Charlie Blackwell began his journey into the healing arts in 1990, as a student of Tom Brown Jr., one of the most respected and experienced trackers, wilderness survival experts, and extraordinary spiritual teachers of our time. By 2001, Charlie had taken every class Tom offered and fully immersed himself in the ancient physical and spiritual skills taught at Tom's Tracker School, knowledge passed down to Tom from Apache shaman and scout Stalking Wolf, affectionately known as Grandfather.
These skills became the foundation of Charlie's path as a healer. After a failed back surgery left him partially crippled and in intense pain, Tom invited Charlie to volunteer at numerous classes. Charlie's involvement with the school started as a humble coffee pot watcher and expanded to include assisting students with questions and skills. After a few years, Tom began teaching Charlie how to heal himself. He learned techniques to diminish physical pain, exercise personal demons, eradicate fear and self-doubt, and heal spiritual pain from unresolved emotional trauma.
This personal mentoring evolved into becoming an Elder, one of a small group of long-time students at the school who were entrusted with teaching and protecting other students. Their energetic healing work included gathering medicinal herbs, preparing them, and prescribing them to patients. After helping to teach classes with Tom that encompassed all of Grandfather's healing techniques, Tom insisted that Charlie start his healing practice, honoring the traditions of the Apache lineage.
Today, Charlie is also a practitioner of Reiki, an ordained minister, and a student of the concept of Niasziih, which uses personal energy to affect the energy of others for healing purposes. He created the Council of Grandfathers within the Tracker community, runs the Keepers of the Wisdom newsletter, and helps Tom respond to students' letters. He now shares his healing abilities with others after finding his courage and vision through intense dedication. He devotes all of his spare time to caring for the Earth, firmly believing that healing, nurturing, and caretaking will positively affect our future.
