mental labelling

yangster58

Is it good or bad to mentally label things that pop up while you're meditating? Usually i label everything in my mind like, thinking, noticing, feeling, hearing, returning, etc. Is this what most people do? And will this help or hinder my meditation?

taiyaki

Its good to do if your mind is going nuts. I believe that is a form of mahasi meditation.

But personally i just enjoy whatever comes without placing neat labels onto experience. Buy being able to correctly discern what is what is pretty useful.

So up to you and what your intention is.

Sabre

I don't know if it is good or bad. Can go both ways, I suppose. But personally I don't do it. I did it for a short while, but I didn't like it, because I think it 1) creates a barrier between the mind and "the one noting", 2) it creates more restlessness and 3) may take away the important factor of kindness (metta) if approached incorrectly.

However, what I did find very useful personally, is to note the 5 hindrances. It is not always easy to recognize them, so it is also a learning process. Once you recognize them, you can deal with them more easily.

Noting everything is indeed Mahasi style practice. You may want to watch this video below. I don't say I agree, I personally have too little experience of this technique, but it is just thought worth considering.



So, if you think it works, go with it I suppose.

Jeffrey

I think there is a vagueness of what information the label imparts to the mentations. It could be neurotic kind of nervousness expressing itself. The goal is not to sort of neatly wrap up mental events as processed. But at the same time I definitely think that mental labeling is a kind of insight and tthere will be a tension to 'get' that insight. There has to be a relaxing component too I struggle with that too. Often my meditations are pretty blank and I might try to do the labeling next time to see what happens. Meditation is flexible and you can play with the approach. But sometimes it gets too far off base to return to insight for quite some time.

weighted

As most said so far, everyone differs. I find it useful to label the thoughts "thoughts" and then let them pass. I find that this then translates to my daily life and makes me more mindful - e.g. in painful situations I drop the story line and experience the emotion, knowing it will pass, and the same with other thoughts or emotions throughout the day.

driedleaf

Hi @yangster58,

From my experience I find that some basic teachings on how to meditate, became unnecessary for me to use after doing it for a while. I would say that every method is helpful and necessary at times, but if you feel completely comfortable doing it without using some of those techniques, you might feel that it is unnecessary to hold on to and keep repeating.

With metta

yangster58

Thanks everyone

Noting everything is indeed Mahasi style practice

I see. Can you or anyone else give me an idea on how the Goenka style is practiced? or how it differs from the Mahasi tradition?

SpinyNorman2

Is it good or bad to mentally label things that pop up while you're meditating?

I think simple labelling it can be useful for insight meditation and general mindfulness - but over-labelling can be a hindrance.

Sabre

I see. Can you or anyone else give me an idea on how the Goenka style is practiced? or how it differs from the Mahasi tradition?

To learn the Goenka method, best go on a 10-day retreat, I guess. I've never been on one (don't practice in those traditions) but I know people who did and the practice is explained there with videos.

patbb

I see. Can you or anyone else give me an idea on how the Goenka style is practiced? or how it differs from the Mahasi tradition?

Goenka is basically Samadhi on the breath for a third of the time, and body scanning focusing on equanimity (looking at things without getting carried away by them) for the rest of the time.
Sprinkle with loving kindness a bit and this is pretty much Goenka technique

To help with equanimity, we keep in mind "anatta, anicca and dukkha".
looking at things "as it is, as it is", not as we would like them to be but as it is.



Ajahn Brahm teach body scanning in one of his guided meditation, you might want to google this.
He also have many guided meditation explaining samadhi.



But i agree, the best way to learn the technique is to join the 10 day course, which is free and offered in many places all over the world

RichardH

Sometimes for me things are just clear, thoughts come and go like any other sensation, and there is grounding in/as the cushion, the floor, the room, etc. There is no checking back, no narrative. Sometimes it isn't like that....and instead the whole room is within "my story" because thoughts are invisible. They are invisible because I am absorbed in them. They comprise a stealth background story of "my life" that is containing everything. That is when calling out thought helps, because then they are clearly seen within a basic clarity, and the story is dropped.

Telly03

It's easier for me to just let them go... I don't want to give the thoughts any additional time and recognition

misecmisc1

i do not try to mentally label thoughts in my meditation. but my meditation is no meditation and merely sitting i think, as there is no concentration in it. what i do is try to observe natural breath - currently what is happening is i try to be in present moment, but it seems my mind is too chaotic - when thoughts arise, i try to focus on my breath - as far as hindrances are concerned which @sabre said above, i think it is restlessness with my mind's doer part far more active than knower part, then i try to let my mind's knower part be active by trying to see what is happening, then restlessness becomes more with the concern if i am observing the present moment or currently feeling the moment which has just passed by - this concern seems to disturb my mind frequently these days - there are some blank periods which are sign of sloth and torpor - there is attachment towards seeing if i am doing it properly and is leading me to towards the right direction, making my mind more restless.

but i do not mentally label thoughts and also do not count breaths. just sit and try to observe natural breath, with the problems mentioned above. dont know if it is of any help to you, but just sharing my meditation experience with you.