Alan's [enter catchy title here] Meditation Notes

It has been recommended to me that I start taking notes on my insight meditation practice, and that is what I am going to do.

I am pre-1st Path, live in the Chicago area, and am thirty six years old. After twelve years of school I finally finished both my secondary education teaching credentials as well as my MA in British/American literature. I feel that now is really the time to really go for 1st Path, as I am not currently teaching [I'm looking though, and have filled out roughly 275 applications], I work part-time, and I don't have any children. Within a year or two or three, all of these things may have changed, so for this reason I've decided that now is the time to focus a great deal of energy on achieving my spiritual goals.

My father introduced me to shinkantaza meditation when I was an adolescent, and as a result I became very interested in Buddhism and read a lot of theory. My practice was irregular and not very deep until I read Dan Ingram's MCToB in 2010. I started by practicing anapanasati meditation so as to strengthen my concentration and achieve 1st jhana, but I never entered absorption .

After being encouraged by some of the jolly good folks on this very forum to begin vipassana, I decided to move in this direction. I started a noting practice but never got past the first three nanas. In June 2012, a friend and I attended a 10-day Goenka vipassana retreat and it was there that I made my first serious progress.

On the retreat I managed to build up strong concentration and experienced sensations of squeezing at the temples, throbbing and pulsations at the third eye location on my head, and a feeling which I can best describe as akin to having wet clay placed on top of my skull.

I shot through the A+P on day 4 in a pretty spectacular fashion; on day 5 and 6 hit Dark Night and thought I'd imagined the whole thing, lost all my concentration, etc.; on day 7 got into Equanimity territory and pretty much stayed there for the remainder of the retreat.

In the following weeks I managed to convince myself that real progress was only possible while on retreat, as it was the best place to build up and sustain concentration. As a result I stopped meditation for about six months.

But the call became strong once again and in the beginning of December I began a daily practice of 2 sits per day [morning and night] of roughly an hour to an hour and a half each sit [sometimes less on the weekends]. I also try to note when driving or walking around at work. I'd decided that I couldn't just wait around for a retreat and had to try to make progress in my daily life. That being said, I've got a 3-day retreat planned for February and another 10-day in June. I'm also trying to line up some conversations with a meditation teacher, and we'll see how that works out.

This is a record of my formal sitting meditation practices since starting daily vipassana practice this past month:

12/7 - 3hrs
12/8 - 2 hrs 15 min
12/9 - 0
12/10 - 5 hrs
12/11 - 3 hrs
12/12 - 3 hrs
12/13 - 3 hrs
12/14 - 3 hrs
12/15 - 1 hr 30 min
12/16 - 2 hrs 30 min
12/17 - 2 hrs 15 min
12/18 - 2 hrs 45 min
12/19 - 2 hrs 30 min
12/20 - 1 hr 45 min
12/21 - 2 hrs 15 min
12/22 - 1 hr 30 min
12/23 - 2 hrs
12/24 - 30 min
12/25 - 0
12/26 - 2 hrs
12/27 - 2 hrs 30 min

Notes I took 12/27, as reminders, points of focus, etc.

* If fatigued or tired or sluggish, sit on a zafu instead of a chair or bed, or take a quick shower, or pound some coffee or an energy drink, but do what needs to be done to make a sit productive and valuable.

* Remember to orient the mind towards anicca, anatta, dukkha. Try not to just note sensations without also noting whether they are impermanent, indicative of no-self, or suffering.

* Disembed - Use "Passenger"-style noting: "See how it..." Abstract or enter an equanimous, scientific state of mind where one does not identify with the sensations. If it can be objectified, it is not "I."

* Start with anapanasati. Focus on the sensation of the breath as it enters and exits the nostrils. For every inhalation and exhalation count 1, then 2, etc., up to 10. If can count a complete cycle 3 or more times without getting lost, and the mind is calm, and I'm getting the head squeezies, then start vipassana.

* Switch to intensive sweeping, slowing going over all the parts of the body until they "wake up" and sensations can be felt all over. Once the concentration is strong, then switch to...

* Relatively fast, detailed, focused, passenger-style noting. If concentration gets real strong, and focus gets real wide, switch to...

* Choiceless awareness, in which one sits with the focus relatively wide, perhaps encompassing the whole body at once, or the field of awareness without the body, just noticing sensations without aggressive noting. [Or, perhaps as one teacher suggested, continue noting but slower, at a rate of one note per five to seven seconds.]

* If concentration/mindfulness/focus wanes, downshift from choiceless awareness to noting, or to sweeping, or anapanasati if need be.

* If having difficulty focusing while trying to noting [getting lost in images/dreams/fantasies/memories/etc.], try a structured Four Foundations noting rotation, switching systematically between noting sensations/phenomenon at the ears, eyes, nose, tongue, skin/body, mind, and feeling tones, noting whatever appears at that sense door until mindfulness/concentration is established.

* Practice noting whenever driving or doing chores, walking around, etc. Create a linkage/continuity between sitting practice and rest of day.

* Experiment with meditating with a primary object [breath] while noting secondary phenomenon. "Anchored" meditation could help build concentration, which is vital.

Since my last entry, I have practiced these hours:

12/28: 2 hrs 30 min
12/29: 1 hour 30 min
12/30: 0 hours
12/31: 1 hour 30 min
01/01: 1 hour
01/02: 1 hour 30 min
01/03: 2 hrs

Getting practice in during weekends and holidays can be a real ***** sometimes, mostly 'cause I see more of my friends and loved-ones at these times, so my practice kinda took a small dip these last few weeks, but I always tried to get some quality time in nonetheless. Now that we post-holidays, I expect to get back to my normal practice schedule which usually is around 2, 2 and 1/2, or 3 hours a day.

I find it difficult to articulate a report of my meditations. I'm often not sure what exactly I'm experiencing, or how to place them on the maps, etc. For instance, it is never really clear to me which vipassana jhana I'm in.

Basically, my sittings usually have the same pattern. I begin by doing some concentration meditation ala focusing on the breath and counting. I'll do this 30-50 times until I feel some degree of concentration arise. Usually I'll experience some throbbing between my eyes, and/or a sensation of squeezing at my temples.

Then I'll try to cultivate some mindfulness by doing noting. I'll note body sensations, thoughts which occur, and sounds, mainly. At some point I'll feel my concentration develop a little more and I'll switch to intense and slow body scanning.

I start at the very top of my head and try to feel sensations at that very specific spot. When I'm able to do this I'll try to then feel sensation over the entire top of my skull. I'll then try to feel my ears. Then I'll feel my face. At time point I often have a lot of activity in my face, lots of more subtle sensations, or what I think of as subtle sensations. In addition to the concentration squeezies between my eyes and at my temples, I'll feel sensations like champagne bubbles on my cheeks, on my lips, etc. I'll then continue down and try to feel sensations on my neck, then my shoulders. I'll then work my way down my left arm, slowly, until I can feel that my arm existence, to wake it up, so to speak, until I get down to my fingers. My fingers usually have lots doing on there at that point, such as throbbing, pulsing, tingling, etc. I'll then start on the right shoulder and work my way down to the right arm, and then feel each finger individually.

I then usually take a moment or two and focus all my attention on all the sensations taking place in both arms and hands simultaneously. Sometimes at this point I'll play Dan's finger game, where I'll try to feel the sensations taking place in both index fingers simultaneously.

I'll then try to feel the sensations in my back. When I do, I'll focus my attention on my chest and stomach. I'll then work my way down my left leg to the foot, then I'll scan down my right leg to the foot. Then I'll take a moment or two and try to feel all the sensations taking place in both legs and feet simultaneously.

At this point I may begin the whole process again, or, I'll pull my focus back, so to speak, and try to experience all the sensations taking place at the same time all throughout my torso, hands, and head. I'll just sit there and try to feel everything taking place all throughout that region.

Welcome!

BTW - I live in the Chicago area, too, as do a few others who post here.

When I 'm scanning I don't really note. I just feel. My focus is really tight and if my concentration is decent my mind doesn't wander much, so I'm not noting thoughts, etc. If a thought does occur and it distracts me, or some other distraction arises [sound, whatever], I will note it until it goes away, but while I'm scanning I'm just trying to be aware without too much labeling.

I think usually by this time I'm in the A+P, or Dissolution. I don't get any spectacular light-shows or energetic phenomenon or bliss or anything, nor does my body dissolve into billions of arising and passing sparks or pulsations. The commentaries, etc., mention seeing phenomenon only passing away, not arising, at this point. I don't really know what this means, or what this would look like. My concentration simply builds and then I feel sensations on my body that I normally don't notice and that's it. I've come to look at the maps in a much more subtle way. At first I thought that each individual stage would be hugely obvious, like a neon sign. I think the first time I went through the A+P from meditation [at a June 2012 10-day Goenka retreat] I got a serious bliss wave, but that doesn't happen anymore, but I assume I'm still getting to the A+P, it's just subtler.

At this point I start doing some straight-up noting. I'll note everything which comes in through the sense doors for, oh, I don't know, ten minutes or so. What I'm trying to do is transition away from tight scanning of body sensations to something broader and more inclusive. At some point I begin to feel my focus being drawn away from my body and more towards the horizon, so to speak. My eyes are shut, but it is like I'm lookout out towards the distance. I don't notice going through any dark night dukkas. It is usually a seamless and smooth transition from the body scanning, then to sense door noting noting, to a more expansive thing, like I go from pre A+P, to A+P, to Equanimity, usually pretty easily and smoothly.

I stop noting at this point because I'm not really sure what I'm experiencing. I'm not focusing on the body so much anymore, and I guess I'm feeling body stuff, but it's just tingles, etc., but I don't think I'm really aware of the body at this point. I switch to a choiceless awareness where I just try to experience everything which is taking place all at the same time. If my mindfulness and concentration are decent at this point, I'm not really having thoughts, memories, fantasies, etc., all that much, so I don't have to note them 'cause they're not really occurring in a distracting way. I get into a really mellow groove here. Sitting is very easy, comfortable, it feels good, etc. Afterward I'll notice that my feet will almost always have been asleep, but it doesn't both me in the slightest when I'm at this point. I'm guessing this is Equanimity.

Sometimes I get an increase in the body sensations at this point. Other times I get sensations kinda like my concentration or focus or whatever is zooming in and out. I get lots of pulsing, flashing lights at this point as well. Not nimitta stuff, just eyes closed swirling vortex of lights stuff. Sometimes my eyes will flutter and kind of open and close really fast. Sometimes I get what seems like flashing, rapid flickering. [However, I'm well aware of having read numerous accounts of how flickering is a sign of near stream, so I'm not sure if I'm fooling myself by something inducing flickering in some kind of unconscious way, or if it is genuine flickering, etc.] Sometimes I get a sensation which feels like a pressure in my head, almost like a kind of headache, which comes and goes; I usually attribute this as some kind of concentration thing. I alternate intense investigation with a looser hangin' out relaxed mindfulness, and sometimes go back and forth, seeing what happens when I play around. Sometimes I go back and do some body scanning again, and usually the body sensations are more intense and easier to find at this point. Then I'll revert back to choiceless awareness.

In Equanimity I don't really consciously label stuff anatta, dukkha, or anicca. I just try and sense whatever is happening. I don't know if this is flawed, since many people mention looking for this or looking for that, but basically I just try to be aware of what is going down and hope that my concentration and mindfulness grows stronger, etc.

Usually around the 50 or 60 minute mark I'll wonder what time it is and then check. I'll then continue to sit for another 10 minutes or whatever. When I stop sitting I'm usually feeling really quite good. I attribute this as an Equanimity bleed-over. If this was a morning sit, I will then try to do noting on my way to work, and then at work, etc., but my job is kinda a hellhole so maintaining a real continuity of mindfulness is impossible to sustain the entire workday, but I do what I can. If it was the nighttime sit, I try to sustain my mindfulness and dwell in the state of Equanimity until I go to sleep. [It occurred to me today that if folks who have achieved path can enter any nana at any point easily, then they can induce Equanimity at will, which would be a terrific thing to do when stressed out, etc. I'd love to be able to enter High Equanimity at the drop of a hat, say during a work or whatever.]

On a side note, I've written a couple letters to some meditation teachers seeking advice, possible Skypes, etc., but have received no replies. I'm just rollin' with it and keeping my practice going. I figure that sustained practice will probably answer most questions in time, anyway.

So that is what I'm doing and what happens when I do it. I'm just gonna keeping practicing and hoping for the best. I have a 3-day retreat set up for Feb, and a 10-day for June. I'd love to get stream sooner rather than later, of course, but I'm not going to freak out about it. I'm just gonna practice and practice and practice and see what happens. If I get to Feb and no stream, then I'll do my 3-day and see what happens. If it doesn't happen then, then I'll just keep practicing and practicing and practicing, and, if nothing happens by June, then I've got my 10-day, and then we'll see what happens there. Hope for the best, and practice everyday.

1/4: 2 hrs 15 min
1/5: 1 hour
1/6: 2 hrs
1/7: 4 hrs

Practicing, practicing, practicing. Investigating, investigating, investigation.

It is hard to talk about my sits because not a lot different happens than what I've already stated above: I do some counting of the breath to get me situated, then I do scanning which gets me pretty concentrated and gets me past the A+P, then I do some noting to get me through the dark night dukkas and my focus widens, and then I do choiceless awareness while in Equanimity until I get bored and/or tired and then I stop.

While in Equanimity I am usually not all that aware of my body [this is not where my focus naturally draws] but my focus pulls towards what I call the horizon, in that it is like I'm lying on the ground looking off into the sky. It feels relatively wide and expansive. I try to be aware of everything which is occurring all at the same time, whether it is body, mind, etc., all the thoughts and all the tiny sensations all at the same time - that is my goal at this point. If my mindfulness is good, then there really isn't a lot in the way of thoughts to notice [obtrusive thoughts, that is], and my body awareness is diminished, so what I am left with is what I think of as the "sky," "horizon," or whatever it is, which sometimes is pretty placid and calm [like the surface on an undisturbed lake], and at other times it seems to churn and writhe around [like the surface of a lake being hit by water drops]. Sometimes the colors of the horizon are uniform, and sometimes there are a lot of changing colors, like clouds, with intense black within. Sometimes things seem to flicker, sometimes my actual eyes are flickering. Sometimes I get a kind of headache, a cold, hard sensation in my forehead when doing vipassana. I will try to note and/or investigate subtle mindstates, periphery stuff, but things are tricker to distinguish at this juncture -- you know, the horizon/lake-type analogy -- but sometimes I try it nonetheless, and at other times I just hang out and try to let the mind concentrate or do stuff on its own, etc.

1/8: 3hrs 30 min

The only somewhat new thing to report was that today while in Equanimity I start getting the sensation on my face which I can only compare to that of someone gently blowing on my forehead/nose. I started focusing on the sensation and I became pretty concentrated as a result. I have no idea what that was about. For all I know it could have actually been a light breeze of some type, or it could have been purely the result of my insight meditation. At one point my muscles got tense and my neck got rigid. Again, this happens from time to time and I'm not sure if I am doing this myself as a result of "straining" for insight/stream/etc., or if it is a vipassana jhanic thing, or whatever. Sometimes I go with it and at other times I try to relax.

I'm also experimenting with the formless realm vipassana jhanas. I'm trying to cultivate boundless consciousness. After meditating for a bit I get into a place where my awareness becomes vast, wide, panoramic, less body focused and more wide open space focused, as if I'm looking off into the horizon, like I'm lying on the ground looking into the sky, etc., which I've come to associate rightly or wrongly with the formless realm jhana of boundless space -- but in its vipassana jhananic form.

My last few sits I've been experimenting with cultivating the sense that the boundless space is in fact filled with awareness, such that it becomes boundless consciousness [vipassana jhana # 6]. My working hypothesis is that this will make the investigation of the subtler aspects of the mind [which is what everyone suggests is the thing to be done while in Equanimity] more concrete. If consciousness becomes vast, then it is easier to explore, no? Am I on the right track?

"
Welcome!

BTW - I live in the Chicago area, too, as do a few others who post here.

"

Howdy!

Thanks for the warm welcome! I think we've briefly met, although I'm sure you don't remember me. Were you at the 2012 Buddhist Geeks conference? I was there with my pal Buddy. At one point he saw you [or at least I think it was you] and he said something to the effect of "Oh, I recognize him from the forums, etc," at which point he stopped to chat with you while I stood mutely. I think you mentioned that you and some local folks sit every so often in Lombard, or one of the Chicagoland suburbs. It is cool to connect with you once again and to know there are some local folks into pragmatic/hardcore dharma, etc.

Yes, I was at the 2012 BG Conference. Some of us locals still meet in Wheaton periodically.

1/8: 3 hrs 30 min
1/9: 3 hrs 30 min
1/10: 2 hrs 30 min
1/11: 2 hrs 30 min
1/12: 1 hour
1/13: 3 hours
1/14: 2 hrs 30 min
1/15: 3 hours
1/16: 2 hrs 30 min

So I haven't updated my practice log in a while because I'm practicing twice a day (generally), and it was becoming kind of cumbersome to write a novel detailing each session, especially when I'm trying to devote as much of my spare time to meditating as possible, not writing, etc. It occurred to me, however, that I could create a template which could easily be filled out within a few minutes, and would be detailed enough to provide pertinent/interesting data/information. Here is what I came up with, which I will try to use henceforth. I will try to give it a whirl after tonight's session. I will, of course, modify the template as needed to make it work best, etc.

Note: When I refer to "Daniel Ingram's 'Hierarchy of Vipassana Practice,'" I am referring to what he wrote here: www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discu...ards/message/1973107

Date:
Length of Sit:
Where/Posture:
Pre-Meditative Context:
Daniel Ingram's 'Hierarchy of Vipassana Practice' Rating 1-10:
Cutting Edge Insight Stage:
Meditative Technique(s) Utilized:


What Occurred? How was It Noted? What Happened to It? [Brief Description of Session]:


Unique or Unusual Sensations/Phenomenon:


What Worked? What Didn't?


General Thoughts/Reflections:


Goal(s) for Next Session:

Date: 01/18
Length of Sit: 1st: 1hr 10 min [3:20pm-4:30pm]; 2nd: 1 hr [2:10am-3:10am]; 3rd: 30 min 4:20am-4:50am.
Where/Posture: 1st and 2nd sit in loft on zafu; 3rd in bed.
Pre-Meditative Context: Before 2nd session, pounded a Monster energy drink.
Cutting Edge Insight Stage: Equanimity
Meditative Technique(s) Utilized: All three sessions: 1) started by focusing on the sensation of the breath as it entered and exited the nostrils. Did this for roughly ten minutes. 2) Did noting until I felt a continuity of attention build, as well as my concentration. 3) I then did some slow scanning from the top of my head down to my toes, until I could feel vibrations and sensations arise throughout the body. 4) Then did noting again. I continued doing noting until I felt that I was in an expansive state of Equanimity. In the past I usually would switch to choiceless awareness, but I tried to keep a consistent noting going the whole time.

What Worked? What Didn't?:
I notice that sometimes when I get to Equanimity my mind can wander a bit. I really want to prevent this so I'm going with some Equanimity stage noting. If I'm having a difficult patch, or whatever, I'm trying noting anchored in the breath, so as to keep my mind occupied. I think that I am going to try sticking with noting in Equanimity for the time being, as opposed to switching to choiceless awareness.

General Thoughts/Reflections:
I feel like my technique is pretty good, but, obviously, it could always be better. I'm meditating twice a day, which I think is a good strategy because it builds some continuity of mindfulness. That being said, I was in my second session, noting my behind off, feeling like I was in a pretty solid state of Equanimity, and wondering what the extra push was that I needed to put me over the edge into stream. My thought was that I need to meditate even more. A retreat would be ideal '“ and I have a three-day planned for Feb, and a ten-day for June '“ but what I may also try to do is sit two sessions at night [when possible], an hour sit, then a break, then another hour sit. We'll see what effect this has. Also, I noticed that my night sits seem to go better: more focused, more activity from the vibrations, etc. I'm not sure why this is, but it seems to be the case. I have less 'wow' sessions during that day, but, obviously, I'm going to continue sitting them. Also, drinking an energy drink really seems to help me. Less nodding off, and thus one less hindrance to worry about.

Goal(s) for Next Session: Noting during Equanimity instead of choiceless awareness. Do two one hour sessions at night. [assuming time and stamina permits {this will be impossible on the weekends, etc.}].

What Occurred? How was It Noted? What Happened to It? [Brief Description of Session]: After scanning I felt vibrations arise throughout the body, but I felt them most distinctly on my face and head, like crackles of energy, and as pressure and release, squeezing and then dissipations. I usually noted these as pressure, pressure, or squeezing, squeezing, or release, release, or energy, energy, or electric, electric. On my arms, the sensations was more like an light energy aura, or hum. I'd note this as hum, hum. After scanning my focus generally stayed pretty tight for about ten minutes until it became more expansive. I like to note sounds because it broadens my worldview. I have a highway nearby, so I'd note cars, cars, etc. I sat like a rock for about 40 minutes and then I started having a lot of desire for stream come up so I started noting desire, desire, or anticipation, anticipation.
I felt like I could sit for a long time, but also felt that perhaps I should take a short break, and then afterward sit another session. My legs were totally dead, something which used to irk me to no end, but I don't seem to notice now on my sits. I experienced some aches and pains on my morning sit, more than usual as late, but almost none during my evening sit, as if I went straight to Equanimity.

Unique or Unusual Sensations/Phenomenon:
I experience a lot of pulsation at the third eye location, and squeezing and releasing on the crown of my head. I also sometimes get a not too painful pressure in my head while doing vipassana. I've read a few posts when folks have suggested that this is kundalini energy. Also, that possibly the vibrations, or electric sensations experienced throughout the body are kundalini. I have no intention of manipulating this energy, but I know nothing about kundalini theory, etc. Is it a consensus that the fore mentioned stuff is kundalini related?

Great job on your effort and momentum. I find myself in a similar territory. Just thought I'd chime in.

When things get chilled out in equanimity, especially when transitioning from groser vibrations or unpleasant sensations, there is a relief-like sensations and general chill-out. I find that the mind then gets a subtle boost of energy and wants to go onto some pleasant fantasy, or get busy doing something. Verbal outloud noting usually helps me maintain the fidelity. Good luck.

Metta,
Andrew

"Great job on your effort and momentum. I find myself in a similar territory. Just thought I'd chime in.

When things get chilled out in equanimity, especially when transitioning from groser vibrations or unpleasant sensations, there is a relief-like sensations and general chill-out. I find that the mind then gets a subtle boost of energy and wants to go onto some pleasant fantasy, or get busy doing something. Verbal outloud noting usually helps me maintain the fidelity. Good luck.

Metta,
Andrew"

Yes, exactly! I utilized verbal noting today during a particularly rocky session and it really did help bring me back to present moment awareness. My only issue with verbal noting is it seems to be fatiguing. On the other hand, it could be the case that I am simply fatigued which is therefore making verbal noting harder. I know this is kinda bad but I find drinking an energy drink before sitting really helps. Nevertheless, I am definitely going to use verbal noting when things get tough. It works.

Thanks my brother. The best to you in your practice!

Date: 01/18

Length of Sit: 1 hr 45 min [12:20pm-2:05pm]

Where/Posture: 1 hr 20 on zafu, 25 minutes on chair

Pre-Meditative Context: tired and groggy going into session

Cutting Edge Insight Stage: Equanimity

Meditative Technique(s) Utilized: Started with 15 minutes anapanasati meditation focusing on the sensation of the breath as they entered and exited the nostrils. Switched to noting. Then I did some halfhearted scanning, after which I went back to noting. After a ton of trouble focusing I did some verbal noting, and eventually anchored noting. Eventually I did some choiceless awareness.

General Thoughts/Reflections: My daytime sit is the most difficult. It takes me longer to achieve Equanimity, and it is generally a lower Equanimity. The sensations are more muted as well, and my mind wants to wander. The only thing which seems to combat this engaging in a longer sit, plain and simple, where I just take the time to work through all the stages and hindrances. At night I sometimes get to Equanimity within minutes, but for some reason the daytime is more difficult. Perhaps I'm more tried, perhaps since I haven't been to work yet my mind is unconsciously unsettled, etc., who knows.

01/18 morn sit continued..

What Worked? What Didn't?: I initially tried meditating with a blindfold, but I found that this muted and masked the subtle sensations in the face so I eventually took it off. The verbal noting really helped me regain focus after struggling for a while, but I kinda find it tiring to sustain for some reason, nevertheless I need to remember to use this technique when I'm floundering, as it really works to bring one into present moment awareness. The anchored noting really helped me focus as well. Starting with an extended concentration session (15 minutes of anapanasati) didn't seem to help this time at all. I think just counting to 10 five or so times is enough to center me to begin practice. Also, when I'm fatigued I find scanning difficult, as it seems to require more energy and concentration than noting, but at the same time the payoff is a solid A+P upon which to build up to the other nanas. I kinda skipped scanning this time, which could account for why it took me longer to hit a solid Equanimity. For some reason, noting doesn't get a really strong A+P going, which means 1) scanning is just really good for this particular purpose, 2) my noting technique needs work, or 3) both. To develop my noting technique, I try noting when I drive and walk around. At one point in the sit I tried a more complex noting: I'd note the sensation, then whether it was pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, and then see if there were any thoughts associated with the sensation. This kept my mind from wandering, but I also began to fear that I was spending too much time with sensations which already had long past, and was missing sensations taking place in the now, which meant I wasn't really developing present moment awareness.

Goal(s) for Next Session: Longer morning time sits seem to work, so, instead of an hour, I'm gonna go for 1 hr 30 min to 2 hrs. Also, remember to use verbal noting and/or anchored noting when floundering.