LIVING WITH INTENTION Before The Pearl opened 15 years ago , Geo and Katresha were already well-known yogis . The pair met during a yoga teacher training program in Mexico in 1975 and married three years later . Geo was already living in Laguna Beach at the time , having moved here not long after serving as a sergeant in the U . S . Marines during the Vietnam War . “ I started really getting into yoga after Vietnam ,” he notes . “ It changed my life . I like the fact that it keeps me mentally , physically and emotionally in pretty good shape . I can handle things like nobody else seems to be able to — I don ’ t get stressed . I ’ m fearless ; things don ’ t scare me . If an incident happens , I deal with it . I don ’ t run from it .”
Katresha is originally from Perth , Australia , though she traveled the world as a model in her youth before landing in England , where she studied health and nutrition . “ I decided to be a faith healer and I moved to the Philippines and lived there for a while ,” she notes . “ I learned a lot about energy , about sending energy to people — things that , really , I ’ ve continued to this day .”
After hosting periodic retreats in Mallorca for 10 years , they decided to look for a more permanent place where they could share their love of yoga and health with others and The Pearl Laguna was born . Individuals can sign up for single sessions , which are held each week , and can even schedule them back to back if they wish to stay longer . The space can also be reserved exclusively for groups , whether it ’ s a corporate buyout , family reunion or birthday celebration .
Guests arrive on Sunday afternoons and undergo a private consultation for Geo and Katresha to learn more about what they ’ re hoping to gain from the experience . Then , Monday through Friday , the schedule is set : Those staying at the 12-bedroom ashram wake up at 6:30 a . m . and do yoga at 7 before breakfast . After eating , they set out for a daily hike and return in time for lunch .
In keeping with their four pillars of health , visitors enjoy a vegetarian diet — from salads to zucchini noodles and sushi — while at The Pearl , with plenty of fresh-squeezed juices , vegetable broths and aromatic herbal teas mixed in .
In the afternoon , they do a fitness class — typically weight lifting , Pilates or a session in the on-site saltwater pool — and enjoy a
Yoga sessions ( above ) and massage treatments ( below ) are part of The Pearl ’ s health-focused program .
massage treatment with plenty of time for rest and relaxation built in . “ We work quite hard the rest of the time ,” Katresha notes . “ In the afternoon , it ’ s like a release and that makes it really , really powerful .”
When the evening rolls around , it ’ s time for a fireside chat about things like balancing blood sugar levels or how to make certain recipes offered at the center followed by another yoga class and then dinner . “ We use power yoga in the morning to bring you up and gentle yoga at night to bring you down , which is great ,” Geo adds . “… If you come here at 9 o ’ clock at night , everybody ’ s out . Their circadian rhythms get back into sync .”
Before leaving on Saturday , participants head to the beach for a picnic on Friday afternoons and , that night , Geo checks their chakras as well .
PEACEFUL PROPERTY Trickling fountains , greenery and sitting areas are scattered throughout the property , ideal for outdoor meditation , while a gym with weightlifting and cardio equipment is open to all .
The Pearl also has a deck for outdoor yoga when the weather is nice ( though they sometimes visit the beach for yoga on the sand ), but its indoor yoga room is a sight to behold . With high ceilings and colorful Tibetan rugs that line the floor in front of a stone fireplace , it offers a sense of peace . Statues from Bali , Tibet and Thailand are expertly placed
LAGUNA BEACH MAGAZINE 47