Body Mind Life: Byron Bay's New Yoga and Pilates Hub

By Jessica Humphries

We caught up with Phil Goodwin, owner of new Byron Bay yoga and pilates studio, Body Mind Life, to chat about the shire’s latest and greatest wellness hub.

Can you tell us a bit about your background, how you came to create Body Mind Life in Sydney and its evolution over the years?

I started my career as an investment banker before getting into yoga. When BodyMindLife first started 18 years ago it was steep and exciting learning curve for everyone involved. But the one thing that we have always been clear on is the transformative power of yoga and pilates. The high quality of our offering has allowed us to grow to six locations – with Byron Bay opening in April 2020.

We see the business as a living organism, an incredible platform for teachers and students to be inspired and energised. We are passionate participants in the global movement towards sustainability and actively pursue new ways to reduce our environmental footprint and give back.

At its heart, BodyMindLife is a community, a place where people feel supported, connected and at home.

What inspired you to bring BodyMindLife to Byron Bay?

That's a big one. I have been surfing Byron since my 20’s and have watched the evolution of the community and culture with interest. There has been tremendous growth in the area, and when we made the decision to move to the area there was a serendipitous coming together of people and property. For the first time we felt that a studio in Byron would be sustainable. I was also chatting with one of our wonderful teachers (Lara Z)  who moved from Sydney to Byron a few years ago and she also added fuel to the fire.

From a personal perspective, my partner Ferique and I were drawn to the land, and the incredible community and schooling options for our daughter Gigi. We also had three people who were very close to us die in the last 12 months, Maty Ezraty who had such a large influence on BodyMindLife,  being one of them. It makes you think about our time here. We followed our instinct, passion and hearts and moved into the Byron Shire in September.

How will the Byron studio differ to your Sydney studios?

Like all our studios it will feature incredible teachers, plenty of classes and amazing facilities. Ferique is an architect who uses sacred geometry to create healing spaces, and this particular studio is 100% focused on sustainability. From the building practices, rainwater harvesting, solar energy, state of the art heating and air quality systems to bike racks and lush gardens we are creating a space that really epitomises what a wellness centre can be.

As well as yoga and Pilates, we will be offering plunge pools, saunas, wellness treatments, spa therapies. Not right off the bat but we'll get there. Every time we build we get better and our intention is to make a place that supports the community. 

Byron Bay has quite a few yoga studios these days! How do you see yourself slotting in and contributing to the Byron yoga community?

BodyMindLife Byron Bay will be a thriving space where the local community can play alongside visiting students and local and international teachers. Our Yoga and Pilates classes are of an exceptionally high level, and we offer incredible workshops and teacher trainings. We bring vibrancy and choice.

When we open a new studio we really notice the ripple effect it has on surrounding businesses. It's like a whoosh of energy. Everyone benefits. Even other yoga studios as we bring more people into the practices. 

Byron has changed a lot in recent years. It has become quite challenging for many locals to continue living in the shire due to skyrocketing prices as a result of airbnb, other big businesses and supply and demand (every entrepreneur wants to reside in the shire). How do you plan to support the local community? 

We are not a big brand. We are a family owned and operated business.

We support the local community by employing local teachers, staff, artists and musicians. We will be contributing to the economy in many ways. In turn we will provide  world-class services at an affordable price. We buy local and support local thats how we roll :) We also hold workshops and trainings that bring students and teachers from Byron Bay from all around the globe. 

We support the community by spending hundreds of thousands of dollars right here with local people and local businesses, helping to build the local economy and provide opportunities for growth. Its all ready begun by utilising local builders :)

We are also on our way to becoming a certified B Corp, meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

Like all our studios we offer community classes that are donation based during the week. We will also get involved with local charities giving time and money and we want to be part of the Byron story that enhancres Byron as a wellness destination.

What are you most excited about for Byron BML in 2020?

Really getting to know the Byron community and sharing our passion for empowered transformation through yoga and pilates.  

Stay up to dates with opening dates, timetable and more at BodyMindLife.