I guess I should feel guilty—but I don’t.
I’m in Paradise, and loving every breeze-blessed moment of it. MEA is a kind of magical organization, and they’ve managed to create two places (they call them campuses) that could be called pornographic if porn was determined by visuals that make your eyes dance; food that makes you take up licking your chops, beautiful, smiling people keeping the setting flawless, and classes unexpectedly challenging in all the right ways.
Well, you may not believe this, I got up in time this morning, at 89 years old, to go to the yoga & meditation hour to start the day. A gentle master of meditation leads us, a smooth-talking saint named Teddi, who somehow gets your mind heading in the right direction, and without straining you, helps you bring your body and mind back to embrace another day. Then we walked to the dining area, right beside the beach for perfect morning comida (that’s food or meal in Spanish, remember, we’re in Mexico) and saw porpoises at play. In most other months, we can see whales migrating.
MEA is not doing what they usually do—which is to have five very serious days (while still enjoying all the lushness described above) discussing a subject you had signed on for. Now, for the summer, they’re having something called the Summer Immersion Series, and the price is maybe half of what you’d pay to be at a resort which wouldn’t be this enriching, beautiful, and meaningful.
And you don’t have to sign up for five days. You can come for three days, or a week, or if you stay two weeks, they’ll give you one or two weeks for free! Did I mention all the swimming pools, or the “sound” bath, or maybe best of all, the kind of people who come to MEA? And we all enjoy the classes. Yesterday, I went to a writing class—great fun, and worthwhile. Also loved the Spanish class. Had to miss what I’m told was a super class about Sleep, and another one introducing art and painting. I had to work! But the classes aren’t classes, per se, they’re a gathering of curious minds, open to new points of view. I’m not a betting man, but I’ll bet YOU don’t have those opportunities right now at home, hmm? These gatherings are non-pushy, and not-required. If you want to enrich your boring self, you happily attend.
No, this isn’t my first visit to MEA. I go to at least one workshop a year. They renew me. They make me focus on doing some honest ME-Search. And I can’t tell you how near and dear I feel about the Guys and Dolls I’ve met here in the Baja—as well as the Ranch (a funny name for a Western-style paradise) near Santa Fe. This past week, there were only about 10 of us so far—most of us staying three or four weeks—terrific people—smart and friendly. We’ve already bonded. Last night after dinner, Teddi ensured a peaceful good sleep night with a “Sound Bath”. I actually dozed off during the exercise. Hope I didn’t snore.
So, come join us. Bring your shorts and tee shirts and swimsuit and appetite and curiosity…and smile. Oh, goodness, there are some orange hibiscus blooming beside one of the pools. I’m just gonna gaze at one of them.
Xo, a lifetime fan of MEA
Jim Flaherty has been an adman, innkeeper, father, and curious tall dude. He learned how to surf at MEA at age 87 and wrote and published four books in his 80’s. He gave a TEDx Talk about helping lonely elders come back into the mainstream which is what he’s doing at MEA Baja at this very moment.