What is Scientology?
Scientology (from the Greek Logos 'expression' and the Latin Scientia
'knowledge') is an applied religious philosophy. It's basic assumption is that life is a
creative force beyond and within all, and that each living being is, fundamentally, a
spiritual identity involved in a game of survival within the universe.
Tech
Scientology embraces
a spiritual technology aimed at rehabilitating the spirit to his native, omniscient state;
improving one's ability and perception as an immortal being. This is called 'Auditing'. Auditing (from the Latin Audire 'to
listen') is a form of abreactive therapy, involving counselling procedures that are
designed to rid the individual of irrationality to bring about advanced states of mental
and spiritual awareness.
It was developed in 1952 by L. Ron
Hubbard, an American author.
Science of Mind: Dianetics
Scientology evolved from a self-improvement methodology called Dianetics (from the Greek Dia and
Nous 'through the mind'). Hubbard put forward the theory that the mind records,
in detail, every moment of one's life. Our memories are accessed by our Analytical part of
the mind, that part that we use to solve problems, to perceive and to resolve issues
relating to our survival. Yet those experiences that contain pain or painful emotion make
up the Reactive part of the mind. Such experiences, Hubbard suggested, carry with them a
reactive influence that suppresses one's inherent life force and irrationally affects the
individual in his present time. By consciously returning to these incidents and
confronting them, Dianetics technology provided a means of erasing that irrational
influence, freeing up more of one's natural life energy, enabling the individual to be
happier, more alert, aware and able.
"Problems and worries which had plagued me for years suddenly just fell
away. I immediately knew I wanted to learn for myself how to apply these techniques to
help others. Soon, I was auditing anyone I could find. If I knew they were having trouble
in life or needed help in any way, I was there instantly giving them assistance."
Andy Bagley, founding Scientologist
The E-Meter
To assist in the precision of Auditing therapy, Hubbard teamed up with a fellow Dianetics
practitioner named Volney Matthison to produce an instrument that would help pinpoint
exact moments of stress and trauma within the individual. The Electropsychometer
(nick-named E-Meter) was soon introduced and became an important tool in therapy,
helping the Auditor and client in locating exact areas of trauma and irrational
force.
From Dianetics to Scientology
With the help of the E-Meter,
Hubbard soon found that some students were able to return to experiences that were earlier
than what was previously thought possible. Experiences within the womb were recalled, as
well as experiences that could only be deemed as being from past lives. Despite criticism
from some of his colleagues, Hubbard began to look into this phenomena and soon his work
moved into the realm of the spiritual,
into reincarnation, immortality and the travails of the spiritual being.
"In my early Scientology days, I did not believe in such things, so I told
my auditor merely what I saw - hastening to add that, of course, I didn't believe in it. I
was processed on a chain of incidents having to do with throat aches. We had come down in
time to my early stages as an embryo, when, suddenly (or so it appeared to me), my auditor
asked if there was an earlier time. Strangely, although not believing in past lives, I had
the feeling that the answer was 'yes'. The auditor then asked for when it was, and
immediately the figure 1796 flashed up in my mind. The incident took about half an hour,
and I had a clear impression of seeing old houses with ship masts behind them. I
recognized a crowd in front of me, a parson coming up trying to make me repent, and then I
was hanged by the neck. I felt myself floating upwards, and that was the incident.
This...had the result of me getting rid, for good, of recurring (about every three months)
very painful throat aches." Hermann Philipps, former
Scientologist.
From Science to Religion
In 1952, Hubbard's first published works surfaced regarding such phenomena, identifying
the spirit as the fundamental awareness within each living entity. He called this new body
of knowledge 'Scientology'. Today, Scientology is a huge subject covering various aspects
of life, thought and spirituality. As an applied religious system, it is used to bring
about positive changes in life, to help others, and to achieve full enlightenment as an
immortal spiritual being.
Further Information
For more detailed information on Dianetics, Scientology, L Ron Hubbard and the
Church of Scientology, please visit the links below:
- Official Scientology website by the Church of
Scientology
- The Modern Science of Mental Health: Dianetics
Technology Information Site
- From Dianetics to Scientology: The evolution
of an Applied Religious Philosophy
- Frequently Asked Questions: The official Church of
Scientology FAQ
- What is Scientology?
- Meet and debate with Scientologists
online!
- Applicable Scientology data to use
to improve yourself, and help others, in life
- Founding Scientologists talk
about Dianetics & Scientology
- Scientology
Resource Selector - Find the right materials for you right now!
- A Biography of L. Ron Hubbard
Read Scientology scriptures online
With the possible exception of Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health,
Scientology has no central religious or philosophical text. The philosophy is actually
spread out over more than forty million spoken and written words. Where as other religious
systems have a basic text available to read online, Scientology, instead, has numerous
individual texts all relating to different aspects of life, thought, spirituality and
human behaviour, all central to its philosophy.
To read some of these texts, click here now.