Dear Saṅga,
As we reflect on the energy of this auspicious Strawberry Full Moon, I would like to invite you to contemplate a simple yet profoundly challenging question:
What burden am I carrying that was never truly mine to bear?
In many spiritual traditions, this particular full moon is considered a Saturn-ruled release moon. Saturn is often misunderstood as a force of limitation or hardship, but his deeper gift is wisdom. In Vedic Astrology, Saturn is considered a great teacher. He teaches us discernment, responsibility, humility, and ultimately, surrender. Under his influence, we are encouraged not to accumulate more, but to release what has become too heavy to carry.
This moon asks us to examine the burdens we have unconsciously accepted. It asks us to recognise the responsibilities we have outgrown but continue to perform out of guilt. It challenges the belief that our worth depends on perpetual busyness and achievement. It invites us to loosen the grip of generational patterns of perfectionism, control, and self-sacrifice that may have shaped our lives for decades.
Many of us have become so accustomed to carrying these burdens that we mistake them for our purpose.
I understand this struggle personally.
From a very young age, I was entrusted with responsibilities that often felt far heavier than my years. Over time, I became so focused on carrying these responsibilities that I gradually lost touch with myself. Like many people, I believed that if I worked harder, sacrificed more, and carried more weight, I would somehow become more worthy, more useful, or more complete.
But life has a way of teaching us lessons that the mind resists.
Only in recent years have I begun to realise that I do not need to carry the weight of the world. Not every problem is mine to solve. Not every expectation deserves my obedience. Not every burden is a sacred duty. I had to learn what burdens to let go of, and what responsibilities are aligned with Dharma to carry.
In fact, I have discovered that surrender is not weakness. It is wisdom.
Surrender is recognising the difference between what belongs to us and what does not. It is trusting that life can continue to unfold even when we are not trying to control every outcome. It is allowing ourselves to let go of what no longer serves us.
When we release the unnecessary burdens we carry, something remarkable happens. We become lighter. Softer. More available to life. More available to love. More available to the Divine presence that quietly resides within the heart.
This Saturn-ruled Strawberry Full Moon invites us to stop gripping so tightly and start trusting more deeply.
May you find the courage to set down what no longer belongs to you. And only carry what is aligned with your Dharma! Lighten your load and light up your path!
And in doing so, may you discover that the light you have been seeking was never outside of you. It was waiting patiently beneath the burdens all along.
With warmth and blessings,
Kausthub
Namaste!
Full Moon (Strawberry Moon) - 30 June 2026
June 2026 may have seemed unusually quiet in the Viniyoga community. There were fewer trainings, fewer travels, and perhaps a little less activity than many have come to expect. But sometimes the most important work happens away from the spotlight.
Over the past few weeks, much of our attention has been devoted to a project that is deeply meaningful to us. It is a project rooted in the vision and work of my father, TKV Desikachar, and one that many would consider among his most sacred contributions. Bringing it to life has required patience, care, reflection, and a commitment to honouring both its spirit and its purpose.
And it has been blessed by our Ācārya, His Holiness Śrī Abhinava Vāgīṣa Brahmatantra Svatantra Parakāla Svāmi, the current Pontiff of the Parakāla-maṭha of Mysuru.
Something close to Sir Desikachar’s heart, and what will touch our own hearts, is coming soon!
Naturally, a few curious people have already begun asking questions.
“Is it old wine in a new bottle?”
A fair question.
Our answer?
It is neither old wine nor a new bottle.
In fact, there is no wine involved at all.
What we can say is that this upcoming offering carries the fragrance of something timeless. It emerges from a living tradition, yet speaks to the needs of our times. It honours the past without being trapped by it and seeks to make a precious body of wisdom available in a way that is meaningful for the present and future.
After many years of work, the project was finally completed on 21 June 2026—a date that feels especially significant. It is not only the International Day of Yoga, but also my father's birthday. Whether by design or by grace, it feels fitting that a project so closely connected to him reached completion on that very day.
Of course, as the title suggests, something is still brewing. A little more time is needed before it is ready to be shared with the wider community. But the waiting period is now measured in days rather than months.
So, watch this space.
By the time our next newsletter arrives, the secret will almost certainly be out, and we hope it will be something that practitioners, teachers, therapists, and sincere seekers everywhere can look forward to.
Something is brewing.
And at its heart lies a dream that began long ago, one that remains as alive and relevant today as ever.
The Plan is perfect! But it is not our plan!
His Master’s Voice | Patañjali's Yogasūtra
Yogasūtra II.24 - tasya hetuḥ-avidyā
The cause of that [intimate union] is misapprehension.
Here Patañjali reestablishes the idea that Avidyā (misapprehension) is the cause of the intimate union, and can either be the source of suffering or the opportunity to realise the true nature of the Seer and the seen. The choices we make will determine our spiritual journey.
Listen to the audio explanation, clicking on the play button below!
by Dr Kausthub Desikachar, PhD
A Debt Beyond Repayment
There are some debts in life that can never truly be repaid.
Money can be returned, favours exchanged, and gifts offered. But what can one give to someone who gave meaning to one’s life?
This was a question that had long lived quietly in TKV Desikachar’s heart.
Few students have been as fortunate as he was. Born into the household of his teacher, Yogācārya T. Krishnamacharya, Desikachar did not have to travel across India in search of wisdom. The teachings were woven into the fabric of daily life. They unfolded at the dining table, during walks, through conversations, and through the simple privilege of observing a master at close quarters.
As he matured, his sense of good fortune deepened into gratitude.
Desikachar understood how rare his circumstances had been. He had witnessed Krishnamacharya not only as a father, but also as a teacher, healer, scholar, and devotee. Some lessons were taught directly. Others were absorbed through years of observation. The older he became, the more deeply he appreciated the extraordinary gift he had received.
Yet gratitude naturally seeks expression.
How could he thank the man who had given him so much?
Desikachar knew his father well enough to understand that material offerings would hold little value. Krishnamacharya had little interest in wealth, status, or possessions. But there was one thing he cherished above all else: the teachings.
Throughout his life, Krishnamacharya had dedicated himself to preserving and transmitting the wisdom of Yoga. His greatest satisfaction came from seeing those teachings benefit others.
Gradually, a simple but profound idea began to take shape.
If he could not repay his teacher directly, perhaps he could create a place where the teachings could continue to live and serve.
Perhaps his greatest gift would be a home for the work itself.
That thought would eventually lead to one of the most significant developments in the modern history of Yoga.
TKV Desikachar at the KYM in the early 1990s.
A Room on the Rooftop
On 14 April 1976, together with his friend and colleague Srivatsa Ramaswami, Desikachar founded the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, now known throughout the world simply as the KYM.
The vision was clear. He wanted to create a non-profit charitable institution that would preserve and share the teachings of Krishnamacharya while making them available to those who needed them in India.
The beginnings, however, were remarkably humble.
The initial investment amounted to roughly 50 US dollars today. There were no wealthy benefactors, elaborate facilities, or grand expansion plans. In fact, Desikachar could not even afford to rent a separate building.
The first KYM occupied a
Since the COVID pandemic, many people have begun taking a more active and conscious role in their own health and well-being. There has been a noticeable shift in how we relate to healing—not simply looking outward for solutions, but seeking a deeper understanding of how to build resilience, restore balance, and support long-term well-being from within. More than ever, people are recognising that true health is not just the absence of illness, but a dynamic relationship between body, breath, mind, and the way we live.
The upcoming Viniyoga® Therapy Training in Brussels speaks directly to this growing need.
Rooted in the authentic tradition of Professor T. Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar, and taught through the living lineage of Viniyoga®, this training offers a profound and practical pathway into the therapeutic application of Yoga. It combines personalised movement, breathwork, philosophy, chanting, and therapeutic principles in a way that honours the uniqueness of each individual. Rather than applying a single method to everyone, Viniyoga teaches us to adapt the tools of Yoga intelligently and compassionately to the individual's needs.
This training is designed for Yoga teachers, therapists, healthcare professionals, and sincere practitioners who wish to deepen their understanding of holistic healing. Whether your intention is to support others more skilfully, or to enrich your own personal journey, the programme offers a rare opportunity for meaningful transformation—both personally and professionally.
In a world increasingly shaped by stress, burnout, anxiety, and disconnection, the need for thoughtful and individualised approaches to healing has never been greater. Viniyoga® offers a path of self-awareness, empowerment, and conscious care—helping us reconnect with our inner resources and respond to life with greater clarity and steadiness.
If you feel called to explore Yoga as a genuine healing tradition and wish to study within a lineage-based and deeply experiential training, we warmly invite you to join us in Brussels for this special journey.
Learn more and register here: Viniyoga® Therapy Training Europe 2026 – Brussels
with Mrs Menaka Desikachar and Dr Kausthub Desikachar
In today’s fast-paced and often overwhelming world, many people are searching for something essential: a way to reconnect with their inner voice.
There is so much noise around us—constant information, endless opinions, and the pressure to keep up with a world that rarely slows down. Yet often the loudest noise can be within: the restless movement of the mind, old patterns, self-doubt, uncertainty, and the many competing voices that pull us away from our centre. Over time, it becomes easy to lose touch with our own natural clarity. We may hear everything around us and still feel disconnected from the voice that truly belongs to us.
Pilgrimage of Sound — Finding Your Inner Voice is an invitation to return to that inner place of listening.
Rooted in the Viniyoga® tradition and guided by the profound role of sound within this lineage, the pilgrimage explores the transformative power of chanting, sacred sound, silence, breath, and presence. Sound in this tradition is not merely something we hear or produce—it is something we experience deeply. It has the power to focus the mind, soften the heart, steady the breath, and awaken an inner resonance that reconnects us to ourselves.
Memories from the Viniyoga International Conference of 2025! Join us in 2027!
Through shared practice, deep listening, and time together in a meaningful community, participants are invited to explore not only their own relationship with sound, but also the voice of Viniyoga in the world—and the world’s voice within Viniyoga. It is an opportunity to listen more carefully, practise more deeply, and discover what becomes possible when sound is approached as both discipline and devotion.
More than a retreat or conference, Pilgrimage of Sound is a journey into clarity, connection, and inner resonance.
It is an invitation to pause amidst the noise, to listen beneath the surface, and to rediscover the voice that has always been there—steady, clear, and deeply your own.
We warmly invite you to join us for this special gathering and experience the transformative power of sound in the heart of the Viniyoga tradition.
Discover more here: Pilgrimage of Sound 2027
