MEA + Arthur Brooks Presents:
Arthur Brooks’ The Meaning of Your Life
As seen in:
You've worked hard for this life. So why can't you escape the feeling that something is still missing?
You did what you were supposed to do. The work, the obligations, the life you were supposed to be building – you showed up for all of it.
But somewhere along the way, without quite noticing when, the sense of why started to drain away. The things you worked for are there, but they no longer satisfy in the way you hoped they would. And the deeper questions that once made you feel alive got pushed aside, buried and forgotten.
Now you can’t escape a pervasive sense of emptiness at the core of things.
It feels like you’re drifting, going through the motions, watching yourself from the outside and filling time with the next thing so you don’t have to think too hard about it. Like you’re waiting in an airport terminal for a delayed flight that never leaves.
Here's the surprising part: the more you achieve in life, the worse this feeling tends to get.
“I feel like I’m living in a simulation”
Arthur C. Brooks has spent years interviewing people caught in this trap. People who say their life is bursting with activity but devoid of depth.
In this age of endless scrolling, 20-second endorphin hits, and AI-generated slop, it’s no wonder that people have told him their life feels unreal, “like a simulation” – full of false rewards, empty accomplishments, and fake experiences, all curated to pass the time as painlessly as possible.
The missing ingredient isn't more success, more therapy, or more time off.
It's meaning.
WATCH: Arthur Brooks on why the most successful people often feel the most lost
We are in the middle of a meaning crisis.
The research is unambiguous on this. Depression, anxiety, and a pervasive sense of emptiness have been rising for decades – across all kinds of lives and all kinds of people.
That pattern isn't a coincidence. Most of us have been taught that the right combination of effort and knowledge can solve any problem. And many problems can be solved that way.
But meaning isn't one of them.
"What is the meaning of my life?" is a different species of question than anything we're trained to answer. It can't be optimized, Googled, or delegated. It must be lived.
And any instinct to tackle it through analysis, effort, and relentless forward motion is precisely the wrong approach.
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…
This Workshop
is not 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.
Meet your faculty
Jill Nykoliation
Human Insight Specialist Award-Winning Business Leader | Brand Strategist | Personal Coach
Jill Nykoliation is an award-winning business leader with 30 years of experience shaping global brands, from Fortune 100 to entrepreneurial companies.
Jill is a master of human insight. As founder and former CEO of Juniper ParkTBWA, she guided the brand strategy for some of the world’s most powerful brands.
For over three decades, Jill has dedicated herself to understanding why we do what we do. Her fascination with human insight was the driving force behind her co-founding a creative agency eighteen years ago – and now drives her work as a Personal Coach.
Jill now applies her deep expertise as a Personal Coach, helping people unlock their true potential and navigate pivotal moments in their lives and careers.
Through her own executive experience and study, Jill understands the beauty, complexity and wonder involved in our life journeys. She has worked personally with Arthur Brooks to understand his Meaning of Your Life framework and learn how to help others implement it effectively in their lives.
Kari Cardinale
MEA Chief Content Officer | Longevity Industry Expert | Social Entrepreneur
Kari Cardinale brings nearly three decades of experience as a pioneer facilitator and social entrepreneur to her role at MEA.
With a rare gift for creating meaningful connections both in-person and virtually, she’s mastered the art of bringing wisdom to life through community building and thoughtful conversation.
Kari’s expertise in the longevity industry has led her to collaborate with hundreds of thought leaders worldwide, produce global summits on aging innovation and caregiving, and develop MEA’s online programs that have served thousands across the globe.
As a former Huffington Post contributor and featured guest on Dateline NBC and PBS’ This Emotional Life, Kari has contributed to the #1 Amazon bestselling anthology, Embracing Your Authentic Self.
Driven by insatiable curiosity and a commitment to lifelong learning, she embodies MEA’s core belief that wisdom grows through experience, reflection, and genuine connection with others.
Kari played an instrumental role in developing the curriculum for this workshop and is excited to share Arthur’s Meaning of Your Life methodology
What you'll gain
Your personal meaning baseline – Using validated research tools, you'll identify your "meaning quadrant" – a clear picture of how much meaning you currently experience and where. This becomes the foundation for everything that follows.
A way out of the Doom Loop – Most of us have been managing emptiness rather than addressing it. You'll name your personal Doom Loop, understand why your current coping strategies are reinforcing it, and leave with specific, practical commitments to break the pattern.
Answers – or at least better questions – You'll leave with a clearer story of your life so far and a truer sense of what your life is actually for. Why do things happen the way they do? Where am I going? Why does it matter?
Your pathway to meaning – You'll explore the different doorways to meaning – love, transcendence, calling, beauty, and even suffering – identify which are already open for you, and choose one to actively cultivate when you return home.
Your Meaning Manifesto – You'll write your own statement of how you intend to live. You'll speak your commitments aloud in community. And you'll leave with a small cohort of people who have walked through this with you – who know your real story and are on the same journey.
Our agenda at a glance
Saturday:
Sunday:
4:00 PM: Check-in/Welcome
5:30 PM: Welcome Reception & Dinner
7:00 PM: Orientation Session
Monday:
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
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: Graduation
6:30 PM: Celebration Dinner
Friday:
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:
Go deep into the three questions Arthur Brooks says every person needs to answer
Not just once, but continuously throughout your life:
Why do things happen the way they do in my life? Where am I going? Why does my life matter?
These questions form the backbone of Brooks' framework for meaning:
Meaning = Coherence + Purpose + Significance
The retreat is structured around all three – through teaching drawn directly from Brooks' research, guided reflection, deep small-group conversation, and practices designed to move this work out of your head and into your actual life.
This is where the framework stops being something you understand and becomes something you live.
Join us for the first-ever workshop — and stay for an extra weekend with Arthur and Ester Brooks
This June, we open the doors on this retreat for the very first time. And immediately following the June 14–19 retreat, Arthur Brooks and his wife Ester will lead an intimate weekend workshop designed specifically for couples. This is your chance to explore what gives your life meaning side by side with your partner, guided by two people who have spent their lives studying and living it together.
Register for both and save 10%. Spaces are limited and expected to fill quickly.
Schedule a call to book both and apply your discount
Book your spot today
Arthur Brooks’ The Meaning of Your Life
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
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 finding the right fit to make your next chapter the best one.
Daniel Booz
Lucas Erie
Leslie Bartlett