Nicky’s Journey
Nicky’s dedication to yoga is infectious. He is a deeply knowledgeable teacher known for his inspiring, relatable and heartfelt approach.
Read on to discover more about Nicky’s personal and professional journey with yoga.
Nicky Grimsdale is a passionate and inspiring yoga educator devoted to making the depth of yoga philosophy practical, accessible, and genuinely lived. His work bridges rigorous study with simplicity, offering practical pathways into complex ideas without dogma, mysticism, or unnecessary abstraction.
At the heart of Nicky’s teaching is a commitment to clarity, relevance, and integrity. He is known for demystifying ancient teachings, presenting philosophy in a way that feels practical and lived, and guiding students beyond yoga as a physical practice into yoga as a way of being. His teaching emphasises lifestyle integration, self-awareness, and discernment—supporting students to apply yoga off the mat, in daily life.
His studies span Vedanta, Raja yoga, Mahayana Buddhism, Sāṃkhya, Tantra, Hatha and Raja Yoga, and Buddhism. While this breadth informs his teaching, Nicky currently works most deeply from the non-dual perspective of Advaita Vedanta. Importantly, he teaches non-duality through accessible, dualistic frameworks—using yogic practices to give grounded methods of self-inquiry—so that profound insights remain relatable and embodied rather than abstract.
Over the past decade, Nicky has become widely respected for his ability to train teachers and lead in-depth programs that produce highly skilled, thoughtful, and grounded educators. He has taught approximately 9,000 hours, led over 20 teacher trainings, and certified more than 150 teachers, many of whom are now leading voices in the Australian yoga community. He has designed and facilitated long-form trainings, retreats, and workshops across Australia and internationally, and has worked closely with numerous well-established studios.
Nicky’s journey into yoga began through a curiosity about life’s deeper questions and an early immersion in Buddhist philosophy. While working in a bookshop and reading extensively on Buddhism, he encountered yoga philosophy for the first time—an experience that immediately resonated with his own intuitive understanding of human nature and the universe. That moment marked the beginning of a lifelong relationship with yoga.
This path eventually led him to India, where he lived and studied extensively, immersing himself in both the philosophical and practical dimensions of yoga while working in the film and television industry. India felt like home, and it was there that his practice deepened profoundly through sustained engagement with asana, pranayama, meditation, and traditional study. He completed his teacher training in India and made a natural transition into full-time teaching.
Nicky’s foundational training began with Iyengar Yoga, establishing a strong base in alignment and functional understanding of the body. From there, he developed a fluid and intelligently progressive vinyasa approach, alongside a deep relationship with pranayama and a broad exploration of meditative practices. Throughout his journey, yoga has always been a means of self-inquiry, with philosophy at the centre rather than as an afterthought.
Now based on the Sunshine Coast, Nicky continues to teach classes, workshops, and advanced trainings, offering students a grounded, inclusive, and deeply informed approach to yoga—one that honours tradition while meeting the realities of modern life.
Listen to Nicky’s story.
Listen to Nicky talk about his yoga journey and personal journey on these engaging podcasts
