The first thing you really have to do is dispel the most horrid untruth about meditation.
Meditation is not about consentrating on nothing or not thinking. It's almost fairly impossible. Even during sleep, the brain is active, so "not thinking" is absurd. In actuality, the very task that so many people start with is typically the same task that will be the reason people give up on meditation....simply because....they can't "not think about anything".
So...just forget about that, it's stupid.
Mediation is the art of the "unfocused". Remember years ago when those posters and tshirts were really popular...the ones that you would stare at for so long that your vision would unfocus and a picture would appear in the print? Meditation is sort of like that. It's easy enough to do, people that read auras do it as well.
There are different approaches to meditation. If you want to look at with a little psychology thrown into it, it's a concept of removing control from the Ego, the conscious mind. In truth, the Ego likes to be in control, after all, it's used to it and pretty good at it. So, when something like meditation comes into the picture, the Ego struggles with giving up control to the Self, or the subconscious mind. So the Ego play dirty...it will be that little tickle in your throat, or the itch on your leg. The stray though about the unpaid water bill, or what to make for lunch tomorrow. Now, you can struggle with the Ego and ignore all of it. But just like the dieter that craves chocolate...if you don't give in, you're gonna end up eating a whole chocolate cake instead of a candy bar.
So, you just acknowledge the stray thoughts "I'll get back to you later". You clear your throat but continue your focus. When I say focus, I mean something that you are doing to bring a certain continuous monotony to your meditation.
This is most likely the simplest trick in meditation...finding something you can do over and over again to put your self in a sort of trance. Some people, as mentioned by other members in previous posts, use breathing methods. I use a few different types. One is a a simple rocking back and forth, like being in a rocking chair. I find it soothing and it appeases my total inability to remain still...lol. I also use mala beads (also called meditation beads), where a strand of beads (the standard is 108 beads) are draped over the hand and each bead is lightly turned and a mantra is spoken at each turn.
Anyway, meditation is not something that comes easy. It can take years to actually achieve. Many people that say they meditate are actually in a deep relaxation state (a difference can be found in brain wave frequencies in alpha waves vs theta waves). Learn about different methods, maybe check out some guided meditations (check out Mary & Richard Maddux, they have some really great meditations and Doreen Virture had some good chakra energizing ones if you can handle the new age spiel she has) or just check out other different meditation methods.
The point is to take time for yourself and unfocus.
