A PLEASANT SURPRISE: WORKING THE ROOTS IS ON AND POPPIN!
I was delighted yesterday when I met with Blackthorne School Director Calahn, who informed me that several potential students were eager to enroll in my “Working the Roots” class! We had initially planned to launch another class in the coming weeks. However, upon hearing this, we both agreed that it was a unique opportunity to restart Roots and guide individuals on their Hoodoo journey.
Even before I became an instructor, I talked to many people and asked them what they found was the best material to teach or turn into a book. Almost without exception, people tell me that introductory subjects are the way to go. Even if someone like me has advanced knowledge of a topic like Hoodoo, beginner material carries the most sustained interest across categories. Until hearing and seeing this with my own eyes, I had always assumed that people would eventually tire of the same beginner subject matter and yearn for deeper dives. And to an extent, they do.
But then I think about my years of experience as a martial artist. At my current dojo, there is a phrase under a picture of belts from white to black. The caption reads, “A black belt is simply a white belt who did not give up.” I also remember that when I received my black belt, my then-sensei put the belt around me, stood back, and declared, “Now you’re ready to learn!”
When he said that way back then, it really struck me. The first mastery in most systems of life is mastery over the basic principles that uphold the entire enterprise. This principle holds true for Hoodoo as well. You can use herbs in countless ways, from candle work to making a healing tea for a bad cold. But regardless of the method, understanding correspondences, substitutions, etc., is crucial. The knowledge of these fundamentals about herbs is the foundation for a world of possibilities.
Anyone taking my intro courses WILL get a firm foundation in the art and practice of Hoodoo, a foundation you can carry into just about any other modality of occult practice and make it work for you. You can go as far and wide as you want, but what you learn from me will keep roots under your feet (pun intended!), so your practice begins with a depth seldom found elsewhere. This is my commitment to my students and their development.
The next cohort of rootworkers-in-training begins on April 22. If you haven’t studied Hoodoo but would like to or know a little bit about it but would like to learn more, I warmly invite you to join us. You’ll be glad you did!
