Meditation is the practice of concentrating the mind by consciously restricting the thinking process. The goal is to either totally clear the mind, making it blank (void/nirvana), or to have a single thought occupying it (mantra/affirmation).

In the beginning, there will always be irrelevant thoughts trying to occupy the mind and these must be immediately stopped from escalating into a stream of irrelevant thoughts. Observe the thought, then let it fade away before it triggers a stream of new irrelevant thoughts. The mind must be constantly returned to its spiritual center -- either the void, or the mantra -- which must be maintained until the next irrelevant thought arises. And so the meditation process endless repeats itself...

The goal of meditation is the development of inner clarity, inner power, and enhanced consciousness.