Our Two Year Mystic Warrior Apprenticeship is based on over four decades of exhaustive research and successful, practical experience. This research and experience has lead us to believe that martial, spiritual and mystical studies and abilities interpenetrate just as we believe that spirit and matter, our sacred self and profane self and body and mind interpenetrate and are non-dual. This means that a holistic approach to training would include in-depth spiritual and mystical training as well as martial training with an emphasis on tharros, which means courage and aphobia or fearlessness.

However, no previous martial arts experience is necessary even though part of the training is physical and includes old school martial training. In addition, our training is very experiential, esoteric and will involve initiatory experiences of expanded consciousness and death and re-birth. We will practice various psychophysical techniques of the dynamic interpenetration of spirit and matter and focused energy through the power of the voice.

A portion of our training is conducted out in nature, among the elements. At times we will train under the stars, in streams and waterfalls, and around raging fires. Our training progressively challenges the mental and physical tenacity of participants in an effort to set the stage for a peak, transformational experience to occur within each student. The goal here is to have the mystical warrior experience serve as a major, positive psychological anchor for participants; months and even years into the future.

The Hero’s Quest

A common spiritual, mystical and heroic theme found within many cultures is the ‘quest.’ This quest usually takes place out in nature and not within a human-made structure. It is a journey into the unknown and the mysteries of life and the natural world.

The quest may take numerous forms from the mythological to an actual personal or communal experience such as a rite of passage. The hero and the quest are one and the same and cannot be separated. And this quest involves the unknown, sacrifice and suffering. Many times it’s transformational and redemptive.

In western mythology the most well known quests are Arthur and his knights seeking the Holy Grail, the voyage of Odysseus, Prometheus’ quest for fire and the ‘labours’ of Heracles. The name of Heracles is identified with power, heroism and majesty. There was no ‘labour that was beyond the power of Heracles.’

Heracles was a demi-god, endowed with mystical gifts but also with human weaknesses. Just as each of us has mystical gifts that need awakening, we each have human weaknesses, which we need to overcome. Both of these, awakening our gifts and overcoming our weaknesses, are the goal of our Mystical Warrior Apprenticeship.

The feats of Heracles are countless and equally numberless the stories about them. But the best known are those referred to as ‘The Twelve Labours of Heracles.’ You as an Apprentice will also face these same twelve labours in a symbolic but physical way.

Do you have the courage to be a hero and complete the Twelve Labours?

Of the twelve labours, the first six took place in the Peloponnese while the other six were scattered across the globe: from Crete to Scythia, from Thrace to the end of the West and all the way to the underworld itself.

An Apprentice's first six labours will occur during the first year. During the second year four more labours will be overcome. And the final two….

Our Mentors—the Ancient Spartans