WAY is honoured to invite you to the second annual Tapestry of Life (ToL) Retreat at MEA’s soulful and stunning campus in Baja, Mexico, October 5–9, 2026.
Navigating the rich and often complex transitions of life is something few of us have seen modelled well. We’ve been taught to avoid failure, grief, aging, and falling, rather than to trust them as spiritual guides and teachers. And yet, it is often through our fears, disappointments, and unravellings that something deeper begins to awaken.
These seasons of change stir profound questions about purpose, identity, and what is asking to emerge next. When left unattended, they can show up as overwhelm, burnout, disorientation, or a quiet sense of becoming unfamiliar to ourselves.
And yet, these very thresholds hold profound possibilities. They are sacred ground, inviting us to release what no longer serves and to thread something new with intention.
The Tapestry of Life Retreat is a guided, immersive experience for those in a season of transition. When something is ending, shifting, or calling you forward. Through intentional practices, reflective inquiry, meaningful dialogue, and space for restore, we create the conditions to listen more deeply to what your life is asking of you now.
Together, we slow down. We reconnect with inner wisdom. We begin to weave clarity, meaning, and direction from the threads of your lived experience.
If this speaks to something within you, we invite you to join us in the serene, medicinal landscape of Baja, Mexico held by the rhythm of the ocean in El Pescadero.
Kindred ones,
Michelle Buelow
Michelle is your Shepherd, walking alongside you with a steady presence shaped by both lived experience and deep inner work. A former CEO of Bella Tunno, entrepreneur, and purpose-driven leader, she built and led a mission-driven company rooted in compassion and impact before transitioning into a life devoted to continued service and meaningful contribution.
Her connection to this work is deeply personal. As a past participant of The Tapestry of Life and a student of Dawna’s teachings, Michelle knows firsthand the transformative power of turning toward one’s own story. Having also completed the Hoffman Process and navigated her own experiences of trauma, she brings a profoundly grounded authenticity, empathy, and quiet strength to the spaces she holds. Michelle meets people where they are, gently guiding them back to their own resilience, their truth, and their capacity to move forward with intention.
Meet The Facilitators
Steve Fernandez
Steve is your Grounder, creating spaces where the noise begins to settle and something deeper can be felt. His path has moved through the seemingly disconnected worlds of biology and psychology, the music industry, and corporate leadership, before stepping away to follow a quieter, more intuitive calling as an artist. What once felt like divergence revealed itself as integration.
That integration became Pause+Expand. Drawing from his background in coaching, therapy, and the enduring thread of music, Steve guides sound and mindfulness experiences that invite the nervous system to soften and the mind to release its grip. His work supports a shift from reactivity to presence, from doing to being. As a facilitator in The Tapestry of Life, he holds space for stillness and grounding, creating conditions where something within can finally exhale, and in that quiet, what matters most often begins to emerge.
WAY was born from a simple yet guiding truth… what we think is in the way is the way.
It is a devotion to deeper self-awareness and an invitation into the wisdom of the soul, the mystery of life, and the courage to walk the path that reveals itself when we are willing to truly notice. Even when that path leads through discomfort, uncertainty, and vulnerability.
The Tapestry of Life emerged from the knowing that nothing in us exists in isolation. We are woven from the threads of ancestry and longing. Belonging and grief, resilience and wonder, and the knots we often try to ignore.
ToL is a living expression of WAY. This work cannot be learned from knowledge alone. It asks to be lived. To be shaped by experience. By both beauty and breakdown. It calls for texture, story, ritual, metaphor, nature, and community.
Here, we create a space where the soul’s wisdom and life’s mystery can be held, witnessed, and gently woven into a path you can recognize as your own.
And perhaps most importantly, this is a place to remember the thread you are seeking has never been lost. It has always been within you, waiting not to be found, but to be returned to.
Dawna MacLean
Dawna is your Weaver, creating intentional space for soul and wisdom work to emerge. She is the founder of WAY and the creator of The Tapestry of Life, rooted in a simple yet guiding truth… what we think is in the was is the way. This perspective was not formed through theory, but through Dawna’s own lived experience navigating the dichotomy of an adventurous and traumatic childhood and the experiences that shaped her devotion to deeper self-awareness and to understanding how we make meaning of what we have lived.
Her work is grounded in the knowing that nothing in us exists in isolation. She sees each person as a living tapestry, woven from threads of ancestry and longing, belonging and grief, resilience and wonder, including the knots we might prefer to ignore. Dawna creates intentional spaces shaped by story, ritual, metaphor, nature, and community, where people can engage more honestly with their lives and begin to weave from a place of soulful clarity and intent. Her work is not something to be learned. It is something to be lived.
“Dawna created the space for my vulnerability, for new ways of looking at my life” - Past Tol participant
“Perhaps the greatest lesson is that I am rushing my inner growth by reading and studying and looking rather than being present, surrendering, and listening.” - Past Tol participant
During the retreat, your days will include group discussions, coaching sessions, moments for mindful reflection, and free time to rest and take in the land. Post retreat, the work and learning will continue with a virtual fireside chat with Chip Conley.
Take a quick peek at some highlights from ToL 2025
Investment (early bird discount of $500 before May 1st)
Single occupancy: $7,000 USD
Double occupancy (shared room): $5,000 USD
Your investment includes lodging, all meals and beverages (including adult beverages), and the full retreat experience. The hospitality at MEA is beyond extraordinary, thoughtfully designed and deeply felt, with Chip Conley’s touch woven throughout.
This retreat is intentionally curated to reflect a rich tapestry of lived experience across ages, genders, and cultural backgrounds. This diversity is not incidental, it is essential. It creates a space where we can learn from one another, expand our perspectives, and deepen into meaningful connection. If there is someone you would like to invite please let me know and share a little about who they are and why you would like to invite them. If you have any questions or want to discuss this further, please feel free to book a call.
The Tapestry of Life Retreat typically resonates with individuals who find themselves at an inner threshold, commonly at midlife, yet not necessarily defined by age or circumstance, rather by a quiet knowing that something is shifting within.
Participants may recognize themselves in this work if they:
Sense they have outgrown beliefs, roles, or identities that once sustained them and are seeking to explore what is emerging within
Feel a longing for depth, meaning, and soulful connection beyond productivity, achievement, or certainty
Are navigating transition, loss, or change and want to engage these experiences as teachers rather than problems to solve
Feel drawn to mystery, metaphor, ritual, and nature as pathways to self-awareness and embodiment
Have achieved outward success yet feel an inner invitation toward greater authenticity and meaning
Are curious about befriending grief, aging, or uncertainty as initiatory experiences rather than signs of being off-course
Feel ready to explore identity beyond roles and accomplishments, even when that exploration feels disorienting
Long for community that allows them to be witnessed and supported in their growth
Sense that their life holds a pattern and are seeking space to see, understand, and consciously weave it forward
Voices from Past Participants
“The Tapestry of Life retreat was a unique opportunity to step away and think about how to be more present in your relationship to yourself, to others, and to the world, by reconnecting with nature and through facilitated discussion by Dawna and her team of experts. The time spent with people who intentionally dedicated themselves to the process with openness and authenticity was truly transformative. Said differently - we all wish we could take a minute to breath, and to remind ourselves of our connection to ourselves and to the divine. That is what TOL did for me. Transformed my perspective and has kept me present in that space ever since.”
Claire
“Tapestry of Life offered something rare: the space to pause, reflect, and intentionally bridge where I’ve been with where I’m going. Through meditative practices, sound work, and the unforgettable Wonder Walks, I gained clarity around my past and a renewed sense of how I want to move into the future.
Dawna and Steve are a remarkable and powerful pair. The contrast and complement of their teachings brought everything to life in a way that felt deeply human and deeply meaningful. They created a safe space to share and to be curious. This retreat didn’t just offer insight, it shifted how I want to approach the next phase of my life.
Tapestry of Life met me exactly where I was and gently invited me forward. Over five days in Baja, I felt both grounded and expanded. I didn’t leave feeling “better” or “fixed.” I left different, more focused, more aware, and more intentional about who I am becoming in this next chapter of my life.”
Michelle
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I decided to attend the Tapestry of Life retreat at the last minute, so my expectations were low. However, I was genuinely impressed by the experience. The conversations were deep, the exercises insightful, and I left with a clearer vision for my future. It’s worth mentioning that the venue, food, and service at the MEA campus also were exceptional. I'm incredibly grateful to Dawna and her team for making it possible.
Angelo
I attended the Tapestry of Life retreat during a period of transition and burnout, and it offered something I didn’t realize I was missing — genuine human connection and a sense of safety. Dawna’s presence is warm, wise, and grounding, and she has a rare ability to create safety while also gently challenging people to go deeper. Through nature, ritual, and the shared experience of the group, I felt seen, supported, and unexpectedly loved. The sense of trust and emotional steadiness I gained has stayed with me long after returning home. I would recommend this retreat to anyone seeking meaningful reflection, authentic connection, and a reset.
Caroline
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Heralded by the New York Times as the “world’s first midlife wisdom school,” MEA focuses on empowering individuals in midlife and beyond to live a life as deep as it is long. MEA’s purpose-filed journey encompasses lifelong learning, revolutionary practices, evidence-based tools, and connection with a like-hearted community. At their beautiful campus at Rising Circle Ranch in Lamy, New Mexico (outside Santa Fe), guests embark on transformative journeys that provide relaxation and enjoyment and also facilitate personal development and enrichment in new ways. MEA campuses have been named a TIME Magazine Top 100 World’s Greatest Places to Visit in 2024 and a CNN Top Self Discovery location of 2024.
On the campus
Three gourmet meals, artisan snacks, and drinks throughout the day are included. All meals made with fresh, local ingredients are often sourced from our organic suppliers. All dietary restrictions will be accommodated.
• Beer/Wine/Cocktails - These are available at during the welcome reception and daily at dinner
• Massage - book time with massage therapists (extra cost)
• Local adventure - Visit the nearby Pueblo Mágico Todos Santos, take surf lessons at the local nearby beach (extra cost)
• Ample outdoor spaces
• Lots of comfortable seating nooks for relaxing, reflecting, chatting and silent contemplation
• Mind / Body space
• Firepits
• Two pools and two jacuzzis
• Wi-FI
• Air-conditioned rooms and classroom
FAQ:
Can I spend extra time on campus?
We encourage participants to arrive a day or two early or stay an extra day to fully soak up the beautiful environment and rest and relax.
What is the cancellation policy?
You can find the cancellation policy here
Where do I fly to?
We suggest flying into Cabo San Lucas (SJD). You could also fly into La Paz (LAP).
How do I get to the campus?
We will coordinate transportation to and from the campus. Where possible, we will have you ride with other participants. There is an additional fee for ground transportation.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Much love,
Dawna guides us to recognize our unique place in the greater story of life, where the practical meets the profound, and where personal and collective growth become one. This private and immersive retreat is designed for those ready to do deep. It is soulful work for those prepared to pause, reflect, and reconnect with their authentic selves.
Through facilitated sessions, meaningful conversations, and experiential activities, you will leave with:
- A deeper awareness and trust in your own inner agency, grounded in belonging to yourself and your life.
-Clarity and language for what is true for you now, with awareness of the threads and patterns shaping their path.
-A sense of continuity and threshold, honouring what came before, releasing what no longer serves, and stepping toward what is yours to carry forward.
- Practices, perspective, and connection that endure, a more compassionate relationship with yourself, and bonds that feel real, witnessed, and lasting.
You will leave not with answers to follow, rather with a deeper relationship to yourself, and the fortitude to keep weaving.
“I learned to put my soul and my heart out there for people to see.” - Past ToL participant