About Us

We want to give you the best services

Hello, I’m Nadia Pillay.

I’m a Chicago-area yoga teacher and wellness coach with more than 20 years of experience. I’ve taught at Harvard University and DePaul University, and in daycares, schools, and community spaces. Sovereign Lineage is where that work comes together: trauma-informed yoga, mindfulness, and coaching for every stage of life.

Kemetic Yoga
Kemetic Yoga is an ancient Egyptian system of breath, movement, and meditation. “Kemet” is the ancient Egyptian name for their land, and the practice draws its postures and sequences from the teachings and figures depicted on temple walls and in hieroglyphs. I am trained in the Yoga Skills Method.
At its heart is the relationship between breath and movement. The postures are designed to move energy, build physical vitality, and cultivate mindfulness, which are tools for steadiness in modern life. Because the practice is rooted in ancestry, it also offers a way to reconnect with your heritage and explore who you are, personally and collectively. It is a precise, structured path to what practitioners call the Science of Self.
In my teaching, Kemetic Yoga is the foundation, and breath, movement, visualization, and meditation are how I share it, adapted for every age and ability.

Who I work with
Adults and anyone with personal goals: The Dyad Method. Private one-on-one yoga coaching paired with life coaching, so your physical goals are backed by clear goals, accountability, and a mindset that supports them. In person or live online.
Children: Emerging Yoga for Kids. Playful, trauma-informed movement from infancy through age 12, in families, daycares, and schools.
Older adults: Brain-Boosting Chair Yoga and Mindfulness. A gentle, seated practice that supports cognitive health and resilience.
Workplaces and communities: workshops that give teams practical tools for stress, focus, and recovery.

Guided meditations, books, and tools to practice at home, wherever you are.

Training and credentials
Certified in Kemetic Yoga (200-hour), Kundalini Yoga, and Upa Yoga. Certified Life Coach, NLP Practitioner, Trauma-Informed Expressive Arts Therapy Practitioner, and Crystal Bowl Sound Healing Practitioner.
Begin where you are.

Guaranteed Results

Quality Services

Testimonials

What Say Clients

“I want you to know that you are the best instructor I have ever had and everyone and every class was compared to you – your ability to stretch and strengthen my mind, soul and body. It took me more than six months, but I found someone who’s philosophy is similar to yours and I am finally back on a positive path. They will never be as wonderful as you, but the fact that I have found someone who understands it is more than just going through the movements, hot, cold, hold it best, whatever, it is peace and strength with every fiber of my being. Thank you so much for giving me the gift of understanding what yoga can do for my life. Thank you for making me want to search for that no matter where I am so that I can find the peace and strength from within as I did when I was in your class. Sending you all my best, Despina xoxo- Despina M Kreatsoulas

.

“I have been attending Nadia’s class for more than a year and have enjoyed the experience immensely from the start.  Nadia combines professionalism with a warm personal touch that makes yoga meaningful in a way that is rarely achieved.  Her classes are both physically and spiritually rewarding.  I feel privileged to be part of her program.”-Patricia Skalka

“Nadia’s ease and ability to create a welcoming and communal atmosphere during her yoga classes are what makes me hold her in such high regard. She has a way of touching on the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual during our time with her. I value her class each week because it seems to speak to what I need to hear in reference to living a more positive and purposeful life. She is receptive to each individual’s needs and caters class to an intuitive vibe she seems to know from the class as a whole. She lives out her yoga practice, as they say, “off the mat.”  She is gifted and amazing, and I am grateful to call her a friend.”-Holly L.

” Eight months after becoming a new mom, I started in class with Nadja. A couple of sessions later, she made me feel like my body belonged to me again, after having cared for a newborn. Through her teaching, she awoke my strength and self-esteem, and going to her class is now the highlight of my week. She approaches her yoga professionally with a personal touch and she always make you feel comfortable no matter what level you’re on.”– Terese Edestam.

She intuitively knows her student’s needs in a way you can’t teach and her talents are motivated by the purest intent (she’s not making much off us like other yoga instructors might).  As a physical therapist, practicing in the field for more than 14 years while managing a Loop location of the area’s industry leader, I have a high BS meter for group exercise instructors.  By observing her respect for the human body I feel comfortable saying she’s the real deal – both spiritually moving and physically challenging – while allowing the student to set the pace of their own experience.  For me, her class has not only helped me in triathlon training but also in processing the needs of a growing family, managing a physical therapy facility, and my 2nd  go at Ironman Wisconsin.  My favorite thing about my experience with Nadia may be that she is a Roger’s Park product and has stayed loyal to her roots.  Nadia’s “closing the circle” on her Rogers Park experience by teaching here rings true of the vibe of our community and my values as her “neighbor”.
Respectfully,
Mike Morrow

To me, Nadia is more than simply an incredible yoga instructor (not that that’s not very important) I began taking her classes at the start of some difficult personal times. Nadia’s ability to ‘read’ her yoga students, not just physically, but emotionally as well, then ‘tailor making’ her classes to meet their needs, is a rare gift. And that’s how I feel after I finish one of her yoga sessions; that I have been presented with a loving gift.   Jane Hobart