The final limb is samadhi, a spiritual state of consciousness. Samadhi means ‘to bring together, to merge’. It refers to absolute bliss, in which you and the universe are one. In this state your body and senses are at rest, as if asleep, yet your mind is aware and awake. You have gone beyond time, space and individuality. In this effortless state, you connect with your essential nature. There is only the experience of consciousness, truth and joy. You can compare it with an individual wave settling down and experiencing the unbounded ocean.  

Yoga means union of body, mind and breath. That union alone can bring amazing results. However, there is a higher level of meaning: the union of the thinking mind with the universe or cosmic intelligence. Patanjali defines yoga as ‘the complete settling of the mind’. The results of that, according to the Yoga Sutras, is bliss-consciousness. The bliss of this state eliminates the possibility of any sorrow, great or small. Like no darkness can pierce into the bright light of the sun. You realize that you are a spiritual being having a human experience and not the other way around. In samadhi, you have achieved union and you are in perfect harmony with the ever changing flow of life. You are still acting as an individual who lives it’s life and conducts daily activities. However, you act from the level of your highest self and realize that there is no separation between you and the rest of the universe. According to Patanjali you are always capable of experiencing samadhi, any moment you can become whole and fully present. Required is a willingness to learn and a deep intention to grow as a conscious human being and to live fully in the present moment. It seems like that we need the journey (of yoga) to discover our true being or our true essence. The eight-fold path provide the roadmap for realizing samadhi.

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
–T.S. Eliot –