Samadhi is meditation to be able to enter the kingdom above, the kingdom of light. one that achieves Samadhi is like the wind. When he decide to leave this world it is called maha Samadhi, he go back to the kingdom of light and the holy father ask him if he went to stay above or go back down. a little child of seven days old just told you this.

let there be light, Be the light that you can be, Experience and enjoy.

From your description it sounds similar to a Tibetan high practice called, The Rainbow Body. It is suppose to be a conscious direct transformation of the physical body into light. The body is not left behind but gets refined to the vibration of it's spark from which it slowed down into matter. It is raised back to that vibration of spirit and to onlookers it changes colors up the spectrum until it disappears.

@supergirl,

Samadhi is one of the eight branches of classical yoga:

Characteristics Of Samadhi

When the mind is completely absorbed in one object of meditation, it is termed Samadhi. The mind identifies itself with the object of meditation. In Samadhi, there is neither Dhyana nor Dhyata (neither meditation nor meditator). The meditator and meditated, the thinker and the thought, the worshipper and the worshipped become one or identical. The fruit of meditation is Samadhi.

Samadhi is super conscious state, wherein the Yogi gets superintuitional or supersensual knowledge and Supersensual bliss. He gets the vision of the Lord. He is in a state of communion with the Lord. He is in full enjoyment of the Divine Ecstasy or Divine Thrill. He has seen the Light of lights now.

The five afflictions, reference to which was made in Lesson I, have now come to an end. All sorts of imperfections have disappeared. Just as the river has joined the sea, the individual soul has joined the Supreme Soul. All limitations have dropped now. This state cannot be described in words: It has to he felt by actual practice. There are neither wants nor desires here. All doubts and delusions, all sorrows and tribulations, all fears, differences, distinctions and dualities have vanished entirely. This is the ultimate goal of all spiritual practices. This is the goal of life.

Samadhi is the eighth step of the Yogic ladder. Intuition, revelation, inspiration and ecstasy are all synonymous terms. The meditator and the meditated, the thinker and the thought, the worshipper and the worshipped, the subject and the object have now become identical. The meditator has merged himself in the Soul or the all-pervading Spirit. All watertight compartments have disappeared. The Yogi feels oneness and unity everywhere. He feels: “I have nothing more to learn. I have nothing more to do. I have nothing more to obtain.”

There are different types of Samadhi, as well as different methods/approaches to attain it. But typically, it follows the immersion of the other seven branches/limbs of yoga, particularly dhyana, or meditation.

Some more in-depth reading on this very vast topic, from reputed saint Swami Sivananda. The first link will probably be the most helpful, from a beginner's standpoint...it contains an overview of the seven other yogic branches to help you attain samadhi, as well as numerous exercises which you can practice at home:

http://www.dlshq.org/download/practical.htm

http://www.dlshq.org/messages/howmed.htm

http://www.dlshq.org/download/kundalini.htm#_VPID_161

http://www.dlshq.org/download/mind.htm#_VPID_37

Hi supergirl, samadhi is a deep state of contemplation, of being in an empty state of mind, of meditation if you prefer, that leads to higher consciousness;

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here is a graphic that assists you to meditate;

http://www.servranx.com/Products/Graphiques/DE-RADIONIQUE/N%C2%B0-12---Yogi-amplificateur.aspx

"when mind knows we call it knowledge, when heart knows we call it love, when being knows we call it meditation"-Osho

Samadhi is a state when you become one with whole universe. It's like a drop of water that merged into sea, and and became one with it. To be honest trying to describe Samadhi is like trying to describe God. As written in Upanishads: 'Neti-Neti' meaning it is neither this, nor that. When we meditate we watch the random thoughts or concentrate upon something. So there is the 'watcher' and 'watched'. In the state of Samadhi the 'watcher' and 'watched' become one. It's like nothingness. It's the ultimate bliss, there's no time, no space, no questions hence no answers. @supergirl try and meditate and you'll get a glimpse of true bliss, and once you feel it you'll want to feel it again and again. Just do something basic like watching your breath at first. Then if you want to move forward, Ways will be shown to you. Try reading 'Finger Pointing to The Moon' by Osho.

Based partially on the answers here, partially on my own feelings on the subject, the latter being nearly completely uneducated on this topic nor its origins:

This practice sounds like voluntarily accepting and welcoming 'death' as a friend. Or at least a break from the hustle and bustle of the physical and material world. Death is a word I would rather replace as many put negative connotations to it, whereas I read its definition to mean a new beginning with no relation to words describing an ending.

It also sounds very much like the way all people die, the difference being this is a peaceful and intentional way of consciously doing something you know you're doing, whereas not all people call and accept their own death with high percentages of conscious intention behind the process.

I believe there are a few reasons one will return to the Source, be it fully voluntary or otherwise. They can decide their life is complete, they have accomplished all goals they still have desire to complete, they've seen all they desire to see, they've felt all they desire to feel. If they approach this feeling with acceptance and a feeling of fulfillment I imagine their passing will be like what I feel is described here, peaceful and blissful.

But it can also come from one focusing too much on the thought "I've felt all I desire to feel" because they are overwhelmed with a feeling they're unable to handle or cope with any longer, and so they want an exit to escape.

They can also put a negative spin on "I've done all I desire to do", by adding a less than ideal spin to the end like "because I can no longer do the things I love". Some when faced with this adversity will instead find a new passion to love in life, another way to find their happiness and direct their energy. Others will resign to the impact, the force of such a traumatizing event (much like the first option) and will choose instead to fold the hand instead of playing it out.

Similarly, if one spends all of their time so unhappy with their experience they think nothing day after day other than I want to die, they may end up getting their wish even if they didn't truly feel it, truly mean it. However, as the Genie usually gives us that which we put the most energy in to, it is just as likely one who is in this condition will spend more time thinking "I don't want to be alive", and since they're pouring so much energy into the Verse on the topic of 'life' and filling it with negativity, the Genie pulls a switcheroo and instead keeps them alive, but gives them more unhappiness to cope with because the Verse's primary function is to accept, return, and amplify energy.

This is why people can find themselves in cycles of depression and sadness, because the more [unhappy] energy they're putting into their experience, the more the Verse returns believing this is what they are wishing for. So one in an already unhappy cycle is fed further unhappiness, pushing the pendulum even further along.

On the bright side of things this same concept can help one move into a cycle of happiness, where their happiness attracts more of the experience in the now which is resulting in them producing the most energy, which the Verse appreciates.

"You get what you give." But what you give to the Verse is heavily about your emotions. Maddeningly circular conundrum, be happy to get more happy. But it's excellent advice indeed.. And it can start with a simple smile.

All of this being said, whether it be the peaceful method or the less than so method, the thing I fail to understand: Why would an enlightened one voluntarily shorten their life? Or perhaps they would wait until very late in their journey before utilizing this ability.. But it seems like many who are pursuing enlightenment as rapidly as they can would immediately try to climb the ladder to this step, a step I believe should be reserved for when one has begun to accumulate more great stories and experiences than they can continue to store..

But even then, I would think one enlightened enough to be able to voluntarily activate this ability at will would also be capable of many other great things, and would be wise enough to want to keep seeing and experiencing the beauty and wonder in life, while having the talents to facilitate accomplishing this.