Hero training is fantasy-based education, rooted in mindfulness and open-ended play, that prepares adventurers for their hero’s journey.   Put another way, hero training is what happens when dungeons and dragons, woodworking, and a nature school all decide to go on an adventure together, and realize they are the bestest of friends. 

My name is Joe/Gandalf/Treebeard and I will be guiding you on your quest.  You never know what might happen on an adventure and the more you know, the better chance you have at succeeding on your journey.   So, it’s my job as a wizard specializing in training heroes, to teach you everything I can to make sure you survive on your quest; whether that is archery, alchemy, artificery, swordsmanship, map orientation, plant/tree identification, healing, or any other skill a hero need possess.   More important that what we are learning is how we are learning it, and I have personally found that the most effective way to teach anyone, anything, is through play.  

Being able to play, alone or with others, is the number one skill you can learn to set you up for a successful, vibrant, healthy life. 

People who engage in open-ended play, especially outdoors in nature, are healthier, smarter, more creative, have far superior social skills, increased emotional regulation, are better at making executive decisions, have less anxiety and stress, increased confidence, have a higher sense of self worth, and sense of identity.    

So everything we do in Hero Training starts and ends with play.   

Next we go to passion: 

Knowing what you are passionate about is of utmost importance because that tells us what kind of hero you want to be.  Hero’s fight for what they love, so we have to know what you love in order to know what’s worth fighting for. 

Now I have a ton of things I am passionate about and I can teach you all of them, but ever since I was a little kid my three greatest passions have been building things, being outside in the woods, and fantasy.  I love tinkering with all my heart, and I love fantasy and nature with all my soul.  That’s why when I decided to start hero training, it had to be based on fantasy, building things, and the woods.   If you talk the talk- you better walk the walk; and I wouldn't be walking my own hero’s path if I wasn’t being true to myself and sharing what I love with others. 

Now I’ve just told you my passions, but the main goal of hero training is not to walk my path, but your own.   What kind of hero do you want to be?  Once we can answer that question we are gonna build specific challenges that force you to practice being that hero.  And then we are gonna practice, and practice, and practice some more. The more you practice a skill, the better you get at it and the best way to practice being a hero is by going on a quest.  

Quests

Periodically in our training, we will have quests that will challenge you independently and collectively as a group to see just how much you’ve learned in our time together.  Quests will incorporate elements of ceremony and mindfulness while still being true to our mission of play. 

ADVENTURERS BE WARNED!!!

• Hero training turns adventurers into heroes, and if the very word hero, or adventure, or training makes you cringe- this probably isn't for you.   As already stated, everything we do comes down to play, but that doesn't mean you won't be challenged mentally and physically.  You will get dirty, you will climb and run and be sweaty, you will scrape your knee and get splinters, run some more, build and build some more, jump and swing, and most importantly you will at times fail.   Adventure that lacks a challenge isn't adventure, and if you aren't challenged, I am not doing my job in preparing you for your quest.    Learning how to embrace failure is a life skill all heroes must learn, and I promise to teach this lesson as painlessly as wizardly possible, 

So, if you are ready to play, and explore, and pretend, and build, and discover the hero you were born to be, I invite you to come play!