I want some confirmation on my idea of meditation

[IAmAtomical]

So in the last few years I've introduced meditation into my life. I just have this feeling of uncertainty and I'm unsure if I have the right idea of what I am doing. I'm not really looking for a spiritual answer to this, I'm more so looking for an answer on the physical process (not to disregard its spiritual importance). Anyways, when I am sitting and closing my eyes, is my aim to make my awareness present and quiet my mind? I notice that in mindfulness meditation you are observing thoughts as they come and letting them go, and in more focus based meditation you are trying to focus on a hook to make the mind present. Are these two types of meditation techniques aiming to just make the mind present and allow it to clear? I'm just uncertain and want some clarification on this to make sure I have the right idea. Thanks to anyone for their help.

[Shambhu]

@IAmAtomical Meditation is both a state and the process used to arrive at that state.  The meditation state is the steady flow of attention to one thing.  That one thing can be large or small, subtle or gross.  It can literally be everything in awareness or limited to just the breath. 

The process of noticing your attention wandering and bringing it back to your object is called concentration.  When the attention is able to remain on the object uninterrupted, it is meditation.  When meditation is sustained until the duality of subject and object dissolve, it is samadhi.

This is the definition according to Yoga.

[SQAAD]

@IAmAtomical  The goal is just to be present and not distracted by your active conscious mind. 

Meditation is not purely concentration. Meditation is a practice of being.. If that makes any sense.. 

You can concentrate on an object but you do it so you don't get distracted by thoughts. 

Once you are an advanced meditator you no longer need an object to focus. You just be and its effortless. 

At this stage for me meditation is both concentration and being or relaxation. 

I focus on the breath and then I just relax my attention and I am just being without concentrating anywhere specifically. When I don't focus on the breath my awareness is placed everywhere we might say. 

Noticing thoughts is OK. Engaging with the thoughts is not OK.