How do we still the mind in meditation?

Meditation is often referred to as the stilling of the mind.  But what does that mean? How do you make your mind still?  When I describe meditation, I often liken it to a moving train.  Our thoughts are our thoughts – they will always be there. Coming and going, doing their thing.  To cultivate a calm or still mind, think of your thoughts like a passing train.  The train (thought) travels along. It stops at a station to allow passengers to enter or exit. Then without hesitation, it journeys on to the next stop.  When a thought enters your mind, allow it to enter. Then just like it stops at a station and lets passengers off, allow your thought to exit. And then move on.  Another thought will arise… and then do the same.  Allow it to exist just as quickly as it entered.  You see, when we hold onto a thought, we start building associations with it, to do lists and emotions all come along for the ride… we can begin with one thought and then get completely lost in it and not even remember what the initial thought was! But if we see ourselves as observers and watch the thought just pass us by, we avoid getting caught up in it.  The mind stays focused and calm and we allow the next thought to enter and exit once again… Meditation is a practice. It is a discipline.  It takes patience and perseverance to become better skilled at it.  And no meditation is the same – one session will be different to the next. Also, teaching us to avoid attachment to a feeling or outcome.  Can you sit still for 5 minutes and practice observing your thoughts – coming and going like a train passing by a station?  What has your meditation experience been like?