The coursework is divided into 3 parts, each intended to take at least one year, though it could potentially take a student longer than a year to complete, depending on other life circumstances. The course material is very rigorous — a fact for which I make absolutely no apologies. Anyone drawn to this path may already have knowledge and skill, but if you are here, you are seeking TRAINING — and perhaps INITIATION. Neither of those comes easily or without cost. There is no magic without sacrifice. Some lessons will come easily to you. Others will be very challenging. If you find yourself spurred on by this challenge, excited and intrigued by it, ready to grasp it and prove yourself ready for it, then you are very likely feeling the pull of the Red Thread — the blood tie that links you to the Family of the Old Craft.
The 3 courses take the student from Dedicant to Initiate — through the Foundations, Practicum, and Mastery that are the hallmarks of each course title. At the end of the 3rd course, the student is fully trained in the Tradition — which means they can undergo in-person initiation with other Trad members, and they may freely participate in teaching the Tradition — including offering mentoring within RTA/SCT.
If you’ve been looking for a …
… gateway into the Spiral Castle Tradition (ie, American Folkloric Witchcraft as written about and taught by Laurelei Black), then you’ve found the portal.
The Red Thread Academy is a self-paced teaching and learning system that aims to transmit the same teachings, principles, and even the keys to the Mysteries to which you would be exposed if you were studying within a local coven in the Spiral Castle Tradition (ie AFW). The biggest differences are that instead of learning within a primarily oral framework at weekly coven classes and monthly rituals, you will work at a self-guided pace through a course guide (PDF or print version), engaging in solo rituals, and connecting with peers across the country (and globe) online for mutual support. This is somewhat new territory, but it is my goal to keep the connection genuine and the learning authentic as we walk this Path together — even from a distance.