Tales from the Zafu - Seraching for Stream

Hello all!

Jumping right on in with my meditation history: First meditated about a year ago, only got serious about it 4 months ago by joining a local vipassana sanga, and stabilized an every day practice at the start of this year. Did a weekend retreat with my sangha right after I joined, and recently did a 5 day personal retreat where I only sat for 6-10 hours. I did not gain very deep meditation on retreat, but since I have been back (4 days) have noticed quite the difference in my sits.

One month ago I had the most profound experience so far in my meditation, I thought it might be the first jhana, and my teacher said it was so - but after reading the descriptions of jhana here and DHO I am not sure, thinking it may be A&P, it was as follows: Was doing rapid noting, 25 min into meditation predominate vibrations were felt in both hands and most of the noting switched to "vibrations, vibrations" Noting became very difficult to continue, almost like my brain did not want to process the thinking so I stopped. I felt some fear at getting so concentrated, then all of a sudden everything seemed to be very far away, almost like I was sucked back. Vibrations filled my body, which were very very pleasurable, no thinking just an effect of "wooooooow". There appeared to be a white light in the shape of a ball almost above and slightly in front of my "vision". Experience lasted about 3 seconds then I was back to feeling the same as before, except no vibrations in hands.

I am currently unemployed so I have lots of time and motivation to sit. I will attempt to make my notes detailed, sorry if they ramble a bit. All posted for 3-5 have something I feel is unique and somewhat new to my practice. I welcome any and all tips, advice, or comments. Possibly identifying what happened in what I described above, or the state I was in the last recorded sit for 3-5 would be much appreciated.

Thanks & Metta

3/5/10

35 minute guided Metta - no notes

30 minuet sit - Start by feeling abdomen - note rising, falling slowly while being aware of other sensations but not noting them. Feel pressure in tailbone and butt area from cushion - switch awareness. Not pressure, tight, sharp. Keeping attention in area pressure lessens very slowly then gains strength again. I note lifting, lightening, dull, rising, sharp, pressure, building. Very subtle in the lessening and rising of pressure taking about 1 minuet to complete a cycle. Then higher in tail bone not puling pressure or energy seemed to pulse or wave though a small area. Quickly pulse up then down in 3 waves, taking less then a second per wave. Switched to a wide awareness felling the full body including a subtle pulse, more defined in the arms. I noted pulsing, touching, cold, hearing, tingling, thinking, vibrations. An itch arose on my face, one inch below my right eye, then turned into quick vibrations. Noted this and kept awareness in this area. Another itch arose very close then turned into vibrations- so close both felt as one. Vibrating or pulsing 10 - 20 times a second. Noted vibrating, pulsing until end of sit. The vibrations were very faint, light and subtle.

45 minuet sit - Started off with rapid noting: rising, falling, itch, cool, hot, cold, hearing, thinking, smelling, aversion, tension, boredom. About half way though felt full body pulse, like a pulse in the middle bone area of my my body. More prominent in the legs, sped up slightly then slowed some. Continued noting, became restless and switched to a bench with about 10 minuets left. Shortly after I felt pulsing just below the bone below my right eye. Shifted between 15 and 20 pulses per second for a few minuets. Switched to narrow focus noting: pulsing, faster, slower, faint, light, stronger about once a second. Pulsing switched from very faint and subtle to more defined, then slowed to about twice a second. Contined...

Changing between very faint and more defined. Faded after 5 minuets and all right side of face had subtle faint pulse for one minuet then tingling vibrations.

30 Kasina meditation (8" dark purple paper circle taped low on wall) - Lots of thoughts - scattered mind when starting. Shadows in crescent shape danced around the edges of circle. Less thoughts as time passed. Wall behind object seemed to sway back and forth for a few minuets then stopped. Parts of circle disappeared, then it fully windowed out a few times. Small lights in various forms appeared in the middle then quickly dispersed. Bright lights about 1.5 feet in diameter appeared on the floor, moving a little. Object mostly covered in white light. Closed my eyes. Bright white line across my field of vision stretching far to the sides, a white ball of light was above the middle of the line. Lasted 2 minuets - other lights bouncing around. Felt a pulsing in a ring around the crown on my head - 2 pulses per second. Noticed a high pitch ringing or squeal in my ears (more predominate in right ear ) and would peak witch each pulse, then face out. Small tingling made its way from the front of my crown above hair line to the middle of the top of my head living a tingling line. Pulsing increased to 3 per second then tingling moved off an inch to the right and stayed.

1 hour sit - Started being aware of the breath at the tip of my nose. Counted to 10 full breaths for around 10 minuets then switched to silent awareness. Tried to be aware of only the breath and bought attention back when it wandered. As time passed breath got more and more faint. At times felt pleasurable sensations in top half o head on out breath for about 5 minuets. Near end of sit breath faded out completely. I just knew breathing was occurring, and could identify in and out breaths but felt no breathing sensations. Contined...

For a few minuets pleasurable sensations on in breath located in tail bone. Later pleasure sensations on out breath in chest.

35 minuet sit - noted rising and falling of abdomen for around 5 minuets - went into this sit tired. Switched to noting with a wide scope then moved to pain in knee. Noted tension, tight, fading. Moved to pressure in butt - asked "who is feeling these sensations?" noted pressure, sharp, hard. Pressure seemed to build and fade slowly. Noticed I was in a different states. As if operating from a very calm and peaceful center. No feelings, very few thoughts (none about past or future) just very calm, carefree and peaceful - almost as if anything could happen and I would be OK with it. Continued to note at a rate of once per second. Switched to head where pressure on sides in front of the tops of my ears slowly faded in and out then turned into slowly pulsing vibrations. Switched to a general noting. Calm and peaceful center was diminished somewhat but still present.

45 minute sit (Awareness of breath) - Counted breaths to 10, 3 times then switched to awareness of breath. Breath was faint and light from the beginning. Became more and more focused as time passed. Vibrations arose in heads - kept focus on breath. Vibrations spread to full upper body, more prominent in arms and head. Intensified on out breath, pleasurable. Each out breath was a pulse of pleasurable vibrations. By extending out breath pleasure also extended - did this only a few times. State lasted about 10 minutes before vibrations stabilized for 5 minuets (no pulsing) then faded out. Continued awareness of breath until end.

30 minute sit (Slow noting) - Silently noting rising and falling of abdomen - found it difficult to do so switch to noting out loud. Later noting sensations in knee: pain, sharp, tight, tension, growing, fading. Pain lessened to almost nothing then came back to full pain a few times, taking 1 minute for a full cycle. Possibly tired - in a weird state where I feel like just sitting - almost as if I could fall into a trance - sat silently for 2 minuets then started noting: aversion, tired, bored, planing and other body sensations.

3/6/11

30 minute Guided Metta - Tingling in chest / heart area very slowly grew as meditation progressed. Very easy meditation. Happiness and ease filled me. Light joy, clam, felt good to spread metta.

15 minute drive to Sangha - Noted: Itching, cold, warm, seeing, hearing, gripping, pushing, pulling, pressure, tingling, happiness, thinking, planning, compassion, fear, light. When looking at the local mountain that towers over the town and has a lot of personal meaning to me I felt happiness and joy, this corresponded to a light tingling in the middle of my chest, pleasurable.

Sunday Morning Sangha Sit - 15m walking, 45m sit, 15m drive back - No notes made.

45 minute sit (Slow noting) - Started by nothing rising and falling of abdomen for 5 minutes then switched to noting out loud with vedena: Itching - UP, tension - UP, vibrations - P, pressure - N. Vibrations arise in hands, switch to silent noting to better feel vibrations - then feeling it is getting in the way stop noting. Vibrating hands pulsing 4 times a second, every minute or so a pulse corresponds with pleasure in my head. Soon every pulse in hands is also a pulse of pleasure in the head. Light activity also builds ups behind closed eyes. Lasts for one minute then bigger pleasure pulse in head then it stops and no more vibrations in hands. Switch back to noting. Near end of sit become agitated and annoyed, ask "Who is getting agitated?" Feel pleasurable tingling on back of head that lasts for two minutes and am not so agitated. Also I felt calm and peaceful for most of sit before the end. Calmer after last big pleasure pulse.

3/7/11

30 minute Guided Metta

30 Minute sit (Awareness of breath) - immediately after sitting and becoming aware of the breath I was concentrated and noticed pleasurable tingling on the top of my head. Kept awareness on breath for 20 minuets until pleasurable tingling more intense arose in same are of head. Put attention there then back on breath. Scattered mind, thoughts floating on.

45 minute sit (Noting) - Noted rising / falling of abdomen then switched to wide awareness noting. Few minutes later vibrations arose in my hands, and I narrowed my focus on them. Noting vibrating, tingling. Vibrations started pulsing 2 times per second for 2 minuets then vibrations stopped and only pulsing remained for 1 minute then vibrations begin again. Hands resting open in my lap felt a long way down, as if there was a great distance between them and head and awareness - as if my awareness originated from the head. Odd sensation lasted 5 minutes while hand vibrations continued.

30 minute sit (Awareness of Breath) - Distracted and agitated though most of sit. Hard to focus on the breath without drifting into thoughts.

45 minute sit (Noting) - Planed on doing quick noting, but upon sitting my mind was much more inclined to do slower noting. Notice I am immediately in a concentrated state and start noting: Warm - Pleasant, Tension, Itching - Unpleasant - Investigation, Cool, Pressure - Neutral - Calm, vibrations. Vibrations arise in hands and I narrow my focus. Vibrations become a pulsing in quick waves - 3 per second then slowly fade out. Back to noting then narrow in on pain in my jaw and note it. 2 minutes of noting with narrow focus on jaw pain and it turns into a slow pulsing about once per second, stay with it until it fades. Later pain arises on other side of my jaw, narrow focus but then switch to more prominent pain on other side of jaw where pain first appeared - it quickly turns into pulsing. Later focus in on pain in lower thigh / knee. After a few minutes of slow fading in and out it faintly pulses for a few minuets then fades.

30 minute sit (kasina) - Crescent shadows moving around edges, then wall behind moves back and forth. Lights appear in middle of object then seem to sink back into it then fade. Close eyes and feel vibrations in hand until they end and pleasure vibrations arise in head in their place. Mindfulness gets dull so I open my eyes until full body vibrations arise and i close my eyes again. Vibrations end and light in a circle appears center vision and sort of dances back and forth depth wise. Light ends and vibrations arise in full body again - subtle and light.

Solid!

Your practice and journaling are both very good. I'm excited to see how this unfolds. Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the response mumuwu, motivation to keep this going!

3/8/11

20 minute Metta

40 minute sit - Focused on breath - Concentration increased while breath got fainter. Brought awareness back to breath when mind wandered.

45 minute sit - Started noting verbal until vibrations arose in hands. narrowed focus and switched to silent noting. Tingling vibrations started to pulse twice a second then after 2 minutes stopped vibrating. One minute later started tingling with each pulse, then constant tingling and pulsing. Switched to wide focus verbal noting when sensations faded. Narrowed focus on pain in jaw in small area which quickly turned into slow pulsing. Then entire left jaw line started pulsing, pulsing spread in a line from jaw to just the edge of left eye. Pulsed for 2 minutes then became steady pressure for one minute then started to pulse again, faster. After fading put attention on tingling in right side of face. Two itches in same area started to pulse / vibrate quickly at 15-20 times per second. Tingling faded, vibrations continued. Kept awareness until they slowly faded.

45 minute sit - Silent present moment awareness - Scattered thoughts kept jumping in, kept going back to silent awareness.

45 minute sit - Noting - Pressure, warm, cool, aversion, boredom, tingling, fear, emptiness, sharp, pain, dull. First 35 minutes lots of deep aches and pain - in wrist and ankle where I usually (if ever) get sensations. Pain seemed deeper and to resonate more. Fear came up and stayed - large sense of dukka throughout, seemed shorter of breath. Unable to really focus on one area - though I seemed to be in a different state of focus, deeper. Felt like there was an underlying pain or sorrow. 10 minutes left I switched to a bench and put on a half smile. Seemed to make me feel better and more deep aches or fear.

40 minute sit - Went into sit focused and with intention to do some proper noting. Very still and focused from the beginning and throughout the whole sit - no moving or squirming which has been usual. Noted for a bit then switched focus to pain from cushion on my butt and noted; pressure, tight, pain, tension for 10 minutes before switching to noting the pleasurable tingling vibrations in my hands for 5 minutes. Around some point here my eyes seemed to want to open or flutter, but I kept them closed and them seemed to flutter a few times closed. Lights seemed increased, like someone turned them up, got a few bight flashes, and lights continued to dim and brighten a little. Tingling and pleasure from hands spread into lower arms, more so in the left arm. Body felt sort of out of place, as if hard to identify how it was sitting, hands felt somewhat distant and heavy.

Continued...

Felt noting was getting in the way so I stopped. Hand vibrations started to very faintly pulse. Very focused and single pointed awareness on hands. Vibrations and pleasure spread faintly all over body. Some fear crept up at getting so focused, but I calmed myself thinking "calm" once. Vibrations and pleasure increased, then increased more, then became very intense feeling of ecstasy all over my body. Lights behind eyes became bright, but kept focus on sensations. Blood flow increased into genitals, breathing increased and became more like panting.I had to stop myself from laughing it felt so good, I could have just loose with loud laughter but felt it would disrupt me. Instead a huge smile - the biggest smile I have smiled emerged, it just barely kept me from laughing at the joy. This state took noticeable effort to sustain the feelings, which I did by concentrating on the sensations. Some thoughts popped in, mostly about the experience and what I was going to do after - but I let them float by. Intense pleasure seemed to last about one minute before it slowly faded and I dropped out of it.

Full body tingling remained but much much less intense, like an after glow. Timer rang but I remained sitting 10 more minutes. Focused, reviewed the state then started noting again. Body very out place, hard to identity how it was placed. Head seemed to be about 1.5 feet to the left of rest of torso and tilted to an off angle. Still focused, body tingles remained but thoughts kept jumping back to the experience and were very distracting. Felt as if I could sit for much longer but decided to record and review experience. This was by far the most pleasurable and amazing experience I have had, sober or from any drug.

After sit I felt very calm and peaceful for about 30 minutes, then some light fear located in my chest which seemed to lightly tingle arose and lasted until my next sit an hour after arising.

30 minute sit - Noting for 5 minutes until vibrations in arise in hands. move awareness and stop noting. Vibrations turn into pleasant tingling which starts pulsing. Hands seem to get heavy and distant. Light activity increases, with a full bright moments. Squealing in left ear for 1 second corresponds with bright flash. Feel close to Jhana but don't enter. Also experiencing a heavy ache - painful in chest that might hold me back. After 10 minutes mindful comes dull so switch back to noting. Concentrated, peaceful and un-agitated for all of sit, very nice.

Post 11 sounds a like a pretty intense A&P followed by dissolution. Whatever you are doing is working

Right after dissolution comes the fear nana, so you could be hitting that as well

3/9/11

35 minute Guided Metta - Light warm tingling in center of chest, underlying happiness and sense of ease prevalent though meditation.

30 minute sit (Noting) - Noted pressure, cold, agitation, boredom, itching, pain, hearing, tension, tight, happy, thinking. At one point felt an itch in eyebrow and narrowed focus until it became tingling, then light quickly vibrating pulses that were hard to detect.

45 minute sit (Noting) - Focused from beginning. Felt a pleasant head buzz for first 10 minutes. Narrowed noting onto high pitched squeal in ears. Noticed a few hiccups in the sounds. Faded when noise from garbage truck outside arose. Later focused on itching in cheek which turned into quick vibrations. later focused on hand vibrations and tingling which became slow pulsing once per second. Pulsing increased and decreased in intensity. More light activity behind eyes then usual. Diming and brightening and some bright flashes.

30 minute sit - Silent awareness of present moment

15 minute noting on drive to sangha - Sense of some underlying depression / sadness / dukka present the whole ride - remained until meditation teacher whom I have great respect for entered the room and the feelings dissipated.

15 minute walking / 45 minute sangha sit

50 minute sit - Focused right upon sitting. Full body vibrations - very subtle - almost as if outside the body for first 3 minutes. Noted steadily, narrowing focus if something presented itself. Lots of light activity behind eyes. Once light fill whole "vision" and became very bright for a few seconds. Near end of planned 40 minute sit I became very calm, peaceful and focused - in a very spacious state. Much easier to not become attached to desires but was able to let them slip by. Noticeable altered state. Vibrations in hands and arms - somewhat strong. Stopped noting and just aware aware in this spacious state. State 10 minutes after bell.

45 minute sit - Note out loud for 10 minutes until I feel it is getting in the way then switch to silent awareness mostly focused in hands. Tingling sensations in hands became stronger and stronger as I became more focused. Decreased perception of body and its form. Hands become heavy and tingling, very strong. Everything else fades into the background, mind becomes quieter and any thoughts that arise are more noticeable. Continue deeper into the absorption which lasts for 25 minutes before I dropped out and resumed noting. Felt an itch on the side of my head turned into pulsing which grew, a squeal in my right ear with each pulse, then they faded. Feel I am able to notice myself pass though some of the stages for the first time. Feel pain my knee, think "sensation is body, naming it is mind" then "feeling causes mind to react" then I apply the 3 C's then come into a peaceful more aware state. Mild light flashes then feeling dissolves.

45 minute sit- Begin noting when very intense itch arose on side of head. Incredibly annoying and agitating. Took all my effort not to scratch it. Noted itching, annoying, itching for 5 minutes until it faded. Later stopped noting to be more aware of hands. Tingling sensations in hands and arms - arms pulsed with tingles. Pulsing stopped and hand tingling became stronger. Left pinking became numb, very numb with strong tingles. very slowly numbing spread to ring ringer as well. Scary numb. Rest of hand seemed to fade and only numb remained. After sensations faded resumed noting. Later went silent again to be more aware of the vast sensations present. hands vibrating, but also faded, could only feel the vibrations and not the hands. Seemed to vibrate into thighs on which hands were resting. Left thigh begin to ache and was painful. After sensations faded being noting again. Fear arose with emptiness / tingling in chest and remained for 3 minutes.

3/10/11

35 minute Guided Metta - Shortly after waking up I felt the underlying fear and emptiness in center of my chest. No desire to meditate. After beginning to spread metta to others in meditation the fear begin to be replaced by warm light tingling Metta in my chest until the fear dissipated. Sometime near end of meditation a pleasurable spaciousness "head buzz" arose in top half of my head for 2 minutes. Fear tried to arise a few times but the Metta prevailed over it.

45 minute sit - Focused upon sitting. Noted with wide focus, narrowing in on specific sensations when they appeared to dominate others: Itching on cheek turned into quick vibrating pulses, squealing in ears raised and lowered in pitch for 30 seconds before returning to steady pitch, Tingling in hands increased and decreased and started pulsing. Fear arose from nothing located in center of chest, then fated a number of times. Noted it and smiled at it. Last 5 minutes of sit were very squirmy, lots of agitation and energized anxiety to get up.

Right after meditation drove to the store noting on the way. When I got out of my car things were different. I felt light and spacious. Walking was a pleasant ease. i was amazed at all my senses. Seeing! Felling! Cigarette smell of a dingy looking person filled me with joy, smelling! I walked around in a state of calm peaceful happiness while noting. Later at home I went outside for a dip in the hot tub. The light from the porch illuminated a big tree and its beauty amazed me. I felt like I was very mildly tripping. Just being aware of the space and trees and my dog sniffing around was so beautiful and amazing. Lasted 5 minutes.

45 minute sit - Difficulty recalling sit - Went into sit very happy and bubbly - continued for 15 minutes. Noted until it got in the way then became silently aware of sensations. instead of focusing on them one at a time quickly I pulled back and was aware of all them at once - an onslaught of sensations. narrowed down, very focused and calm and became of aware of just the breath for a few minuets before picking up noting again. Empty sensation arose in chest but no fear. Dropped noting later to become aware of hands. Tingling became pulses or waves of tingling. Upon closer examination wave of energy went down left hand then immediately up the right, circling quickly - 2 rounds per second. Then it slowed to one circuit a second. Fear and emptiness arose. breathing became heavy. Agitation and anxiety and much restlessness caused me to move losing awareness of the energy circuit. last 5 minutes were rough in agitation and restless energy.

3/11/11

30 minute guided Metta

30 minute sit - Noted for 10 minuets then switched to silent awareness. Became aware of all the sense and sensations that were arising, witnessing them. Some thoughts still carried the attachment of self and seemed to come from "me". Physical sensations were easier to notice and let be. After 10 minuets switched to noting. At one point seemed to lose sense of body and was only aware of the various sensations of certain parts of the body that seemed to be floating in space.

30 minute sit - Same as recent sits: note to a state of peaceful calm where vibrations in hands arise. Stop noting to be more aware of the many many sensations in hands then resume noting when attention wanders.

30 minute sit - Five minuets in strong energy arose in head, very pleasant - lasted three minuets. For about thirty seconds pressure build up at third eye. Fear arose a few times a reaction to thoughts about personal stuff then seemed to linger on. Half way though lots of aversion to sitting arose. Difficult to keep on sitting.

40 minute sit - Noting - Fear came up then faded a few times but seemed more diminished then it has been. While focusing on an itch that turned into tingling then faded, bigger and longer lasting fear arose. Later pressure just to the left of center of forehead arose. Felt like no other sensation I have experienced, felt like the eraser of a pencil was pulsing in and being turned back and forth - pressure seemed to go all the way though head. Ceased noting later when it was impeding, vibrations in hands crew and concentration deepened. At one point left hand pulsed quickly at four per second while right pulsed slowly at one per two seconds. Tingling pulsed down one arm and down one left for a short time. Got into a very deep state of access concentration.

40 minute sit - Noting - The sensation that has been preceding arising fear occurred over half a dozen times, but instead of the expected fear with tingling and emptiness in chest - noting arose. Seems like fear is on its way out. Did not get as focused as early as I have been. About 35 minutes in everything sped up radically - thoughts jumping in in quick pulses, hand vibrations increased frequency, light activity increased, all for a little less then 2 minutes before calming down. After that I quickly got into a deep state of relaxed concentration for rest of sit.

40 minute sit - Noted to a focused state with hand vibrations. Lots of increased light activity including numerous bright flashes and bright orbs in various sizes. Towards end became very still and concentrated in which it was easier to just observe and not react.

45 minute sit - Noted to deep calm concentration with strong hand vibrations. Lots of light activity with bright flashes.

3/12/11

35 minute guided Metta

30 minute sit - Noted all sit. Focus and usual hand tingling arose. near end of sit itch on side of my head quickly turned into fast pulses or vibrations. Very annoying itch appeared on nose. pressure on side of head about 1mm in a circle arose and tingled. Pressure and tingling moved around an area a few inches for two minutes before pressure and itch's faded.

40 minute sit - Noting - hand vibrations arose and started getting focused. Lots of noise upstairs of people talking and moving about started to become annoying then agitating which I noted. Then someone started running a vacuum cleaner and each time it moved or the cord shifted the sound struck me as very very loud and agitation then anger arose right after each sound. After getting more and more agitated I stopped noting briefly to think "the sound is, the mind is reacting and creating the aversion, just let the sound be" so I resumed noting and just let the sound be as it was. Aversion and anger quickly stopped then soon when hearing arose I felt amusement. Noted rest of sit.

30 minute sit - Noted some of the following: Pressure, cool, warm, soft, hearing, itching, annoying, tingling, numbing, ache, needle, agitation, pain, sharp. Hand vibrations arose as I became more focused. Itch arose on cheek, pressure arose in back of head while a bubble of pulsing surrounded the itch which started to tingle. Surrendering to the desire to check timer lessened the urge and let me go into deeper concentration.

Went out to dinner noting both ways and while eating. Surprisingly easy to keep it up the whole nice. Was a nice substitution to just letting the mind wander where it will.

3/13/11

30 minute guided metta - OhhhhhhhAhhhhhhhMmmmmmm

Monthly Sunday Sangha Half Day Sit - Alternating 15 minute walking with 45 minute siting for 3 hours - First two sits there were lots of aches and pain. Some bone deep aches in arm and leg. Overall not a lot of vibrations in hands which I am used to. Slowly got focused and deeper - so slow it was very subtle. near end of last sit got restless and agitated and pains came back. After fighting it for a little while just accepted and surrendered to it all which made it easier to just be - letting it all go. At one point fear arose so I really investigated it, asking why it was there. I realized fear was only a reaction to the go being diminished and trying to hold onto itself - so fear should be welcomed in this context and not avoided. On the drive home I noticed my mind trying to interject negative thoughts into my state of peaceful calm - almost like something was revolting against being in that condition.

30 minute sit - Noted to calm, hand vibrations arose. Dog constantly barking outside became annoying. Reminded myself to let it be and to hear with "clear ears" not filtering the sound though my conditioning, this made it easier to just accept the noise.

30 minute sit - Noted to calm with hand vibrations then stopped to better feel them. A few times it felt like some of the hand tingling transfer to the head - but sensations in head only lasted a second. Resumed noting after 10 minutes when mindfulness became dull. Became very focused and hand tingling increased. Head tingles started and stopped a few times lasting longer - very subtle so I could have just lost focus of them. Near end of sit vibrations moved up to include forearms. At one point during silence tingling was only on palms of hands which were resting on knees - tingling is usually in all of the hands.

40 minute sit - Noted to calm and hand vibrations. Added in seeing Anatta or No-self to each sensation that I felt: Warmth in hands needed the touch of legs and transfer of head to fell warmth, itch on cheek needed a place for itch to arise, sound needed ears to be heard - and all needed the brain to process the sensation - fell it really added a depth to the practice. Shifted noting to focus on hands - reached the usual deep state of concentration.

45 minute sit - Noted while noticing no-self in each sensation. Near end of sit while concentrated switched to silent open awareness. All of the sensations I was aware of at once was overwhelming and almost to much to handle.

... Last 5 minuets of sit deep aches arose and was very restless. A few times though the sit I got the deep desire to get up and stop it all but felt it was necessary and important to keep sitting however difficult. Throughout the sit the usual hand tingling I am used to never really appeared, there were very subtle tingling in the hands but it never lasted or became defined.

45 minute sit - Noting - Seemed much calmer then usual - it was as if everything was turned down a little bit - almost distant. First portion of the sit I kept getting attached to thoughts and drifting off for a little bit but it was just no big deal. Some of the annoying heel vibrations and numerous aches and pains arose but nothing seemed to bother me. Hand vibrations arose a lot later then they have been but soon became strong and my concentration deepened. Entered into a peaceful calm state but things became more focused a little - i was no long so far away. Over all a very easy and pleasant sit. Was surprised when the timer rang, feel I could have sat much long.

30 minute sit - Right after previous sit - Followed breath until hand vibrations arose then switched focus to the pleasurable sensations there. "Its all good" attitude remained from previous sit.