What we do
We offer holistic life skills and practices to help you and your community experience your greatest potential and thrive.
Our Mission
Tribal Edge courses are designed to draw participants through experiential, whole body learning to arrive at their own powerful self discoveries with real impact from real experiences. They are coached and guided through our programs with age old teaching methods such as inspirational stories, the art of questioning, and role modeling. Participants develop respect for all life as they begin to see the interdependence and connection between all things. As they journey through the lessons of nature and tribe, they face their edges and are left feeling empowered with new skills and insights that they discover for themselves. Tribal Edge is also dedicated to the preservation of the vision and teachings of Grandfather Stalking Wolf. We are blessed to be connected to this way of life through Tom Brown Jr., Jon Young, Malcolm Ringwalt and other teachers. It is with great appreciation that we humbly pass on this vision and point the way to the source.
Founded by Ben Sanford in 2002, Tribal Edge is a primal arts training center and community which offers of a variety of classes, workshops and events such as community Sunday Gatherings. Tribal Edge provides training in natural living skills, awareness, team & leadership skills for all ages through a variety of classes, programs and events. Primal arts are the essential skills which are core to our existence as human beings. By training in the skills of fitness, awareness, tracking, survival, healing, the warrior arts, and other life supporting skills, we can remember our original instructions to be naturally balanced individuals and communities who live with the earth. These “edge” experiences balance body, mind and spirit as you connect with yourself, creation, and the great Mystery in a natural way. (Find out more about the meaning of Tribal Edge here.)
How we do it
We offer a place to learn and develop real life skills, and to do so effectively and efficiently.
We also offer a curriculum, training method and a vision which directly increases the quality of life for you and the planet- now & in the future.
Finally, we offer a community of people who are committed to training and growing together.
Through training in our classes and programs, or with personal coaching and consulting, we provide you with a model of natural abundant life through training in the science, art, and philosophy of the primal arts which leads to greater awareness, personal power, and sense of purpose. If you choose to step onto the training path, you are gaining access to a way of life that is exciting, fulfilling, and transforming in nature. For example, by just taking a basic tracking class, though your skills may fade without practice, you will experience new perspectives that you can use instantly and begin applying to your life. If you begin to train consistently, the results are exponentially more profound and become much more sustainable.
How it works
At the beginning, there seems to be many possible paths to take as we offer wide variety of class types in different skill-sets to make your training experience as complete as possible. No matter where you start, the natural process of training will lead you back to a common center. As you become more committed to your own growth, you may find that your journey brings you full circle, as you increase your skill and understanding and discover the other elements that Tribal Edge offers.
Like anything worth doing in life, this path requires some time and energy to grow and gain a measure of success in its many domains. The results can be very powerful, surprising, and life changing and it is important to approach your training in a way that works for you and your lifestyle. Start where you are most interested and let inspiration and curiosity lead you. Be patient with yourself, and allow your progress to unfold naturally. Good luck and see you at the Edge!
““Tribal Edge and The Land...
Quiet nights and fire glow, carving spears, learning to listen, the stories, how fast the water leaf grow and how fragile, eating blackberries, huckleberries, salmon berries, lessons of the nettle, ask the question, carve the directions in the dirt, what does this mean? breaking rocks, climbing the maples, sleeping under that fern, that tree, covered in mud, tracking the cougar, sit for half an hour, sitting for 4 days, initiation, hot heat and the lodge, running with you in bare feet, your hand on my shoulder, climb that hill as fast as we can, how long can i go with or without it? what is my “edge?” how much do I love? what will it take? I’m worth it, first time I heard the owls, the bright moon, moving like leaves in the wind, moving together, cold cold COLD, being held, being warmed, trust it, sitting together, listening, really listening, really speaking, build a fire the old way, as fast as you can, as slow as you can, watch you move through the thick brush smooth, watch you struggle, see the ripples of my heart beat through this water, don’t spill a drop, tell stories and laugh, cry and hurt and see more, hear more, what are the birds saying? staring at that rock, that bit of leaf, watching through the seasons, find its center, my center, our center, scan your body, hold your breath, now NOW! how am I Feeling? Exploding out of leaves, laughing so hard it hurts, trying not to be seen, not being seen, making a big impact and a small one. Watch the creek, dip a finger, holding your hand just above the surface, immersion, the great mystery, what I thought I knew, watching you make the track, drawing it, seeing more, will you really catch Me? Stumbling blindly, carrying obnoxiously cumbersome objects in the dark, under the blind fold, moments of perfection, failing, failing together, growing together. I’m closer now, closer still, I love you, I love this, moments of recognition, of visceral truths, where what was hidden is now revealed.”
Gabriel Hatton 9/1/17”
What others have to say
“The tribal edge land has been the place of many transformations for me and for many. The earth here holds the tracks (stories) of big and small, simple and profound experiences that have accumulated into a large part of my who I am. This place has helped root my feet to the earth and opened my heart. It has helped me see the profound responsibility of taking care of each other and this beautiful place we live. The tribal edge land is a place that is actively growing responsible, aware, passionate human beings.”
GH
"The amount of learning and growth I have experienced at Tribal Edge is unparalleled with any other place. I attribute this to the people and the land itself, being a small pocket of exclusion from the distractions of modern life.”
GM
"The Tribal Edge land has been a second home to me for nearly a decade now. The programs held there have taught me how to live, value, and protect life. This is a sacred place with many sacred places in it. The land speaks through its solitude and silence. Many people come to the land seeking community and a respite from the noise of the modern life. I could not be who I am today without the gift the land has given me, and I continually become whom I've always been, and the land holds space for that transformation."
MN
“The land is full of so many story's of self discovery. It's a home away from home. It's a peaceful place to go and reconnect from the chaos of are lives. I'm so thankful for the land in all the ways it has saved my life."
JS
““The Land has been an integral part of not only my, but so many people’s transformation and healing over the years.” LN”
“This land is a special place of spiritual growth and healing. Young men's initiation helped me find myself in the midst of self doubt and confusion. I would not be the man I am today without Ben Sanford and Tribal Edge.”
MB
“Having taught primitive skills to children & adults, the benefit I have seen in learning & teaching skills that connect people with the earth is surprising. People who felt nervous or out of place in the woods can learn to relax & feel at home in their environment. These skills can facilitate a comfort & connection with the natural world. In a fast paced life, people are finding that time in nature is relaxing & revitalizing. A place like Tribal Edge is a great starting point for people who want to learn to feel at home in the forest. It is a great resource for people wanting to further their knowledge of the area, to learn more skills, & have a space to experience anything from ancient skills to just having fun exploring the creek with others who share their enthusiasm.”
CC
"Tribal Edge provides a much needed service to our community, especially the youth! With so few opportunities in the crazy world humans have created, connections to nature and to ourselves to be had, Tribal Edge provides this pocket of refuge for this opportunity. The survival skills I learned with Ben and Tribal Edge may very well someday save my life but the more important work that Ben and his Tribal Edge community have devoted their lives to is the young people who's lives have been transformed and empowered forever! I personally know several of these young people who were at a crossroad when they were fortunate enough to experience being part of the Tribal Edge community and the deep healing that comes by connecting to nature they were able to reconnect with they're own innate power and grow confidently into strong contributing adults. Tribal Edge provides an experience most of us in the modern world have lost to reconnect with nature. For the youth they provide the rite of passage that most never have a chance to experience but for those who do it is life changing!"
KC
“Hero Training reaches into all aspects of life in a way that I have yet to experience elsewhere. It challenged me in many ways, forged meaningful friendships that continue today, and I look back on those times of immersive participation as a very fun and transformative time of my life. It presented a way of being in the world that for me fosters peace and truth. A few things that stand out for me are inner communication, communication with others, and communication with the vast mystery of this life.
I feel that Hero Training inspires a curiosity that is fundamental to positive learning and the possibility of learning from anything or anyone. I almost don’t even notice its influence on my life, but in moments of reflection I notice a willingness to learn from anybody through connection and curiosity. To me, this not only makes life more fun, but also increases my potential to grow and contribute. I willingly walked into my own discomfort in many forms throughout hero training. I was able to this because of the safeness, comfort, and inspiration that I felt from the program, team members, and Ben. Because of this training I continue to push into what is uncomfortable, being it uncomfortable conversations that I feel must happen for the betterment of those involved, taking steps in a new career direction that I never thought possible, or simply making sure I floss my teeth every night.
It’s very difficult for me to fully express my experiences and insights involved with Hero Training. What I have previously mentioned really just scratches the surface to what I have embodied and become as a result of Hero Training, a lot if isn’t even totally apparent. What I can say is that I will continue to be connected with it, in a very real way.”
GM
““This just isn’t happening anywhere else.” JC”
“The summer I turned 17 my uncle sent me the book “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior” by Dan Milman. I was emerging into the frightening territory of young adulthood and it couldn’t have arrived at a better time. I read it in 3 days sitting in the sun on a lawn chair outside my parents house. Millman’s book is about meeting a man named Socrates who begins mentoring him as a young adult in the ways of being a “peaceful warrior." It’s a story of a spiritual journey and a powerful way of living and training. I was awestruck that there could be clarity in mystery and that life could be so abundant with vitality, purpose, and magic.
I became an active member of Tribal Edge when I was 19. There's nothing quite like it. The skills practiced are as old and primal as our distant ancestors and yet Tribal Edge seems to be riding just ahead of current trends. Ben Sanford holds an unshakable space for training and transformation within and for our community. His programs enhances our awareness, choice, and overall capacity to be everyday heroes -- Peaceful Warriors of the 21st Century. I have been training beside Ben and numerous teams and training partners of all ages, gender, and ethnicity for 8 years now. Tribal Edge has transformed my life and has had an immeasurable impact on our community.
If you come to Tribal Edge, you won’t get immediate results, you won’t walk away a super hero, and It’s unlikely that you will find the same kind of magic I found in Millman’s book. Instead you will be greeted by something far more refreshing -- real people, like you and I, training together and supporting each others ambitions. At Tribal Edge it will be reinforced that you already are a hero. Here you have the support to grow your capacity to be a healthy, happy and ethical human. If that’s something that interests you, I look forward to training with you.”
GH
“I’m extremely grateful for Ben and his Vision of tribal edge! When I started training in ‘09, I was going through a difficult time. Ben mentored me with kindness and gave me a sense of purpose and peace in my life that lead me down a path to a clear mind and spirit. He guided me through the difficulties. He is gifted in mentoring and coaching. After many years of hard dedicated training, and training with other teachers I still feel honored and blessed to have had Ben’s mentoring. Ten years later I’m still finding to what depth and span that he taught me. There is always a way! Thanks Ben for everything and teaching me to keep on going. I highly recommend the hero lab and everything Ben is doing. I haven’t met a bet teacher, mentor and friend. That is truly fallowing his vision and heart. If you hear the calling to training the way of the protector, give Ben a call.”
JS
