#tags-top <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid036YPTiY6erEqD86y7FYN1UG2dRrZZNorJbtc5NKGvfLTfaR7Gie8TYKVr1Ax8yJeUl%26id%3D100033165156246&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="289" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> --- #tags-bottom <br> **I do not teach my disciples to practice by constantly being aware of external objects.** Why? For example, suppose someone is meditating and thinking, “Oh, I hear a sound. Someone is talking.” There is a fundamental problem with this approach. What is it? Thinking. The problem is that whenever our sense organs perceive something, we put that perception into words and distract ourselves. We keep thinking, “Oh, that's the sound of a car. That smells bad.” What happens when you sit there constantly verbalizing everything you become aware of? You create one false thought after another, and then another. This is not an efficient way to use your meditation time. Meditation is for your own benefit, so you need to understand exactly what you are doing. So what is the key to proper meditation? Whether you practice with a HuaTou (話頭) or use another method, what matters is achieving one-pointedness (一心). This is different from constantly being aware of different objects. Noticing one sound, then another smell, and then something else only distracts your mind. One-pointedness, on the other hand, means focusing your mind on a single object. This is what you need to train yourself to do. **Your level of meditation skill depends on how steadily and how long you can maintain that single thought in your mind.**