There are four levels of experiencing deep connection with the Divine.
1. Saamipya
It means to feel that we are very close and very dear to the Divine. Now when will you get this experience? Will you feel this closeness tomorrow, day after tomorrow, 10 days later or a few months later? No! Right now, in this very moment, just feel that you are very close to the Divine. This is what a Guru does. A Guru helps you feel that closeness with the Divine.
2. Saanidhya
Saanidhya means to feel or invoke the presence of the Divine. When you do meditation, you become aware of the existence of the Divine; you experience the presence.
For eg; we are enveloped by the air at all times but we do not always feel its presence. When you take a deep breath in, you realize the presence of the air all around you. In the same way, we are always enveloped by God but we do not feel His presence. To experience the presence of the Divine, we perform yajnas, pujas and celebrate different festivals.
3. Saarupya
Saarupya means seeing the Divine in yourself and in all forms everywhere. It means to feel that ‘the Divine is in me, and I am the Divine’. It means to realize that the Divine is present in my form, and in all the forms around me. Though formless, the Divine is present in all the forms.
4. Saayuja
The ultimate state is Saayujya which means to feel totally one with the Divine, merging so completely that you see no difference between yourself and the Divine. In this state, there is no two (no duality), there is only One. This total oneness can only be experienced in deep silence, in the stillness of the Being, when you are totally one with the Divine.
These are the four stages of Samadhi. In Samadhi (deep rest), we unite with the ultimate – that is Shiva.
