Vannakkam: Yajvan has made excellent point as it starts with the breath. In my Guru's method, after sitting straight and comfortable, that is the first place to put awareness, on pranayama, and once that is established, then to move on.
As for the difficulty of the matter, in Patanjali's 8 limbs,
http://www.expressionsofspirit.com/yoga/eight-limbs.htm
please note that meditation is number 7, and if we take them as being sequential, it is pretty high on the list.
I had great difficulty sitting still as a young man, and then when the five kids came along, just working to feed them took much of my time (dharmicly) , so there were several years there when anything but a weekly temple visit was more or less out of the question.
I believe as we age, we often add more to the dross (subconscious) mind. Unless we are aware of this, and are able to release some of the emotional congestion as we travel along, indeed meditation would become even more difficult, just due to all the mindstuff that's in there. Similarly with the overly intellectual person. The mind is just so full that thoughts are jumping all over hither thither.
There is a 'pressure' to be able to meditate in certain circles, and coming from within. I think it is an influence from the west that goes back to one life versus reincarnation. There is no hurry. It is a natural outcome of the previous 6 limbs in Patanjali's sutras. So when you beat yourself up over it, it only adds further to the emotional congestion, which is practically a step backwards. So why not do stuff that you are capable of doing? It builds confidence, will, and all this can be carried into all future spiritual endeavours, and one day you'll be able to sit still through the night, having birds land on your head.
This 'pressure' can come from peers who are 'meditating' and it is not at all unlike any other form of teenage peer pressure. Many need to take a really good honest intellectual look at themselves. Whether or not a person is an effective meditator can often be seen the the actions while not meditating. Is anger under control? Is buying under control? Does the person do anything valuable for society and others? etc.
Aum Namasivaya
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