Noting

My experience, thus far, of noting has been:
Adding noise and stress to an already confused and tense situation(the mind). The narrowing of focus required to note seems opposed to my understanding of meditation as taught by the Buddha, found in the Suttas.
The abandonment of the teachings of Buddha in favour of this recent method seems rather foolhardy .
Thank you for the site and the information to allow me to make this determination for myself.

Boyd

I'm sorry you feel that way. My noting has been going very well.

"The narrowing of focus required to note seems opposed to my understanding of meditation as taught by the Buddha, found in the Suttas.
"

theravadin.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/iti-and-sallakkheti/

"My experience, thus far, of noting has been:
Adding noise and stress to an already confused and tense situation(the mind). "

thehamiltonproject.blogspot.com/2011/04/...efits-of-noting.html

Nikolai,
I'm curious why you seem to be fighting my statement.
Do you have something at stake in my disagreeing with your feelings toward this method?
It is not an attack, but a simple statement of my personal experience. Why not accept it, since it is true?
Whatever links or quotes you provide will not change what has been experienced. I find this reaction very odd.

Hi B.Rice,

As you also accompanied your critique of the noting technique with an obvious insinuation that it was not inline with the original teachings of the Buddha, I provided an alternative opinion concerning that claim.

I figured since this thread's title was 'Noting', i'd post another view and experience of it (in the form of links to such views and experiences) that placed the noting technique in a different light to the one that you expressed. Did you have another intention for this thread?

There is no intention to fight nor anything at stake here. This thread and what was posted in it acted as triggers for the intention to arise to post the info I did. Nothing sinister about it even though you may have read into it like so. Apologies for any misunderstandings.

I do not have any urge to 'change what has been experienced'. But as you did title this thread "Noting" ' and not 'B.Rice's negative experience of noting', it would seem it was open to talk generally about experiences of noting. We can continue to discuss in more detail if you wish comparing experiences of the noting technique.

Cordially,

Nick

My experience with noting has been very positive as well.
But I suppose different people resonate with different approaches, and so you should do whatever you find helpful, without ignoring the fact that noting has helped countless people to get enlightened.

Noting was very difficult for me at first, and I had the same feeling for a long time (that noting was adding to an already noisey situation), but after sticiking with it for a year or so I can see it's value. At the very least for some people noting is something which can help sustain momentium when moving through the Nanas.

Hi B.Rice,

Noting can be difficult at first. The following might help you, should you decide to continue with the practice:

1. Note a little slower if you feel yourself getting tense. Kenneth teaches out-loud noting at a speed of once a second, but go a bit slower if necessary.

2. Try to use a gentle voice to note with. Even if you're noting in silence, imagine the silent, mental voice to sound gentle, accepting the sensation observed with a curious and kind mind.

3. Get a list of vocab. Here are some to get you started:
- Thoughts: planning thoughts, imaging thoughts, reflecting thoughts, speculation thoughts, questioning thoughts, calculating thoughts, worrying thoughts, evaluation thoughts, scenario-spinning thoughts, thought salad (Kenneth's term for when there is just a mess of thoughts)
- Body and senses: pain, pleasure, tension, release, heat, warmth, coolness, cold, prickling, tingling, throbbing, pressure, tickling, itching, rubbing, pulsing, movement, vibrating, flowing, touching, brushing, seeing, hearing, tasting, touching.
- Mindstates: happiness, sadness, anger, nausea, fear, misery, disgust, joy, bliss, equanimity, contentment, curiosity, investigation, interest, boredom, spaceousness, restlessness, peace, calm, irritation, frustration, aversion (use "aversion X" when it gets really bad!), craving, doubt, resolve, confusion, amusement, compassion, metta, self-pity, dullness, tiredness,

4. Use Mahamudra noting to release tension built up in Mahasi noting. See Kenneth's article here: www.buddhistgeeks.com/2011/07/mahamudra-noting/

There are other practices you can do if this one isn't working, but you might change your mind after sticking at it every day for a month or two. I certainly found it hard at first, but really nothing beats it for keeping you on the button. Good luck!

Thank you for the replies sharing your positive experiences of noting.
Nikolai, I appreciate the clarification of your response, no offense meant, and none taken.
Perhaps, it is just a case of personal preference and ability inclining me towards a different type of practice.

"Perhaps, it is just a case of personal preference and ability inclining me towards a different type of practice."

I'm no expert, but I've found that sometimes the practices which I have ability for and the practices that I incline towards aren't aren't always the ones that lead to the breakthroughs. After all we're both here because we are seeking enlightenment, not because we are seeking confort.

Didn't Sengstan say it perfectly: "The Great Way is not difficult for those who do not harbor preferences"