No. The best way I have found is to focus on your breathing, in and out, not trying to control it in any way, just to focus, and that should keep other things from intruding

In meditation one repeats a mantra to themselves.Traditionally the mantra is a word like Om,or some other mantra.When thoughts come,and they will come,gently go back to repeating the mantra.You should be relaxed,and sitting comfortably.

Meditation, like all new things one might ingage in anew, requires practice. As for the thoughts that pop into your head, that is not a "bad" thing. It's only when we wrestle with them that we fail at meditation. Let the thought be. Acknowledge it, and let it pass. Another will come, and you must do the same. That is the practical application to "clearing the mind" that new practitioners often struggle with understanding. With time, and self-disciplined practice, you will come to a place where entering into a meditative state is as natural as breathing or walking. Just be patient with yourself, and keep at it. Its value is well worth the effort.

That depends on what kind of meditation you want to accomplish. To me, meditate means to focus your thoughts on a specific subject and concentrate on that subject to better understand or make application of it to ones own life. In that case I have everything quiet around me in order to prevent distraction and do research. EDIT: Wait this is the Yoga section, sorry. My definition of Meditation is different than that used in Yoga. My apologies.

OK, so an additional question is - is it alright to become so relaxed that you fall asleep?

When thoughts intrude upon the meditative process, rather than fighting them you can imagine them floating out the window, away. Meditation truly is a discipline. With practice it gets easier and eventually you may be able to use it in very stressful situations to calm yourself and focus your thoughts. You may also wish to try progressive relaxation. After you get comfortable, imagine each part of your body relaxing. You can say inwardly, without speaking, my feet are relaxed, each toe is relaxed, and imagine each body part being very relaxed as you do this, working your way upward. The most difficult place is usually the face and head. Relax your neck, your head, your face, allow your jaw to drop, etcetera. When you have relaxed every body part, you can say inwardly, I am relaxed, I am relaxed. Then you can inwardly tell yourself that you are walking down some stairs toward a special place and with each step taken you are becoming more deeply relaxed. When you arrive in that special place, you can stay as long as you like and keep talking to yourself about how good you feel and how relaxed you are. If you are still having unwanted thoughts, continue to tell yourself you are watching them float away. When you come up out of your meditation, walking up the stairs slowly, and arriving at the top, tell yourself that when you awaken you will be refreshed and feel very good. Slowly awaken. I hope you find this helpful. I did this at least once a day for months and was able to give birth at home with no medical intervention whatsoever. When the doctor checked my baby he said, "Whatever you're doing to take care of this baby, keep on doing it. This is the healthiest baby I've ever seen."

i find it very hard to clear my mind from intruding thoughts and equally as difficult to let them go .... one thing that works for me is focusing on one single thing .... candle gazing is great for this! in a darkened room sit in a position that is comfortable for you .... light a candle and place it at eye level a few feet away from your face .... return to your seated position and breathe in and out while watching the flame .... after a few breath cycles close your eyes and "watch" the image of the candle flame in your mind .... keep it there for as many breaths as you can .... when you loose it open your eyes and watch the actual flame for a few breath cycles again, repeat this until you feel ready to stop .... some people like to use a timer with some sort of gentle sound so they don't loose track of time too much

If you find yourself thinking of things such as problems, I would suggest quietly humming for a moment with your eyes closed. It might sound strange but a soft hum can distract your mind from wondering thoughts. Worth a try. good luck. :)

I use earphones with meditation music to block out sounds and keep focused. Breathing is also very important.

The best way to start is by focusing on your breathing. Count to four while breathing in slowly, hold it for four, count to 4 while breathing out slowly, hold for four, repeat. This is called squared breathing and REALLY helps to relax and focus, while keeping your mind from wandering. Once you get that down, there are SO many other places meditation can take you. I used to visit a holistic healing teacher for a few years, a couple times a week. She taught me serveral meditation techniques, and ways of bettering myself spiritually (not "religious" spiritual), and letting go of things in my past with aromatherapy, reflexology, meditation, special ceremonies, etc. She even had a teepee in her back yard :) She was one of the most beneficial people I have ever had in my life. Sadly, she passed away from cancer about a year and a half ago, and I haven't been able to find someone to fill her shoes. If you can find someone like this in your area, and have an open mind, it can be a life changing experience.

First, select a place where you can be quiet and undisturbed for as long as it takes. It may be indoors or out of doors, the important thing is that you must be comfortable there. Ideally, you should have a place that you use for no other purpose, but this is not essential. Few people have the luxury of being able to set aside a special room for mediation. Many people use their bedroom, but a word of caution here: if you have disturbed sleep, if you suffer from distressing or unhappy thoughts when in bed at night, then the bedroom is not the place for your meditation. A quiet study or workroom, or even the dining room if the family can be excluded, may be a better option. Your space should be clean and tidy, with as few distractions as possible. Subdued lighting is preferable. Many people like to light a candle, burn some incense, or play quiet music. All these things can be helpful, but they are not essential. Indeed, they ought to be avoided if other people in your home might find them disturbing. A word of caution regarding the music - avoid anything with vocals, these are almost always a distraction during meditation. Begin with a symbolic purification of the body. Wash your face and hands, and drink a glass of ordinary water. You should not meditate immediately after a heavy meal, as this in itself can be a distraction. Your clothing should be comfortable, not tight or restricting. Needless to say, it should also be clean. Adopt a comfortable posture. Complex yoga postures are not essential, and indeed if adopted without long training can be counterproductive. On the other hand, do not get too comfortable; for example, many people find that if they lie down there is a tendency to fall asleep! A good posture for most people is to sit on an ordinary chair, of the type you might find at your dining table. Place both feet flat on the floor, slightly apart. Rest your hands on your thighs. Sit upright, do not lounge; you will find that you can nevertheless get quite comfortable and relaxed in this posture. Close your eyes. Inhale slowly and deeply. Hold your breath for a few seconds - note this, a few seconds, this is not a competition to see how long you can hold your breath - then exhale slowly. Repeat this deep breath twice more. This symbolically and in fact will help to clear your lungs and your body of everyday toxins. After that, continue to breathe normally and steadily. If you find it difficult to relax, try the overall relaxation exercise. Then, when you are ready, commence the meditation. Remember that no matter how far your consciousness may travel during meditation, your body is quite safe and free from harm where you left it, and you can return to it at any time. You should try to return to your body slowly. In an emergency, you may return quickly, but if you return too quickly you are likely to feel disoriented for a while. The proper procedure, and the one you should normally adopt when your meditation comes to an end, is this: become aware of your body, sitting relaxed exactly where you left it. Transfer your consciousness into your body, placing it inside your head, just behind your eyes. Then, when you are ready, open your eyes and complete your return to the present time and place. Sit quietly for a few moments. Then, it is advisable to return yourself fully to physical reality by "grounding" yourself. A good way to do this is by having something to eat and drink - a cup of tea and a biscuit are very popular for this purpose. Be sure to give yourself a clear ten to fifteen minutes before you do anything that requires your concentration, such as driving. Meditate often - daily if you can. As with any other skill, the more often you do it, the easier it will become, and the better will be the results at the end of it. Above all, enjoy what you are doing, do not let it become a chore. Certainly, spiritual development is a serious business, but there is no rule that says you may not have fun while you are doing it!

I learnt Transendental Meditation as a young teenager...I was taught by buddist monks...I think they do this internationaly. Maybe you could find one of these type courses. It was unreal and really taught me to meditate well and effectively. I havent meditated for years now but know I could go straight back to practising TM.