Owning Wisdom with guest faculty Tom McCook

Movements for Life: Move Well, Age Well

Mar 31 - Apr 5, 2025 in Santa Fe, USA
Led by: Tom McCook, Mary Hofstedt, Daniel 'DL' Landes, Lee Johnson

Financial aid is available. Apply Here.

If you want to live a long, happy, and vibrant life, you need to learn how to use your body better

Your body is a brilliant self-generating mechanism that is designed to heal itself. But it needs your love and attention to remain in good operating condition – especially as you age.

Decades of improper movement and posture can cause wear and tear on your joints, bones, and muscles that can lead to chronic pain and disease that negatively impacts your quality of life.

The good news is, it doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to learn how to move your body in a way that keeps you healthy, strong, and flexible for years to come.

You don’t need to go to the gym and exhaust yourself with brutal workouts that leave your muscles aching and sore for days.

You simply need to learn how to move more mindfully and efficiently and your body will take care of the rest. And the positive impact on your mindset, energy levels, self-esteem, and all areas of your life will be huge!

In this Owning Wisdom workshop co-facilitated with longtime Pilates instructor and Center of Balance founder Tom McCook, you will learn simple but effective exercises that help you move better and feel better in your mind, body, and spirit so you can enjoy a vibrant, active, pain-free life.

What you’ll gain

Through a combination of our MEA Owning Wisdom curriculum and Tom’s movement exercises based on Pilates, Feldenkrais, the Franklin Method, and other proven modalities, you will:

  • Learn how to strengthen key body areas such as pelvis/hip, spine/lower back/neck, shoulders/arms/hands, legs/feet, breathing, and core
  • Gain practical and empowering insights into how your body is designed
  • Discover essential tools to relieve tension, enhance posture, flexibility, movement efficiency, strength, balance, and cultivate a centered presence
  • Practice safe and effective full-body joint mobility routines vital for overall health, including daily spine care essentials
  • Experience the dynamic movement approach of the Franklin Method and use Dynamic-Neuro-cognitive Imagery to foster greater body and mind wellness
  • Explore approachable Pilates-inspired sequences for a supple, strong, and healthy body
  • Learn techniques to optimize breathing, enhancing posture, energy levels, wellness, and stress relief
  • Discover how body holds all your wounds, history, and learnings – and how movement and body work can help you release long-buried emotions
  • Embrace an empowering somatic centering practice to enhance presence, openness, connection, and alignment with personal values
  • Learn strategies and receive coaching to seamlessly integrate a daily/weekly movement practice for lifelong wellness

By the end of your five days with Tom and the MEA faculty, you will feel stronger, more flexible and more deeply attuned to your body’s needs and the impact your physical health plays in determining your mental and spiritual health and performance in all areas of your life.

You will be energized and inspired to continue your daily movement practice and give your body the love, attention, and support it needs to remain healthy and vibrant as you age.

Meet your faculty

Tom McCook

Founder and Director of Center of Balance

Balanced Body Educator and Mentor | Franklin Method Level 3 Educator | Certified Somatic Coach | ACE | NCPT

Tom McCook, is an internationally-recognized Pilates Educator and movement specialist. He has spent 40 years designing health and life performance programs for a range of clients, from Silicon Valley executives and Olympic athletes, to active seniors and people looking for solutions to their imbalances and injuries.

Tom’s mission is to improve people’s lives through movement. He teaches a practical and accessible way to understand your own body and then apply it to your movement practice. These skills go beyond exercise to cultivate health, body wisdom, and being responsive and resilient in life.

His unique teaching approach synthesizes over 35 years of fitness training, Pilates, body therapy, Somatic Coaching, the Franklin Method, Anatomy in Motion and meditation. His fascination with movement began at an early age playing sports and growing up in a large athletic family with 11 siblings. His long and successful history working with athletes include the Stanford women's swim team and four Olympic Gold medal swimmers.

Tom has been leading teacher trainings in the Pilates Method since 2001. He is on the faculty of Balanced Body for Pilates, CoreAlign and the Bodhi Suspension System. Tom is also a sought-after international presenter and mentor.

This workshop is for you if...

Wanting to make sure your body remains healthy and strong as you age

Worried about the impact that decades of stress and sitting in an office chair has had on your body and wellbeing

Sick and tired of feeling sick and tired and looking for a simple movement practice that can help you feel better

Wanting to improve your balance and ease common conditions such as tense muscles and joint pain

Eager to learn a new approach to wellness through movement, learning and activating the body's wisdom

Curious in learning more about Pilates and other movement and wellness practices, such as Feldenkrais or the Franklin Method

Ready to give your body the love and attention it deserves and listen to what it’s trying to tell you

Excited to unlock a new source of energy, vitality, confidence and wellbeing

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 Tom, you will be guided through the core MEA Owning Wisdom curriculum by our faculty members:

Mary Hofstedt

Content Facilitator

Mary Hofstedt is an experienced non profit leader and educator who strives to advance a more hopeful, caring, and connected world. Her passion for youth and community development led her to work with Challenge Success, spearhead a coalition of youth and adult partners to develop a community arts center, and serve for over a decade within Stanford University’s John W. Gardner Center. She recently wrapped up a mid-career break to reflect on purpose, study Spanish, travel, and volunteer with whale shark research and conservation. She serves as a Senior Associate with Heartwise Learning and is thrilled to be based back in Santa Fe after a 22 year stint in the Bay Area!

Daniel '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 while eating and drinking (which is why he fits in so well at MEA).

Now relocated to Santa Fe, DL says that “living in the Galisteo Basin impresses a unique and humbling perspective. Under the expansive, enchanted New Mexican sky I can feel so small and so big. I made a career of kicking up dust; living in the storm until the storm lived in me. When the dust settled two guideposts appeared: Spend more nights under the stars; provide a service.” 

You will appreciate his dedication to creating memorable experiences during your time in Santa Fe.

Lee Johnson

Head of Land, Livestock, and Mindfulness in Santa Fe

Lee likes to say that he’s as ordinary as dirt but as complex as soil. 

A former Course Director for the Colorado Outward Bound School and Certified Holistic Management Teacher, he has managed ranches in Nebraska and Tennessee as well as several ranches here in New Mexico. As steward of our four-square mile regenerative ranch, Lee translates nature’s teachings into insights that encourage us to tune into our inner landscapes as much as the outer landscape. His holistic approach to life and spirituality creates a warm invitation for you to step into a deeper relationship with yourself, nature, and each other.

You will appreciate his laidback presence and the opportunity to slow down, listen to nature, and participate in the ancient ritual of gathering around the campfire.

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You don't need to do a lot – You just need to do a little bit often.

And when you put in the effort on a consistent basis, you will feel much more connected in your body and experience less tension and pain and better posture and ease of movement. You will feel better, sleep better, and find it easier to remain present in the moment and make more thoughtful and considered decisions, leading to better results in all aspects of your life.

Are you ready to unlock the power of your body and discover how incredible healthy movement can feel?

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 is designed in part by Chip Conley, a world-renowned boutique hotelier, which means the food is amazing.

All of the ingredients are locally sourced, organic, and made from scratch in our kitchens by hand-picked chefs. The delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners will leave you feeling nourished inside and out – not to mention the 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.

Tuition starts at $4,000

Ready to start your journey?

Movements for Life: Move Well, Age Well

Mar 31 - Apr 5, 2025 in Santa Fe, USA
Led by: Tom McCook, Mary Hofstedt, Daniel 'DL' Landes, Lee Johnson

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

Financial aid is available. Apply Here.

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