Number: TR 0 Be There

Name: Be There

Commands: The coach says “Start” to begin the drill. The coach uses “That’s it” to end the drill or to point out an error to the student. Example: Student falls asleep; coach says, “That’s it. You went to sleep. Start.”

In this and all drills, when the student has achieved the purpose of the drill, the coach says, “Pass.”

Although there is actually little coaching involved in this drill, some is required. The coach starts the drill and keeps the student at it until he passes.

Position: Student and coach sit facing each other a comfortable distance apart—about three feet. The student has his eyes closed.

TR 0 Be There

Purpose: To train student to be there comfortably. The idea is to get the student able to be there comfortably in a position three feet in front of another person, to be there and not do anything else but be there.

In order to start a communication, you must be in a place from which to communicate. If you are not there, you will not be able to properly start a communication. Being there is a requisite to good communication; there is nothing more complex to it than that.

The student’s eyes are closed in this drill to make it easy to be there, as the first step. With eyes closed, one does not have the added requirement of confronting another person, but can simply become accustomed to being there in a relaxed manner.

Training Stress: Student and coach sit facing each other. The student has his eyes closed. There is no conversation. This is a silent drill. There is no twitching, moving, “system” or methods used or anything else added to be there. Doing something with his body, or forcing his back against the chair in an effort to stay alert, are examples of systems or methods being used instead of simply being there.

One will usually see blackness or an area of the room when one’s eyes are closed. Be there comfortably.

It is the task of the coach to keep the student alert and doing the drill.

Sit in an upright position in a straight-backed chair. Do the drill until there is no tendency or desire to squirm, twitch, move or change position. If such “turn on,” then continue the drill until they are flattened. Flattened means the drill has been continued until it no longer produces a reaction.

The student is to do this drill until he is fully convinced, without reservations, that he can continue to sit quietly and comfortably for an indefinite period without any compulsion to twitch or shift about or having to repress such compulsions.

When he can be there comfortably and has reached a major stable win, the drill is passed.

People commonly experience many improvements while doing TRs, such as an improved ability to confront and to communicate, heightened perceptions, and so on. These are called wins as the student has desired to improve his communication skills and his awareness, and each achievement toward accomplishing that is itself a win. A major stable win means the student has reached the point where he can do that drill, and his skill and ability to do it is stable. A major stable win is a significant, lasting gain.