If we try understanding the correct meaning of meditation, then indulgence in requisite meditation techniques for self realization becomes easy.
Meditation is the English equivalent of indulgence in Yoga. And yoga in Hinduism means effort of soul atman, the spirit residing in our heart trying to merge with Parmatman, God Almighty.
Yoga is not what people world over believed it to be, most human beings connected yoga to a set of yogic exercises called asanas. In yesteryears accomplished sages and Rishis indulged in a routine of yogic exercises (asanas) to keep their body fit and fine.
From one possessing a sick body we cannot expect one to indulging in proper yoga meditation. Maintaining a robust body is essential to indulge in various routines of yoga.
Meditation yoga demands human beings, seekers indulging in contemplation (chintan) so that one can realize the hidden inner meaning of sacred texts contained in scriptures of different religions of world. In absence of contemplation, nothing in sacred text ever becomes clear.
Before a soul atman merges with God it needs purifying itself in totality. For a soul atman to purify itself indulgence in proper karma is necessitated. One needs overpowering five senses and mind! This becomes possible when we demolished our ego in totality. No ego, no desires and wishes.
In absence of ego one can distinctly hear sweet promptings of soul atman, Lord Krishna coming from within our heart. Allegorically, metaphorically Lord Krishna is soul atman existing in heart.
Guided by voice of Lord Krishna from within seekers can cover spiritual journey satisfactorily. For a soul atman to remove dross impurities within practice of absolute celibacy for a minimum period of 12 years in continuation is necessitated. Only then one can awaken kundalini shakti fully.
Full awakening of kundalini means activation of brain to full 100% capacity. Normal human beings used their brain 1 to 2%, the remaining portion always lying dormant. By activation of kundalini to full capacity, the dormant lying portions of brain start activating in stages. Full activation of brain 100% means all dross impurities within soul atman removed forever.
This is the stage of Nirvikalpa samadhi (absolute nothingness) when not a single thought entered our brain uninvoked.
Meditation yoga demands our indulgence in various spiritual practices like practice of absolute celibacy, indulgence in nishkama karma yoga all the time and most important of all, indulging in sacred texts via contemplation (chintan). The delicate art of contemplation (chintan) is necessitated to reach the hidden underlying meaning of sacred texts, portions of spiritual texts that could never be indulged literally.
It is an absolute spiritual fact of life that in present Kali Yuga darkness of ignorance can be cut, negated only by indulgence in jnana yoga (path of absolute wisdom). Queries within can be dissolved only by indulgence in jnana yoga, never bhakti yoga or karma yoga alone.
If we believed in God 100%, we also have total faith in world of souls atmans then spiritual journey becomes easier to travel. Journey of self realization is covered indulging in spirituality never religion (path of rituals). It is spirituality not religion that demands indulgence in contemplation.