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, guys!
Now I know I'm not the only one who finds (or at one time found) this constellation hard. I guess I'll still feel like I am "faking" noting for some time, but there is a point to continuing the practise.
Cheers!

So, Jayson and Antero - you were both doing noting in this way, pre-path?
perhaps I can also benefit from it. Nowadays I just do a single word note

"So, Jayson and Antero - you were both doing noting in this way, pre-path?"

Yadid, I only started doing it post 1st path. I recommend building it gradually and consistently to avoid unnecessary frustration...

Antero.

Yeah, same here.

See what you did meekan, now I cant get the song 'I don't like reggae' out of my head

Edit removed

"See what you did meekan, now I cant get the song 'I don't like reggae' out of my head "

You love it?

I was doing triplets pre-path. It was also frustrating for me, but worth it in the end. I usually started with singles, doubles, triplets, then quads before going into bystander noting. The 4Fs were like a warm-up to the freestyle bystander. If you do bystander without the warm up you run the risk of not getting even coverage of the 4Fs. Without even coverage, you run the risk of becoming embedded in the one you are neglecting.

"I was doing triplets pre-path. It was also frustrating for me, but worth it in the end. I usually started with singles, doubles, triplets, then quads before going into bystander noting. The 4Fs were like a warm-up to the freestyle bystander. If you do bystander without the warm up you run the risk of not getting even coverage of the 4Fs. Without even coverage, you run the risk of becoming embedded in the one you are neglecting. "

I know triplets and the bystander. Remind me again (or, for the first time) what is the fourth element in a quad?

Thanks.

Thoughts!

Itch-unpleasant-anxiety-image thought

Kenneth had me doing triplets where the last one would be greed/aversion.
So like
itch-unpleasant-aversion

Greed/aversion or if not sure, dullness.

"I was doing triplets pre-path. It was also frustrating for me, but worth it in the end. I usually started with singles, doubles, triplets, then quads before going into bystander noting. The 4Fs were like a warm-up to the freestyle bystander. If you do bystander without the warm up you run the risk of not getting even coverage of the 4Fs. Without even coverage, you run the risk of becoming embedded in the one you are neglecting. "

Thanks!
I decided to just do 3rd f during today as Mu suggested.
Not much in the way of spectacular insights, but maybe if I sit with that one a little I will have an easier time integrating it into the triplets (and quads).

"I decided to just do 3rd f during today as Mu suggested."

Good plan...I believe this is what Kenneth calls the "low hanging fruit".

"Thoughts!

Itch-unpleasant-anxiety-image thought"

Ok. Interesting. So sensation, feeling tone, emotional response, associated image, associated thought. If I'm not wrong - and I may simply not be aware of it - these four don't always arise together. Something to watch out for...

No, you are noting sensation, feeling tone, mind state, thought. We do this in sequence and they are not necessarily connected (though the first two usually are). At the time you note you label whatever mind state is present in that moment then whatever type of thought (image thougt, memory thought, planning thought, etc)

"No, you are noting sensation, feeling tone, mind state, thought. We do this in sequence and they are not necessarily connected (though the first two usually are). At the time you note you label whatever mind state is present in that moment then whatever type of thought (image thougt, memory thought, planning thought, etc)"

Ah, I misread 'image thought' as image, thought. Thanks for the clarification. As an aside, I'm sometimes at a loss as to what exact term to use in the moment for 'emotions' that arise. I will see if thinking of them as 'mind-states' helps to simplify that labeling.