Yogi: There are lots of tiredness and distractions, and the mind gets pulled away from the breath repeatedly.

Sayadaw: Rather than think that the mind has been pulled away from the breath, recognize that the awareness has been aware of something else.

Recognize that that is also awareness too, rather than thinking that awareness is only awareness of the breath and anything else is a distraction. Recognize that you’re noticing the movement of the mind – the mind is aware of this and now it is aware of something else which is just as valid as the breath.

The breath is the starting point just to recognize what awareness is like. It may also be that you know 2 objects or 3 objects at the same time – the breath and something else together – not only the breath and, later, something else.