Reference: Hubbard 1950: Dianetics TMSMH
These are some comments on Appendix III (A), “Mind Schematic” from DIANETICS: THE MODERN SCIENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH.
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Appendix III (A)
Mind Schematic
This Appendix summarizes how that traditional theory of Dianetics has been updated. According to traditional Dianetics, this block diagram represents three separate behavior patterns as follows:
- The basic cycle of automatic physical adjustment
- The cycle of reasoned behavior
- The cycle of reactive behavior
Dianetics identifies a self-determined “I” with the analyzer and some automatic programming with the reactive behavior. The commands that come out of the analytical and reactive portions of the mind, subsequently, influence the system of the body. This diagram is now updated as follows.
The current view, however, is much simpler. According to this view, the “I”, the mind and the body are three different aspects of the same tightly integrated system. This system is best represented as a matrix of elements that interact with each other in infinitely different permutations and combinations.
The assimilated part of this matrix is streamlined from perception, through computations to action in a smooth flow. The “perceptions” enter through the sense organs of the body. They immediately break down into “perceptual elements”. The finer are these elements the greater consciousness results from them. For example, the perceptions break down into much finer elements in humans than in the animals.
The perceptual elements are assimilated into the matrix in the most efficient way to eliminate all duplicates. The original pattern of “perceptions” is maintained among the elements in the matrix with a time stamp, such that, the memory is reconstructed in the background as and when needed for computations. The computations simply flow through the infinity of circuits of the matrix almost instantaneously. They take time only in identifying and resolving anomalies. The anomalies consist of discontinuities (missing sequences), inconsistencies (contradictions) and disharmonies (arbitrarily added sequences). Most of the time the anomalies are resolved by modifying the flow through the matrix. This produces realizations. However, when the modification requires interaction with the environment to procure more “perceptions”, the circuits of the body are activated. The body then carries out the required action to procure the needed “perceptions”. This cycle repeats and continues.
The matrix may be viewed as a spectrum of activity. In the middle of the spectrum, is the activity of the mental matrix. This activity spurs the activity of the body and its interaction with the environment at one end of the spectrum. At the other end is the state of consciousness that reflects the overall fineness of the matrix elements. This consciousness is increasing with continuous evolution. We may recognize this state of consciousness as the “I” which appears as self-awareness. This “I” has certain position on the consciousness scale, which spans from Mystery to Knowingness. With experience, this “I” is evolving out of a fog of mystery and moving toward a state of knowingness.
The above is the description, in a nutshell, of the consciousness-mind-body system, and its reasoned behavior. The environment present anomalies. The resolution of anomalies provides the path to the evolution of “I”.
The reasoned behavior depends on the degree of breakdown of “perceptions” into perceptual elements of the matrix. The finer is the breakdown, the higher is the consciousness and the more reasoned is the behavior. But, when there is little or no breakdown of the “perception,” as in the case of the traumatic experience, we have a deviation from reasoned behavior into the domain of reactive behavior.
The trauma exists in the matrix like an encysted tumor. When it is part of circuits in the the matrix, the tumor acts like a “black box.” The awareness of the “perceptions” inside the tumor does not exist because they not assimilated into rest of the matrix. This tumor represents the engram and the unconsciousness associated with it. Restimulation is simply the activation of a circuit that passes through this tumor. The tumor is an encysted recording of the trauma that is interpreted literally by the rest of the matrix. Thus, all circuits that flow through this tumor become aberrated or “infected.” This tumor then starts to infect the circuits connected to it. This infection then starts to spread through the matrix. This leads to aberrated behavior and psychosomatic illnesses.
We may call this tumor and all the infected circuits as the unassimilated parts of the matrix. This is the “reactive mind” of Dianetics. There are no separate “analytical mind,” “reactive mind,” and “memory banks.” There is simply a mental matrix. The assimilated portions of this matrix behave analytically. The unassimilated portions of this matrix behave relatively.
The above is the description of what makes the consciousness-mind-body system deviate from its proper functioning so that it becomes aberrated and ill.
The solution is to break down the “perceptions” encysted as a tumor in the matrix and assimilate them into the rest of the matrix. There doesn’t appear to be that many tumors and the only route to resolving these tumors appears to be the resolution of the anomalies that emanate from them.
This simplification of the Dianetics model now presents us with a more widely applicable solution like Subject Clearing.
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