I feel, its not the Best way. Just my take through experience, involve yourself in a group, helps with ideas. Plus problems that occur at the start.
That's why I'm trying it, but it makes it pretty frustrating. I'll probably go at it for a week and see if I improve at all, if not I might find time to join a group.
I'm 7 into it and first now feeling the benefits. A quieter mind isn't the aim of it, more a sidebenefit. You wont feel any major benefits in a week. As Scrap said it's probably better to join a group!
Meditation is 24 hours a day.I suggest for the start to read Vivekananda's book "Raja Yoga", Aldous Huxley's "About Divinity" essays compilation, and some Krishnamurti, there are some videos of him in youtube talking about it (some of them are very dense but not all of them).Really, the method is not that important and at certain level you discover that the best method is not trying.Sometime, the most that you try the most "it" escapes.
It's you, a group is innecesary, even a tutor(but at the start can orient indicating you some bad habits or common mistakes).They can't do it for you.
About the minute 22 he explains (in english) a simple method you can learn, and talks about being frustrated for the habitual distractings that are something very common, specially in begginers... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu0yXkRCtQg With practice you can learn this even in the cotidiane activities, but is important not to think in "results" "objetives", because the mind need to be here and now, and this souldnt be forced, always easy and natural, it comes by itself.
Don't force, you dont have to stop thinking, simply be aware of tourrents of thoughts, and it will clear for itself from a level to level.Only observe.If you distract, is nothing, take it easy, only have to start again. You will become more aware and focused with practice.Try even when not in quiet meditation/contemplation.In movement is easier to be distracted but it's habit.
