1. Remember that meditation is the "art of becoming better." Everything must be directed to this end: preparations, considerations, applications, affections, resolutions. If meditation is not considered from this standpoint, it will be impossible to understand why the ascetic writers are so enthusiastic over this exercise, why all religious founders have given it such a prominent place in their Rules, and why all good religious are scrupulously in earnest about its performance.
2. Remember that meditation is a kind of daily retreat. As during the annual retreat you examine and set aright what was amiss in the preceding year, and provide yourself with good purposes for the coming year; as on the day of the monthly retreat you throw one glance back upon the past month and another forward into the coming month; in like manner, in your daily meditation, you look back upon the past day in order to see how you spent it, and you look forward into the present day in order to see how you can make the best use of it for the glory of God and the welfare of your soul.
3. Remember that to make a good meditation only one thing is necessary: good will. Sublime views, nice expressions, learning, even correct language, are not necessary. On the other hand, distractions, aridity, drowsiness, fatigue, and even disgust, are no hindrance to a good meditation when there is GOOD WILL.
- taken from Catechism of Mental Prayer, by Father Joseph Simler