The Camino and maybe not quite 'getting it'?

There was a recent thread about EST (Erhard Seminars Training) which I have to say I have never hear of, but it got me thinking.

I undertook some rather 'left field' training about 10 years ago, that may have some lessons for those grappling with their first Camino. It turned out to be the weirdest and most wonderful experience ever........

It's a bit of a story...........sorry. Stay with me......it's relevant, I promise.

A good friend of mine, a business mentor, persuaded me to take part in a 5 day residential singing course!
Can I sing? No. He's a bit of a salesman though!

I recall him saying that this 'wonder coach' would have me singing like Celine Dion and that it would do wonders for my confidence when public speaking. My persuasive friend (David) was also taking part. And there were just 12 places.

Somehow, a few weeks later I found myself with 11 other budding singers, at a retreat in Victoria Australia, next to an Alpaca farm. We were all staying at the retreat, and our 'lessons' took place in a large barn like building. I'll just refer to our coach as Jim.

By the time we got to the 'barn' on day 1, Jim had rearranged everything.

Arm chairs and sofas were arranged in a semi circle facing his piano. And there were blankets draped over all the sofas.

That whole first morning we just listed to Jim, snuggled up on our sofas, as he explained that we all had the ability to sing. It was human nature. But it got stifled out of us as children. After about 2 hours, he had us lying on our back making gurgling baby sounds! Babies are not self conscious he explained! Make baby noises, play with the sounds.........and so we did........

We also learned how singing in most cultures, is how people learn about their culture and history. And in many civilisations, it was how history was passed down. It was a somewhat integral and essential part of human communication it seems......

By the end of the first day, the 'pattern' of each day emerged.

1. Start on the sofas listening to Jim's wisdom.
2. Move to the floor to take part in various exercises such as 'toning' and 'chanting'.
3. Learn about the Four main Archetypes. Sovereign, Warrior, Magician, Lover.
4. Work on a different Archetype each day as a group. Feel its energy, where is lies in our body.
5. Then by lunch time, take the afternoon to write a song about that archetype!
6. By late afternoon, gather back in the barn, and each perform our song for the rest of the group.
7. Whilst identifying the source of the energy within us.......

I would practice my songs, singing to the Alpacas!

OK. Picture this.
I was about 55 years old.
Cannot sing a note to save myself.
An ex soldier of 22 years.
And have the artistic talent and imagination of a Goldfish!

By mid morning on Day 2 I'm calling my business partner..........
"This is the weirdest most BS thing I have come across in my life"!
I'm also feeling stupid because I paid a lot for this retreat!

And, everyone else seems to be right into it!
How gullible are they?

There was an interesting mix of ages and genders on the training.
And during the morning break, I sensed that 'Jane' who was in her late 20s wasn't really getting it either!
We wondered if it was just us, as everyone else was really into it. The chanting, the toning, the 'energy work'
But like me, Jane thought it was total BS.

So we made a 'pact'.

Let's fake it, and see what happens.

Let's just take it all on board.
Let's not try to fathom out exactly what is happening.
Let's just go with the flow.
Let's imagine this stuff works in some way.
Let's give it 100%.............

And so we did.

The next exercise was toning with a partner. So Jane and I teamed up.
We were to sit cross legged facing each other.
Eyes closed.
Very gently holding hands.
And one of us would start 'toning' and the other would just join in when they liked.

One would start, the other follow.
It was rather like whale noises.
A rising and falling tone, drifting back and forth.
We were in perfect harmony.
And somehow we toned in unison, following each others lead.
It was rather like those huge flocks of birds,that all change direction at once.
Just sensing somehow the change in the waves of tones.
Higher, lower, swirling sounds.
It was an incredible experience.

Once over, we were to discuss with our partners what we felt.

We opened our eyes and Jane had tears streaming down her face.
What had she felt?
(Jane sadly had a tough childhood that I won't go into)
But as she sobbed, she explained that she felt like a small child, safe and secure and in the embrace of a loving Father.

That opened the floodgates for me...........and she asked what I had felt.

I said that I felt I had been embracing a small frightened girl to comfort her.

And all the while, we had merely been sitting crossed legged, with our fingers just touching.

We had no idea what had just happened.
But both agreed on the spot, that whatever this was, it was not BS!

The rest of the retreat followed in a similar way.
Changing partners for different exercises.
Writing and singing songs for each other.
Bringing each other to tears with the raw emotion of our songs.
And not being afraid anymore to share our stories with honesty and see how they 'moved' others.

It was one of the most transformative experiences of my life.
And I have done some really left field stuff!

Did I learn to sing?
No not really.
That wasn't the point.
It was all about being able to communicate with a rare and raw openness to an audience, and move them emotionally.
Whether singing, public speaking or whatever.

So how on earth is this relevant to walking a Camino for the first time?

I think that first day at the retreat, might be a bit like some of us feel in the first days of our first Camino.
Not quite sure what to expect.
Not quite sure how we should feel.
Maybe a bit wary of others around us and how they seem to be undertaking their Camino.

And if that happens, maybe we just need to give ourselves to the process?
Trust the process?
Jump right in.
Yes, maybe even fake it till we make it?
Or at least 'actively engage' with our surroundings, or the 'process', whatever that is.......

On my first Camino, I was close to going home a couple of times.
But I gave myself a stern talking to.
Convinced myself to 'stick with the program'.
And within a day or two I was right back in the 'zone'

I sometimes wonder what have have happened, had Jane and I not made that 'pact' on Day 2 of the retreat.
Not only would we have missed an amazing 5 day learning experience.
But one that has certainly changed our lives for the better......

This is the first time I have publicly shared that story.
Being so out of my comfort zone.
But I thought it might have parallels with those struggling to 'get' what the Camino is all about.