question about noting practice

Hello everyone
i wanted to ask something quite specific about the noting practice.
if moving a chair around, for example, should i note "moving" as to moving my hand and "lifting" or is it better to note in that case stuff like "touch", "texture" etc..?

I would note "intending" (to push it), "extending" the arm, "pressure" of the chair, "seeing" and "hearing" it move, etc. describe it to yourself like you're telling a small child about it for the first time.

It's tricky, isn't it - do you note actions or go more granular? Mahasi Sayadaw recommends noting actions at one point in his Practical Insight Meditation, so clearly there's nothing wrong with staying at that macroscopic level. I'd say stick with whatever feels right - sometimes it will be the whole action that will be the object of your attention, at other points the temperature or texture of the thing you're touching. But remember to stick with gerunds (present participles) and nouns if you can: so in this case it might be "touching", "hardness", "coolness", "smoothness", etc.

thank you Andy and "apperception" it is really helpful!
another thing that im thinking about - how can you intergrate the practice into daily situations such as hanging out with friends or simply reading a book? because noting while reading a book won't be too productive i guess. (:

I hear your pain! I am doing a PhD, so my main work is reading books. One teacher I worked with recently suggested that you just every now and again note "sitting". Kenneth also suggests keeping 5% of your attention in the body at all times, so I can feel the sensations of the chair as I sit typing this.

But for me, the best option is just to pay attention to what you're reading, note when you get distracted from the content of the book, and then note sensations when you get up and walk around, etc. I have made progress without being a fanatical all-day-long noter , so it's not necessary to totally bust a gut trying to note in all situations when you're off retreat. Try and identify the times when you are able to note - walking to the shops, being in a lift (or "elevator", if you prefer!), going down stairs, taking public transport, preparing food, taking a shower etc - and make the most of those times.

yes...it is very good to know that. because im about to start university in october and im kind of stressed out about how am i gonna keep up the good practice at such hectic conditions of tests and stuff.

so thanks for that its really helpful! (:

One thing I've noticed is that after you do something besides meditation that requires a lot of concentration -- reading, giving presentations, doing fine crafts... it is very easy to drop into meditation. I've often found myself feeling very challenged at work/home and then sit, and then I drop into a pretty strong meditation (either a pleasent meditation or a "purifying/difficult meditation"). So just by sitting when you can, you can make progress.