Basic synergy training- probably one of the most controversial stuff out there. If you heard of it, most likely you are either scared or fascinated by it. Repulsion or attraction, it rarely goes by without carving a deep impression.
One thing has to be clarified from the beginning: it is not a sect or a secret society. It is merely a network, most of the time included in the Erasmus+ Network.
But let’s start from the beginning. The “mastermind” behind this training is Werner Erhard who was doing the training for thousands of people in the 70s in America. The training was originally called “The est training” (more information about it and the method here: http://www.wernererhard.net/standardtraining.html ) and it was directed mostly to organizations.
Nowadays, it is being held by different trainers in the whole of Europe. The most affordable way to have access to it is through Erasmus+ projects (mostly training courses) which can be on different thematic, but the core and the main processes remain the same. However, of course, no training is identical to another one, because each trainer has his own imprint, there are different people coming and different group dynamics. Just like you cannot expect from two people to do the same thing with a blank paper that’s in front of them.
Ok, ok, but where does all this secrecy around it come from?
If you ask people who did the training, you might notice that they are rather evasive with their answers. The whole propose behind this is that one doesn’t want to spoil the experience for another one. If I tell you about what is happening in a movie that you consider watching, will you still be as interested as before? Certain biases will already start to form due to processing the new information out of its context, so maybe the movie won’t have the same impact as it could have had if you would have seen it with a clean state of mind, putting all the pieces together by yourself. Since we are so eager to fill in the uncertainty with anything, it’s easy to get contaminated by other people’s opinions- but these are their opinions related to their own experience and it has nothing to do with your experience. So, in order to get the best of it, it’s always the best to have the “tabula rasa” state of mind.
So what is actually happening there?
Don’t worry, there’s no magic behind. And for sure no dark sorcery, you don’t have to sell your soul or make a pact with the Devil. You simply come and go through different activities which are called “processes” because they aim toward a transformation. This training is challenging a lot your thought patterns, habits and default ways of reacting when it comes to how you interact with others and with your environment. So when a psychoquake (=psychological earthquake) hits you like this, it’s normal to feel confused and angry, but I assure you that this is when you finally get to your own core, your own power: when the old, rusty layers start to crumble down and the light of awareness finally gets in through the cracks.
From an organizational point of view, the training is delivered by two trainers (usually), who are assisted by a team of 5+ members, called co-trainers. Their role is to hold the space for you to come with whatever you have inside of you so that it promotes awareness and accountability. However strange these people might seem to you, they are as human as you are and whatever they do, they do it out of love and compassion, not sympathy and agreement. There are sessions which last different amount of time, depending on participants, there are breaks, there is time for you to be with yourself and be with others as well. There is plenty of time to sleep too. Sleep is important.
My own experience
This kind of training was my first Erasmus+ project, first time traveling aboard alone and having to fend for myself out there in the vast unknown. So the impact was doubled, tripled, even centupled for me. It hit me, and it hit me hard, but in a good way, because it shook me out of the non-blooming routine I was dwelling in and it gave me the feeling of empowerment over my choices and my actions AND my reaction. I rekindled the passion inside of me and I had lots and lots of clarity. And I enjoyed crazy dancing like when I was a child again (see the video from my first Basic Synergy here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdTw7B-ghVg).
But my experience didn’t stop here. Since I acknowledge the strong transformative power of this training, I came back again as a team member. This experience was a whole different one for me and it served as completion and overview of the training that I already did. I always say that being a co-trainer is just like meditating with your eyes opened.
So why should you do this training?
Of course, you don’t have to. And you shouldn’t either. But if you feel like you want to venture out further on the path of self-discovering and self-development, this training might prove to be a great aiding tool for you.
This is the most human training that you can ever do in my opinion, an opportunity to dive deep inside yourself and finally get to see what is there and what you were not aware of having. Because in the end you have all you need and you are complete just as you are.
