1. Consider whether Mantra-Yoga is a form, branch, or school of yoga.

Mantra Yoga is generally a repetition of a sacred syllable or phrase given to a student by their teacher to repeat and meditate upon. In Yoga Foundations this is said to be given to the students who are perceived to be weak and ill mannered; etc. Not very positive! I would have to say that Mantra Yoga is a form of yoga.

2. How would you define Yoga? Which of the definitions given above under Additional Source Materials #9 do you most resonate with?

I define yoga for myself as a system of right living. It is a set of moral values to me, which helps me to guide my life and help me make better decisions for myself without the dogma of any sort of organized religion. Yoga is a system that allows me to come to self acceptance. The two quotes I most resonate with: Yoga is said to be the unity of exhalation and inhalation and of blood and semen, as well as the union of sun and moon and of the individual psyche with the transcendental self.; Yoga is the control of the whirls of the mind.

3. If self transcendence lies at the heart of all Yoga, how does this tally with the definition of Yoga as "control"?

One has to practice control in order to transcend, right? Yoga is about learning to control desires, thoughts, habit energy, etc. By being able to control our mind and our thoughts and what we are experiencing we can better transcend to whatever our perceived moksha is.

4. Do you feel that any of Yoga's teachings contradict your own religious beliefs? If so, which? How do you resolve the conflict?

I do not practice sort of any major religion so I am not in conflict with any of my yoga beliefs and religious beliefs. If I were, religions preach acceptance, so any sort of organized religious structure would just have to deal with it :P

5. What do you think of the claim made by some people that Jesus visited Kashmir and that he was inspired by yogic wisdom?

Good for Christ! I think that this claim should be studied as it could carry great messages that Jesus had wanted to share and teach his disciples and spread for generations to come. I believe that it could possible open up a new wave of Christianity for the future and rid Christianity of what it has become with people spreading hate and accusing others unlike them of bigotry and sin.