Samadhi is the highest state of meditation and in which the meditator achieves complete unity with the divine. Samadhi can be reached through different paths, although when we speak of its yogic meaning we refer to the most transcendental state of enlightenment. In India if you say that someone has "attained" Samadhi, you generally mean that he has passed on. In a sense, Samadhi is this, you die and detach yourself from the ego, while at the same time you are deeply alive, aware and connected to your true nature.
When I was studying meditation in India my instructor told me “You will only see your real nature when you detach yourself from the ego, when the “I” ceases to exist.” What she meant was that only when the "I" dies, you are free from the ego and can be fully aware and feel alive.
It is in this state of consciousness that you are able to become one with the Universe and live with the ultimate truth – this is the essence of Samadhi.
This is the primary goal of all spiritual learning and philosophies, regardless of whether you decide to classify yourself as Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or any of the myriad existing religions. Even if you have no faith or do not believe in any religion, this is not a determining factor because beliefs are not necessary to attain your true nature.
All you need to see is that you are not your mind, the 'I', the ego! But then you will ask where does the “I” reside? Live in the ego. And the ego, where does it reside? It manifests in the mind. In fact, the ego is a very important source of the mind.
All the manifestations of the ego known as thought, feeling, emotion, sensation, form and desire can be grouped under a single term - "mind". By purifying the mind using practices such as Yoga, it ceases to be an impediment to discovering your inner truth and becomes the perfect reflection of oneself, thus showing you your true nature or Samadhi.
In my travels I have discovered various ways to find this truth through meditation in Zen Buddhism, Chi-gung in Taoism, the dance of meditation in Sufism or Christian mystical practices, although what really works for me is the Yoga. Yoga allows me to get closer to my inner truth through its wide spectrum of practices: diet, exercise, meditation, breathing and physical and psychological self-healing techniques.
Practicing Yoga is one of the many ways to detach yourself from the ego and discover your inner truth. Try it and perhaps you will also discover your way to reach Samadhi.
