In our case, that meant adding vanilla ice cream to the menu, also known as our Sabbatical Sessions. Not long after, we added strawberry, our MEA Online Program.
As challenging as these transitions might have been, we are clearly a richer and more well-rounded organization for the variety of flavors we now offer. Choice has been a good thing. And from the feedback we’re getting, it seems our Neapolitan variety is a hit.
Now, in case you’re curious about which flavor to choose, here are a few hints that might help you make the best choice for your needs. After all, starting this fall, we are proud to be offering all three flavors: Workshops, Sabbatical Sessions, and MEA Online. So here goes:
Workshops: Our core curriculum is based upon long-life learning—how to create a life that is as deep and meaningful as it is long. We do this by reframing our relationship with aging, cultivating and harvesting our wisdom, and seeking ways to repurpose ourselves for the good of our communities. You will begin your journey in cohorts of approximately twenty people with whom you may stay in touch for the rest of your lives. The seven-day program is our classic workshop that includes guest faculty providing a theme. A plentiful number of scholarships are provided. Our five-day Mastery Weeks are more focused on the faculty members’ content, whether that be musician Michael Franti, environmentalist Paul Hawken, life coach Barbara Waxman, entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie, or Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard. Workshops start up again November 28.
MEA Online: Perfect for the individual who can’t (or has no desire) to jump on a plane to Mexico but still wants to experience our specially designed coursework interwoven into the kind of personal connection that is MEA’s trademark. Our eight-week course on Navigating Midlife Transitions creates a sense of “digital intimacy” and is also well-suited to the person who is a little more cautious about being vulnerable. And, of course, it’s also our least expensive program (for those of you who are cautious about spending money). The next course starts October 2.
Sabbatical Sessions: After closing MEA for more than a half-year, we reopened last fall with our Sabbatical Session Program that’s perfectly suited for those who want more spaciousness in their journeys, either for reflection or local adventure or perhaps due to health concerns. In the past year, we’ve welcomed digital nomads, Baja enthusiasts, memoir writers, entrepreneurs, artists, and more than our share of individuals who have been processing a major transition in their lives. We were surprised by how connected they all felt to one another while also having the freedom to do their own thing. We offer Sabbatical Sessions (two-week minimum) at our southern Baja campus starting October 1.
Of course, no matter which program you choose, you will become an MEA alumni and be part of one of 23 regional chapters worldwide. From there, you can choose to be part of our Corazon subscription membership program or explore our Regenerative Communities, including Santa Fe, New Mexico. Most importantly, you will become a part of the collective wisdom that is MEA. As we always like to say, wisdom isn’t taught, it’s shared. And we believe that is a responsibility that belongs to all of us.
Regardless of where you are in your life, we hope you will join us in our mission to bring meaning, purpose, and joy into this beautiful and sometimes Rocky Road we’re all walking (sorry, I couldn’t pass up one final ice cream reference). All metaphors aside, I offer my sincerest hope that you will allow MEA to create the space to reconnect to both yourself and other like-minded followers. Let MEA help reveal to yourself what is possible for your second half of life.
After all, we’re in this together!
To our MEA alums, which program did you choose (many of you have chosen all three) and why?