To understand what is the process of Meditation or the meditative state, it might be beneficial to first see and understand what is the "usual", "normal" state . The existential state that the average human is experiencing during his waking state.
In this state, one does not recognize no experience the presence of the "Experiencer" or the "Seer" within oneself. Logically one may claim,
"Yes, I exist and I am present within this body", Yet, this existential experience, second by second, would not include the eternal presence and experience of the Seer within. The experiencer is absent. The experiencer would be mechanically and constantly observing the world of objects, thoughts, feelings, the outer reality outside of oneself, translating them into known terms, words, concepts within the insecure and restless cognitive brain which is reflected upon the screen we call the "Mind".

At this state there is constant mental activity taking place. Perception, definition, and complete identification with the content of this mental activity. "Identification" means mechanically giving this process of perception and involvement in the outer the entire attention and energy.
By doing so, one loses the sense of his "inner" identity. The experience of the Experiencer within is lost. Only addiction to constant perception and outer experiences remains. An inherent, built in state of neurosis.
A minimum of self consciousness is not sustained inwardly so one can actually feel his own presence as the experiencer of this outer reality.
This process is ongoing constantly, and the freedom to actually chose our course of involvement in the outer is lost.
An imbalanced state, a state of forgetfulness and mental anarchy, a loss of the immediate knowing of "Who we ARE", and the eternal link and relations with to the source are absent.

Meditation is both a practice,a process, and a state. Both the means and the goal itself. Meditation is a state where the consciousness of the soul which animates our body, regains its' ability to reflect inwardly, to shift inwardly, and to meet itself free from any object. Giving birth to the eternal experience of oneself within the subjective non-dual reality. An experiencer free from any experience.
To enter and integrate within the state of meditation , one needs to cultivate an intelligent and efficient meditation practice. A practice where one cultivates new relationships with the outer reality. Taming one's attention, transforming the habit where one's attention is addicted to perception of outer objects. Using will, discipline, and determination, in order to transform the direction of attention, combined with sensitivity and surrender of oneself to that which IS. The underlaying realm beyond time and perception.
By doing so one is reshaping and regaining the state of self knowledge. Consciousness which is conscious of itself. A state where consciousness is no longer gets mechanically absorbed into the outer realm, identifying with it, and losing its' primal, subjective sense of identity.
It is now gradually giving birth to its' primal existential experience as pure soul, which is ever linked to the Divine source from where it primarily emerged from.

There are many meditation techniques, yet there is only one multidimensional meditative realm. The techniques and discipline are needed, mainly in the beginning of the practice, in order to transform the tendencies of our attention to be lost in the mind and outer involvement.
We begin to cultivate a state of Self-reflection, self-attention, inwardly. Attention which is attentive to the source of it, rather than the objects it perceives.
Yet, the goal itself is beyond any Mind-Objects relations. It is ultimately shifting the sense of identity from a "human-becoming", to a "complete Human Being". Such shifts are result and combination of one's efforts, sincerity, longing, devotion, maturity and potential of the soul, combined with intervention of "Grace". The entrance of transforming energy into one's consciousness. Transmission which intervenes from the beyond, the source itself, or transmission from an awakened soul whose awakened energy and presence ignites within the student the needed opening within one's consciousness, and inspires the soul to shift inwardly into deeper layers of oneself.
Shifting inwardly into the realm of meditation involves integration and maturation of the inner changes. It is constantly expanding and evolving inwardly within the energy body of the soul. At a later state it may has the potential to go beyond the boundaries of soul's consciousness. Back into the source itself. From the personal self conscious "I AM" to the unborn state of "universal I AM", or universal unbounded consciousness. The end of the inner human construction.

The beginning of the practice is to cultivate an understanding of how this Experiencer is losing its' existential experience, free from objects, by mechanically giving the outer reality all of its' attention. By doing so, the Experiencer is constantly defined by that which it perceives. By the content of the mind, emotions, objects, and the entire human outer realm. Its' sense of identity, its' existential basic experience of oneself is lost within this state of forgetfulness.
The next step would be for one to become more sensitive and realistic about this process. To intuitively feel the presence of the "Experiencer" within oneself and to learn how to both hold and surrender to it moment to moment. That which is lost moment to moment within the realm of the perception and outer reality must be regained through pulling our attention inwardly and reflecting upon the source of this attention.
That is the beginning of entering the inner domain. The domain of the soul and the Self beyond it.

It is important to realize and accept that meditation and the process of awakening is not a way to escape or negate life, or the outer reality. It is not to define the outer as illusion and negative, and the inner as real and positive. From the point of view of pure consciousness which animates this body, the outer ever-changing reality is a temporary phenomena. Yet, only through resting in harmonious simple state of pure knowing of that which we ARE, we can see also the importance of evolution and fulfilment in the outer dimension, accept this world as is, and even see the magical perfection within the non-perfection of it.