how to practice the noting technique

As we meditate, we may get so inundated with our thoughts or feelings that we may lose awareness of our breath or our object of attention. When we gain awareness again, we can simply note the nature of distraction, whether it was a thought or feeling, and again start focusing on the object of our meditation. Noting is subtle and analogous to a calm whisper or a gentle placement of a feather. We need to employ noting only when we have been distracted so much that we have lost the awareness of our object of attention completely. As we acknowledge the distraction, we are able to create distance, let it go, and gain clarity about our thought or feeling patterns. As we practice this technique, we become acquainted with the habits of our mind and thus become aware of our beliefs and conditioning.

Noting does not involve any analysis or judgment, but it is simply an observation of the distraction. We can use one-word labels such as ‘thinking’ or ‘feeling’ to address the nature of distraction. Also, we can employ labels to acknowledge our emotions and mental activity, for example, ‘happiness’, ‘sadness’, ‘fear’, ‘worry’, ‘desire’, or ‘resistance’. Through noting, not only are we able to reestablish mindfulness after our mind wanders but it also helps us maintain a non-reactive form of attention.