Category Archives: Self-Improvement

These are exercises that one may apply to oneself to improve.

DIANETICS: The Four Dynamics

May 2, 2021 – 8:44 PM

Reference: Hubbard 1950: Dianetics TMSMH

These are some comments on Book One, Chapter 4, “The Four Dynamics” from DIANETICS: THE MODERN SCIENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

.

Comments on
The Four Dynamics

KEY WORDS: Dynamic, The dynamics

Man’s behavior can be explained fully only in terms of his brotherhood with the Universe. Man is the result of the evolution of the universe, and now he is acting as a catalyst to further evolution. Man’s behavior cannot be explained by focusing just on self, sex, group or even mankind. 

Hubbard asks, “Exactly for what is man surviving?” He then comes up with four dynamics.

[NOTE: Hubbard’s earlier writing on these Dynamics appears at The Dynamics. DYNAMIC = “innate impulse or urge”. SYMBIOTE = “any or all life or energy forms which are mutually dependent for survival.”]

“DYNAMIC ONE is the urge toward ultimate survival on the part of the individual and for himself. It includes his immediate symbiotes, the extension of culture for his own benefit, and name immortality.

“DYNAMIC TWO is the urge of the individual toward ultimate survival via the sex act, the creation of and the rearing of children. It includes their symbiotes, the extension of culture for them, and their future provision. 

“DYNAMIC THREE is the urge of the individual toward ultimate survival for the group. It includes the symbiotes of the group and the extension of its culture. 

“DYNAMIC FOUR includes the urge of the individual toward ultimate survival for all Mankind. It includes the symbiotes of Mankind and the extension of its culture.”

As explained in the previous chapter, this “ultimate survival” is not immortality but attainment of a STATIC viewpoint from which further evolution of the universe may be catalyzed.

Attainment of STATIC viewpoint requires Man to expand his viewpoint from self to families, to groups, to species, and to all mutually dependent entities.

As a person grows up, his viewpoint naturally expands from dynamic one to dynamic two, three and four. A higher dynamic is naturally inclusive of the lower dynamics. Any exception would only mean fixation on a dynamic to the exclusion of other dynamics. A fixation would simply amount to the aberration defined as a “narrow viewpoint.” A rational person shall be operating harmoniously on all dynamics.

Any competition among dynamics, if not harmonious, would constitute an anomaly that needs to be resolved. An anomaly, if considered to be something normal, shall be an aberration.

Any solution must resolve the anomaly completely, and that would bring about an optimum scene. The categorization into four dynamics is for the sake of dealing with the complexity of a situation only. 

Hubbard says, “The case of a sailor giving his own life to save his ship answers the group dynamic. Such an action is a valid solution to a problem. But it violates the optimum solution because it did not answer for Dynamic One: self.”

Of course, it would be optimum to save oneself while also saving the group, but the safety of the group comes first, and the group must be saved even at the expense of self, depending on its value to mankind.

.

By vinaire | Also posted in Dianetics | Comments (0)

DIANETICS: The Goal of Man

May 1, 2021 – 3:01 PM

Reference: Hubbard 1950: Dianetics TMSMH

These are some comments on Book One, Chapter 3, “The Goal of Man” from  DIANETICS: THE MODERN SCIENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

.

Comments on
The Goal of Man

KEY WORDS: Survival, Immortality

Hubbard writes:
“TIME, SPACE, ENERGY and LIFE have a single denominator in common. As an analogy it could be considered that TIME, SPACE, ENERGY and LIFE began at some point of origin and were commanded to continue to some nearly infinite destination. They were told nothing but WHAT to do. They obey a single order and that order is “SURVIVE!”

Did the universe begin at some point? Was it commanded to SURVIVE? The ancient Vedas say that the universe has neither a beginning nor an end. Science says that energy forms the basic substance of the universe and it is conserved. Thus, from all evidence, energy has always been there, and it has no choice but to survive.

Hubbard writes:
“THE DYNAMIC PRINCIPLE OF EXISTENCE IS SURVIVAL The goal of life can be considered to be infinite survival. Man, as a life form, can be demonstrated to obey in all his actions and purposes the one command: SURVIVE!”

Although energy has no choice but to survive, the energy forms appear and disappear, and through this process, the forms change and evolve. Subtle energy evolves into solid atoms of matter (see the ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM). Atoms evolve into complex atoms (see the PERIODIC TABLE). Atoms combine into molecules and these molecules also evolve into complex molecules (see CHEMISTRY). Complex molecules acquire enough electronic circuits to develop self-animation. Thus come about basic life forms that evolve into complex life forms (see BIOLOGY). Life forms develop the ability to react. Such reactions gradually evolve into sophisticated analytical abilities. Thus life forms evolve from minerals to plants to animals to humans. Since Man is part of the universe, his goal is consistent with the overall goal of the universe, which is evidently, to EVOLVE. 

Like the energy it is made of, Mankind cannot help but survive. Although individual human forms take birth and ultimately die, they evolve from the experience of living. The goal of Man, therefore, is continual evolution, and not the immortality of some individual form.

Some may assume that the goal of Man is to be immortal. But the actual goal of Man, like the goal of the universe and life, has always been to EVOLVE.

Where evolution will ultimates take us, we don’t know; and that is the energizing aspect of it. This is the aspect of an advancing science compared to a moribund religion.

Hubbard writes:
“In order to establish nomenclature in dianetics which would not be too complex for the purpose, words normally considered as adjectives or verbs have occasionally been pressed into service as nouns.”

Some of the words coined by Hubbard as nouns are as follows.

DYNAMIC = innate impulse or urge
SOMATIC = physical sensation
PERCEPTIC = a sense message

Hubbard writes:
“… a spectrum of life has been conceived to span from the zero of death or extinction toward the infinity of potential immortality… The thrust of survival is away from death and toward immortality. The ultimate pain could be conceived as existing just before death and the ultimate pleasure could be conceived as immortality… The urge is away from death, which has a repelling force, and toward immortality, which has an attracting force; the attracting force is pleasure, the repelling force is pain… Pain is provided to repel the individual from death, pleasure is provided to call him toward optimum life.”

Hubbard postulates “thetan” as the ultimate in individuality and gives it the attribute of immortality. Thus “thetan” is similar to the concept of “eternal soul” in Christianity. However, individuality belongs to the body-mind system as its core property. The body-mind system is subject to the cycle of birth and death, and so is individuality. What is eternal is the life force (symbolized by Hubbard as THETA), which energizes the body-mind-individuality system. Like the idea of the “eternal soul,” the postulate of an “immortal thetan” is also in error. Neither soul nor thetan stands apart from the body-mind system. What stands apart is the STATIC viewpoint.

The actual spectrum is from MYSTERY to KNOWINGNESS as it applies to consciousness. The ultimate consciousness resides in the knowingness of the STATIC viewpoint.

By definition, the STATIC viewpoint stands beyond all MOTION. Motion is the key characteristic of the universe. Motion becomes “emotion” in life organisms. Therefore, the STATIC viewpoint stands beyond all emotion too. An individual, when cleared of all anomalies, attains the STATIC viewpoint. He then views all motion (the universe) and emotion (life experiences) objectively without alteration.

It may be said that attaining the STATIC viewpoint is the goal of Man. But this STATIC viewpoint simply helps man to evolve through the cycles of birth and death.

Immortality lies in the total objectivity of the STATIC viewpoint expressed as happiness in action. The thrust from this viewpoint is always toward evolution. Each step of evolution brings immense joy. The death of the body-mind system is inevitable. There may be pain associated with death; but a person with STATIC viewpoint views death simply as a phenomena to be experienced.

Hubbard seems to advance the idea that all actions of life are driven by pain and pleasure. This is not so. All actions of life are driven by the dynamic of the life organism. Pain and pleasure are just indicators that help one evaluate the experience at that moment. The state of mind may be graded on a tone scale—apathy, anger, bearable existence, happiness. This mental state may reflect how subjective or objective the viewpoint is. The freer is the viewpoint from fixations the more objective it is. 

Dianetics assumes that aberration enters through pain only. But aberration also enters through the fixation and narrowing of the viewpoint as one goes through various experiences in life. The narrower is the viewpoint the more selfish and immoral the person becomes.

A broad STATIC viewpoint is all inclusive. Life is a group effort. As the forms grow more complex, a tremendous interdependence exists. No one survives alone.

.

By vinaire | Also posted in Dianetics | Comments (0)

DIANETICS: The Clear

April 26, 2021 – 12:02 PM

Reference: Hubbard 1950: Dianetics TMSMH

These are some comments on Book One, Chapter 2, “The Clear” from  DIANETICS: THE MODERN SCIENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

.

Comments on
The Clear

KEY WORDS: Clear, Reverie, Hypnosis, Returning

Clear is the goal of Dianetics Therapy. A Clear is a person who is cleared of all anomalies from his body-mind system. Hubbard wrote earlier about the Clear as The Basic Individual. 

An anomaly is any violation of the oneness of reality, such as, discontinuity (missing data), inconsistency (contradictory data), or disharmony (arbitrary data). All aberrations, such as, psychoses, neuroses, compulsions and repressions, are anomalies. Dianetics focuses on clearing up mental and physical aberrations, such as, the psychosomatics ills. The process of clearing also restores one’s perceptions if the organs of perception are physically intact.

The process of clearing is all about the resolution of anomalies.

The dianetic reverie used in clearing is similar to hypnosis. Hubbard takes pains to differentiate reverie from hypnosis. Hypnosis has been used for centuries to treat diverse ills, but it went into relative decline with the rise of modern medicine. In the last 200 years it’s been more associated with stage magicians and movie villains. Just how it works is not clear, and some critics suggest it’s simply a way of relaxing. But practitioners say there’s more to it, and that under hypnosis the patient can concentrate intensely on a specific thought, memory, feeling or sensation while blocking out distractions. See Hypnotherapy Terms and Definitions.

The dianetic reverie is a mild form of hypnosis in which the individual retains enough analytical awareness.

Apparently the process of hypnotism bypasses the “mental filters” to access the intuitive capabilities of the brain. This attenuates one’s analytical capabilities, but not to the degree the person loses control, or does things against his will. A portion of the mind simply returns to a past period of life and re-experiences it. It is an inherent ability of the mind. A person can do it all by oneself. The re-experiencing of the past includes all perceptions. The attention may get absorbed to varying degrees. Due to aberrations this ability to return gets curtailed, and the “memory” reduces to vague impressions.

A person can apply meditative reverie to oneself to access impression that lie below consciousness.

The anomalies generate fixations that aberrate a person’s thinking and behavior. As these anomalies are resolved the logic circuits clear up. In Dianetics, Hubbard identifies “held down sevens” to be the cause of all aberrations. The mind, otherwise, is inherently incapable of error. We may further explain these “held down sevens” as fixations caused by disharmonies, discontinuities and inconsistencies. A person may either be unaware of these anomalies or he could have accepted them as normal.

Not only somatics but one’s fixations may also be used to enter the search for the impressions that lie below consciousness.

.

A Buddhist Perspective

When we take the postulates from Buddhism into account we find that Scientology lacks compassion because it is “fixated on the survival of individuality”. We may define a cleared individual as follows:

A cleared individual is not absolutely free of flaws, but he is very close to being completely rational. He has a mind in which perceptions continually break down into fine discriminative elements, and get freely associated and assimilated into an orderly mental matrix providing rational solutions.

The cleared individual does not avoid, resist, suppress or deny any thoughts, emotions, and sensations when thinking; and so he perceives things objectively with clarity. He is able to examine and overcome all prejudices, biases and fixations. He is keenly perceptive and knowledgeable and continues to explore new areas of knowledge.

The cleared individual is universal in his outlook. He rises above any fixation on self or individuality. He is not subjective, self-centric, or human-centric. There are no conflicts within him. He would not hesitate to sacrifice himself if need be.

The cleared individual can look from the viewpoint of others as well as objectively from the viewpoint of all life and the environment. He continues to expand his understanding of the physical and spiritual aspects of the universe without resorting to superstitions.

The cleared individual is the first to realize his error and correct himself. Whenever he senses resistance or observes some oddity, he follows it up until it is cleared. If he suffers a painful experience, heavy loss, or confusion he is able to sort it out quietly in his mind.

The cleared individual is in good health and has no psychosomatic illnesses. He is purposeful in his demeanor, and graceful in his movements. He is strong and calm even in adversity. In no way is he trying to win or dominate, but he is passionately engaged in bringing order to his environment.

Above all, he is compassionate.

.

By vinaire | Also posted in Dianetics | Comments (15)

The Scope of Dianetics

April 22, 2021 – 1:35 PM

Reference: Hubbard 1950: Dianetics TMSMH

Reference: Glossary of Dianetics (Subject Cleared)

These are some comments on Book One, Chapter 1, “The Scope of Dianetics” from  DIANETICS: THE MODERN SCIENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

.

Comments on
The Scope of Dianetics

KEY WORDS: Assimilation

Let’s answer the questions posed by Hubbard in this chapter with the help of Buddhism as follows.

  1. The goal of thought is to integrate all that is experienced. One does that by resolving any and all anomalies. 
  2. The single source of all anomalies are impressions in the mind that are not sorted out fully. 
  3. An integration occurs automatically the moment one becomes aware of the impressions related to an anomaly, thus bringing its resolution.
  4. That resolution comes from patiently confronting the anomaly without avoiding, resisting, suppressing or denying any experience (past or ongoing) connected with it. 
  5. To prevent any likelihood of mental derangement, one is careful not to interfere with the contents of the mind by ransacking them randomly.
  6. The above points provide us with an outline for curing all psychosomatic ills.

Resolution of the anomalies that we experience then cures the psychosomatic ills and the aberrations in feelings and behavior. It also produces a condition of ability and rationality, and enhances vigor and personality.

A person’s behavior is always good after his anomalies are resolved. He has easy access to all his memories. The integration in the mind assimilates the literal recordings of impressions into smooth multi-dimensional narratives. A workable model of the mind starts to come into view.

.

By vinaire | Also posted in Dianetics | Comments (0)

DIANETICS: How to Read this Book

April 21, 2021 – 8:53 PM

Reference: Hubbard 1950: Dianetics TMSMH

These are some comments on “How to Read this Book” from  DIANETICS: THE MODERN SCIENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

.

Comments on
How to Read This Book

KEY WORDS: Anomaly

Read the Dianetics book using the procedure of Subject Clearing.

Subject Clearing is the most powerful tool currently available to bring clarity to the mind on any subject. It not only brings about a much better understanding of a subject but also helps detect the basic postulates, assumptions and erroneous ideas present in that subject.

The basic postulates help one understand the grounds on which a subject stands. Ideas based on these postulates must be demonstrable. There must not be inconsistencies among these postulates, ideas and reality.

If assumptions and erroneous ideas are not detected and isolated, it can cause serious problems with the application of the subject. Such erroneous ideas can be very pervasive, and may even enter the definitions of words provided in dictionaries. It is, therefore, very important not to miss them in your study. 

The true purpose of study is to resolve anomalies (things that do not make sense) as you come across them in a subject or in life. This develops clarity of mind and the ability to think fast on your feet.

Since additional information on a subject may easily be accessed through Internet these days, the purpose of study is not to memorize but to improve critical thinking.

.

By vinaire | Also posted in Dianetics | Comments (0)