All forms of yoga are preparations for meditation. The practice of hatha yoga purifies the body, the practice of bhakti yoga purifies the emotional personality, the practice of jnana yoga purifies the intellect. After these practices you take to the practice of meditation.
When you close your eyes, what do you see inside? You see consciousness inside. Beyond the body is mind and beyond the mind is spirit. The purpose of meditation is to discover this unseen spirit. Through meditation you are able to transcend the world of name and form, and then you come to a world which has no boundaries and no limitations. Therefore, remember that meditation is like a bridge which takes you from this shore to the other shore.