In what ways you advance on the path ?

In what ways you advance on the path? - is it by lowering the hindrances ? or your ability to notice them ? you get a greater ability to not attach and let go ? im trying to understand in what ways we advance - i mean before becoming a sotapanna what do you improve throw meditation and if you answer for example : " you have less ill will your less angry" do you mean we lower the anger levels - if so how - did i remove existing anger "seeds" or did i improve my ability to notice and let go of anger - and if so is this an ability which builds up from meditaiton to meditation ? i would appreciate everything you can expand on the subject of advancing in the path