So what is Yoga?
I was invited to publish a paper in the Journal of Neuropsychotherapy on this question to introduce Yoga to health professionals and scientists such as medical doctors, psychologists, psychotherapists, and neuroscientists. The full paper published in the Journal is available for you to download via the links below.
So much information is available on the web and in books, it can be hard to wade through all the different interpretations and styles and the sometimes contradictory information available. I wanted the paper to be accessible to both Yoga practitioners and to those who had no exposure to Yoga so the banyan tree became the perfect an analogy to illustrate the complexity of the answer.
The banyan tree, growing near most temples in Bali, is from the genus Ficus. It puts down new roots constantly sprouting new 'trees' which become so intertwined that its hard to see the original tree trunk. Considered a symbol of immortality and a reminder of the ever-present source at the heart of the play of change in the universe.