Cultivating Purpose with guest faculty Christine Carter

Coming Into Your Own: Reconnecting with Who You Are

Feb 17 - Feb 22, 2025 in Santa Fe, USA
Led by: Christine Carter, Lori Schwanbeck

Purpose is what makes you feel alive, connected, and whole

The science proves it: living with a sense of purpose plays a significant role in improving our mental and physical health and wellbeing.

It can extend our longevity, improve our physical and cognitive functioning, reduce our risk of disease, alleviate stress and anxiety, and strengthen social connections that are vital to our happiness and sense of self-worth.

But how do you find your purpose when you’ve already lived half your life and have no idea where or how to get started?

(Especially if you think the whole concept seems a little… “woo.”)

The answer is to pay attention to the things that are important to you, own your strengths, commit to making the effort to show up consistently as your best self – then simply get started. As you continue, the path forward will become clear. 

In this Cultivating Purpose workshop co-facilitated with Dr. Christine Carter, Founder and former Executive Director of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, you will discover proven science-backed strategies that will help you live a life of purpose that brings you joy and fulfillment. (No “woo” required.)

What you’ll gain

Through a combination of our MEA Cultivating Purpose curriculum and Christine’s proven science-based experiential activities, you will:

  • Reconnect with who you are and who you hope to become in your life’s next chapter
  • Discover what the science says about happiness and meaning and how these things change as we get older
  • Clarify what purpose and wellbeing look like for you (everyone is different)
  • Identify your unique strengths and attributes that can help you live your purpose
  • Discover how the stories you tell yourself about yourself are shaping your life — often unconsciously
  • Release old beliefs and behaviors that are holding you back from becoming who you are
  • Discover research-based practices for tapping into your hidden potential at any age
  • Form new purpose-driven habits and behaviors that help you show up in a new way
  • Learn proven strategies for feeling grounded and centered even in the face of uncertainty, difficulty, or loss
  • Find the confidence to take brave action and move beyond your comfort zone
  • Clarify your vision for a purpose-driven life that delights and fulfills you
  • Unlock the courage to move into meaningful action and make your vision a reality

By the end of your five days with Christine and the MEA faculty, you will be bursting with confidence, clarity, and excitement to start living your purpose more fully in the world. 


You will feel energized and empowered and hopeful about your future – and inspired to show up in the world as the fully realized person you’ve always had the potential to become.

Meet your faculty

Christine Carter, Ph.D.

Founder and former Executive Director of the Greater Good Science Center

Sociologist | Author | Speaker | Coach

Christine Carter, Ph.D., has dedicated her life to redesigning the way we work—so that we can lead our most joyful, productive, and fulfilling lives. She combines scientific research and practical application to offer her clients, readers, and audiences practical tactics to cope with modern pressures and truly thrive.

For many years, Christine was the executive director of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center (GGSC), where she remains a sociologist and Senior Fellow. Now she’s a leader at BetterUp, where she designs one-to-many coaching experiences that drive transformation for people, teams, and organizations.

Christine writes an advice column for Greater Good magazine that is syndicated on PsychologyToday.com and many other websites. She has appeared on dozens of television and radio shows, including the “Oprah Winfrey Show,” the “Dr. Oz Show”, the “TODAY” show, the “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “CBS Sunday Morning,” PBS, NPR and BBC Radio, and has been quoted or featured in every major newspaper in the US, including The New York Times, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Washington Post, the Boston Globe, and The Wall Street Journal. Her most recent TedTalk was in the top 5 most viewed in 2021.

As a sociologist, Christine has sought to inspire large-scale, systemic change in our most common and influential social structures: corporations, families, and schools. She has a particular interest in how cultures and institutions foster certain behaviors, beliefs, and emotions while inhibiting others.

This workshop is for you if...

You feel like your life is lacking any real meaning and you’re looking to reignite your joy

You’re experiencing burnout at work or home and finding it hard to feel motivated or inspired

You’ve been putting other people’s needs before your own for a long time – now you’re ready to focus on you

You’ve lost touch with who you are and what you want your life to look like

You’re great at what you do – but it’s not in integrity with who you want to be in the world

You struggle with self-doubt and worry that you don’t have what it takes to live a life you love (spoiler: you absolutely do)

You’re looking for deeper meaning and fulfillment in everything you do

You’re willing to explore new science-backed practices that can help you form habits that will help you succeed

Do this powerful work on our beautiful regenerative ranch in Santa Fe

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.

  • Big-sky desert country
  • Breathtaking nature
  • Interaction with horses and donkeys
  • Evenings around the campfire
  • Star-gazing

Meet your MEA facilitators

In addition to the powerful sessions conducted by Mark Nepo, you will be guided through the core MEA Owning Wisdom curriculum by our seasoned faculty members:

Lori Schwanbeck

Mindfulness Teacher

Lori is a passionate advocate for creating lives of meaning and engagement in both the personal and professional realms. She is a senior faculty member at Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI), an organization born at Google, where she mentors and trains teachers, and designs and facilitates both in-person and virtual mindfulness based emotional intelligence programs. 

Lori holds an MA in psychology and is a certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, trained by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach through the Greater Good Science Center. She is currently involved in a 2-year project in Bhutan working in partnership with the Gross National Happiness initiative bringing SIYLI’s program to all levels of the Bhutanese government. 

She is also curriculum contributor and facilitator at: LinkedIn, Purpose Blue, Wisdom Labs, Mindfulness Rx and the Mindfulness Training Institute, and leads nature-based mindfulness retreats at MEA, Esalen Institute, and Canyon Ranch. 

A near fatal bicycle accident in her early 40’s triggered a humbling re-evaluation of her values, actions and identity. Recognizing that while our lives are short, our choices have a ripple effect on the world around us, Lori is committed to living in alignment with awareness, integrity and whole-heartedness – and dedicated to supporting others who desire to have a similar positive impact.

Purpose isn’t something you find. It’s something you create.

You don’t have to embark on some mystical journey into the inner depths of your soul to discover how to live a life of deep meaning and fulfillment.

You simply have to pay attention, have confidence in yourself, and be willing to make the effort – and trust that your journey will lead you to where you want to be. 

And the results you will experience include greater happiness, better health, closer relationships, and a longer, happier life.

Are you ready to own your strengths and discover what you’re capable of achieving? 

People come for the workshops,
but they stay for the community

This is truly MEA’s “secret sauce” and something you can only experience in person: the powerful connections you will make, not only with your fellow participants and the incredible MEA faculty, but also the deeper sense of connection you will feel to your own inner self and the natural world around you.

Research into aging shows that your relationships play a HUGE role in your health and wellbeing later in life. At MEA, you will make deep and lasting connections and become part of a larger community that will make your life richer and more meaningful.

Many of our alumni cohorts have stayed in close touch for years after their workshop and we have a growing number of local alumni chapters all over the world. It’s a joy for us to see them continuing to offer each other community, friendship, and support as they create thriving midlives for themselves. So if you have been feeling at all disconnected or isolated on your journey, we would love to have you join us!

Have we mentioned the food?

The MEA experience was designed by Chip Conley, a world-renowned boutique hotelier, and from the first bite you will taste the difference.

All of the ingredients are locally sourced and organic, and the food is made from scratch in our kitchens by incredible chefs.


The delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners will leave you feeling nourished inside and out – not to mention blended drinks made with fresh fruit and other top-shelf ingredients.


Each retreat center has multiple kitchens that always have snacks and beverages available. At MEA, we believe that thriving is delicious!

Your workshop includes

  • 5 days and nights of lodging at our boutique luxury retreat center in Baja or Santa Fe with all of your meals, snacks, drinks and other amenities included
  • Daily sessions and experiential activities to help you connect with your inner self, envision your desired experience, and release what no longer serves you
  • Meditation covering a range of practices to soothe your nervous system and help you cultivate greater mindfulness and presence in the moment.
  • Movement to get the energy flowing and build your strength and agility as you chart your course forward to the life you want to live.
  • Incredible bonding experiences with the most amazing humans you’ll ever meet.
  • Three delicious, chef-prepared meals plus snacks throughout the day prepared from scratch with the freshest local ingredients.
  • Festive gatherings to cultivate connection and celebrate the joy and beauty of life.
  • Prices start at $4,000

Ready to start your journey?

Coming Into Your Own: Reconnecting with Who You Are

Feb 17 - Feb 22, 2025 in Santa Fe, USA
Led by: Christine Carter, Lori Schwanbeck

Step into your next chapter with confidence and ease, knowing that every detail of your experience is being taken care of by our world-class faculty and hospitality team.

Starting at

$4,000 per person

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 finding the right fit to make your next chapter the best one.

Daniel Booz

Dana Anton

Lucas Erie