Yogi: How do I make the practice more consistent? One day I feel successful in meditation and the next day I forget or cannot find the momentum. If I try too hard, the mind will resist and when there’s not enough effort, I can’t find the momentum.
Sayadaw: The mind has to like and value awareness. For that to happen, you actually have to be happy every time the awareness arises, and not think that it’s not good enough.
When you’re happy whenever you notice the awareness even if it’s a little bit, it makes the mind feel successful and encourages the mind to want to do it again.
When you understand this, you’ll always want to congratulate yourself even if you’re a little mindful. Your mind will always feel successful and happy doing it and the awareness will come more and more often because the mind is encouraged whenever the awareness appears.
Whereas if you’re mindful and you think that it’s not enough, it discourages the mind from being mindful because you think it’s not good enough.
You want to be happy that you’re a little mindful so that your mind will want to be mindful more often.