Good Question. You seem to have read a lot but unfortunately they have left you confused. This is normal when studying any complex subject and hence the need f

Good Question. You seem to have read a lot but unfortunately they have left you confused. This is normal when studying any complex subject and hence the need for somebody to show you the correct path or teasing it yourself from your own studies. In today's world both are difficult because of all the scammers/charlatans/woo-woo peddlers and the sheer volume of noise available on this subject. Nevertheless there are some correct starting points which will show you The Path to Understanding. The following three texts are recommended; 1) The Samkhya Karika : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samkhyakarika https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samkhyakarika - This sets up a Worldview (i.e. a Model) with the main concepts of Purusha (The Experiencer) and Prakriti (The Experienced). 2) The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali - Pay particular attention to the concepts Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. 3) The Vijnana Bhairava Tantra : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na_Bhairava_Tantra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na_Bhairava_Tan... - This lists 112 different activities which leads to the state of "Meditative Dissolution". See also my other comment in this thread. There is no magic here but "Meditation" is merely a practice which leads to a hard-to-define-without-experiencing Mental State. The above are the "Traditional Viewpoints" from Hinduism/Buddhism. You should also look at the various Scientific Research published on this subject (Google gives me plenty).