Im realy just getting into this. I learned this method from a tibetan buddhist place here in my town
basicly you sit in the lotus position(make sure the knees are lower then the ass by sitting on something suitable and palms on knees) and just try to open your mind completely. Everytime you breath out you count and do that until you have counted to 10 or 21 and then repeat.
You should not try to hinder any thougths, but you should not capture them either. Just let them drift by. Try to focus on the here and now. dont think of the past or future. No matter hod distante or close. Just focus on the present and on your senses.
After a couple of minutes of that I acchive a state where I realy dont think at all except for the counting. My thoughts drift by without bothering me.
The woman that held the introduction to meditation said that the thoughts are like clouds in the sky that drifts by. Dont entertain them, just let them drift by unnoticed and after a while the sky will become clear.
hope that explanation makes any sense
