Goal of Yoga should be God, but not just Self.

[kisalipa]

DATTA DHARMA SUTRAM (By His Holiness Shri Datta Swami)
PART 9: DATTA YOGA SUTRAM
एष्वरं विना नास्तिकभोगो निन्द्यः |9:3|
Transalation:
Leaving God as the target, atheistic tendency of worldly enjoyment is to be condemned.
Explanation:
[Of course, physical health and mental peace are essential for the devotee to do service to God. This is part of the path only and not the goal. Hanuman maintained both these perfectly for the effective service to God Rama. Up to Pratyaahaara, the fifth stage, in the path, both these are dealt by Patanjali. But, today, people have made both these as the target. The other three stages are related to concentration on God. Some people stop with the fifth stage and some others take the other three stages also and keep some worldly item like a point, respiration, etc., as the target on which the concentration is to be done. All this is the atheistic tendency of materialistic life and shall be condemned by devotees.]

[Shivani Devi]

Namaste.

Condemnation is a pretty harsh word, when 'unimportant' or 'irrelevant' would suffice with better outcome.

What you are describing is Sankalpa. The commitment one makes to a higher ideal in lieu of worldly pleasure and ego-attachment.

It is difficult to directly perceive Brahman Absolute without the aid of an associative awareness until the association is transcended into the actuality of pure Consciousness itself. It's why Ishwara exists in the first place.

I agree in respect that to obtain full Samadhi goes beyond the level of mind and mental awareness and also incorporates the heart in the spirit of unconditional love and focusing on the breath, "So ham" or "Om" may lead us up to a point, but surrender of the ego is the key here, in whatever shape or form it takes.

Om Namah Shivaya