Hamilton Yoga Blog
David Morley, owner and headteacher at Hamilton Yoga, Newcastle
David Morley is a longstanding Iyengar yoga teacher and practitioner in Newcastle who has been exploring yoga since the late 1980s. He has sustained his strong lineage with Iyengar Yoga, which is a worldwide renowned form of yoga developed by B.K.S. Iyengar.
David began his yoga journey in Newcastle, Australia, with a group of like-minded practitioners. In 1994 he began teaching his first yoga classes based on Hatha yoga, and first established this yoga school, previously known as Novocastrian School of Yoga, in 1996, leaving his electrical trade behind.
In 1995, David started his Iyengar teacher training and completed the certification process in 1999 under the mentorship of senior Iyengar yoga teacher Pixie Lillas, one of the first Iyengar yoga teachers in Australia. Pixie Lillas had trained directly under B.K.S. Iyengar in Pune, India and was instrumental in bringing Iyengar yoga to Australia. David's training as a therapeutic and remedial massage therapist in 1995 is also a great asset for his teaching, informing his adjustments and general instructions to yoga students.
In December 1998, David travelled to India to study with B.K.S. Iyengar himself at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune at the time of the 80th birthday celebration of B.K.S. Iyengar. Again in 1999 and 2006, he visited the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune to study with Iyengar's daughter, Geeta Iyengar, and son, Prashant Iyengar. Over the years he attended several events in Australia hosted by Iyengar Yoga Australia with members of the Iyengar family. Recently, in February 2023, he was lucky to take part in the National Iyengar Yoga Australia Convention with Iyengar’s granddaughter, Abhijata at the Sunshine Coast, the first eagerly anticipated gathering of Australia’s Iyengar community after a 5-year break.
Since February 2000, the historic G.U.O.O.F. building next to Gregson Park at 21 Steel Street Hamilton, has been home to David’s yoga school, formerly the Novocastrian School of Yoga. During a brief business partnership between 2018 and 2022, the school's name was changed to Hamilton Yoga - Iyengar Yoga School.
From its home in Hamilton, this yoga school has grown into a true Novocastrian entity continuing its story as an accomplished Newcastle yoga studio with some refurbishments and ongoing improvements along the way, and loyal students returning for decades and welcoming many new students since.
Hamilton Yoga is now the longest, continuously operating yoga studio in Newcastle, NSW, with David as owner and headteacher. David is rewarded with over 29 years of solid teaching experience and many close connections in the community, making him a respected and considerable figure in Newcastle and the Newcastle yoga scene.
David is thoroughly integrated into the community not only for tending a central Iyengar yoga centre in Newcastle, but also for his long and ongoing involvement with a local football club, volunteering there at management level and with maintenance jobs. In addition, David has strong connections with many musicians and artists through playing in bands, through his love and patronage of live theatre and his association with the German community through his German wife and bilingually raised children.
David Morley is the owner and has been the key teacher at this yoga school since its inception in 1996. Hamilton Yoga – Iyengar Yoga School continues to be a reputable yoga studio in Newcastle and a family-run Newcastle business where David has been offering Iyengar yoga classes consistently for nearly three decades.
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Why we chant
Chanting at the beginning of our experienced yoga classes has been a regular feature at our yoga school over the decades. The chanted Invocation to Patanjali is a very centering practice before the beginning of each yoga practice.
Story of a Newcastle yoga teacher
I often get asked this question, "What do you do for work?". When I reply that I am a full-time yoga teacher in Newcastle, many more unspoken questions arise. In reality, there is not a simple answer to this question.
The Wall is Our Friend in Iyengar Yoga
The wall is probably one of the most versatile props that can be used in yoga based on our individual needs. It provides gentle support, is great for restorative work, or can provide that extra challenge. Making use of this in the practice of yoga can prove to be an invaluable asset to facilitate self-correction and learning.
Our 10-week Beginners Course
Is signing up for a 10-week Beginners Yoga Course too daunting for you? We get it, it is a big commitment. That’s why we are offering this budget-friendly course for you to benefit in the best possible way from our classes. You won't find answers about what Iyengar Yoga is in a one-off class. Regularity is the key.
A Hamilton Yoga Studio Portrait
Our yoga studio received its very own portrait by this clever Newcastle artist. We are very proud to introduce you to Trevor Dickinson's “G.U.O.O.F. Hall – Home of Hamilton Yoga”.
Sports and Yoga Newcastle
Iyengar Yoga as part of a training routine can benefit an athlete in many ways, from overall physical, mental, and emotional health, to leading to better performance in their chosen sport.
Iyengar Yoga Australia Convention 2023
It is through significant encounters like these with Abhijata Iyengar at the 2023 Iyengar Yoga Australia Convention, that my respect and love for Iyengar Yoga and its lineage is kindled yet again.