I know about Chakras, but am not a believer.
As for meditation, I have been practicing for around a month which I do in the still sense sitting or laying down. I don't think drugs necessarily make things better or worse for meditation; the mind alone is the ultimate psychoactive.
In the not so still sense, I put in a lot of effort into what I do, but effortlessly and fluidly. Its good to remember that you only live in the present and any dabbling with past or future is a projection into the present. A good personal mantra for me in getting wrapped up in things is, "Your life situation is not your life."
Any situation won't affect a person who conquers it by accepting it. Acceptance is a huge part of all meditation. All boundaries are waiting to be accepted.
Keeping focus while meditating usually comes with frustration and/or annoyance, both of which come from being attached to temporary identity. Its very good to practice transparency by interviewing yourself and silently spectating your thoughts and emotions.
Though meditation I have sharpened my cognition, and cultivated strong, positive emotions, as well as some that amplified stranger and maddening aspects. As opposed to just being intently focused and transparent, I am also more prone to use visualizations and question myself to reach states overwhelming enough to eliminate most or all of the stream of thought.