The Nitya living blog has something for everyone that loves yoga and yoga wisdom. A diverse variety of yoga articles, lifestyle advice, and meaningful poetry make it a great destination for yoga enthusiasts and those looking to learn more about its potential benefits.
How We See Our World Reflected Through Us
It was Caroline Myss, acclaimed medical intuitive, who spoke of the time of the Great Depression and from that period the birth of the polio epidemic in which we then voted in President Roosevelt, a man afflicted by polio himself. When the Depression lifted it was no...
For Love of Both Parenting and Being a Child
During this summer's 5 week long Nitya Living Yoga Camp I had the blessing of witnessing the roles of being a parent and being a child. My daughter is nearly 20 years old and so much has changed in that time mostly from the technology explosion. When I was a young mom...
Tree House - A Poem by Lydia Nitya Griffith
Tree House by Lydia Nitya Griffith There was a path, a trail really What is the difference between one or the other Except to say it was a way from the lawn Into the woods. That trail was moss covered and framed by briars and weeds Which are just grasses...
Is There Anybody Out There?
We live in a time of communication overload; over sharing on social media and texting. So much verbal delusion and yet, where is meaningful communication happening? Have we forgotten the gift a phone call to a friend can mean to their day? Have we forgotten what it is...
Spring Poems
A sampling of some of the poems being published in the upcoming Musings from the Mat; Inspirations and Poems by Lydia Nitya Griffith. Seeds and Dreams Under the filling moon I saw them, The first sprouts rising up, misted and sparkling like gems. What grows in...
A Dharma Tale: The Onion
A Dharma Tale: The Onion A young man had a small garden behind his cottage. He had enjoyed the bounty of his garden for many years. One day a terrible storm rolled in over the mountains and brought torrential rains to his valley. All of his garden was washed into the...
Drum Roll….Nitya Announces
Yoga with Nitya is now... NITYA LIVING Over the past 13 years my journey as an Integral Yoga teacher, as a children's yoga teacher has transformed and evolved over and over again from the early years at Just Be Yoga on Main Street to Richmond Kids Yoga, to Yoga...
Are You Drinking from the Well of Your Self?
I had the extreme privilege of hearing my Yin teacher, Biff Mithoefer, speak at Satsang in Yogaville this past Saturday night. I couldn't be there in person, but rather watched it on Livestream. Here is the...
La Pura Vida
A few weeks ago I went on vacation to Puntarenas Costa Rica with my partner, Ian, and my daughter, Bea, as a celebration for Bea's graduation from high school. Let me put this into perspective that in all my adult life I have not once gone off on a family vacation of...
Juicing - Vegan - Raw
I've seen so many documentaries about food like OMG GMO, Food Inc., Forks Over Knives, The Beautiful Truth, and Thrive. Plus I have devoured many great books like Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, and two great kid's...
Cream of Cashew Soup
One of the BEST fall soups out there and you can easily make this vegan and skip on the cream and butter. 2 medium onions 1/2 stick of butter 4 tbsp. olive oil 2 c. raw or roasted (unsalted) cashews 2 - 3 tbsp. fresh ground peanut butter 2 - 3 tbsp. fresh ground...
Fall Veggie Casserole
One of my favorite fall dishes and easy to make. 2 - 3 medium potatoes 2 medium sized zucchinis 1 large onion 1 large eggplant 2 -3 red or green tomatoes Large ball of mozzarella Season with sea salt and rosemary Oil a large baking dish and preheat oven to 450 Slice...
What’s For Dinner? Weekly Menu
The garden is in it's decline, sad but true. So, with the sun not shining quite as long, the tomatoes don't turn red but I have a great solution so those round yummies don't go to waste. Saturday - Fried Green Tomatoes: From All Recipes website: 4 large green tomatoes...
Weekly Menu - Cooler Days Ahead
Sunday - Gumbo - gotta do something with all the okra coming out of the garden! Large pot Dice about 4 - 6 tomatoes Sautee in garlic (2 - 3 cloves minced) and olive oil Add 1 diced onion 2 diced peppers as much okra as you like! Can of organic black beans Optional -...
Weekly Menu - Welcome October!
The Blood Full Moon high in the sky last night and the leaves just tipping into a new spectrum of color as autumn sweeps in and October is right there waiting at the end of the week. The farmer's markets are thinning out but there is still plenty to work with to make...
Weekly Menu - Transition into Fall
Hi there! I just got back from the Forest Hill Farmer's Market and here is this week's menu. Feel inspired and let me know if you want recipes!! Saturday - Mock Crab Cakes made with shredded Zucchini. Side of roasted potatoes tossed in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary....
Weekly Menu - Get Inspired!
I will try to remember to post this every week. On Fridays I make the menu for the next 6 - 7 days. I do this because I then can make my grocery list and hit the Saturday farmer's market where I buy 80% of what I need then off to Ellwood's local market, Trader Joes,...
10 Year Anniversary of Teaching Yoga
April marks the 10th anniversary of my being certified as a yoga instructor. This is a momentous and significant commemoration of the journey I have been on as I have grown into becoming Nitya. That first day of teacher training was my birthday, October 21, 2004, and...
Breath - a poem
Breath, inhaled runs like ice through my veins Breath, a cloud wordless hovering outside my mouth Breath, prana, life force, we collectively are one Breath Each day a new sun, each sky blooms with stars and clouds, each night a new moon Each day a blessing – Each...
A Child’s Journey into Yoga
It was back in September of 2012, my daughter was attending Sabot at Stony Point and in 7th grade. After I dropped her off for school I would spend many mornings for about a month parked on the campus grounds to write what would become A Child's Journey into Yoga. It...
Who Are You?
This is a question I ask every day at Yoga with Nitya Summer Camp for Kids and Teens - Who are you? It's a deep question to ask someone who is 6 or 9 or 14 years old. Even adults will answer, though, in a similar way. We answer with our name, that we are a boy or a...
Featured Yoga Camp Week - Digging into the Roots of Yoga
One of our most favorite field trips for the past 7 years of yoga camp is our annual adventure to Yogaville. Nestled in the rural rolling landscape of Buckingham County, Yogaville offers a beautiful view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the James River and a taste of...
Featured Yoga Camp Week - Eating Like a Yogi
The eating like a yogi week focuses on where our food comes from. One of the most critical topics of our time is the future safety and preservation of a natural,organic, GMO-free, local food source separate from big agri-bus. and Monsanto. During our week we will take...
Menu for Yoga Camp 2013
At yoga camp we strive to nourish each camper in body, mind and spirit. We shop every Saturday at the Forest Hill Farmer's Market and also at Farm to Family so each week we have the freshest most nutrient dense food in our diet. We look for gluten free, dairy free...
Approaches for Helping Kids Deal with Stress
I have been blessed by teaching 2 children private classes in their homes. The first is a young boy with anger management issues. We will call him Z. I am teaching him to breathe as a tool to feel in control when the world around him feels out of control. Each yoga...
Climbing the Jewel Tree
As a child on a Spiritual Path we first stand at the Roots of the Jewel Tree. We look up in Wonder and that is the moment of Realization. We suddenly see beyond our limited reality. We begin to climb and discover the first easily accessible branches. These are the...
On a Rainy Day
On a rainy day like today I feel called from my desk to sit in my rocking chair, the same rocking chair my mother rocked me in in when I was an infant, and sit looking out into the gray fuzzy morning. I'd cradle my warm cup of tea, tea that a friend gave me, and each...
A Winter Deep Relaxation Story for Children
Lie flat on your back and close your eyes. Breathe into your legs, hold your breath and squeeze your legs tight, tight, tight - let them go...ah! Now breathe into your hands and make them into fists, squeeze your arms and hold your breath - let them go...ah! Put your...
Meditation on 12/12/12
I went outside this morning to connect to Mother Earth and Father Sky. I laid out a quilt and I laid out my body. I aligned my cells to Mother Earth, I connected my Spirit to Father Sky. And I watched the clouds, I watched and heard the birds. I've been holding onto a...
Mind-full-ness Yoga
Mind - Full - Ness Being present in the space of each perfect moment of life is to walk The Path of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Gurus, and Yogis throughout the course of time. It is not difficult to begin the journey on this Path. It is not difficult to stop and begin to...