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Reference Booklet: The Way to Happiness

The Way to Happiness booklet by L. Ron Hubbard lays down these 21 common sense precepts in the spirit of the ancient Eight-Fold Path of Buddha or the Ten Commandments revealed to Moses. 

Back in 1981, a Happiness Rundown was devised based on these precepts to restore the basic sense of integrity in a person. Wonderful results were achieved in the beginning when a person was put through this rundown, and was able to answer its questions freely without being regulated by the E-meter. Later when this rundown was subjected to E-meter regulations, the same positive results were no longer produced. The organization delivering this rundown had other priorities. So this rundown fell out of use.

This happened, most likely, because the primary purpose of this rundown was not to make money. It was actually intended to re-energize the society by clearing up its confusions on the subject of morality. The Way to Happiness booklet was written for a grass-roots movement. This purpose could not have been accomplished through an organization that was focused on its own survival.

Here is an attempt to resurrect this powerful rundown by presenting it in a form, which allows a person to run it by himself. It is the confidence arising from the restored sense of personal integrity that puts a person on the path to improvement and success. This gift of Happiness RD is from L Ron Hubbard, who was not quite satisfied with the direction his own Church of Scientology was taking.

NOTE: I have added the common sense definition of God, which is not from “The Way to Happiness” booklet by Hubbard.

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Prerequisites

Please study the following. Make sure you understand the concepts outlined here.

1. Anomalies: Assumptions & Distortions
2. The Matrix Approach
3. Mind: The Tool for Resolving Anomalies
4. Auditing and Meditation
5. Be There and Confront
6. The 12 Aspects of Mindfulness

Please practice the following exercises daily until they have become a part of you.

1. The Discipline of Subject Clearing
   1. Observe without Desires
   2. Observe without Assuming
   3. Observe what is Missing
   4. Observe the Incomprehensible
   5. Observe all Senses
   6. Let the Mind Un-stack
   7. Experience Fully
   8. Do not suppress
   9. Associate Data freely
   10. Observe beyond Name and Form
   11. Contemplate thoughtfully
   12. Let it be effortless
2. Extroversion & Orientation
3. Visualization Exercise
4. TR0 with Mindfulness

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Definitions

These definitions are given as footnotes in the booklet The Way to Happiness with the following caution: 

“Words sometimes have several different meanings. The footnote definitions given in this book only give the meaning that the word has as it is used in the text. If you find any words in this book you do not know, look them up in a good dictionary. If you do not, then misunderstandings and possible arguments can arise.”

Glossary: The Way to Happiness

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Common Sense Definition of GOD

NOTE: This common sense definition of God is not from L. Ron Hubbard.

Origin: “To call, invoke.” God is the ability to postulate and the ultimate system resulting from it.

God is the Unknowable that we are trying to know. What we know becomes part of this universe. The system of postulates underlying this universe would amount to the knowable aspect of God.

We may say that this universe is a manifestation of of God. We see this universe as infinite; so, we call God to be infinite. We find this universe to be everywhere; so, we say that God is everywhere. Thus, we assign the attributes of the universe to the knowable aspect of God. But God is everything that we understand as the universe and more.

When we say, “God is One,” it means that there are no separate “universes.” The physical and spiritual “universes” are actually integrated into this one universe as its physical and spiritual dimensions. All dimensions of this universe are continuous, consistent and harmonious with each other.

The universe is as pure as God. Any impurity lies only in our minds, and it can be purified.

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Moral Precepts

These are the precepts from the booklet “The Way to Happiness” by L. Ron Hubbard. Exercises have been added to each precept to make it fully understandable.

PROLOGUE

1. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

… 1-1. Get care when you are ill
… 1-2. Keep your body clean
… 1-3. Preserve your teeth
… 1-4. Eat properly
… 1-5. Get rest

2. BE TEMPERATE

… 2-1. Do not take harmful drugs
… 2-2. Do not take alcohol to excess

3. DON’T BE PROMISCUOUS

… 3-1. Be faithful to your sexual partner

4. LOVE AND HELP CHILDREN

5. HONOR AND HELP YOUR PARENTS

6. SET A GOOD EXAMPLE

7. SEEK TO LIVE WITH THE TRUTH

… 7-1. Do not tell harmful lies
… 7-2. Do not bear false witness

8. DO NOT MURDER

9. DON’T DO ANYTHING ILLEGAL

10. SUPPORT A GOVERNMENT DESIGNED AND RUN FOR ALL THE PEOPLE

11. DO NOT HARM A PERSON OF GOOD WILL

12. SAFEGUARD AND IMPROVE YOUR ENVIRONMENT

… 12-1. Be of good appearance
… 12-2. Take care of your own area
… 12-3. Help take care of the planet

13. DO NOT STEAL

14. BE WORTHY OF TRUST

… 14-1. Keep your word once given

15. FULFILL YOUR OBLIGATIONS

16. BE INDUSTRIOUS

17. BE COMPETENT

… 17-1. Look
… 17-2. Learn
… 17-3. Practice

18. RESPECT THE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF OTHERS

19. TRY NOT TO DO THINGS TO OTHERS THAT YOU WOULD NOT LIKE THEM TO DO TO YOU

20. TRY TO TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT THEM TO TREAT YOU

21. FLOURISH AND PROSPER

EPILOGUE

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