SCN 8-8008: Behavior of Universes

Reference: The Book of Scientology

Behavior of Universes

Please see the original section at the link above.

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Summary

Hubbard differentiates between a person’s own universe of postulates and the MEST universe. Unfortunately, Hubbard does not believe in the principle of oneness; and, therefore, he fails to see how postulates explain the MEST universe. 

The postulates discovered by Einstein, which gave birth to his theory of relativity, explain the concepts of substance (matter and energy), extents (space), and duration (time) beautifully. This explanation provides a much fuller picture of the MEST universe than what Hubbard describes. The postulates and the MEST universe are intimately related through the principle of oneness. Oneness is described by the continuity, consistency and harmony of substance. The substance consists of thought in addition to energy and matter.

Hubbard appears to decry against the watchfulness and the cooperation required in the MEST universe. But those are the very qualities that the scientific method brings into play to resolve the anomalies in our perception of the MEST universe.

In opting for one’s own universe, Hubbard says, “One’s universe is an unthwarted sway, the MEST universe is a compromise.” Unthwarted sway means that one does not want any checks and balances, but an undisciplined existence where one can do anything one wants. It sounds like a wishful thinking after one has failed to resolve most of the situations in one’s life. It is a reaction to overwhelm. It only leads to a defeatist philosophy. What you want to rehabilitate is the person’s ability to discover the postulates that underlie the MEST universe, so he can resolve the situations he is facing in life.

Hubbard’s approach to use mock ups in auditing is useful only to the degree it helps a person understand why certain situations exist in his life. The person should not be using mock-ups to escape the realities of life and live in a dreamworld. Maybe Hubbard did not intend it to be an escape from reality, but he makes it sound that way by continuously railing against the MEST universe.

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Comments

There is no personal universe separate from the MEST universe. There is only one universe that can be explained through the oneness of postulates. Hubbard’s personal universe comes from arbitrary, contradictory, and missing “postulates” that spring from Hubbard’s fixation on self. 

As a person comes to understand the MEST universe better through the use of the scientific method, he can operate with greater freedom. Science has been very successful in exploring the laws of matter (classical mechanics). Currently, it is successfully exploring the laws of energy (quantum mechanics). It has yet to explore the laws of thought (postulate mechanics); but that is currently being attempted through subject clearing.

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May 14, 2019 – 8:11 AM Categories: Scientology | Post a comment

SCN 8-8008: Terminals

Reference: The Book of Scientology

Terminals

Please see the original section at the link above.

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Summary

According to Hubbard, “A terminal is, in essence, any point of no form or any form or dimension from which energy can flow or by which energy can be received.” So, a battery has positive and negative terminals. Similarly, an electric motor has terminals. The motor runs when a current of electricity flows through the terminals. A stimulus-response behavior is like the running of the motor. It occurs when there is a flow of energy. The MEST universe is like that.

Hubbard, therefore, says, “… a viewpoint can be affected by the MEST universe only when the viewpoint has identified itself with some MEST universe article, such as a body.” This identification manifests itself as fixation of attention. So, a viewpoint should have the ability to unidentify itself, or release itself from fixation, rapidly. 

A terminal, therefore, is related to the phenomenon of identification with the MEST universe. This makes the viewpoint subject to MEST laws, which make it stimulus-response. When one mocks up a terminal similar to the MEST universe terminal and puts the two terminals side by side, there is a discharge. This discharge is in terms of the person getting an insight into the MEST universe terminal. This approach is different from the Dianetic process that uses recall. Like Dianetics, this is also a limited process.

Hubbard believes that if a person owns two of the same item, then the chances of misconstruing that item are less. A viewpoint is more apt to identify itself with an item if its duplicate is missing. According to Hubbard, “This fixes him in the belief that he cannot alter his relationship to the MEST universe.” The more aberrated a person is the more easily he gets fixated on terminals.

Hubbard says, “It could be said that the MEST universe is the average of agreement amongst viewpoints and that the laws of the MEST universe, no matter how physical, are the result of this agreement.” This assumption of Hubbard is in conflict with the work of scientists like Galileo and Einstein who exposed a new reality that went against the general agreement.

Not every person’s reality is the same because their ability to perceive the universe is different. A hypnotized person’s reality can even be controlled by the hypnotist. The struggle is to define reality, and Hubbard settles on reality being the average of agreement among viewpoints. But the actual definition of reality remains elusive in Hubbard’s Scientology.

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Comments

Hubbard does not see self as a MEST universe article. Therefore, he does not even consider the possibility that attention can be fixated on self. This is because self is in the domain of thought and, to Hubbard, thought is not part of the MEST universe.

However, thought can be sensed like energy and matter, and Hubbard also found that thought upon condensation becomes increasingly stimulus-response like energy and matter. We may, therefore, consider thought also to be part of the MEST universe. In that case, not only the body, but also the self can be a terminal. From this point of view, fixation on self becomes possible and it can be seen as an aberration.

The substance (thought, energy and matter) is the basis of the knowable universe, and of our sense of reality. The substance has the property of continuity, consistency and harmony. We may refer to this as the principle of oneness. The oneness of the universe provides the ideal scene of reality. Such reality is free of anomalies, fixations, and aberrations.

The reality of a person departs from the ideal as the oneness is violated in his perception. The anomalies appear as missing data, contradictory data and arbitrary data. They are manifested in the fixation of his attention, which is the basis of all human aberrations.

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May 13, 2019 – 8:06 PM Categories: Scientology | Post a comment

SCN 8-8008: Universes

Reference: The Book of Scientology

Universes

Please see the original section at the link above.

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Summary

Hubbard defines universe as a “whole system of created things,” and believes in the existence of many universes; but this generates an anomaly. Many universes can be defined together as a “whole system of created things” or an overall universe. The same anomaly exists with the multiverses theory in physics. The universe is correctly defined by its etymology that emphasizes the property of oneness. There is only one universe, where oneness is defined as continuity, consistency and harmony.

Hubbard differentiates the physical universe of matter, energy, space and time from the thought universe of the thetan. Hubbard does not see that thought is a substance that condenses into energy. He also does not see that thetan is the identification of theta with thought. Hubbard’s very concept of thetan comes from his fixation on self.

The thought and MEST universes do not behave in a similar manner, because as the substance condenses from thought to energy and matter, the laws also change. To Hubbard, the thought universe a person’s own universe in which he controls everything. But he is surrounded by a MEST universe that he does not control, and which is quite overwhelming.

High operating level is when one is operating without fixation. To operate, one obviously uses forces across the spectrum of thought, energy and matter. The forces in the universe may appear to be gigantic, crude and brutal from the viewpoint of the humans, but they always follow the laws of nature. According to nature, the forces are continuous, consistent and harmonious; but misunderstanding may cause anomalies. However, the anomalies can be resolved and the forces can be harnessed. 

Hubbard says, “In the MEST universe ethics seem to be a liability.” Obviously, the laws of the MEST do not cover ethics. Ethics lies in the domain of the thought universe. As far as energy and matter go, science has been doing a great job of resolving the anomalies. The focus needs to be on resolving the anomalies in the thought universe. 

Hubbard’s solution is that a person should strengthen his own thought universe as a “solution” to the problem of the MEST universe. This requires asserting one’s own will to overcome “agreements” with the MEST universe. Thus he recommends Creative processing that helps overcome the mental conditioning due to continuous contact with the MEST universe. He also recommends rehabilitating one’s ability to perceive present time in order to overcome the fear of the MEST universe.

According to Hubbard, the primary process to rehabilitate one’s own universe is to exercise the ability to postulate. 

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Comments

Hubbard is correct in establishing that the primary process is to exercise the ability to postulate. However, he does not go into detail other than outlining some exercises. 

A postulate is a creative thought, which brings oneness to existing data. It helps us fill holes in our understanding of what is there. For example, “The speed of light is a universal constant,” is a famous postulate made by Einstein that helped explain the concept of space and time. This helped us understand many phenomena that were puzzling before.

A postulate is not something formed arbitrarily. It is a well-thought out form and meaning given to perceived sensations that leads to the resolution of anomalies in our thinking. This is the very quality that makes a postulate self-evident. Thus it becomes possible to use the postulates as the basis for further reasoning and prediction.

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May 13, 2019 – 10:00 AM Categories: Scientology | Post a comment

SCN 8-8008: Beingness, Doingness, Havingness

Reference: The Book of Scientology

Beingness, Doingness & Havingness

Please see the original section at the link above.

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Summary

The tone scale deals with beingness as thetan. Beyond the tone scale there is simply theta as the ability to postulate and become aware. The individuality (as thetan) comes about when there is identification of theta (awareness) with postulates (thought). Now there is a tone scale. 

At the top of the tone scale, the identification occurs in passing and it is never permanent. As fixation enters the picture, the beingness starts to acquire a permanence and descends down the tone scale. Thus we get the tone-scale of affinity.

The ideal state of beingness occurs at the top of tone scale that contains no fixation. But Hubbard postulates a fixation when he considers the thetan to be eternal. When a person believes that he is, or has, a soul that lives forever, he is fixated on self in some manner. This fixation makes him subject to the laws of MEST. 

Hubbard’s Scientology addresses the fixation of the body; but it disregards the fixation on self. In fact, Scientology ends up reinforcing the fixation on self. Hubbard ends up railing against the MEST universe, without ever resolving it because of his own fixation on self.

Viewpoint comes about with the postulation of dimension points. In other words, all knowingness comes about through postulation only. How the postulation occurs in the first place is unknowable. When a beingness is postulated and made the source of postulates, we have an identification of the viewpoint with the dimension point. This is the beginning of self. Fixation comes about as the self starts to think itself to be permanent.

This fixation starts to resolve as one starts to see that the postulates have a oneness of continuity, consistency and harmony. Any violation of oneness cuts across the sense of ultimate freedom. A postulate cannot stand alone arbitrarily, such as, the idea of an eternal thetan. The ultimate freedom shall consist of the freedom to have or not have a beingness.

Doingness naturally accompanies beinginess. Doingness is the changing of dimension points. At the level of thought, doingness means reasoning. At the level of energy, doingness means communicating. And, at the level of matter, doingness means working and moving physical objects around.  

Havingness naturally accompanies doingness. Havingness is the resulting arrangement of dimension points. At the level of thought, havingness means arriving at a conclusion. At the level of energy, havingness means arriving at an understanding. And, at the level of matter, havingness means having the fruits of one’s labor.  

Havingness is the goal that is aimed at. At the accomplishment of the goal the doingness ceases. Therefore, some stability and duration is associated with havingness. Here the concept of time becomes very obvious. Hubbard considers time to be an arbitrary, but, like everything else, time derives its value from the equation of oneness.

Where the doingness towards a certain havingness is forcefully interrupted, we have a ridge that lasts until it is resolved. This is a fixation of attention, which is different from a satisfied sense of havingness. All human aberrations result from the fixation of attention and not from havingness.

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Comments

To postulate is to generate thought that has substance, extents and duration. The extents are seen as space and the duration is seen as time. Hubbard erroneously believes that space exists by itself without substance. 

Furthermore, to have beingness is to identify with postulates. Hubbard erroneously believes that the beingness exists by itself without postulates or thought.

Such anomalous beliefs come about when a person thinks he knows when he doesn’t. This is the case with Scientology, It pretends to know when it doesn’t. This is because Scientology lacks the concept of the Unknowable.

How the postulates come about, we don’t know. Because all that we know is through postulates only.

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May 8, 2019 – 6:23 PM Categories: Scientology | Comments (2)

SCN 8-8008: Identity versus Individuality

Reference: The Book of Scientology

Identity versus Individuality

Please see the original section at the link above.

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Summary

Hubbard says, “The most common confusion on the part of a preclear is between himself as an identified object and his beingness.” Hubbard makes a distinction between identity and individuality. Hubbard talks about individuality as the person’s “own identity” but he never explains what it is. He relies on each individual’s subjective feelings about it.

The truth is that there is oneness of awareness, which Hubbard calls theta. The beingness starts when the theta identifies itself with a unique set of postulates. That is the birth of a thetan.

Therefore, a thetan starts with identification with certain postulates. This is his “own identity” or native beingness. This beingness then acquires more layers of identifications. In this process it condenses and becomes more “solid.” This is called thetan’s identity. Thus, an identity is a more condensed beingness. The person is not aware of any of these identifications. He only has a subjective sense of “I”. He associates this “I” with his ability to be cause. 

So Hubbard makes a false distinction between identity and individuality. An identity is more condensed individuality.

Hubbard recognizes the body as an identity. This is the case of a person thinking that he is the body. Hubbard has processes that resolve this identity, and the person realizes that he is not the body. This has a great therapeutic value. But this is not the end of identifications. There are still identifications called valences and misconceptions. Ultimately, the person becomes aware of the identification, which generated the individuality of thetan, and he dissolves into pure awareness. This is the nirvana of Buddhism. But Hubbard doesn’t go there.

Hubbard thinks that individuality of the thetan is permanent. In his philosophy, a person is basically an immortal thetan. The dissolution of this individuality is not possible. Any attempt to dissolve a thetan is a “control mechanism.” He thinks that the nirvana of Buddhism is one such “control mechanism,” which makes the person believe that he has merged with the rest of the universe.

In Hubbard’s philosophy, the ideal scene is to build the capability of the thetan (individuality) to a point that he can create and maintain his own universe. This universe is separate from the MEST universe. In his own universe, the thetan has the power of becoming anything he wishes.

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Comments

A person is born and acquires a beingness made of identifications with postulates, impressions and conclusions. This beingness is an identity that provides a discrete individuality to the person. This beingness is natural except for the elements of fixations in it.

A common fixation is on the body, which makes the person think that he is the body. This fixation can easily be removed, and the person realizes that he can now operate more freely without his attention fixated on his body.

A deeper fixation is on the self, which makes the person think that he is eternal. He doesn’t have a clear idea of what this self is, except that it makes him different from others. This fixation can also be removed making the person realize that he is the awareness itself with the ability to postulate. He can now operate freely without his attention fixated on a postulate. 

Hubbard’s phobia of the MEST universe comes from a confusion between “consistency” (a lack of contradiction) and “fixation.” Consistency is natural. It is the criterion in the scientific method. It is the conviction that God is one. But fixation leads to blind agreement, bias and prejudice. The error in Scientology is the fixation on self. 

The ideal scene is to operate with freedom to adjust one’s postulates to attain greater continuity, consistency and harmony of oneness. This is the nirvana of Buddhism.

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May 7, 2019 – 9:44 PM Categories: Scientology | Post a comment