Owning Wisdom with guest faculty Elizabeth Gilbert & Dr. Tererai Trent
Awakening Magic
Oct 12 - Oct 17, 2024 in Santa Fe, USA Led by: Elizabeth Gilbert, Dr. Tererai Trent, Chip Conley, Daniel 'DL' Landes, Lee Johnson, Amie Tullius
What if saying yes to your curiosity opened up possibilities beyond your wildest dreams?
Too many of us feel like we don’t have the right to dream big and pursue a life that truly fulfills us.
But what if awakening your dreams and unleashing your creativity not only allowed you to achieve your full potential but also brought beauty and meaning into the universe?
What if embracing and releasing the fear within you is required to allow your unique gifts to shine through and make the world a better place?
When you allow yourself to listen to the voice that only you can hear and uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within you, you will discover that you are capable of so much more than you imagine.
Whether you are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in your life, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse your everyday live with more mindfulness and passion, allowing yourself to be curious and creative is what will help you find the inspiration you need to make your dreams a reality.
In this Owning Wisdom workshop co-facilitated with NY Times bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert and humanitarian Dr. Tererai Trent, you will find your own place of creative and regenerative freedom and discover how to awaken the magic of who you are.
What you’ll gain
Through a combination of our MEA Owning Wisdom curriculum and Elizabeth and Tererai’s teachings drawing from indigenous wisdom rooted in lived experience, modern research, and daily rituals, you will:
By the end of your five days with Elizabeth and Tererai and the MEA faculty, you will feel reconnected to your dreams and your own boundless capacity for creativity and be energized and inspired to make your most magical dreams a reality.
Meet your faculty
Elizabeth Gilbert
Award-winning author of Big Magic and Eat, Pray, Love
Author | Memoirist | Creativity Evangelist | Journalist | Adventurer
Elizabeth Gilbert captivated the world in 2006 with her best-selling memoir, Eat Pray Love. In the ensuing years, people around the world have sought her advice on how to lead a bold and inspired life, and she dedicated herself to exploring the mysteries of creativity and courage and how to manifest them more effectively.
Elizabeth’s investigations became the foundation of her book, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, in which she digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective on creativity.
She worked in a Philadelphia diner, a western ranch, and in a New York City bar before Eat Pray Love catapulted her into what Oprah Winfrey called “rock star author” status.
A Pushcart Prize winner and National Magazine Award-nominated journalist, Elizabeth’s journalism has been published in GQ, Harper's Bazaar, Spin, and The New York Times Magazine, and her stories have appeared in Esquire, Story, and the Paris Review.
She is author of the memoir "Committed" and the novels "The Signature of All Things and Stern Men." Her latest novel, "City of Girls," is a rollicking, sexy tale set in the New York City theater world of the 1940s. Elizabeth divides her time between New York City, rural New Jersey, and everywhere else.
Dr. Tererai Trent
Humanitarian
Educator | Women’s Empowerment Advocate | Oprah’s Favorite Guest
Dr. Tererai Trent is an educator and women’s empowerment advocate whose compelling life story inspires people to fight for their own dreams, as well as the dreams of others.
Rooted in humble beginnings, Tererai grew up in a cattle-herding family in rural Zimbabwe, where cultural practices and a war that liberated her country charted the course of her life. Due to traditional women’s roles and cultural norms, Tererai did not have the opportunity to go to school.
Undeterred, she still dreamed of an education and determinedly taught herself to read and write from her brother’s schoolbooks.
Despite being married young and having four children by the time she was eighteen, she never lost sight of her dreams. Dr. Trent could not have imagined that her steadfast determination, hard work and belief in herself would lead her to achieve her dream of studying in the United States, eventually earning multiple degrees and growing a prominent global platform with world leaders and international businesses and audiences where she advocates for universal access to quality education.
A two-time guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Tererai was named by Oprah as her “All-Time Favorite Guest” and received a $1.5 million donation to rebuild her childhood elementary school in recognition of her tenacity and never-give-up attitude. With the firm belief that education is the pathway out of poverty and a desire to give back to her community, Dr. Trent founded Tererai Trent International to achieve her mission of providing universal access to quality education while also empowering rural communities. Eleven schools are being built in Zimbabwe and education has been improved for over 6,000 children – and this is only the beginning.
This workshop is for you if...
You’re feeling called to explore your creativity at a deeper level
You’re wanting to cultivate a stronger connection with your inner voice
You have big dreams but aren’t sure how to make them a reality
You wish you had big dreams, but are feeling lost and uncertain about what you really want
You’re ready to unlock your creativity and add more beauty and meaning to the world
You have a book or other creative project inside you, yearning to break free
You’re looking for more magic and mystery in your life and ready to step out of your comfort zone to find them
You love Elizabeth and/or Tererai and are excited for the chance to learn from them in person
Santa Fe, USA
Rising Circle Ranch
An upscale regenerative ranch featuring traditional Pueblo architecture and spanning nearly 2,600 acres of wildlife, hiking trails in the arroyo, with ancient petroglyphs, and awe-inspiring beauty. Close to historic Santa Fe, an artisan’s mecca.
Meet your MEA facilitators
In addition to the powerful sessions conducted by Elizabeth and Tererai, you will be guided through the core MEA Owning Wisdom curriculum by our seasoned faculty members:
Chip Conley
Founder
View Bio
A three-time TED speaker on the big stage, Chip Conley is one of the world’s leading experts at the intersection of business innovation, psychology and spirituality.
As one of the creators of the boutique hotel movement and the “modern elder” to the young Airbnb founders, Chip’s been a disruptor and expert on entrepreneurship and business leadership. He’s a globally-recognized thought leader on the future of work and the competitive advantages of a multi-generational workplace.
Inspired by his experience of intergenerational mentoring as a “modern elder” at Airbnb, where his guidance was instrumental to the company’s extraordinary success, Chip founded MEA and has since dedicated his midlife years to reframing the concept of aging and supporting people in navigating midlife with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility.
Daniel 'DL' Landes
Experience Facilitator
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Before joining MEA, Daniel “DL” Landes spent decades as a restauranteur, author, and publisher. As the owner of multiple restaurants in Denver, CO – and then a hostel in Mexico – he dedicated himself to creating environments where people could work out their humanity while eating and drinking (which is why he fits in so well at MEA).
Now relocated to Santa Fe, DL says that “living in the Galisteo Basin impresses a unique and humbling perspective. Under the expansive, enchanted New Mexican sky I can feel so small and so big. I made a career of kicking up dust; living in the storm until the storm lived in me. When the dust settled two guideposts appeared: Spend more nights under the stars; provide a service.”
You will appreciate his dedication to creating memorable experiences during your time in Santa Fe.
Lee Johnson
Land, Livestock, and Mindfulness
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Lee likes to say that he’s as ordinary as dirt but as complex as soil. He’s resident “cowboy sage” at our campus in Santa Fe, where his love for the simple yet complex hum of nature has led him to work in holistic land management. As steward of our four-square mile regenerative ranch, Lee translates nature’s teachings into simple insights that encourage us to tune into the inner and outer landscape of the world around us.
You will appreciate the opportunity to be in his presence and slow down, listen to nature, and gather around the campfire of shared understanding.
Amie Tullius
MEA Experience Facilitator
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Amie Tullius is a New Mexico-based writer, gallerist, and creative collaborator. She’s spent over a decade as a gallery director, helped launch an international dance company, and has profiled and promoted artists and creators from around the world. She has an MFA in writing and is currently working on a book about place, home, and how our bodies keep time.
Amie has a deep passion for the mountains, history, and cultures of New Mexico. You will appreciate her creative perspective and the deep passion for the mountains, history, and cultures of New Mexico.
Creativity happens when you follow your inner guidance system
To understand its message, you have to drown out all outside opinions, noise, and influences, and listen to that inner sage within you – even if it leads us to make choices that your family, friends, and culture might not understand.
Healing requires the same fierce energy and a willingness to access a deep inner “knowing” that can best be reached through mystical avenues and spiritual courage.
Elizabeth and Tererai will help you overcome your fears and awaken the magic of who you truly are.
