Definition of Samadhi  
Samadhi is super sensuous, super conscious perception or experience. Ordinarily we (the Soul) perceive external objects through the medium of the mind and the senses. The physical objects are all seen through the agency of the senses. The senses are all very limited and hence the world that we perceive through the senses is also limited. In Samadhi we perceive objects without the agency of the physical / astral senses. That is why Samadhi is called ‘Extra Sensory Perception'. In lower states of Samadhi the objects are perceived by the mind without the aid of the physical / astral senses. In higher states of Samadhi the objects are perceived directly by the Soul's consciousness without the aid of the mind. Consciousness then perceives every object as its own gross manifestation and realizes its oneness with everything. 

Samadhi can also be defined as the experience of a very wide range of super conscious states of the mind. In this state consciousness withdraws from the physical body, awareness of the physical environment is lost and it functions from the astral /causal body, and awareness of the astral / causal environment takes place. Samadhi is the process, through which the lower instruments are dropped one by one and the Soul experiences the reality directly without the help of any one of these instruments. During deep intense and prolonged meditation when the meditator loses self-awareness and only consciousness of the object remains that state is called Samadhi. During meditation consciousness is differentiated into three aspects:

• Object of meditation.

• Subjective ‘I' consciousness that is meditating

• Consciousness of the process of meditation

During advanced meditation the subjective ‘I' consciousness is lost, with this the consciousness of the process of meditation also disappears and what remains is the consciousness of the object only. This state is called Samadhi and in this state the true nature of the object is known. Therefore, samadhi is the process through which the essential reality behind any object is known. 

Purpose of Samadhi  

• To investigate and acquire mastery over the higher realms in Nature.

• To gain realization of the Ultimate reality beyond Nature. 

Types of Samadhi 

Jada Samadhi 
This is an unconscious trance state, which is spiritually useless because it only temporarily suspends the consciousness and actions of the Ego. It cannot transform material consciousness into spiritual consciousness. Jada Samadhi is produced by methods of physical control or by mental anesthetic of keeping the mind blank, or by pressing on certain glands. In this state a sense-bound man can do no more than temporarily refrain from increasing his desires, attachments and karmic indebtedness. He can never acquire wisdom nor eliminate