> it's important to note that meditation isn't about "thinking less".

You are likely more educated and informed about meditation and its purposes, but for myself, I use meditation specifically for the purpose of "thinking less". At least, that's how I'd describe it.

Thoughts still come, but I let them go almost immediately, which stymies the flow or deluge that would normally follow. I focus on ambient sound, or breathing, or whatever, nothing.

I can't turn the internal monologue off, but during meditation it does seem to fade out and it definitely feels like I am "thinking less".