Let's Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky: Hubbard, Dianetics and Scientology by Jon Atack Read Free Book Online Page B

through it. When the E-meter shows that enough “charge” has been
released from the incident, the Preclear is directed to find an “earlier
similar incident.” In theory the Preclear will at first give conscious moments
of this attitude (called “Locks”). Then he will usually run into an Engram. The
Auditor asks for earlier and earlier incidents, and the Preclear almost
invariably goes into “past lives.” When the earliest Engram is found and
relieved, the Preclear is supposed to have a realization (“cognition”) about
its effect upon him, “Very Good Indicators” (VGIs), which is to say a grin, and
a “floating needle.” From then on, the Preclear should be free from the effects
of the Engram chain. 6
    The whole drug list is treated painstakingly in this way.
Going through every attitude, emotion, sensation and pain associated with each
drug. Then the drug list is checked on the E-meter until nothing on it “reads”
any more. I remember Victory-V cough sweets being a persistent “item” on my
drug list. I spent hours trying to think of some attitude, emotion, sensation
or pain associated with Victory-Vs.
    I was disappointed with my Dianetic auditing, because I did
not experience any real change. My back-ache and my near-sightedness remained.
A few times, inexplicably powerful images of what seemed to be “past lives”
rushed into mind. At one point, I had the very vivid sensation of being burned
at the stake. But for the most part I could not quite believe it. Not because I
doubted Dianetics, but because I felt that I was not yet capable of fully
contacting my past.
    After the Dianetics Course, I did several Scientology
Auditor courses. As well as receiving Dianetic auditing, the Preclear was meant
to go through eight “Release Grades” before doing the “Clearing Course,” and
then the mysterious “Operating Thetan” levels. As a Scientology Auditor, I
learned how to audit the first three of these “Release Grades.” These were
meant to deal with memory, communication and problems. 7
    During this time, I had my first brush with Saint Hill
“Ethics.” The “Ethics Officer” would try to resolve disputes, and to remove any
obstacles to a resolute practice of Scientology. I had arrived at Saint Hill
with the remainder of a small court fine to pay. The papers had been
transferred to one office and I had been told to deal with another, so I
received a summons for non-payment.
    The morning I received the summons I went to the Saint Hill
“Ethics Officer,” an intense, overweight Australian, who wore knee-length boots
with her disheveled Sea Org uniform. I requested a morning off to attend the
court-hearing. She insisted I tell her all the details. I explained that the
remainder of the fine was less than £40, and that it was all due to an
administrative mix-up. I was amazed when she told me that she was removing me
from the course because I was a “criminal.” She insisted that even if a fine
were the result of a parking ticket, the offender would be barred from Scientology
courses until it was paid.
    Saint Hill was very different to the Birmingham Mission
where there was an easy-going attitude. The Ethics Officer there would apologize
for having to “apply Policy.” At Saint Hill, the Ethics Officers were daunting,
overworked and unsmiling. Saint Hill Registrars (salesmen or, more usually,
saleswomen) were a little too sugary, and it was obvious that they wanted
money. The constant and unavoidable discussions with Sea Org recruiters at
Saint Hill were wearing. Virtually everyone there was too busy trying to save
the world to create any genuine friendships.
    The advantages of “going Clear” still loomed large for me. I
did not think of leaving Scientology, just going back to the friendlier atmosphere
of Birmingham, which I finally decided to do. My decision was accelerated by
continuing price rises.
    In November 1976, the price of Scientology auditing and
training began to rocket. Until