You sit to meditate. A thought arises. Before you know it, you're five minutes into planning your week, completely lost in the content. Sound familiar?
The noting technique addresses this directly. Instead of silently observing and getting absorbed, you briefly label each experience: "thinking," "hearing," "itching." The label creates a moment of recognition—you see the experience instead of being lost in it.
Developed by the Burmese master Mahasi Sayadaw, noting is now one of the most widely taught insight meditation techniques worldwide.
What Noting Is
The Basic Idea
When something arises in experience—a thought, a sound, a sensation, an emotion—you apply a brief mental label to it. Then you return to your primary object (usually the breath or body sensations).
The note: A single word, applied silently and quickly. "Thinking." "Hearing." "Pain." "Joy."
The purpose: The note creates recognition. You shift from being inside the experience to observing it.
The Mahasi Tradition
Mahasi Sayadaw (1904-1982) systematized this approach in Burma. His method:
Primary object: Rising and falling of the abdomen with breath.
Noting process: When anything becomes predominant—pulling attention from the primary object—note it briefly and return.
The goal: Continuous awareness of the present moment, revealing the three characteristics of experience: impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self.
How It Differs
From silent observation: In choiceless awareness or bare attention, you observe without labeling. Noting adds the label.
From analysis: You're not analyzing what you note, not elaborating. Just labeling and moving on.
From concentration: Pure concentration practices stay with one object. Noting acknowledges whatever arises, using it as material for insight.
The Technique
The Primary Object
The abdomen: In Mahasi's system, attention rests on the rising and falling of the abdomen during breathing.
How to find it: Place attention on the belly. Notice how it expands with inhale (rising) and contracts with exhale (falling).
The noting: "Rising... falling... rising... falling..."
You don't control the breath—just observe and note the movement.
When to Note
When something becomes predominant: If a sound is loud enough to pull attention, note it: "hearing." If a thought grabs you, note it: "thinking." If pain demands attention, note it: "pain."
The threshold: Not every tiny sensation gets noted—just what becomes strong enough to be noticed or to pull attention from the primary object.
The Note Itself
Brief: One word, not a sentence. "Thinking," not "I'm having a thought about work."
Neutral: Not "bad thinking" or "annoying sound." Just the bare label.
Timely: Note as the experience is happening, not after.
Silent: The note is mental, not spoken.
After the Note
Return: After noting, return attention to rising and falling of the abdomen.
Don't dwell: The note is momentary. You're not analyzing the experience—just acknowledging it and moving on.
Repeat: Continue the cycle: primary object, something arises, note it, return.
What to Note
Categories of Experience
Physical sensations: - "Pain," "pressure," "tension" - "Itching," "tingling," "warmth" - "Coolness," "heaviness," "lightness"
Mental events: - "Thinking," "planning," "remembering" - "Imagining," "fantasizing," "worrying" - "Evaluating," "judging," "analyzing"
Emotions: - "Anger," "fear," "sadness" - "Joy," "excitement," "boredom" - "Frustration," "impatience," "calm"
Sensory experience: - "Hearing," "seeing" (if eyes are open) - "Smelling," "tasting"
States: - "Sleepy," "restless," "calm" - "Scattered," "focused," "dull"
General vs. Specific Notes
General: "Thinking" covers all thought. "Feeling" covers all body sensation.
Specific: "Planning" rather than "thinking." "Burning" rather than "pain."
The guidance: Start general. Get more specific as practice develops. But don't obsess over perfect categorization—the act of noting matters more than the exact word.
Noting Phenomena, Not Stories
Wrong approach: "Thinking about that argument with Sarah."
Right approach: "Thinking." Or at most: "remembering."
The content of thoughts isn't the point. The fact that thinking is happening—that's what you're noting.
Walking Meditation with Noting
The Method
Mahasi practice includes walking meditation, with noting:
Very slow walking: Break each step into components.
The notes: - "Lifting" (as foot lifts) - "Moving" (as foot moves forward) - "Placing" (as foot descends) - "Touching" (as foot contacts ground) - "Shifting" (as weight transfers)
The Practice
Walk extremely slowly. Note each component of each step. When something else arises (thought, sound), note that and return to walking notes.
The Purpose
Walking with noting develops continuous awareness in movement. It balances the receptive quality of sitting with active engagement.
Common Challenges
Over-Noting
The problem: Trying to note everything. Constant rapid-fire labeling that becomes exhausting and mechanical.
The solution: Only note what becomes predominant. You don't need to catch every micro-experience.
Under-Noting
The problem: Forgetting to note. Getting lost in experience for long periods.
The solution: More diligence, at least initially. The note is your check-in: "Am I aware of what's happening?"
Getting Lost in Content
The pattern: A thought arises. Instead of noting "thinking" and returning, you follow the thought for minutes.
The response: When you notice you've been lost, note that—"wandering" or "lost"—and return. Don't berate yourself.
Mechanical Noting
The problem: The notes become automatic, happening without real awareness. Going through the motions.
The solution: Slow down. Let each note carry genuine recognition. Quality over quantity.
Confusion About What to Note
The uncertainty: "Is this pain or tension? Am I thinking or imagining?"
The solution: The exact label matters less than the act of recognizing. Any note that creates awareness is working.
The Notes Becoming Intrusive
The experience: The noting itself becomes distracting, interfering with natural awareness.
The response: This sometimes indicates readiness to drop noting and practice with bare attention. Or, soften the notes—make them lighter, less prominent.
The Benefits
Why Noting Works
Prevents absorption: The note creates separation from experience. You can't be fully absorbed in a thought while also noting "thinking."
Develops metacognition: You become aware of your own mental processes—thoughts, emotions, reactions.
Reveals patterns: Over time, you see what occupies your mind. The categories that dominate become obvious.
Builds concentration: The return to primary object, again and again, develops stable attention.
Supports insight: Seeing experiences arise and pass, labeled and released, reveals impermanence directly.
What Develops
Short-term: Less getting lost. More moments of awareness. Recognition of mental patterns.
Long-term: Deep insight into the nature of experience. Changes in reactivity. Progress through stages of insight.
Advancing the Practice
Increased Speed
Development: As practice matures, noting can become faster. Experiences are recognized and released more quickly.
The danger: Speed without genuine awareness is useless. Speed should emerge naturally, not be forced.
Softer Noting
Development: The note becomes gentler, almost silent. Less a word, more a bare recognition.
The progression: From pronounced mental verbalization to subtle acknowledgment to wordless knowing.
Dropping the Note
Eventually: Some practitioners find they can maintain awareness without explicit noting. The recognition happens without needing the label.
The transition: This comes naturally with practice. Don't force dropping notes before the awareness is stable without them.
Working with a Teacher
The recommendation: Mahasi-style practice traditionally involves regular interviews with a teacher who guides the practice based on your reports.
The resources: Many insight meditation centers offer this structure. Some teachers work remotely.
Getting Started
First Sessions
Setup: Sit comfortably. Close eyes. Find the rising and falling of the abdomen.
Begin: Note "rising" as belly expands, "falling" as it contracts. When something else arises—thought, sound, sensation—note it briefly and return.
Duration: Start with 20-30 minutes. The practice can be extended as capacity develops.
Building Practice
Daily consistency: Regular daily practice develops the skill.
Walking integration: Add walking meditation with noting to complement sitting.
Retreats: Intensive retreat practice accelerates development. Even a day or weekend retreat can deepen the practice significantly.
Resources
Books: - Practical Insight Meditation by Mahasi Sayadaw - Manual of Insight by Mahasi Sayadaw - Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana - Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha by Daniel Ingram
Centers: Many insight meditation centers teach Mahasi-style noting.
The Path
Noting is not the only way to practice, but for many practitioners, it's among the most effective. The technique is simple—label what arises—but its effects are profound.
What you're doing is waking up to your own experience, moment after moment. The note is just the alarm.
Return is a meditation timer for practitioners using any technique—including the precision of noting practice. Set your session, develop your awareness, and let the minimal interface support your insight. Download Return on the App Store.