Yogi: It is not easy to meditate in daily life for the beginner. How can I balance a life of sensual pleasures and working life with meditation? If I go too hard there is aversion and no result; if I’m too lazy, I totally don’t meditate.

How can I enjoy sensual pleasure and yet have meditation?

Sayadaw: I don’t say that you cannot have sensual pleasure or do your work. Meditation doesn’t tell you not to do that; also, don’t try too hard to meditate.

The key is just to recognize when you’re aware and always appreciate yourself for having done that even if it comes in bits while you’re working – pat yourself on the back whenever bits of awareness are known.

The more you’re encouraged whenever the awareness comes up, the more the awareness will manifest. The key is to be happy that you have done a little bit.

It’s not that meditation is a separate activity and sensual pleasures and work are a different activity. Meditation is just being aware; so, you can be aware of your work or your sensual pleasures. When you’re happy with the awareness whenever it comes up, it will grow.

When you try to practice in daily life, you’re not trying to overcome all the defilements because you also cannot. Your goal is to be aware only – it’s like if you’re aware, you’re happy. Even if your awareness is scattered moments in the day, the mind will collect the information and put them together for us to understand the defilements more.