Why Use the Noting Style?

First off, use whatever works.  Whatever works to get you present and aware of what you are aware of, and keep you there a high percentage of the time.

The noting style comes from southeast Asian Theravada Buddhism, from a monk called Mahasi.  The style came out of a period of experimentation and regrowth in the Theravada communities due to various cultural factors.  It was an attempt to replicate what Buddha described in his talk about mindfulness.

The following is a bit technical, but here are some of the reasons that this style may be effective:

• Perhaps most importantly, the noting requires you to continuously prove one is aware, to provide evidence that you are aware, unlike most methods where one merely intends to be aware
• Regular noting at approximately one second intervals doesn't allow much time for mind wandering
• Coming up with the note uses up a certain amount of mental bandwidth that might otherwise be used to wander
• Practiced earnestly, it allows for a very high rate of continuous mindfulness or awareness of awareness, true for many structured styles
• Freely noting from any points in awareness, "dancing" from one object of awareness to another, trains mental flexibility and gives insight into impermanence
• Similarly, continually breaking up one's experience into parts, deconstructing the experience, "busting it up", gives insight into no-self
• Every note is telling you what experience, what attachment, to let go of
• The regular noting (around 3600 times per hour) provides a unique type of feedback, allowing the mind to see patterns it might miss otherwise, at times providing insight into dependent origination, the billiard ball like physics of our experience (for example: loud sound > fear > body tensions > fearful thoughts > realization > relief > relaxation)
• This style is perhaps exceptionally good for interrupting the conditioned prejudice towards, and attachment to, thought
• This style is recommended by Dr. Jud Brewer, who has tested out many types of mindfulness with subjects using fMRI, comparing the results to that of advanced meditators
• Ultimately, it is a complete by-the-numbers approach to learn how to pay attention to the present moment.  If you actually do it, you are being mindful.  If you are doing mainstream mindfulness practice where you merely intend to be mindful, it may be that much of the time you won't be mindful.

But again, whatever works.

Next:  Intro to Noting and Meditation

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