Dear Friends,

Namaste to all of you! As the full moon graces the sky tonight, its luminous glow invites us to pause, reflect, and gracefully fill our hearts. The moon, ever steady in its cycles, reminds us that even in darkness, light returns—steady, enduring, and whole. Being a Cancer Full Moon is ever so meaningful for me personally.

As I celebrate turning 50 this year, I find myself reflecting on my own journey so far. Life has not been without its challenges—moments of doubt, heartache, and struggle have visited me as they do us all. Some of you are aware of the struggles I have had and have been by my side through it all. For which I am so eternally grateful.

Yet, as I stand in the light of this milestone, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. My heart is full of grace, not because the challenges vanished but because they shaped me, taught me, and deepened my appreciation for life’s blessings. Where I am today in life would not have been possible without enduring each of these trials.

I believe this full moon can be a mirror for each of us, casting light on the goodness we often overlook. It is easy to dwell on what is complicated or lacking; our struggles can loom large, eclipsing the quiet gifts of our lives. But tonight, I invite you to join me in a simple practice: focus on the blessings. Reflect on the love you give and receive, the lessons you’ve learned, the beauty that surrounds you—even in the smallest of things.

The grace I feel today has not come from a life devoid of challenges but from choosing again and again to find the light amidst them. I hope you, too, can find moments of grace, gratitude, and renewal as you reflect under this full moon’s glow.

Let your heart, like the moon, be full tonight—brimming with grace and quiet, knowing that life is a gift in all its complexity.

And of course, as always, enjoy our newsletter and feel free to share it with your friends, students and well-wishers. Joy and wisdom are best enjoyed when they are shared.

With love and gratitude, Namaste!

Dr Kausthub Desikachar, PhD

The Viniyoga Tradition

13 January 2025! Cancer Full Moon

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Viniyoga and Yoga Research

Interview with Vidhi Sadana

Vidhi’s journey is an inspiring blend of ancient wisdom and cutting-edge science. With a background in public health and a Master’s from King’s College, she bridges the gap between yoga and modern medicine. In this interview, Vidhi shares how yoga therapy complements conventional medicine, the growing recognition of the mind-body connection, and her vision for integrating Viniyoga® into healthcare. Her experiences as a teacher, researcher, and practitioner highlight the transformative power of yoga therapy, both for patients and for the healthcare professionals of tomorrow.

My background in public health and my MSc from King's College has greatly influenced my perspective on yoga therapy by providing me with a comprehensive understanding of both the scientific and holistic aspects of health. Public health has instilled in me a strong focus on prevention, holistic well-being, and the importance of evidence-based approaches to health interventions. This aligns well with yoga's therapeutic potential, which emphasises physical well-being and mental and emotional health.

The scientific training I received through my MSc at King's College has equipped me with the tools to critically evaluate research and understand the physiological and psychological mechanisms at play in therapeutic practices. This allows me to integrate modern health knowledge with the ancient wisdom of yoga, creating a more nuanced, evidence-informed approach to yoga therapy.

For example, I am particularly interested in how yoga therapy can be used as a complementary approach to managing chronic conditions, reducing stress, and enhancing mental health especially those with addictive behaviours. Yoga's emphasis on mindfulness, breathwork, yogic philosophy and breath-focused movement fits well with modern scientific findings on stress reduction, neuroplasticity, and the mind-body connection. Combining the ancient wisdom of yoga with evidence-based public health principles allows me to appreciate its therapeutic potential from a more holistic and scientifically grounded perspective. Additionally, it has allowed me to engage with western medicine professionals in a form/language that they understand whilst keeping the function of healing from the yogic perspective. Function over form!

Yoga therapy can be a powerful complement to conventional medicine, especially when managing chronic and complex conditions. From my experience, yoga therapy offers unique benefits that enhance Western medical treatments, focusing on the mind-body connection and addressing aspects of health that are often overlooked in conventional medicine, such as how childhood traumas or even adult trauma can manifest in the physical body leading to stress disorders, chronic pain, musculoskeletal conditions, immune system disorders etc.

Additionally, Yoga therapy encourages patients to take an active role in their healing journey. Individuals gain a sense of empowerment by learning to listen to their bodies, practice breathwork, and engage in self-care routines. This can complement medical treatments by fostering a mindset of self-management and contributing to long-term health maintenance. Conventional medicine often focuses on treating the symptoms of a disease in a reductionist manner, while yoga therapy addresses the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.

By bringing a holistic approach, yoga therapy can help manage the emotional and psychological aspects of illness, such as fear, anxiety, or feelings of helplessness/worthlessness, which may not always be addressed in conventional medical settings. Hence, yoga therapy complements conventional medicine by addressing the five layers of the human self. While conventional medicine may focus on symptom management and treatment of disease, yoga therapy helps the patient understand the cause of their illness, causing negative core beliefs, their past conditioning or impressions, and their dysfunctional patterns created from those core beliefs and experiences manifesting in symptoms. At the same time, it offers tools using yoga on-the-mat and off-the-mat practices.  All of which can lead to better overall health outcomes and an enhanced quality of life for those with chronic and complex conditions.

One moment that stands out in my practice involved working with a participant who had been struggling with chronic pain and anxiety due to a long-term autoimmune condition. This was one of the participants from my research study on ‘impact of yoga therapy in rheumatoid arthritis and anxiety’. When we began working together, she was in constant discomfort, and her physical symptoms compounded her anxiety. She had tried various medical treatments but felt that they only managed the symptoms without addressing the underlying emotional toll or improving her overall quality of life.

Over time, I introduced her to a combination of gentle yoga postures, breathing exercises, visualisation techniques and mantra meditation.  Initially, she was sceptical, especially about how movement, breathing technique and mantra chanting could have any impact on her pain or anxiety. However, as we progressed, she noticed subtle shifts in her body and mind. The mantra meditation helped her manage moments of anxiety, and the mindful movement gave her more awareness of her body, which had become a source of frustration and fear.

The profound shift came after about six weeks of consistent practice. During one of our sessions, she shared that she had experienced a moment when the pain was particularly intense. Still, instead of feeling overwhelmed by it, she was able to focus on her breath, softly chant the mantra and observe the sensations in her body without judging them as "pain," and instead respond more calmly, asking about pain what it needed and compassionately offered the body some rest. This allowed her to stay grounded, rather than spiralling into anxiety. Over time, she started to see this as a tool she could use during sessions and in her daily life.

By the end of our work together, she reported not only a significant reduction in her anxiety but also an increased ability to manage her pain in a more balanced, non-reactive way. She felt empowered by the practices and experienced a new sense of agency in her healing journey. It was a turning point where she realized that, while conventional treatments had their place, yoga therapy gave her an additional, deeply personal tool for managing her condition—one that nurtured her mind and body simultaneously.

This moment was particularly powerful because it exemplified the profound transformation that can happen when we integrate the mind-body connection into healthcare. It enables patients to reclaim a sense of control and healing that transcends the purely physical or medical.

Q) If you could share one piece of advice, what would it be?

Take the time to listen to your body and mind, and trust its wisdom.

Contributions of Srī TKV Desikachar | 01

Śrī TKV Desikachar is regarded the world over as one of the most important Yoga Masters of the modern era. His extraordinary contributions to the Yoga field have touched the hearts of millions of people worldwide. We explore some of his most profound contributions through a series of videos.

This first video describes how he took the teachings of his legendary father, Śrī T Krishnamacharya, worldwide!

Untold Secrets of Prāṇāyāma in the Viniyoga Tradition

Self-Care and High-Performance Strategies

A talk with Dr Kausthub Desikachar. Interviewed by Supriya Roy (Australia)

His Master’s Voice | Patañjali's Yogasūtra

Audio blog by Dr. Kausthub Desikachar

Yogasūtra II.6 - dṛg-darśana-śaktyoḥ eka-ātmatā-iva-asmitā

False identity, [the limiting sense of “I”], results from the [true] Perceiver and the instrument of perception appearing as if they are one and the same.

Mind, being the instrument of perception, is used to perceive and hence acquires certain patterns. These patterns include the habitual way of seeing things and a false identity that it is the Seer. This false identification is egoism, Asmitā.

Listen to an audio explaining this aphorism:» Click the Play button below!

Mind the Gap!

A Holistic Approach to Manage Stress and Anxiety

An article by Dr Kausthub Desikachar

The great adversaries in today's fast-paced world are stress, anxiety and other mental health disorders. This is generally true for the entire range of the global population but is adversely affecting the youth. However, the ancient practice of Yoga stands as a beacon of hope and a panacea for these challenges. For many centuries, Yoga has been revered for its ability to harmonize the mind and body, offering a sanctuary of calm amidst the chaos. Its integration of asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breath control), and meditation presents a comprehensive toolkit for mental well-being. Recent scientific research has begun to validate these claims, shedding light on the value of how Yoga can profoundly impact mental health.

The Roots of Yoga and Its Holistic Approach

Yoga, originating in ancient India, is more than just physical exercise; it is a discipline designed to foster spiritual, physical, and mental harmony. The word Yoga itself means "to connect/to link," symbolizing the integration of mind, body, and spirit. Unlike other forms of exercise, Yoga emphasizes conscious intent and connection, encouraging practitioners to tune into their internal experiences. It also promotes deep and meaningful connections between our inner and outer worlds.  

This unique blend of physical movement, breath control, and meditative focus addresses stress and anxiety from multiple angles. While asanas strengthen and relax the body, pranayama regulates the nervous system, and meditation cultivates a state of conscious intent and connection, promoting emotional resilience.

The Science Behind Yoga's Mental Health Benefits

Recent studies have provided compelling evidence for Yoga's efficacy in enhancing mental health. Research has shown that consistent yoga practice significantly reduces cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone. High levels of cortisol are often linked to chronic stress, anxiety, and even depression. By regulating this hormone, Yoga helps mitigate the physiological impacts of stress…

To read the full article, you may click below to download the PDF File>

Viniyoga® Therapy Training in Italy

A First-of-Its-Kind Experience! Starting in 2025!

The Viniyoga® tradition also offers you the best and most complete Therapy Training Program that offers in-depth training in applying the holistic principles of Yoga as a complementary healing system. It is most suited for those who want to become Yoga Therapists and those who wish to develop individualized complementary Yoga Therapy processes for students with different ailments or health concerns.

For the first time, The Viniyoga® Therapy Training is coming to Italy in September 2025! Join this transformative journey and advanced teachings led by Dr Kausthub Desikachar, rooted in the time-honoured traditions of Viniyoga® and the holistic principles of healing.

This 1,000-hour certification program offers an unparalleled opportunity to:

• Master the principles of personalized yoga therapy.

• Learn to integrate yoga tools into tailored healing approaches.

• Deepen your spiritual evolution and therapeutic skills.

• Enhance your own potential as a healer.

• Earn an internationally recognized Viniyoga® certification.

The training will be conducted in English and translated into Italian.

👉 For more detailed information and to enrol, please click here»

Join us and be part of history!