Karma Yoga - Part 4

I am confused.  

The Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali and most scriptures of Hinduism say that the final stage of spiritual growth is Samadhi (a state of intense concentration achieved through meditation). A stage at which union with the divine is reached. So, when union is achieved – the individual identity is merged into the Divine, where one’s personality or individuality is lost.  

But the Divine has given us life and created a person, an identity for a particular role in the Universe. If we attempt to merge with the Divine, are we not shirking our role and defeating the purpose of our birth? Samadhi cannot be the final step.  

Meaning of life needs to go beyond Samadhi. After we access and merge with the vast Divine Consciousness, we have to bring this power back to one’s life and use this immense consciousness to do selfless service.  

So, my formula of spiritual life is CCMSSS.  

• C ~ Clarity of purpose of existence  

• C ~ Cleansing of body to prepare to accept the Divine energy  

• M ~ Meditate to access the Divine energy  

• S ~ Surrender to allow the Divine energy to flow through me. Like a small fish going with the flow of the river.  

• S ~ Samadhi to merge myself into the Divine energy  

• S ~ Sewa or service that is selfless using this Divine energy