Well, I’ll start off first by saying that I’ve never been able to meditate. I’ve tried a couple times, but it’s not more than a couple minutes before I wind up thinking “this is stupid” and have to give up, because, lets face it, whatever medititation is isn’t going to happen after I’ve thought that. By “detaching the mind” I just mean sort of ignoring everything else and being able to complete concentrate on something. This second thing would seem to come in handy at times, and I’d like to be able to do it. Any hints into getting into that detached frame of mind?
Everyone can meditate. By your attitude you already set yourself up for failure. Ie, if you think it won’t work, it won’t. Just let those thoughts slide away.
To give you an idea of the state of mind that a simple meditation will put you in, think of the state of mind that you are in when you are reading a book. You are focused on the book and what it is about and likely not putting a whole lot of critical thought into it. If things come into your mind you usually let them go and continue reading.
You can do the same thing without props (aka the book) but it just takes a little practice until you feel comfortable with it. I used to sit in the dark with either no sound or a single sound and concentrate on it until that is all I experienced. Suddenly, time would pass and when I emerged from the meditation 30 or more minutes would pass.
What, you didn’t achieve enlightenment after a couple of minutes?
It takes a long time before you can achieve that goal. Stick with it. You’ll spend some sessions thinking “this is stupid”, wondering what’s on TV tonight, fantasizing about that cute co-worker, but eventually you will learn how to shut these things out. Anything worhtwhile takes time to get to. Don’t give up right away.
Erm, well, I don’t really see why that should be. It’s just a thought, after all. In themselves, thoughts aren’t that special.
I don’t think there’s any sort of magic tip or trick for things. I find it helpful to set a timer for 20-30 minutes, and sit it out. Any goals of sitting are unimportant; consciousness feeling a certain way is unimportant. Let whatever thoughts come, come. Just be mindful of what’s going on in there, without trying to wrench it around (that’s like trying to drive a nail with pasta, then screaming at the pasta in frustration that it’s not a hammer).
I’ve found it remarkable just how quickly the mind can go from “there’s no point in this, I have to get up NOW” to lucid untroubled relaxation…and back again.
Best of luck. Rome wasn’t burnt in a day either. 
Try just focusing on your breathing. Long deep inhalation and exhalations. It really helps for me.
You probably have already meditated and not even realized it!
People tend to get into a meditative state when they do things where thinking’s not involved, like washing the dishes, cleaning, painting, watching the clothes spin in the dryer…
I once spent 45 minutes staring at my lava lamp… does this count as meditation? 
And no, I was not on drugs and it was not the 60’s. I was tired and I wasn’t even born til 1983.
Meditation isn’t really something you “do.” It’s something you just allow to happen. Like falling asleep, except that you remain awake and alert. Sleep really isn’t a good analogy, except that meditation is a state that just happens by itself. If you lie down to sleep and keep thinking, “I’ve got to sleep now, I’ve really got to make myself sleep, dammit this is not happening, why can’t I make myself sleep? Got to try harder…” you’ll just think yourself into insomnia.
Meditation just happens and you just let go and let it happen. It does take effort to make yourself sit still, but the actual meditation itself happens without any effort at all. Paradoxically, the effort you have to make is to not make any effort. Letting go.