Discovering the Hero’s Journey in Midlife
Is financial aid for you?
We believe in making personal growth and education accessible to all, which is why we offer financial assistance on a needs-aware basis for many of our programs.
We aim to support individuals facing financial challenges, including but not limited to members of under-represented communities. Our goal is to empower those who may face barriers in pursuing their educational and professional goals. If you're experiencing financial stress that might prevent you from attending our workshops, we encourage you to apply for assistance.
Ben Katt
Faculty in Residence
Find your path to wholeness and fulfillment by following the Hero’s Journey.
You're in the midst of a major life transition but feel lost, stuck, and uncertain about your next steps. Despite wanting greater meaning and purpose, you keep getting sidetracked or overwhelmed by the complexity of reinventing yourself.
This workshop is for anyone navigating midlife transitions – questioning your career, relationships, identity, or simply feeling like you've lost your way and need to rediscover what matters.
Bestselling author, meditation teacher, and transformation coach Ben Katt will guide you through the Hero's Journey – Joseph Campbell's universal pattern found in every wisdom tradition from ancient myths to modern stories.This ancient framework provides a proven map for understanding exactly where you are in your personal journey and what skills and actions you need to advance to your next stage of growth.
You'll discover:
Join this expert-led exploration of the Hero's Journey and walk away with a clear understanding of where you are in your life's adventure and a concrete way forward for reaching your desired destination.
“Joy is happiness that’s not contingent on something else. It’s that stable sense of contentedness that you carry through, no matter what adversity you’re facing.”
– Ben Katt
Meet
Ben Katt
Mindfulness Teacher | Transformation Coach | End-of-Life Care Provider | Author of The Way Home: Discovering the Hero’s Journey to Wholeness in Midlife
Ben Katt has been helping people experience deep transformation and create lives of greater joy, compassion, and purpose for the past twenty years. His approach bridges ancient wisdom with modern life, guiding people to wake up to who they are and why they are here.
Ben is the bestselling author of The Way Home: Discovering the Hero's Journey to Wholeness at Midlife, founder of the WITHIN Prison Meditation Project, and serves as a hospice chaplain. He's a certified advanced meditation teacher, holds a Master of Divinity degree, and was an ordained minister for over a decade. Previously, he led The On Being Project's work supporting religious and spiritual leaders in social healing.
Supported By the MEA Team
Darby Rose
Experience Facilitator
Darby Rose is a multidisciplinary artist, arts administrator, cook, actor and animal lover, currently living in Santa Fe, NM. Born into a family of travelers in Austin, TX, she’s lived more places than she can count — all over Texas, Boston, Jackson WY, Baltimore and Los Ange ...
View BioDaniel 'DL' Landes
Experience Facilitator
Before joining MEA, Daniel “DL” Landes spent decades as a restauranteur, author, and publisher. As the owner of multiple restaurants in Denver, CO – and then a hostel in Mexico – he dedicated himself to creating environments where people could work out their humanity whil ...
View BioThis Workshop Is For You If…
What You'll Gain
Understand the universal stages of midlife
Learn to recognize the predictable patterns and phases that everyone navigates during this transformative time of life.
Discover resources
Identify the specific tools, practices, and support systems that will help you move through challenges with greater ease.
Grow your capacity to hear your own wisdom
Develop the inner listening skills needed to distinguish between your soul's true calling and the noise of external expectations.
Build a toolkit of rituals and practices
Create sustainable daily and seasonal practices that will anchor you through life's inevitable changes and transitions.
Our Agenda at a Glance
Sunday:
4:00 PM: Arrival/Check-in
5:30 PM: Welcome Reception & Dinner
7:00 PM: Orientation Session
Monday:
7:00 AM: Mind + Body
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
8:00 PM: Free Time
Tuesday:
7:00 AM: Mind + Body
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
8:00 PM: Free Time
Wednesday:
7:00 AM: Mind + Body
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
Thursday:
7:00 AM: Breakfast
10:00 AM: Checkout/Departure
Friday:
Saturday:
*Please note that not all “classroom time” activities take place in the actual classroom.
*Please note all times are estimates as some activities go longer or shorter depending on the group. 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:
Your midlife crisis is actually a call to adventure.
Midlife confusion doesn't resolve itself. Without a clear roadmap and practical tools, you'll continue spinning your wheels, watching years slip by while feeling disconnected from your purpose and potential.
This workshop gives you everything you need to move forward:
Book Your Spot Today
Discovering the Hero’s Journey in Midlife
Is financial aid for you?
We believe in making personal growth and education accessible to all, which is why we offer financial assistance on a needs-aware basis for many of our programs.
We aim to support individuals facing financial challenges, including but not limited to members of under-represented communities. Our goal is to empower those who may face barriers in pursuing their educational and professional goals. If you're experiencing financial stress that might prevent you from attending our workshops, we encourage you to apply for assistance.
The program was spectacular. It really surpassed my expectations. I was really surprised about how the course was curated. There was such a warm intensity and personal touch to it.
I experienced MEA as a newly diagnosed multiple myeloma cancer patient, and as a result of the things I’ve learned - I’ve banished the anxiety of being a cancer victim, am in remission, and living with a newfound energy and purpose.
Just know how grateful I am for the joy fuel you all put in my rocket ship. When I want to feel loved or just need a good smile I can think of my time at MEA, which came at the perfect time to encourage me on my journey. Thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this Hero’s Journey workshop for?
Discovering the Hero’s Journey in Midlife is designed for people who sense they’re at a crossroads and want a clear framework for moving forward. Many participants are navigating shifts in career, relationships, health, or identity, while others feel an inner restlessness and long to live with greater meaning and purpose.
Do I need to have a specific transition in mind to attend?
Not at all. Some participants arrive with a clear transition in progress—an ending, loss, or new beginning. Others feel stuck or uncertain about what comes next. This workshop uses the Hero’s Journey framework to help you identify where you are in the cycle and what steps will carry you forward.
Is this workshop religious?
No. While Ben Katt brings wisdom from his background in meditation, hospice work, and spirituality, Discovering the Hero’s Journey in Midlife is not religious. The framework comes from Joseph Campbell’s universal Hero’s Journey, which applies across cultures and traditions. You’ll be invited to reflect on your own values and sources of meaning.
What if I’m not planning a major life change?
You don’t need to be in the middle of a dramatic transition to benefit. Many people join because they feel a call toward growth, want to align their outer life with their inner truth, or simply sense they’re entering a new stage of life. The Hero’s Journey helps you prepare for thresholds both large and small.
What’s included in the tuition for Hero’s Journey?
Your tuition covers:
- Four nights of accommodations at Rising Circle Ranch in Santa Fe
- All chef-prepared meals, snacks, and drinks
- Daily sessions and experiential practices with Ben Katt
- Mindfulness, movement, and group activities
Access to our 2,600-acre high desert ranch (with optional horseback riding available for an added fee)
The only additional costs are your transportation to Santa Fe and any personal incidentals.
How do I know if I qualify for financial aid?
We offer financial assistance on a needs-aware basis. Our goal is to make MEA accessible to those who may face financial barriers to attending. If you’re experiencing financial stress that could prevent your participation, we encourage you to apply for assistance.
What if I’m not sure if this Hero’s Journey workshop is right for me?
We’re happy to help. Book a free call with our team below, and we can help you decide based on your current life situation, goals, and timing.
Still have questions?
Talk with an MEA advisor who’s been in your shoes.
Every advisor is an MEA alum who’s lived the experience firsthand. They’ll answer your questions, share what to expect, and help you decide if this workshop is the right fit for your next chapter.
Daniel Booz
Lucas Erie
Leslie Bartlett