There is no such thing as an ideal state of meditation. Awareness allows us to relate to our mental processes and to see the fundamental expression of mind as it is, including our thoughts. The mediator may find that many thoughts recur during the meditative state. These thoughts could be seen as waves on the ocean.

When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a candle in a windless place.

This is Dharma. You sit and feel your breath. You can’t say this is a Hindu breath or a Muslim breath or a Christian breath.

You say that you are too busy to meditate. Do you have time to breathe? Meditation is your breath. Why do you have time to breathe but not to meditate? Breathing is something vital to people’s lives. If you see that Dhamma practice is vital to your life, then you will feel that breathing and practicing the Dhamma are equally important.

I am like a tree in a forest. Birds come to the tree, they sit on its branches and eat its fruits. To the birds, the fruit may be sweet or sour or whatever. The birds say sweet or they say sour, but from the tree’s point of view, this is just the chattering of birds.