Are you called to be ready and able to serve your tribe when help is needed?

Do you feel overwhelmed by the idea of sacrificing your time and energy to transform yourself, yet feel unfulfilled knowing that you are not living up to your potential?

The problem is that the world needs heroes but it requires sacrifice of those who are called, and no one wants to make sacrifices for something that they may not achieve?

———-

I know how much time and energy it takes to find the resources, learn the skills, and put it all together in a useful and meaningful way.

I know because I've done it, and I have helped others do it too.

I have dedicated my life to gathering and developing the primal tools, skills, and practices that humans have relied upon since the dawn of time.

Not only that, I have integrated them into a comprehensive journey that makes these skills accessible, activates your latent abilities, saves years of precious time, and transforms your life and the communities you serve.

My passion is to share this ecology of skills and practices with you so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel, and can get out there and do what matters.

Preparation for the Journey is the first step:

1. Book a consultation with Ben to make sure this experience is a good fit.

2. Join a free group call to learn more, ask questions, and meet peers, apprentices and guides.

3. Review the program description, details, and syllabus on the program info page.

4. Register for your program and hold your spot with intake forms and your deposit.

5. Join the Primal Journey on-ramp calls to help you prepare and get the most out of your experience.

About

Hero Academy is a seven-week, traditional-style, training apprenticeship for anyone interested in the path of the everyday hero. Each week of this modular training focuses on a different theme including tracking, survival, healing, combat, stealth, and leadership, offering a holistic experience of the hero’s journey, complete with an optional vision quest in the final week.

This training provides an embodied immersion in the science, art, and philosophy of the everyday hero distilled from traditional, scientific, ancestral, and experiential practices and perspectives. It is designed to awaken and activate the innate heroic nature that is already within you and expand what you already know.

This is primal training, meaning it is found at the core of ordinary human beings from around the world who's ancestors had to respond to the selective forces of nature in every possible environment. The skills are taught within the context of our natural human senses and abilities, aided by simple everyday primal tools that the earth provides, while honoring the unique capacity of each individual at any moment- in any situation.

Since the focus of training is at the primal or essential level, the knowledge and skills developed through hero training are transferable to all areas of life and useful at nearly every scope and scale of application. Learn more about hero training below, or with a consultation.

Overview

Phase 1 - The Call

Weeks (-16): Preparation

• 8 prep and on-ramp meetings via Zoom (2x month)

• Dialog, instruction, practices, coaching, and Q&A

• Apprentice, guide, and mentor training

Phase 2 - The Adventure

Weeks 1-3 : Life-Supporting Training

• Week 1

  • Role: Tracker

  • Focus: Nature Connection, Awareness, Observation, & 7 Arts of Tracking

• Week 2

  • Role: Survivor

  • Focus: Survival Skills- Safety, Shelter, Water, Fire, Food, & Tools.

• Week 3

  • Role: Healer

  • Focus: Healing, Health, Wellness, First Aid, Caretaking, & Preparedness

Weeks 4-6 : Life-Protecting Training

• Week 4

  • Role: Protector

  • Focus: Fitness, Martial Arts, Tactics, Protecting Others, & Team Tactics

• Week 5

  • Role: Shadow

  • Focus: Stealth, Stalking, Camouflage, Invisibility, Escape & Evasion

• Week 6

  • Role: Leader

  • Focus: Service, Teaching, Guiding, Mentoring, Team & Community Building

Week 7 : The Quest

• Week 7

  • Role: Visionary

  • Focus: Search, Quest, Mystery, Mission, Vision, and reintegration.

Phase 3 - The Return

Bonus Week 8 (optional) : Reintegration

• Cool down week for processing

• How to bring your gift to the world

• Follow-up monthly group meetings

• Apprentice, guide, and mentor training

Book a consultation to begin your adventure.

• Who: Humans ages 18+. This training is open to everyone and is especially useful for those who are responsible for others: coaches, teachers, leaders, business executives, medical professionals, military, and law enforcement to name a few. Space is limited to 10 people.

• What: this primal immersion has several layers of possible participation. From first-time participants to apprentices, guides, specialists, and associate instructors. You can design your own experience with a flexible approach to meet your personal goals. The standard path Includes up to 8 hours of instruction per day, and 10+ hours of training options 5 days per week, with bonus field day adventures on weekends. The academy starts with “The Call”, a four-month online preparation phase, packed with instruction, practices, and guidance. The academy concludes with “The Return” an optional bonus 8th week for reintegration and ongoing follow-up meetings online with your new tribe. Ongoing community calls are available with the Journey program.

• When:

  • Spring Immersion: May 3-June 22, 2025.

  • Fall Immersion: August 30 - October 18, 2024.

  • Each Immersion includes a bonus 8th week for reintegration.

  • Preparation begins online, 4 months before the start date.

  • “The Journey” is a year-round online program and community with events, conversations, and content.

• Where: Tribal Edge Primal Arts Training Center, Blyn Washington, USA.

• Instructors: Ben Sanford- lead guide, Victoria Jazwic-Sanford- soul guide, Tribal edge support staff, and special instructors (TBA).

• How to register: Contact Ben Sanford for a consultation to find out more and to begin the application process.

• Other details: Training occurs outdoors and camping is provided. Lodging is possible before and after your immersion in nearby hotels. Food and camping gear are NOT provided (with some exceptions for special meals and basic consumables). Participants have opportunities each weekend to resupply food and other supplies.

• Gear: You will receive an extensive gear list upon registration.

• Cost: $8,750. Deposit: $1,750

  Discounts:

  • $250 early registration discount until January 1, 2024.

  • Refer a friend for $250 off

• Includes

  • Comprehensive daily training regiment

  • Camping and outdoor living

  • Ala’cart-style weekly themes

  • Individual and group activities

  • Weekly field day adventures

  • An ecology of practices to take with you

  • Lifelong friendships and community

  • A life-changing Vision Quest

  • Much more!

Hero training is for humans of all walks of life.

You need no prior experience to access the training offered, and it will only enhance any training you already have.

Imagine the fulfillment of knowing that everyone is a little safer and happier because you are there, and anyone in need has a friend. Instead of seeking safety and avoiding change, you will become a source of peace and security in your tribe.

Transform yourself and transform our world.

Do you want to let go of old patterns that keep you seeking the deadening comfort of the status quo? It is time to stop avoiding challenges and conflict while hoping for the best.

Let go of self-doubt, self-sabotage, and fear of change. Step into your power, find out who you are, why you are here, and become a force of nature with the prowess to face the unknown and serve your tribe as a protector, healer, and guide.

Learn how to take effective action in challenging situations.

Hero training covers a number of holistic, life supporting skill-sets, and works at many levels. We use a principle based training methodology in partner and team focused training with scenarios to study awareness, stress, safety, psychology, ethics and the tactics and tools of fitness, survival, healing, protection, stealth and leadership that produce the skills and mindset of useful, resilient, and ethical humans.

Hero training provides challenging, reality based experiences within a respectful training environment. Students and instructors practice physical and moral training together while learning and growing as a team along the heroic path.

Begin your adventure today!