Mahasi Sayadaw / Yuttadhammo noting question

Question

When I'm sitting, I have a lot of trouble making it through all the touching points.

One issue I'm thinking that I might be having is that maybe the progression of objects is incorrect: I do rising-falling-sitting-touching and then repeat for the entire hour that I sit. Maybe I am supposed to be doing: rising-falling-sitting and then rising-falling-touching and repeat those two progressions alternatively?

Assuming the former is correct - is it ever permissible to, I'm weary about using the word but, ignore very subtle objects of awareness and continue noting through the progression? I just feel like I'm forcing it every time I make it to a touching point. I try to be as mindful as possible but it's hard to feel like I'm doing it correctly when I can't even make it to a touching point. feels like it's creating needless doubts. and maybe I'm just practicing incorrectly.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I just feel like I'm forcing it every time I make it to a touching point. I try to be as mindful as possible but it's hard to feel like I'm doing it correctly when I can't even make it to a touching point. feels like it's creating needless doubts. and maybe I'm just practicing incorrectly.

You're experiencing disenchantment and dispassion which comes about through the recognition of transience, suffering and not-self. What you claim as a setback is the actual knowledge to be understood. In the excerpt there is classic transience, suffering and not-self mostly through seeking continuity of practice and becoming frustrated that its continuity has been lost. That's the knowledge right there. It is not a mechanistic understanding governed by conventional learning, it is a wisdom understand governed by how the mind has been previously exposed to practice.