Meditation is not about 'doing something.' Yes, we can work on meditation techniques in order to arrive to a more meditative state. The technique will help the cleansing of the mind, the cleansing of the psyche. But at some point the technique has to be dropped, and the real meditation has to manifest. That is, in real life.
So even when someone tells me, "i practice a lot of meditation," one can immediately see by the person's reflection if it remains just in the meditation technique, or if the meditation is reflected in his or her life. Meditation must be a reflection, otherwise it's just 'passing time.'
One requires proper guidance, proper practice and proper understanding in the journey of seeking, in order for this journey to bring the right fruit. A light is needed in the path, to go towards the right direction. Meditation or Dhyāna, as we call it in India, is one of the words most misunderstood in the west, because mostly people refer to it as an activity, and not as a state. Furthermore, meditation is simple, it's not about philosophies and serious things... remaining conscious and acting with awareness as opposed to forgetfulness is meditation. As my Master says, "the mystical is the most practical."