Yogi: It is like a stagnation when the defilements are subtle and the mind gets a little bored. How can I investigate when there are no strong inputs to observing?

Sayadaw: Even when we continue to be mindful and the mindfulness gains momentum, we’ll still have moments when we go up and we go down; and every time we go up and down, there is a chance for the mind to investigate why it goes up, why it goes down.

From that learning, and when all those other insights about our practice become steadier, that’s when the practice starts to feed itself and we keep progressing.

But before that, we have to make some effort to explore and learn.