Airbnb “Early Elders” Retreat @ MEA

The entire MEA campus is our classroom (and the beach, the farmland, the desert, the tropical forests, and the mountains). The lion’s share of our “classroom” time together is spent in a bright, airy room, next to a courtyard full of bougainvilleas with comfortable seating for breakout conversations. It’s an indoor-outdoor experience especially with the welcoming nearby organic garden.

As for cohorts, we believe that wisdom isn’t taught—it’s shared. And this belief influences how we curate our cohorts. Some of the most profound learning you may experience might just happen during a stroll down the beach with someone who lives halfway around the world from you. Meeting an incredible, diverse group of people is one of the great pleasures of attending MEA. Cohorts average around 18-24 people, from all walks of life, brought together by a common desire to learn and stretch themselves in midlife and beyond.

MEA is located right on the beach in El Pescadero, a farming and fishing village near the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, just a short drive away from the “Pueblo Magico” Todos Santos. Here, the waves meet the desert and the mountains, and the night sky is so clear and dark, you can see the Milky Way. Come at the right time of year, and you may even see baby sea turtles making their way to the ocean, or the Humpbacks playing just offshore. While rural, the area has become increasingly popular for Americans and Canadians who’ve chosen to relocate here so there’s a growing collection of creative expats in the neighborhood.

The rooms and grounds of our beachfront campus were designed by a team led by Oren Bronstein, Chip Conley’s longtime design collaborator. We have three pools (one of them a 25-yard lap pool) and two hot tubs, two steam rooms, massage rooms, an oceanfront yoga platform, a movement studio, library, organic garden, bocce ball court, and lots of comfortable seating nooks for relaxing, reflecting, and chatting. The number one comment we hear is that there’s always something new and beautiful to discover on the campus.

So do boutique accommodations and learning belong together? Think of it this way: When you’ve had a moment to exhale, and your shoulders begin to relax, you’ll understand what a beautiful setting can do for your state of mind.

This area attracts chefs from all over the world to explore “la costa del sabor” (the coast of flavor). The culinary tradition in the Todos Santos/El Pescadero area is well-known as there are few places in the world that have more celebrated restaurants per capita than our location. Most people who move to the area say that the culinary scene is part of the reason they chose to make this home.

Chef Tony Peralta sources fresh, local ingredients to bring the best flavors of Mexico and beyond to our plates each day. Almost all of our produce comes from our organic garden. Our cuisine leans toward healthy, but that certainly doesn’t preclude a few delicious indulgences. (Plus the occasional margarita if you choose to imbibe.) All meals are included in the cost of the workshop.

Our cohorts venture far beyond the classroom, but if we were to describe every activity we enjoy together, new students would miss out on one of the best things MEA has to offer: Surprise. In a world where most of our days are scheduled and predictable, there’s a certain joy that comes from doing the unexpected. We know it might feel weird, this state of not knowing the entire schedule, but our guest satisfaction scores - which are at the 99th percentile compared to comparable businesses - tell us we’re on the right track.

After attending MEA, you'll become part of a dynamic network of people from all over the world. We have 26 regional chapters as well as a Corazon subscription program for those who want to go deeper in their learning after graduating. Our alumni have the opportunity to meet regularly, both virtually and in person. Small group and larger town hall meetings keep everyone connected and engaged and there’s a weekly newsletter keeping everyone abreast of what’s new in the MEA world.

If you’re interested in learning more about our community, visit the MEA Facebook group. When prompted, please answer the three simple questions designed to keep the group filled with engaged folks, and you’ll be automatically accepted. Additionally, you might also check out co-founder Chip Conley’s daily blog Wisdom Well which is quite popular with alums.

Our goal is to help you feel supported and open to new possibilities during your stay here. We’ll take good care of you, so you can take good care of yourself. Tuition includes:

• Ground transport to and from SJD airport
• Upscale room accommodation
• Three meals per day — fresh, locally-sourced and largely organic with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, adult beverages (alcohol)
• Curriculum and 160-page workbook
• Yoga and meditation
• Off-campus explorations
• A few festive parties

Available offerings not included in cost of tuition: massage, Reiki, surf lessons, and more.

We are committed to nurturing our environment, our community, our staff, and you. Stewardship of this beautiful place is lovingly baked into everything we do and there are opportunities to give back while in attendance, if you feel compelled.