Noticing notes is an irregular event on this blog where I discuss the mindful writing practice of noticing, and encourage you to join in.
What’s noticing? Well, here’s the mini version:
Are you comfortable? Good. Write the word ‘noticing’ and follow it with whatever you’re experiencing right now: sights/sounds/feelings/thoughts/ etc. Whenever you get stuck, write the word ‘noticing’ again and continue.
Click here for a more detailed version.
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When doing my noticing practice, I’ll often discover some sort of discomfort–maybe tension in the body, uncomfortable thoughts, or feelings arising, perhaps a combination of these.
I used to write these feelings down and keep moving, content enough to have caught them and wanting to keep my writing momentum. But I started to notice a simple, recurring pattern.
Firstly, a lot of these feelings / sensations would come up almost every time I began writing. Secondly, the act of noticing would soften them, not always, but often enough that it was obvious something was going on here.
So I started experimenting with the idea of engaging with these sensations or feelings directly once I noticed them. This changed the whole practice of noticing for me.
shift and return
There are three very simple steps I add in when strong feelings come up in a noticing session.
I call this process ‘shift and return’ and it goes like this: noticing / shift / return
Well that looks cryptic, let’s go through it step by step.
step one: noticing
I’ll be writing away and come across something strong, like discomfort, or unease, and I’ll ‘notice’ that and write it in. Example:
noticing tension in my chest, it’s very tight, like a knot, and deep in the centre
It’s still amazing to me that even capturing a few simple details can be so helpful, often I’ll have no idea of the sensations my body is experiencing until I sit down and start writing. But there’s more we can do with this.
Step two: shift
When I notice something strong and want to investigate, I’ll make a simple shift. This shift is usually small, like breathing into an area of tension, or standing up, stretching, opening a window. Basically, any brief action that I think might help.
Here is how that looks using the example above:
noticing tension in my chest, it’s very tight, like a knot, and deep in the centre / breathing into that /
So the shift is ‘breathing into that’.
Notice the slashes (//) on either side of the shift? They’re important, we’ll come back to those in a minute.
And the third step is where you notice what results from that small shift, so lets look at that.
step three: return
This step is where we return to the original sensation, and notice if there has been any change as a result of the shift. That might look like this:
noticing tension in my chest, it’s very tight, like a knot, and deep in the centre / breathing into that / tension still there, but has softened
Because this is an example, I gave it a nice ending, but sometimes the sensation may be unchanged.
When this hapens I might repeat the shift, or try another shift, and return again to notice if there has been any change. Sometimes there are only subtle changes to the original sensation, sometimes nothing, and occasionally there are dramatic changes.
It’s nice when I get relief as a result of using shift and return, but the main thing is the investigating and the interacting.
I use the slashes (//) on either side of the shift so that when I go back to review my noticing session later on, I can easily see where I might have worked with shift and return. The slashes really stand out and you can find them easily when you go back over your noticings.
I really recommend going back over your noticing sessions, especially looking at where you used shift and return. Over time you will get some great insights into where and how your body holds tension, or anxiety, or a number of strong feelings. You also have a record of how you you interacted with that, and what resulted from that interaction.
I’ve learned so much about myself as a result of using this and it has completely transformed my noticing practice.
Sometimes I’ll go through a string of noticing sessions and not feel the need for shift and return, it’s not like I build my whole practice around this. But it’s a wonderful tool to have on hand while you’re noticing and it helps bring a sense of curiosity to what is going on with your self.
If you have tried noticing before, you might really like to add shift and return to your practice. I think you’ll be surprised at how helpful it can be.
If this post makes you curious about noticing, be sure to click the link at the top of the post to get the basic instructions (it’s very, very simple) and you might like to play with shift and return as well.
If you give this a try please leave a comment below, I’d love to hear about your experience!
Hi Dave,
This looks like a really helpful practice. It reminds me of one done to help with self-compassion called “Soften, soothe, allow.” It also helps to just soften around whatever feelings come up.
Love your artwork, too!
I love this idea of using noticing as a writing meditation. I do sometimes use sensations as an object in my meditation practice. Noticing them with bare awareness without trying to change them. Sometimes they shift on their own, sometimes they don’t. Thanks for sharing your practice.
Hi Bobbi,
I love “soft, soothe, allow” that sounds wonderful.
Hi Sandra,
I find sensations much easier to follow than thoughts. Thoughts carry me away so much more quickly. I like what you say about not trying to create change, too, just watching is good.
Hey Dave,
I really enjoy these noticing seasons you lead us through. And I can tell how seriously you take them because the self-awareness you write with always comes shining through in your blog posts.
I like to think of myself as a “noticer” in general, but I suck at the practice when I’m writing. It takes posts like this to realize how much better my writing could be if I started a noticing practice and was able to conjure up the rich imagery in my text that you do.
Hi Joel,
I’m glad you enjoy the noticing posts, and am wondering what about noticing and writing you find difficult? I’d be happy to help you with that, anytime. I really enjoy your writing as it is, and if you’re already a noticer in general, then you’re just a tweak or two away from including more of that in your writing.
Cheers!
This is quite timely for me. I love the ‘shift, return’ addition to simply noticing. Here’s where we can find the patterns and perhaps make some progress in shifting entrenched negative thoughts.
I’ve just been learning about the practice of making subtle physical changes in the body to shift entrenched negative patterns. For instance, if I get all tensed up when I talk about a specific subject, notice if I tilt my head one way or the other (even if it’s ever so slightly), and then make a conscious effort to tilt it in the opposite direction when that subject comes up. This can work so much more profoundly than just telling myself I want to change my attitude and feelings around this subject.
But this is all pretty new to me. The ‘noticing’ comes first. And remembering. Thanks for another thoughtful post!
Hi Sarah,
Yes, shift and return is great for finding patterns and encouraging small (sometimes bigger) changes. Once I started including it in my noticing practice everything changed for me.
The practice you describe sounds wonderful, I’d love to hear more about that.
Hi Dave,
I have had difficulty writing my next blog post so I’ve been journaling instead. I tried your noticing exercise. Being in the present noticing, writing is a great exercise in relieving pressure to come up with something and simply enjoying the pleasure of being here writing.
Hi Priska,
I’m so glad you gave it a go! I’ve had the same results as you, it’s a great way to release stress and anxiety about writing. And you get to do it while … writing!
I love this!
I too have discovered so much through this practice (although I prefer to verbalize rather than write).
Hi Amit,
Verbalizing sounds like a great alternative way of noticing. I often do noticing internally when I’m out in the world. Anything that helps bring awareness and presence is great.
I’ve used your practice to journal and get the writing juices flowing but this is a new way I definitely need to try out. I often find I’m at the computer and when I get up to make a cup of tea I’m still hunched up giving myself backache and headaches from not breathing or noticing the discomfort. This should help me eliminate stress less and write more. Will let you know how I get on.
Hi Ciara,
That’s one of the great things about noticing, it’s an embodied writing practice. It’s easy to get so engrossed in writing that we’re not able to step out of that and ease the aches with a stretch or a walk until it became impossible to ignore. With noticing you pick that up much more quickly, and the process of writing into it can often ease those tight spots as you write.
I’d love to hear how this aspect of noticing goes for you!
Dave – Wowie, I love this prompt. Noticing…quiet guitar Christmas music. Noticing…contentment. Noticing…sunlight.
Noticing…thirst.
I am sooo going to use this! Thanks.
Hi Jane,
Some seasonal noticing-lovely! I bet you find noticing is a great warm up for visual arts as well as for writing.
Very interesting…
Thanx for the idea!
I think I should try it
Great, Ani! I think you’ll like it!