Reference: Scientology 8-8008
This paper presents Section 12 from the book SCIENTOLOGY 8-8008 by L. RON HUBBARD. The contents are from the original publication of this book by The Church of Scientology (1952).
The paragraphs of the original material (in black) are accompanied by brief comments (in color) based on the present understanding. Feedback on these comments is appreciated.
The heading below is linked to the original materials.
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Universes
A universe is defined as a “whole system of created things.” There could be, and are, many universes, and there could be many kinds of universes: we are for our purposes here interested in two particular universes. The first of these is the Mest universe that agreed upon reality of matter, energy, space and time which we use as anchor points and through which we communicate. The other is our personal universe which is no less a matter of energy and space.
The universe is an outcome of a consistent set of postulates and the reasoning based on them. For a viewpoint, such a consistent set of postulates also defines its beingness. Then the universe may appear to be a superset of all beingness. In that case, not all postulates of the universe be in common with the postulates of a beingness. Hubbard’s concept of “personal universe” is actually one’s beingness. His concept of “MEST universe” may be compared to the universe as the superset of all beingness.
These two universes are entirely distinct and it could be said that the principal confusion and aberration of the individual stems from his having confused one for the other. Where these two universes have crossed, in the mind of the individual, we find a confusion of control and ownership for the reason that the two universes do not behave alike.
Hubbard is basically making a distinction between one’s beingness and the universe. Such a difference may occur because of an anomaly, such as, a discontinuity (missing data), or an inconsistency (contradictory data), or a disharmony (arbitrary data). Such anomaly should be resolvable because, the reality of the universe is ONE.
Whereas each one of these universes was apparently founded on the same modus operandi as any other universe, which is to say, the creation of space by putting out anchor points, the formation of forms by combinations of dimension points, the Mest universe and one’s own universe do not behave similarly for him.
As a corollary, even when each beingness is unique in itself, it must be consistent with all other beingness at some level. Then the resolution of anomalies will lead to evolution.
One’s own universe is amenable to instantaneous creation and destruction, by himself and without argument. He can create space and bring it into a “permanent status.” He can create and combine forms in that space and cause those forms to go into motion and he can make that motion continuously automatic or he can regulate it sporadically or he can regulate it totally, and all by postulate. One’s envisionment of one’s own universe is intensely clear. The reality of one’s own universe is sharper and brighter, if anything, than his reality on the Mest universe. We call one’s attitude towards his own universe “actuality,” and his attitude towards the Mest universe, since it is based upon agreement, “reality.”
One’s imagination must follow some discipline. For example, one cannot imagine oneself moving in a rocket at the speed of light as it would conflict with the laws of physics. A belief in such imagination without a proper understanding of the laws of physics will only lead to confusion and aberration. Hubbard recommends the separation of one’s consciousness (thetan) from the reality of the universe (the body). This may amount to denying the reality of this universe. The ancient recommendation of Hinduism and Buddhism, however, is to focus on resolving anomalies, rather than getting fixated on any view of the universe.
Unless an individual is at a very high operating level, he conceives it necessary to use physical force and to apply MEST universe forces to MEST universe forces in order to get action, motion and new forms. His activity in the MEST universe is an activity of handling energy and his ability to exist in the Mest universe is conditional upon his ability to use force. The MEST universe is essentially a force universe, a fact which is, incidentally, antipathetic to most thetans. One’s ability to handle the MEST universe is conditional upon his not abdicating from his right to use force, right to give orders, his right to punish, his right to administer personal justice, and so forth. We are presented in the MEST universe with a crude and brutal scene wherein gigantic forces are in pressure against gigantic forces and where the end of all seems but destruction. Paradoxically, in the MEST universe, destruction of form only is possible, since by the law of the conservation of energy, the destruction of actual material objects is impossible, only conversion being attainable.
To Hubbard, a high operating level individual is one, whose consciousness is literally detached from the reality of this universe. If he is not so detached he is constrained by the reality of this universe. As he resists the reality of this universe it manifests as force. But, truly, all unwanted force in this universe comes from the inability to resolve anomalies.
In the MEST universe ethics seem to be a liability, honesty is all but impossible save when armed with force of vast magnitude. Only the strong can afford to be ethical, and yet the use of strength begets but the use of strength. In the MEST universe we are confronted with paradoxes upon paradoxes where behaviour is concerned, for behaviour in the MEST universe is regulated by stimulus-response and not by analytical thought or reason. The MEST universe demands of us complete and utter obedience and agreement on the penalty of extermination, yet when one has agreed entirely with the MEST universe he finds himself unable to perceive it with clarity.
In one’s own universe, on the other hand, honesty, ethics, happiness, good behaviour, justice, all become possible.
The anomaly of the universe with respect to the beingness must be approached on a gradient. It is not the matter of just one’s own beingness, but the beingness of other’s as well as part of the other dynamics. The solution depends on the resolution of the anomalies on a gradient for each dynamic. The resolution does not mean agreement. It is the violation of the gradient of resolution that appears as stimulus-response.
It is one of the operations of the MEST universe that it is a jealous universe and those who are thoroughly imbued with the principles of the MEST universe have even as their best efforts the goal of eradicating one’s own universe. A control operation begins early in the life of almost every man, whereby his imagination is condemned. His own universe is not imaginary, but it may be said to be so and if his imagination is condemned, then he loses his ability to garnish the hardness and brutality of the MEST universe with hopes and dreams. When he loses this he becomes a slave of the MEST universe, and as a slave he perishes. His road to immortality lies, then, in another direction than in the complete subservient agreement with the MEST universe and the handling and conversion of its forces. This is a matter which has been subjected continuously to test and it is intensely surprising to people to discover that the rehabilitation of their creative ability, their own space, their own images, rehabilitates as well their ability to confront the MEST universe with a strong and ethical face.
Newton’s third law of action-reaction as applied to matter is not the same thing as the stimulus-response principle of the reactive mind. The laws of mechanics are simple and straight forward. The laws of the human psyche on the other hand are very complex. Hubbard is pointing to the sixth dynamic when his actual problem is on the third dynamic. His system of auditing is oriented towards the resolution of problems on the first dynamic only. It is not designed to handle the problems on other dynamics. For example, his third dynamic policies based on auditing have not resulted in a large scale benefit to the human society.
Creative processing, especially where it divorces all thought from thought of the MEST universe and follows out along a line of the rehabilitation of one’s own universe without attention to the MEST universe, is one level of processing which produces magnificent results and which is a standby in any case, no matter how difficult.
In creative processing, a person deliberately creates his own reality by envisioning it little by little on a gradient. He thus comes across anomalies with respect to the “universe” in this process. However the process suggests that one should push to imagine one’s own reality despite any alternate reality. A resolution may occur only when the person realizes that the “alternative reality” wasn’t the reality of the universe, but it was his own misunderstanding due to confusion or conditioning.
On the other hand, the rehabilitation of the MEST universe itself, in the concept of the individual, accomplishes a very great deal in processing, and could be said to compare with the rehabilitation of one’s own universe; but the rehabilitation of one’s ability to perceive the MEST universe is dependent upon his ability to perceive present time and the rehabilitation of that ability. Dwelling upon the MEST universe past or its future is fruitless, thinking about the MEST universe, attempting to predict the MEST universe, planning to reorganize and handle the MEST universe; all defeat one’s ability to handle the MEST universe. When he simply begins to perceive the MEST universe in present time and to examine that which he sees, with the idea that he can be what he sees, he loses all fear of the MEST universe.
The “MEST universe” is best defined as, “the stimulus-response phenomenon on a social scale.” The perception of the present time is best defined as, “Seeing things as they are.” A rehabilitation of the MEST universe would, therefore, mean, “Able to see the stimulus-response phenomenon on a social scale for what it is.” When one does that one no longer feels intimidated by it.
There is a differentiation process in one’s own universe, a differentiation process exclusively for the MEST universe and a differentiation process which pulls apart one’s own universe and the MEST universe.
The first of these processes simply goes about reconstructing one’s own universe with no attention to the MEST universe. The second causes the individual to contact the MEST universe present time and to observe that present time continuously. The third differentiates between the MEST universe and one’s own universe and consists of “mocking-up” one’s own universe duplicate of every MEST universe object he can perceive, and then actually comparing these one against the other.
One should first establish certainty on one’s own postulates, then one should establish certainty on the postulates existing in the universe through continuous observation. Finally, one should be able to compare one’s own postulates with the postulates he believes to exist in the universe, and resolve any anomalies.
Creating space and mocking-up items in it is the rehabilitation of one’s own universe and is a primary process.
Differentiating between two similar objects in the MEST universe such as two books, two chairs, two spaces, with one’s MEST eyesight, accomplishes much in being able to face and handle the MEST universe.
The mocking-up of MEST universe duplicates, which is to say constructing a universe parallel to the MEST universe, is the mechanism by which facsimiles (following) are made and this process brings under control the mechanisms which make facsimiles.
To rehabilitate one’s beingness, one mocks up postulates that one believes to be operating on and compare the reasoning from it to one’s actions. To rehabilitate one’s perception of what is out there, one starts by looking at physical objects, even when they are similar, and then differentiates among them. He does this on larger and larger scale.
The original definition of Scientology 8-8008 was the attainment of infinity by the reduction of the apparent infinity and power of the MEST universe to a zero for himself, and the increase of the apparent zero of one’s own universe to an infinity for oneself. This is an ideal and theoretical process, it is not necessarily attainable in actuality or reality but it very well may be. It can be seen that infinity stood upright makes the number eight: thus, Scientology 8-8008 is not just another number, but serves to fix into the mind of the individual a route by which he can rehabilitate himself, his abilities, his ethics and his goals.
Hubbard’s purpose is to reduce the infinite power of the aberrated society to zero, and to increase the power of the self-determined individual to infinity.
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FINAL COMMENTS
The postulates underlying the universe, and those underlying a beingness must be consistent with each other. Otherwise, the anomalies present shall manifest as confusions and aberrations. An anomaly is any violation of the integrity of reality, such as, discontinuity (missing data), inconsistency (contradictory data), or disharmony (arbitrary data).
The universe is all the eight dynamics together; whereas, the beingness refers to each of the dynamics. The postulates of these dynamics are obviously different and unique; but at the same time, they are consistent with each other.
Hubbard’s “personal universe” is actually the human beingness. His “MEST universe” appears to be the “the stimulus-response phenomenon” in the environment that influences the human beingness. According to Hubbard, the human beingness should have unconditional freedom to generate its own reality. Right there such a philosophy pits one beingness against another. That would only generate a universe of chaos.
Hubbard’s solution is to separate the consciousness (thetan) from the reality of the universe (the body). Thus, one is encouraged to deny the reality of the universe. This would only lead to living in a dreamworld populated by imagined characters. Compare this to the recommendation of Buddha, to not get fixated on anything in the universe; instead, to focus on resolving the anomalies in the universe and evolve.
The stimulus-response phenomenon is actually an anomaly to be confronted and resolved. It is resolved by approaching it on a smooth gradient. All unwanted force in this universe comes from the inability to resolve anomalies on a gradient.
The simple action-reaction of matter is not the same thing as the complex stimulus-response principle of the reactive mind. The problem is not that of the “MEST universe.” The problem lies in not approaching the anomalies on a smooth gradient and skillfully resolving them.
One should first establish certainty on one’s own postulates, then one should establish certainty on the postulates existing in the universe through continuous observation. Finally, one should be able to compare one’s own postulates with the postulates existing in the universe, and resolve any anomalies. This can easily be accomplished through Subject Clearing.
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