Modern Elder Academy

It says a lot when the term most often associated with a particular stage of life is “crisis.” Youth is venerated, old age commemorated, but entrepreneur and author Chip Conley is on a mission to radically reframe the popular view on middle age, giving it the glowing appellation “midlife chrysalis.” He’s not just spreading his ideas about the potential for profound transformation and growth in those often denigrated decades through his books (Learning to Love Midlife, published in January) or TED talks, he also founded Modern Elder Academy (MEA) in 2018 to offer direct instruction and inspiration. 

Conley describes it as the world’s first “midlife wisdom school,” and in May, MEA opened a new campus at Rising Circle Ranch, a 2,600-acre regenerative horse ranch outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, following on the success of its first location in Baja, Mexico. The school’s workshop retreats invite students to relax in stylish, well-appointed surroundings as they dig into big questions like ten years from now, what will you regret if you don’t learn it or do it now? “This gives us the opportunity to feel anticipated regret,” says Conley, “which is a form of wisdom.” Now 63, he says the combination is key: “changing the habitat changes the habits.” Personal growth is especially enticing when the habitat is the dramatic, rich landscape of New Mexico. 

Conley made his name as a hotelier, founding the innovative Joie de Vivre boutique hotel group at 26 and growing it into the second largest of its kind in the U.S., before joining Airbnb as head of global hospitality and strategy. While there, he embraced the role of “modern elder,” to the startup’s younger team, sharing insights on aging, spirituality, corporate culture, and intergenerational collaboration within the company and beyond.

In an era of commercialized self-care, wellness retreats open at a fast clip, many with the same regurgitated messaging. But Conley’s journey across hospitality and tech, along with his own midlife renaissance, uniquely positions MEA’s approach to enlightenment under the big sky. “The social science of living longer is what we specialize in,” says Conley. One manifestation is a new partnership with longevity company Blue Zones to host workshops on leading a long and fulfilling life. Conley also cites a Yale study that found a positive approach to aging lengthened participants' lives by 7.6 years, more than regularly exercising or quitting smoking. “It’s not just about extending one’s life,” says Conley, “but deepening it.” 

MEA harnesses the power of the grand outdoor setting to guide middle-aged students on its key pillars: navigating transitions, cultivating purpose, and owning wisdom. As Conley says, “nature is a teacher,” so sessions on horseback unfold over the soaring desert plains, while hiking trails meander through flourishing arroyos for meditative treks. Instructors thread the region’s deep history into their teachings, with guidance from indigenous elders in the community. “Santa Fe has long attracted artists, creatives, seekers, and we have a lot of faculty and facilitators who are right here in our own backyard,” says Conley. This year, the Santa Fe academy will also feature a bevy of notable guests: Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert and humanitarian Tererai Trent will lead a retreat on “awakening magic”; writer Pico Iyer on navigating the “seasons of life”; and Franciscan friar Richard Rohr on spirituality.

Class time is buoyed by a strong community: embarking on a journey of self-transformation is enhanced by those around you doing the same; it helps to grapple your way through middle age with like-minded friends (and certainly making new friends in middle age is rare enough). This is where the MEA excels, with a growing roster of over 5,000 past participants from around the globe. 

The sprawling ranch has 43 rooms, including both rustic Pueblo Revival-style and elegantly modern ones, liberally sprinkled with the bohemian, free-spirited flavor of Santa Fe. Five-day workshops cost an all-inclusive $4,500 to $6,000 (depending on a shared or private room) though participants can apply for financial aid. MEA also runs a range of online courses, but achieving inner peace is easier when you can soak in a hot tub and curl up in high-thread-count sheets. As you sip fireside margaritas under string lights, comfortable in your own skin, maybe midlife isn’t so bad after all.

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