Yogi: If the mind is not strong enough to watch the defilement, what other ways can we meditate?

Sayadaw: If yogis are practicing awareness meditation, I advise them to change to a neutral object like the breath; but if they cannot, then there are numerous ways to calm the mind down.

They can use samatha, or right reflection and right thinking like loving-kindness and Buddhanussati (recollecting the qualities of the Buddha) to calm the mind.