Find your path, your purpose, and your people
Small-group workshops and online programs for figuring out what’s next
Explore Programs
9,000+
Alumni Worldwide
60
Countries
Welcome to MEA, the Midlife Wisdom School.
Through online programs and small-group workshop grounded in social science and longevity research, we help people navigate transitions, cultivate purpose, and build vitality in the second half of life.
See our storyThree paths to guide your evolution.
Start where you are. You'll leave with fresh clarity and tools you'll continue using long after the workshop or program has ended.
Transitions
For when things are shifting – work, family, identity, relationships, health – and you're looking for a path forward.
Find your footingPurpose
For when the old goals no longer fit and you want to clarify your why for this next chapter.
Define your legacyVitality
For when you're focused on making your next 30 years vital, independent, and strong.
Design the decades aheadMEA not only gave me the tools to navigate the transitions of midlife, it gave me the rock solid community that has been pivotal in my growth.
Joelle Calton, MEA alumni
MEA Foundational Workshops
Choose between 5 days in Baja or 3, 4, or 5 days at our ranch near Santa Fe, NM. Most retreats limited to 28 attendees maximum.
Career Transitions
Navigating Transitions
Navigating Transitions
The Power of Friendship
Navigating Transitions
Cultivating Purpose
Navigating Transitions
Cultivating Purpose
Navigating Transitions
The Power of Friendship
Answer The Call
Navigating Transitions
Looking for guest faculty workshops? You'll find them below.
All of our workshops at a glance.
All of our upcoming Baja and Santa Fe workshops in one catalog – browse it like a brochure, or share it with a friend.
Upcoming Guest Faculty
with Gail Larsen
with Martha Beck
with Lori Schwanbeck & Beckley Retreats
with Robert Evans & Carolyn Buck Luce
with Kari Cardinale
with Dan Zigmond
with Michael Clinton
with Mary Hofstedt & Joanna ‘Jo’ Nichols
with Chip Conley & Ben Katt
Celebrating Life’s Wisdom: Share the Joy of What You’ve Lived and Learned
Oct 25–29
Santa Fe, USA
with Lee Johnson & Melanie Smith
with Rachel Greenwald
with Elena Brower
Thought leaders who have taught at MEA
Elizabeth Gilbert
Author, Eat Pray Love
Arthur Brooks
Author, From Strength to Strength
Martha Beck
Author, The Way of Integrity
Pico Iyer
Essayist, The Art of Stillness
Susan Cain
Author, Quiet & Bittersweet
Dan Buettner
Blue Zones founder and author
Krista Tippett
Author and host of On Being
Two Campuses.
Choose Your Landscape.
El Pescadero Resort · Beachfront
Baja, Mexico
A boutique resort on the Pacific. Ocean, sunsets, pools, and walks on the sand.
Explore Baja Rising Circle Ranch · 2,600 acres
Santa Fe, New Mexico
A high-desert working ranch. Big skies, starry nights, hikes, horses, and campfires.
Explore Santa Fe
Explore our Online Programs
Live multi-week immersions along with two-day summits and on-demand masterclasses you can take anytime. Join our vibrant online community from wherever you are.
Live Immersions
2-Day Summits
On-Demand Masterclasses
Backed by social science, proven by years of research and implementation.
All of our workshops are built around the MEA Method™, which was designed in collaboration with academics from Stanford, Harvard, UC Berkeley, and Yale. Together we have developed tools and practices that combine the social science of longevity and the art of intentional living to help you make deliberate choices about the decades ahead instead of reacting to whatever arrives.
MEA transformed my ability to embrace a growth mindset and gave me the tools and, most importantly, my curious community to explore the world with wonder and awe.
Robert Craig, MEA alumni
Thought-provoking conversations, practical guided reflections, and heartwarming inspirations that have stirred me to purposeful action as I begin the next stage of life.
Burns A. Cheadle, MEA alumni
In the press
Brian Chesky’s secret mentor who died 9 times, started the Burning Man board, and built MEA
Read article
The Cheapest Longevity Drug Is a Mindset
Read article Finding Meaning in Retirement: Second Careers and Passions
Read article The Third Vault: Chip Conley, Co-Founder, MEA
Read article When Middle Age Actually Starts
Read article A Former Hotelier Wants to Make Senior Co-Living Mainstream
Read article Modern Elder Academy MEA– Santa Fe
Read article Need a new path in midlife? There’s a school for that and a quiz to kickstart it
Read article Christine Sperber: Tools for Transformation
Read article
Jeff Hamaoui on Why we overcomplicate friendship—and how to make it easy
Read articleThe community is the best part.
The people who come to MEA are curious, open, and ready to go deep. Most arrive at our retreats and programs looking for answers. What they talk about afterward is who else was in the room.
8,500+
Alumni Worldwide
60
Countries
60
Regional Chapters
Regional chapters
60 chapters worldwide, run by alumni – regular gatherings, dinners, and walks.
Online community
Private gathering spaces, topic-specific live sessions, courses, and ongoing connection – wherever you live.
Alumni-only retreats
Annual meetups with others who have done the work and show up entirely as they are, giving you the freedom to do the same.
MEA Homes
Share your space with people who get you.
Regenerative communities and modern co-living options built around the idea that the second half of life is better lived together.
Discover MEA HomesAfter 20+ years as a CEO I was burnt out and had no vision or energy for my next chapter... I emerged with an inspired vision for my 50s, 60s and beyond. I am pumped to get up in the morning again.”
Aaron Hurst, MEA Alumni
This is a top-tier transformative travel experience to open your mind and heart to the second half of your life and turbocharge your soul for the journey.
Tom Chapman, MEA alumni
This journey has truly broadened my perspective, deepening my connection with others and enriching my understanding of the world around me.
Keanna O'Quinn, MEA alumni
The questions everyone asks first
Am I the right age?
Most people here are between 45 and 65, but we’ve also had participants in their 20s–30s and in their 80s and older. Everyone is welcome, regardless of age.
Where do I start?
That depends on how ready you are. If you want to get to know us first, Chip’s podcast, The Midlife Chrysalis, and his [Substack] are free and a good way to hear how we think about midlife. If you’re ready to come to campus, browse our workshops by topic, or book a call with an Advisor who can help you find the right fit. Every Advisor is an MEA alum, so you’ll be talking to someone who’s been here.
What does a workshop in Baja or Santa Fe cost?
Depending on the facilitator and how far in advance you register, a 3-day workshop typically starts around $2,400, a 4-day starts around $3,200, and a 5-day starts around $4,000. Tuition covers your room, three meals a day with beer and wine, every session, and the daily mindfulness and movement practices. Register 90 or more days before your workshop starts and you’ll get our early enrollment rate, which saves you 10%.
What if I’m coming alone?
Most people do. You’ll meet your cohort at a welcome gathering on the first evening, and from there you share every session and most meals with the same group. Most workshops cap at 28 people, so by the second day you’ll know everyone’s name.
What does a day look like?
Mornings start with a mindfulness practice and breakfast. Workshop sessions generally run from 10 to 1, followed by lunch and a two-hour break to hike, rest, or book a massage. Afternoon sessions wrap up around 5:30, and the day ends with dinner together, sometimes with an evening activity as well. The schedule is full, so plan to leave work at home.
Can I get a feel for MEA before I book?
Yes. Our founder Chip Conley’s podcast, The Midlife Chrysalis, and his Wisdom Well Substack are both free, and they’re a good way to hear how we think about midlife. You can also explore our other free resources below, such as our 7 Longevity Levers Assessment or our Midlife Pathfinder quiz.
Do you offer financial help?
Yes. Many workshops offer partial scholarships on a need-aware basis. When you find a workshop you like, check its page to see if a scholarship is available. If it is, you can apply right there.
Quiz
What’s Your Midlife Pathfinder Type?
Discover your strengths. Recognize your blindspots. Navigate midlife with insight and direction.
Start the quizYour results arrive by email · unsubscribe anytime
The Heartkeeper
The Impact Maker
The Phoenix
The Heartkeeper
The Protector
The Sage
The Seeker
The Lone Wolf
Thriving in Midlife Shouldn’t Be a Privilege
Through AGE (Association for Growth and Education), our associated nonprofit, we work to ensure financial barriers never stand between someone and the transformation they need. Your generosity makes that possible.