Alan Watts is a great resource on this subject, particularly in translating eastern philosophy for the western world. That is to say, he "sums it up" and puts into context the concepts of Tao/Zen Buddhism/etc, which would be tricky if analyzed based on English translation of the literature alone.
A good quote from that video: "The essence of the whole art is to feel, to experience what is, what happens, without saying anything to yourself about it."
With regards to meditation, his 'How to Meditate' video is an excellent place to start: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4Qkgmm5qQM
A good quote from that video: "The essence of the whole art is to feel, to experience what is, what happens, without saying anything to yourself about it."