I think my transmission needs a tune-up.

Hey everyone. Haven't posted in awhile. Although, I have been lurking around quite a bit and keeping up with the evolution of this site and Kenneth's new understandings. (pretty exciting by the way!)

Since I got on the ride I have been primarily a 1st gear sort of guy. I think I may be slipping into the other gears and I want to make sure that I am practicing Vipassana when I am trying to practice Vipassana

My first and foremost goal right now is to complete the circuit and attain developmental enlightenment (1st gear). My practice, which has intensified lately, is going well but I need to check in and make sure I am going in the right direction.

It almost feels like I am gravitating towards 2nd and 3rd gear practice, not that this is bad, but I want to make sure to stick to my goal of attaining paths.

Kenneth recently wrote on this thread:
kennethfolkdharma.wetpaint.com/thread/4419595/Be+free

'Practice becoming aware of the body sensations that correspond to a thought. Whenever a thought arises, feel the body. How do you know whether you like the thought or not? It's because the body sensations feel either pleasant or unpleasant. Notice that if you dissociate from this moment, i.e., step into the fantasy and leave the body, you will suffer. Suffering is not ordinary pain; ordinary pain is just unpleasant sensation. Suffering is cause by the dissociation, the stepping out of this moment, out of the body' '“Kenneth Folk

Two things happen when I do this:
1. I feel that any suffering or attachment that could have come next didn't or was less. (grounding the energy like a lightning rod)
2. I have been catching that rascal the illusionary self with his hand in the cookie jar. (noticing the dissociation)

Of course, the self slips away and I am back to noting body or mental sensations. But then I am on high alert trying to catch him again'¦ Then I ask, 'Who is trying to catch who' This just seems like I am switching to 2nd gear and by the definition of the second quote that I posted I may also be practicing 3rd gear as well. But wait'¦ I thought I was practicing Vipassana.

I don't feel that any of this is a bad thing. I only want to make sure that I am on track.

If I was told to just figure it all out for myself I would keep trying to focus on catching the dissociation between mind and body that creates the illusionary sense of self in order to eliminate it directly.

But I am grateful that I don't have to figure it all out on my own. Am I putting the cart before the horse here by focusing on destroying the sense of self head on?
.

The first part of the above quote almost sounds like the description of the 3rd gear practice of direct mode of perception found here:

kennethfolkdharma.wetpaint.com/page/3rd+...Tolle%2C+and+the+PCE

'Feel your body, all at once. Don't pick it apart, just let it be whole. Notice that anxiety, anger, resentment, aversion, or agitation, no matter how subtle, can be experienced as energy disruptions in the body. You might notice a hardness or seeming blockage in the neck or shoulder, for example. Don't try to fix it. Just rest your attention on it gently and continuously as you might rest your hand on the shoulder of a loved one to reassure them. Notice that this gentle application of attention grounds the energy like a lightning rod.'
-Kenneth Folk

Both of these descriptions sound similar to what I am doing currently. If I notice a physical sensation, I try to quickly catch the concurrent mental or emotion sensation. Also, If I feel a mental or emotion sensation, I try to quickly catch the physical sensation that corresponds to the body.
.

This is excellent practice, Anthony, just as you have described it. When the 3 speed transmission is really working right, it's an automatic transmission; all three gears come up as required, working seamlessly together. The common denominator between all of these practices is attention in this moment. The distinction between the gears is a matter of emphasis and all three gears lead to developmental enlightenment when done properly. The great advantage of 1st gear, specifically the noting-aloud practice is that it gives you realtime feedback as to whether you are really present in this moment or just daydreaming about it. If you are noting, you are present. The 2nd and 3rd gear practices are a bit more slippery, with a lot of potential for self-delusion. This is why I recommend noting aloud as the mainstay of everyone's practice. Everything else is built upon this foolproof 1st gear foundation.

So, don't shy away from the 2nd and 3rd gear practices you are doing, but keep yourself honest by lots of noting, preferably aloud. This will get it done.

Kenneth

Awesome. Thanks for the clarification.

Thanks all- this thread comes at the right time for me. Lately, I have felt a stronger and stronger sense that at the end of each experience, there's a mechanism that wants to put me into a kind of movie about myself, rather than just take in the experience. This began with noting "image", and that an actual image of my face would often be the dominant image in my visual centre, but I'm starting to feel that this is all part of some subtle and ongoing processing that's gradually becoming more exposed.

So just last night I asked myself the same question: "should I switch from 1st to 2nd gear"? The answer seems to be that I'm already doing the right kind of gear-switiching, if I go back to the noting whenever I feel like I've lost the thread.

"If I was told to just figure it all out for myself I would keep trying to focus on catching the dissociation between mind and body that creates the illusionary sense of self in order to eliminate it directly." -Me

I wanted to make one comment about this and then I think I need to start my practice notes thread again.

After re-reading some great practice threads on this site and from my current practice I don't think I was on the right track with this above statement.

Rather...
If I can notice the self doing its magic trick then great. But, If I don't directly notice it, I don't think I should be straining to see it. I just need to keep it simple and notice what is present right now in my field of experience and stick with that. (maybe the whole "seeker hiding the sought" sort of thing was happening)

I get really anxious sometimes with the desire for enlightenment and I want to charge right through. I need to remember that sticking with simple noting is not slowing down my progress and there is not some high level state that I need to be in to get it done.
.