MEA + Arthur Brooks Presents:
A five-day retreat · Santa Fe, New Mexico
Arthur Brooks’ The Meaning of Your Life
Build a life that means more
Guided by MEA facilitators trained by Arthur C. Brooks
As seen in:
From the outside, you've made it. From the inside, it still feels like there's more.
You've built the career, earned the title, raised the family, hit the numbers you set out to hit. And somewhere along the way, the questions started to shift.
What comes next? What do I want to be remembered for? Why have my friendships gone quiet? What is the meaning of my life?
Because there comes a moment when chasing greater success becomes less important than finding deeper happiness and meaning.
And that moment is now for you.
The method comes from Arthur Brooks – professor, social scientist, and bestselling author.
Arthur C. Brooks has spent a decade studying why so many successful people carry a quiet emptiness – and what actually resolves it. What came out of that research is a framework taught at Harvard and grounded in evidence, not affirmations.
But a framework you can grasp in an afternoon takes far longer to live. That's why this is a retreat and not a lecture – and why it's led by MEA facilitators Arthur personally trained, rather than by Arthur himself.
WATCH: Arthur Brooks on why the most successful people often feel the most lost
Happiness without meaning is just distraction
Research shows that what we experience as happiness has three distinct components: the enjoyment of daily pleasures, the satisfaction of achievement, and a sense that your life matters and is going somewhere.
In other words: meaning.
Arthur Brooks describes the happiness formula like so:
Happiness = Enjoyment + Satisfaction + Meaning
Most high achievers have gotten pretty good at the first two. But the third often gets neglected – pushed aside by the pace of achievement, buried under busyness, postponed until there's “more time” (which never seems to arrive). And when meaning is missing, no amount of pleasure or achievement fills the gap.
That's not a personal failing – it's a diagnosis. And it has a remedy. That's what this new science-backed retreat is about.
The Meaning of Your Life retreat was built on a simple, radical premise:
You can't think your way into a meaningful life. You have to live your way there.
Over five immersive days at Rising Circle Ranch in Santa Fe, you’ll step away from the noise, the devices, and the performative busyness of everyday life and do the kind of deep inner work that most of us have been quietly postponing for years.
You’ll discover how to:
These retreats are led by experienced MEA faculty Arthur has personally trained to deliver this work – people who know his methodology deeply and have been trusted to bring it to life in the room.
And you’ll do this powerful work in an intimate setting surrounded by the beauty of the high desert and supported by MEA’s legendary hospitality.
This workshop
is for you if…
You don’t need to have read Arthur’s book, The Meaning of Your Life, to attend. All you need is the recognition that something in your life has to change, and the willingness to do the work and make it happen.
Five days at Rising Circle Ranch –
guided by people trained in the science.
Jill Nykoliation
Human Insight Specialist | Award-Winning Business Leader | Brand Strategist | Personal Coach
Jill spent 30 years in the business of understanding why people do what they do. As founder and CEO of Juniper Park\TBWA, she shaped brand strategy for some of the world's most recognized companies – work that was always, at its core, about human motivation and meaning.
She has since turned that same depth of attention toward individuals. As a personal coach, she works with successful people navigating pivotal moments – midlife transitions, new careers, fading careers, and family changes.
Jill worked directly with Arthur Brooks to learn his Meaning of Your Life framework from the inside – not just the concepts, but how to help someone actually move through them. She is the facilitator Arthur trained and trusted to lead this work in the room.
Supported by the MEA team
Todd Joseph
Todd Joseph is a facilitator, coach, and entrepreneur whose own life has been a continual practice in navigating transition. Over the years, he’s created places where transformation can happen. Sometimes those places have been coffeehouses and restaurants. Other times they’ve been men’s grou ...
View Bio“Completely surpassed my expectations in every possible way.”
Amy
“So many great insights… This is a special place.”
Chris + Chris
“It’s awesome… we couldn't have picked a more beautiful place to be.”
Jackie + Adam
“Amazing take-home value… just absolutely phenomenal.”
Jeff & Danielle
“This is magic… it just makes your heart and your soul sing.”
Maryanne
“It really exceeded our expectations, because it gave us really actionable stuff.”
Stephanie & David
Meaning has three parts.
Over five days, you'll work through all three
Coherence
Why is my life unfolding the way it is? You'll trace the through-line of your own story — the one you've been too busy to make sense of.
Purpose
Where am I actually going? You'll get clear on why you're moving in your current direction, and how you can change course for the better.
Significance
Why does my life matter? You'll reconnect with the people and the work that make your life count — the rich soil of meaning itself.
Our agenda at a glance
Sunday:
Monday:
4:00 PM: Check-in/Welcome
5:30 PM: Welcome Reception & Dinner
7:00 PM: Orientation Session
Tuesday:
7:00 AM: Mindful Movement
8:30 AM: Breakfast
10:00 AM: Classroom Time
1:15 PM: Lunch
2:00 PM: Free Time
3:00 PM: Classroom Time
5:30 PM: Free Time
6:30 PM: Dinner
Wednesday:
7:00 AM: Mindful Movement
8:30 AM: Breakfast
10:00 AM: Classroom Time
1:15 PM: Lunch
2:00 PM: Free Time
3:00 PM: Classroom Time
5:30 PM: Free Time
6:30 PM: Dinner
Thursday:
7:00 AM: Mindful Movement
8:30 AM: Breakfast
10:00 AM: Classroom Time
1:15 PM: Lunch
2:00 PM: Free Time
3:00 PM: Classroom Time
5:30 PM: Free Time
6:30 PM: Dinner
Friday:
7:00 AM: Mindful Movement
8:30 AM: Breakfast
10:00 AM: Classroom Time
1:15 PM: Lunch
2:00 PM: Free Time
3:00 PM: Classroom Time
5:30 PM: Graduation
6:30 PM: Celebration Dinner
Saturday:
7:00 AM: Breakfast
10:00 AM: Checkout/Departure
*Please note all times are estimates and not all “classroom activities” take place in the actual classroom. This agenda is meant to give you an idea of the general flow of activities.
Step into transformation in the high desert
Rising Circle Ranch | Santa Fe, USA.
Our spectacular Santa Fe campus is located on an upscale regenerative ranch featuring traditional Pueblo architecture and nearly 2,600 acres of wildlife, hiking trails in the arroyo, and awe-inspiring beauty. Close to historic Santa Fe, an artisan’s mecca.
PLUS: Gourmet from-scratch meals, snacks, and drinks featuring locally sourced ingredients, made by our in-house chefs
Explore the ranch
on horseback
Our Rising Circle Ranch spans 2,600 acres of New Mexico high desert, offering guided horseback riding for all experience levels through diverse terrains under the vast Southwest sky
You’ll experience highlights like:
Horseback riding is an optional add-on activity you can book once you arrive on the ranch. Whether you’re seasoned or brand new to horseback adventures, this guided experience lets you discover the ranch’s natural wonders alongside our gentle horses.
Your workshop also includes:
BASED ON FRAMEWORKS IN THE BOOK
The Meaning of Your Life
#1 New York Times Bestseller
If you struggle to discern life's meaning, you're not alone. Millions today describe a growing sense of emptiness, a lack of purpose and significance. And there's a reason: Rapid cultural, economic, and technological changes have rewired our brains, reducing their ability to perceive depth and purpose.
In The Meaning of Your Life, social scientist and happiness expert
Arthur C. Brooks shows you how to push back against these changes and find the meaning you need to live a happy, fulfilling life.
Leave with an understanding of the science and a plan to build deeper meaning in your life.
Come find out what your life has been building toward – alongside a small cohort of other curious strivers and seekers exploring the same questions.
Book your spot today
Arthur Brooks’ The Meaning of Your Life
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Arthur Brooks be at my retreat?
Arthur will be present and teaching at the weekend couples retreat on June 19–22. All other workshops are led by MEA faculty Arthur has personally trained in his curriculum and methodology – people he has trusted to deliver this work with the same depth and rigor.
Do I need to have read Arthur’s book, The Meaning of Your Life first?
No. The retreat stands entirely on its own. That said, if the book spoke to you, this is where you start to live it.
I'm not really a "retreat person." Is this for me?
Neither are most of the people who come. This isn’t about crystals or journaling in a yurt. It’s structured, research-based work in a small group – demanding in the best sense. If you’re skeptical of the retreat format but know something needs to change, you’re exactly who this was designed for.
I've done therapy and other personal development programs. How is this different?
This isn’t therapy, and it isn’t another self-improvement program. It’s a structured framework for understanding meaning – why it’s missing, what it’s made of, and how to build it back into your actual life. You won’t leave with insights alone. You’ll leave with specific commitments you’ve made to yourself, spoken aloud in community.
Can't I just read the book?
Arthur wrote it and he’ll be the first to tell you: ideas are necessary but insufficient to achieve lasting transformation. You can understand the framework in an afternoon. Living your way into it requires time away from your routine, and doing the work in the company of other like-minded people in a setting that makes the deeper questions unavoidable.
I don't have five days to step away from my life.
You’ve been too busy to think about this for years. That’s precisely the problem this retreat is designed to address. Five days is not the obstacle – it’s the point.
What's included in the price?
All programming, three chef-prepared meals daily plus snacks and drinks, and lodging at Rising Circle Ranch in your choice of shared or private room. Travel to Santa Fe is not included.
What's the difference between a shared and private room?
Both options include full access to all programming and amenities. Private rooms offer single-occupancy for those who prefer more personal space and solitude during their time at the ranch.
How large are the groups?
This retreat is intentionally kept small – limited to 20–30 people – to support the depth of work involved. The size allows for genuine connection with your cohort and the kind of honest, unguarded conversation that this work requires.
Still deciding or have questions?
Connect with our helpful team of Advisors
Our Advisors are all MEA alumni who can offer genuine insights into our programs. They’re passionate about helping you find the right fit to make your next chapter the best one.
Daniel Booz
Lucas Erie
Leslie Bartlett