• Live Talk QA

Finding Your Center: Building Resilience to Withstand Any Storm

Pico Iyer & Chip Conley

Join us for an immersive live conversation with Pico Iyer, bestselling author and one of our most trusted voices on finding peace in turbulent times.

Chip and Pico will explore how to transform life’s inevitable chaos into unshakeable inner calm. Pico’s decades of study with spiritual masters like the Dalai Lama and immersion in cultures across 80+ countries has revealed timeless practices for staying centered when everything around us feels uncertain.

In this live chat, learn how to:

  • Access deep calm: no apps or lengthy rituals required, just tools that work when you need them most
  • Transform chaos into your teacher: learn to see disruption as an opportunity for growth rather than something to fear
  • Find your authentic center: not the calm you perform for others, but the unshakeable peace that becomes your foundation

This is about becoming so grounded in yourself that external storms can’t shake your inner foundation.

June 17, 2025 2:00 PM PT 05:00 PM ET

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Pico Iyer

Essayist and 5-time TED Speaker - an old soul with a young spirit
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Chip Conley

Chip Conley is a hospitality entrepreneur, author, and the founder of MEA.

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Derek Gehl & Michael Clinton
August 11, 2026 11:00 AM PT 02:00 PM ET

Some ambitions refuse to stay in the “someday” pile. The creative project, career shift, long-postponed adventure, or desire to contribute in a new way keeps resurfacing.

Join bestselling author and ROAR Forward founder Michael Clinton for a live conversation about turning those ideas into a practical plan. A former president and publishing director of Hearst Magazines, Michael has built his own expansive second act while traveling to more than 120 countries, writing books, and advising people and organizations through change.

Michael will share how to reimagine your future, make use of overlooked skills and interests, reassess your relationships, and begin acting on what you want next without dismantling the life you’ve worked so hard to build.

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The Deeper Work: Psilocybin, Psychedelic Research, and a Guided Retreat

Lori Schwanbeck, Neil Markey & Anja Saloranta
August 14, 2026 12:30 PM PT 03:30 PM ET

Psilocybin is changing the conversation about personal growth, emotional healing, and the mind’s capacity to form new patterns.

This October, MEA and Beckley Retreats will bring a small group to Jamaica for The Deeper Work, a five-night guided experience that includes two guided psilocybin ceremonies, contemplative practices, live music, and support before and after the retreat.

Join MEA faculty member and therapist Lori Schwanbeck for a live conversation with Beckley Retreats’ COO Anja Saloranta and co-founder and CEO Neil Markey. Together, they’ll share the research and thinking behind psychedelic treatments, along with a candid look at what responsible psychedelic work involves.

You’ll hear about:

  • What scientists are learning about psilocybin and the brain

  • How guests are screened, prepared, and supported

  • What happens during a professionally guided ceremony

  • Why and how the work continues after you return home

    Want to explore the retreat before joining the conversation?
    The Deeper Work is our five-night, guided psilocybin retreat in Jamaica for those seeking a carefully held space for reflection, healing, and meaningful change.
    Learn more about the retreat

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From Autopilot to Fully Alive: Zen Tools for Presence and Purpose

Mary Hofstedt & Dan Zigmond
August 20, 2026 9:00 AM PT 12:00 PM ET

You scroll when you mean to rest, half-listen to loved ones, and reach the end of the day wondering how it flew by. As a Zen priest, teacher, and executive coach, Dan Zigmond brings Zen mindfulness into the places we need it most: demanding work, family life, busy calendars, and the beautiful mess of being human.

Join the Zen teacher and executive coach for a live conversation about staying awake, steady, and connected to your purpose in a world that pulls your attention in a hundred directions.

Dan will share practical ways to step out of autopilot, relate differently to distraction, and create more space between what happens and how you respond. Fresh perspective, simple practices you can use, and the chance to bring your questions to Dan.

Go deeper with Dan in Santa Fe this October 
Check out Dan’s upcoming workshop, From Autopilot to Fully Alive: Zen Tools for Presence and Purpose in a Distracted World. Over three days at Rising Circle Ranch, you’ll learn simple Zen practices for calming mental noise, working with distraction, and being more fully present. Explore Dan’s workshop

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