1st Gear question.....

I'd really appreciate some feedback from those familiar with Kenneth's 1st gear technique...

Right, so I had my first experience of trying this technique today - specifically, with noting emotional states. 4 times during a one hour sit I checked in to my overall emotional state. The first time, I noticed anxiety and my familiar feeling of 'depression' felt as a kind of foggy tension in my forehead and feeling of 'dread' in my stomach. Objectifying these sensations in this way did seem to dis-embed me from them somewhat. By the fourth time I checked in, these negative sensations had evaporated and I actually noted a faint 'happiness' - which I noted. However, unlike with the negative states which were diminished by me objectifying them, the 'happiness' actually bloomed and increased as I silently noted it. Which was amazing. Almost overwhelming. Why should this be the case? Why does objectifying diminish negatives and accentuate positives? Wouldn't a thorough-going mindfulness dis-embed equally from all experiences?

I can only think that, as I think I've heard stressed more in less 'pragmatic'/ more Goldstein/Salzbergy scenes that - behind all the usual noise - the mind in samadhi territory is naturally 'pure'/unblemished and instantly knows that it wants to happy. Sorry if this sounds a bit OTT, but the experience was quite astonishing.

I'd developed some mental quietening previously by employing Shiznen Young's 'focus-in' protocol, but as this doesn't allow for identifying overall emotional states I'd never been able to notice this kind of thing. Is this just beginner's luck or am I on to something here?

"...unlike with the negative states which were diminished by me objectifying them, the 'happiness' actually bloomed and increased as I silently noted it. Which was amazing. Almost overwhelming. Why should this be the case? Why does objectifying diminish negatives and accentuate positives? Wouldn't a thorough-going mindfulness dis-embed equally from all experiences?
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It really can be shocking to realize how much space for happiness there can be, even when we tend toward feeling anxious and depressed. That first little taste has sent many of us out to seek how to get even more of it.

Ironically, a few things happen over time with meditation practice. On one hand, moods become much lighter so that a happiness shines through more often. It really is wonderful to drop old baggage, to drop moods that used to hang around for days and months. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. On the other hand, the "checking in" starts happening automatically, so that over time we reflexively check in not 4 times and hour but 4 times a second, which makes use even more sensitive to minor little sufferings that we wouldn't have even noticed before. Over time we also >identify< less with any particular mood, happy or depressed, because we see how fleeting they are, so in some deep sense we accept it and don't fight it anymore. So it's not that we dis-embed completely, but rather we can live with the natural flow of experiences without suffering because we no longer want/need it to be different from what it is. But there is a huge amount of release that happens with this practice. No one ever wants to go back to the way things were.

Glad you are getting a taste!

By the way, I think the two great mysteries of this earthly life are: 1) the first noble truth -- why does every experience ultimately contain a tiny dash of unsatisfactory-ness, stress, imperfection, etc. and 2) why does feeling of relaxation and love lead to a very natural perceptiveness, effectiveness, creativity, intelligence, etc.? Why are the best athletes so smooth and graceful? Why does a gentle approach to meditation work so well? Why does something like tai chi or chi kung create such benefits for the body. Why does being gentle and caring create such wonderful relationships?

No idea, but both seem to be pretty universally true.

Wow, great answers, Betawave.

Welcome, Joel.