PROJECT: Research into Scientology Processes
REFERENCES: Unedited original editions of the following books by L. Ron Hubbard.
(1) Scientology 8-8008
(2) Dianetics 55
Scientology processes are designed to be run by trained specialists. These processes are very effective in alleviating many types of problems; for example, the Grade 0 processes help you improve your perceptions, memory and your general ability to communicate. To get those benefits you have to go to these specialists, but that can quickly get very expensive.
The interesting fact is that you can apply these processes to yourself using meditation under the discipline of mindfulness, which is easy to learn. It is not only inexpensive but much more convenient. You can still get the same benefits from these processes. See Section I & Section II of A Scientific Approach to Meditation.
The fundamental considerations of Scientology were expressed by Hubbard in THE FACTORS. Hubbard acknowledges Buddhism as one of the ancestors of Scientology, but Scientology differs from Buddhism in the same way that Western religions differ from Eastern philosophy. In A Course on Hubbard’s Factors, attempt has been made to bring Hubbard’s Factors of Scientology in line with Buddhism.
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SCIENTOLOGY PROCESS
A Scientology process consists of “commands” that you give to your mind. There is generally an instant reaction to that command. It takes some training to recognize that reaction. This is because there is lot of background noise in the beginning. As you handle that noise through meditation exercises, you gradually learn to perceive that reaction.
Once you clearly perceive the instant reaction you acknowledge it.
When it takes time to clearly perceive the mental reaction through all the background noise, it is called COMMUNICATION LAG. It means the length of time intervening between giving the command to the mind (while repeating the command, or meditating over it) and clearly perceiving the mental reaction to that specific command. The command must be precise; the reaction must be specifically to that command. It does not matter what intervenes in the time between the first giving of the command and the final recognition of the reaction. The mind may bring up all kind of thoughts and noise. It may hedge, disperse, dither or be silent. No matter what it does or how it does it,
The time between giving the command and perceiving the reaction is the communication lag.
The near response, a guessing response, an undecided response, are alike imprecise reactions, and are not adequate reactions to the command. On receipt of such questionable reactions, the person must give the command again. That he gives the command again does not reduce the communication lag; he is still operating from the moment he gave the command the first time. And if he has to give the command 20 or 30 times more (or continue to meditate over it) in the next hour in order to get a precise and adequate reaction from the mind, the length of time of the lag would be from giving the first command to the final receipt of the reaction. Near reactions to the command are inadequate, and are, themselves, simply part of the communication lag.
The Scientology process called Elementary Straightwire (See the book “Dianetics 55”, Chapter on Six Basic Processes) have the following two commands:
1. “Give me something you wouldn’t mind remembering,”
2. “Give me something you wouldn’t mind forgetting.”
One of these commands is used continually, over, and over, and over, and over, until the communication lag on various responses is entirely flat and then the other command is used over, and over, and over until the communication lag is entirely flat, at which time it will be discovered that the first command will now give communication lag. And so, it is used over, and over, and over, and then the second one is used over, and over, and over. In other words, what we do here is to use this process of Elementary Straightwire with just two commands, continually, one command at a time, flattening each communication lag encountered. A question is flat when the communication lag has been similar for three successive questions. While one is doing this, of course, one consciously acknowledges each response provided by the mind.
NOTE: This is equivalent to meditating over the first command for a while until no changes are taking place; and then meditating over to the next command for a while until no changes are taking place. You do so alternatively with the two commands using the discipline of mindfulness.
This Elementary Straightwire is a standard form. If it is varied it should be varied towards simplicity. A simple form of straightwire is
“Remember something”
over and over, again, and again, and again, and again, and again. Do not use, however, “Forget something,” since this is far too rough.
NOTE: In meditation, such processes move rather fast.
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