Before I decided to start meditating, I read a ton of material on how and why to do it and none of it really stuck. So instead, I just sat down on the floor and started thinking.

At first, it was just free-association. I would let my mind wander, noting rather passively the landmarks along the way. As I refined my process a bit, I was able to spend more time noting than wandering, until a single topic could span weeks worth of almost-daily sessions.

So I firmly believe that there's no one right way to meditate, but there is a deep and proven benefit to setting aside part of your day for contemplative, abstract thought.