In my experience, the fruits of the practice are dynamic and have grown or "changed" over the years.

Initially I perceived yoga as asana, the postures most people define as yoga. And at that point I was basically exercising, moving, contracting, sweating. With that paradigm, "yoga" could only have been what cycling, or lifting weights, or playing basketball could be. What I left with was the physiological effects of an activity. However, even then, asana had a slightly different residue that I noticed only when paying careful attention.

A decade later I recognize Yoga as a vast body of wisdom with a myriad of tools (of which asana is one) for mindful human evolution or "growth" if you prefer. so for me my practice actually balances who I am as a human being, brings me closer to the Self, and allows me a more mindful way of living - those are the "benefits" for me today.

gordon