Russell's practice thread

2 sits yesterday. First sit I was very sleepy, ended up lying down and dozing off for the last 10 minutes of a 40 minute sit. I think I am getting sick so I needed a nap or something. 2nd sit was for 40 min in bed and got into very vibratory EQ land with a few moments of what feels like absorption. Have pressure at the 3rd eye area today.

Trying to get more practice in. Sat for a total of maybe 1.5 hours yesterday. Getting into nice territory where I feel like most of my body is very light and almost not there. Vibratory stuff going on like crazy, strobing in the visual field, anticipation, path thoughts. Seeing thoughts bubble up and form for the first time before they become full thoughts. Good insights into how thoughts like imaging thoughts are not the actual object I am visualizing.

Are you passing through the Dukkha Nanas at all?

If not, don't forget that 4th nana is often mistaken for equanimity and is characterized by "Vibratory stuff going on like crazy, strobing in the visual field, anticipation, path thoughts, etc." As well as "Seeing thoughts bubble up and form for the first time before they become full thoughts."

Good luck.

Thanks. I am aware of that and constantly am confused where I am this time around. That being said. This feels exactly like EQ from 1st path. I quickly pass through DN stuff, sometimes so fast, it is barely noticeable. This happened pre-SE too. So, not sure where I am, but I guess it doesn't matter

I'd suggest trying your hand at the most detailed, in-depth, phenomenological journal entries ever. Its a great exercise.

Will do I am sure it will be helpful to me and others in the future. I'll try to begin posting right after my sits instead of the next day because it's hard to remember exactly what happened if I wait too long.

OK I'm already not going to be very detailed here. I was not feeling very well yesterday but sat last night and am not making notes until now. Tried to use/note my unpleasant sensations last night but I was very nauseous so it was tough. I do have to say, boredom and thoughts dominated the sit. I was easily getting lost/distracted with thoughts. Tried the "What will my next thought be?" trick, which worked for a bit but I kept getting sucked in. Physical sensations noticed: small amounts of itching early on which disappeared into hands tingling/disappearing, strong pressure/broken up particle like tingling at 3rd eye area. Hearing loud sounds sends shock like vibrations throughout my body. No waves of energy, just very neutral to everything.

That's better... try being a bit more descriptive (understanding you didn't get the notes down until now).

An example from Nadav:

"30 minutes. went something like this:
rising, falling, rising, falling, sitting, hearing, coolness, bored, remembering thought, remembering thought, planning thought, itching-unpleasant, itching, itching, itching, reflecting, yawning, anticipation, tired, curiosity, pressure-unpleasant, itching, itching, itching, itching, itching, rising, falling, rising, falling, rising, itching, itching, unpleasant, intending to itch, itching, itching, frustrated, self-pity, frustrated, angry, tension-unpleasant,, tension, itching, itching, itching, aversion, frustrated, nervous, angry, tension, itching, itching, stretching, swaying, self-pity, angry, self-loathing, itching, itching, desire to shift, itching, intending to itch, itching, itching, rubbing, angry, curiosity, anxious... etc."

"Physical sensations noticed: small amounts of itching early on which disappeared into hands tingling/disappearing, strong pressure/broken up particle like tingling at 3rd eye area. Hearing loud sounds sends shock like vibrations throughout my body. No waves of energy, just very neutral to everything."

This sounds like 3 characteristics, but more descriptions over a period of time needed.

Last nights sit was interesting. I reminded myself to be diligent in trying to just see the stages of insight. I have been more inclined to drop noting early in my sits lately to more open awareness because that's what has felt natural. So i sat for the 1st 30 minutes and then lied in bed for the 2nd 30 minutes. Started with 3 X 10 breath counting and by the end of that immediately started noting, tingling in hands, itching, rising, falling, imaging thoughts, (3C's?) then moved to lights strobing, rising absorbption feeling, pleasurable (A&P?), then relaxed, difficultiy noting, remembering thoughts, planning thoughts, (Dissolution?) then heard a noise and created a strongly fearful thought around it that made me almost get up and check on my kids, there was some absorption feelings with this as well (Fear?) then I didn't notice the rest of the DN as clearly other than more itches, then came nothingness and boredom which led to more distracting thoughts, (Low EQ?) then strong vibrations especially in the crown and 3rd eye, this is when i feel like stopping noting, or slowing it down significantly and focusing on the vibrations in one area as I can get absorbed easily again (High EQ?) I sat like this for the last 10 minutes of the sit, got up, got into bed and started concentration practices just focusing on the breath again, but this lead to me just focusing on the vibrations at the 3rd eye again, more absorption like states, they feel like jhana's I cannot stay in for very long or that they start out very strong then smooth out. Finally flipped over and when to sleep. Did not feel like I went back down the arc but rather stayed in High EQ once I was there. Make sense?

Russell, I would suggest that you drop the speculation about nanas in your reports (and in general if you can).
See if you can approach your sits with a curious attitude, rather than trying to recognize/fit it into a pattern.
I think noting is a good idea.

Thanks Nadav, I normally do and that is what I am comfortable with, but I just wanted to try and see if i could resolve to see them clearly for a sit and it seemed to work rather well. Normally I am not able or even 'try' to recognize them like this at all. Just an experiment really.

Clarification: I did this as an experiment after the discussion yesterday on where I may be on the path since I am a bit confused whether I am still in review or well on my way to 2nd path.

Late night sit after a long day yesterday. Started out very uncomfortable. Noted itching, rising, falling, tension, desire to change position, changed position a couple of times, more itches, then things calmed down a bit and started getting the tingling in hands and pressure/tingling in forehead. Noted hearing, startled, confusion, frustration, imaging thoughts, tingling, pressure, self-doubt. All in all a more unpleasant sit than the recent weeks.

Sounds like 3 characteristics. Maybe it's the new path.

Friday nights sit notes: rising, falling, itching, wanting to change position, tension, pressure, tingling, then eventually calmer, some lights, rising energy (not huge but there) quickly followed by hard to note, coolness, lost in thoughts, desire to get up

Last night: Super tired, noted lots of tingling, pressure at 3rd eye are, nodding off, bored, difficulty noting, desire to look at timer. I looked, still 8 minutes left of a 30 min sit. Wow, I figured I was almost at 30 mins. Continued, more tingling, tried shifting to concentration practice and calling up jhana's, it worked but they are pretty subtle because i was so sleepy i think, definitely noticed eye position changes when calling up jhana's. That's all for now.

Last nights sit was very similar to the previous night. noted pressure/tingling at the 3rd eye immediately when i sat, very hard to note, frustration, spaceiness, however still calm, got one moment of crazy fear thoughts related to my dizziness, did my best noting through the rough stuff. Feels like concentration is out the window and all the great insights I had during 1st path are gone. Fun times. Off cushion = awful tiredness, sluggish, dizzy, crap

I'm not going to use the word "better" but last nights sit was less harsh. Although it started out with the normal rising, falling, gross itches especially on my face in different parts, then clarity of mind, lights in visual field, could see thoughts arising and thinking to myself "I am not making these thoughts happen", speed and accuracy of noting was improved, then it slipped, got caught up in thoughts again, felt sluggish, lazy, then my cat made a loud noise right behind me (i didn't know she was there) and I got a full body scare like, really scared. Then itched started up again but I was less inclined to move or scratch them but they kept poping up and going away quicker. Then I got up and did a little shamatha in bed before falling asleep.

Is it bad when my wife ask's me if I'm in the Dark Night again?

Last nights sit: started with the usual itching in various areas, lots of negative thoughts and frustration. Lights in visual field, and kind of rising flushing of the skin/body. Then it got very hard to note everything, distracted by thoughts, etc... Feels like slipping back a little as I only got to sit for a very short time 2 days ago.

Sat for 45 min yesterday and its hard to even pinpoint a lot of sensations. Started with itching, some so much that I had to scratch. but after the itches were gone it just got more open expansive and hard to catch sensations while sometimes getting caught in thoughts. Nothing super uncomfortable or pleasant other than the mild tingling and warmth in my hands.

When the itching happens, try to stay with one and really pay attention to it. See if it changes, moves, swells, etc. See if you can notice exactly when it stops. You might be doing this already, in which case carry on.

Yeah, I do try that, watch them grow and change. I have had them almost spread out to and entire side of my face in some capacity. Not recently, but I know what you are talking about and it reminds me of how I used to watch that. Thanks for the reminder.

Really trying to work with my thoughts over the last several sits, they seem to be coming at me from all directions. Trying to notice then and disembed. Sits usually start with immediate itching and move towards dominating thoughts and tingling in hands/3rd eye. Not much else to report other than I have much less of a desire to sit (although I still do every day) and off-cusion I am one cranky dude. Agitated about little things that I would have been so calm about a month ago or so. Trying to minful about it and not react.

Tonights sit was different. Much more peaceful and relaxed. Less getting caught up in thoughts and hardly any itches. Much more tingly vibrations at 3rd eye and hands/lower body. Noted hearing, remembering thoughts, itching (would instantly disappear), swallowing, tickle in throat, coughing (I'm sick with allergies) remembering thought. tingling-pleasant, just to name a few. Makes me more confused about mapping stuff, but it doesn't matter.

Finally had a good chat with Ron last night which always helps. Moving along. My sit yesterday was more unpleasant, but nothing major. Stating with the typical itches, solid itches that grow and change. Then things change to more contentment and happiness with easier noting and I can watch the itches form and then go away when I note them. Then I move to the "fun" stuff where noting gets clunky, by that I mean I note stuff late, like I missed something, then realize I shuld have noted that and I get carried away by thoughts easily. Feels like I'm not doing it right. Been throught this before, I get what is going on. Fear has risen a couple times but I feel my cutting edge is closer to Dissolution moving into Fear than anything. Hey, it's progress

Had another sit. Getting back into the groove more. Still have a slight lack of desire to sit but this time I didn't have the desire to look at the clock, but this cycle seems to be repeating itself just as before to my cutting edge. Very sleepy and spacey after the sit.