Vivian – Nothing in scn auditing/counselling talk therapy addresses people with psychiatric problems. The supposed idea was that by making the able more able it would result in a better planetary condition. Enrolling people with psychiatric conditions would obviously result in huge administrative and organizational problems.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that clearing the planet was just a slogan since it took too long and cost too much money for a person to go clear.

I was living in LA around 1980 when probably hundreds of scientologists left all at once when Hubbard started jacking up the prices. Several “blown scientologist” get together groups sprung up and I joined one. There were about fifteen of us and we met weekly at someone’s house and discussed scn and other practices. It turned out that all of the people in that group had been interested in improving their own personal abilities which scn had promised with little or no aspirations toward clearing the planet. Other people may have had more Utopian goals.

One thing I never understood… if the goal is a “clear planet” and, if I’m remembering correctly, anyone who has undergone certain psychiatric treatment or taken psychotropic drugs can never go clear**, it seems like a huge number of people are ineligible to go clear. Maybe the goal is to get MANY people clear, in a herd-immunity sort of thinking?

**I may be misremembering this. Can anyone confirm?

One more story from Ms. Ross’ book and I’ll leave it at that.

The Headmaster of a Buddhist commune was retiring and in order to choose a successor he wrote a koan on a wall and the senior monks were to write their solution beneath it and he would pick the monk with best solution as the new headmaster.

A lowly acolyte saw the koan and decided to write his solution. When the Headmaster saw the acolyte’s solution which was by far the best he quickly summoned the acolyte and sent him running since he knew the older monks would munch him.

(I think there is an analogy to scn in there somewhere – lol)

The Master’s sister supposedly criticized her brother, accusing him “showing off” even in death. lol

There is also a story in the book about a Master who supposedly died standing on his head. He remained in that position creating a stir until his sister who was a Buddhist nun showed up and knocked the corpse over and ordered his Buddhist brothers to carry it off to the burial ground. Lol

Ms. Ross says Zen Buddhists often enjoy self deprecating humor.
I resonate with a lot of non-dualism which has a background in Zen. Some notable teachers are Adyashanti, Mooji, Eckhart Tolle and Alan Watts.

Loosing – You’re welcome. The author is Nancy Wilson Ross which is a typo above and the book is available on Amazon.

Richard thank you. I will look for that book. Sure that scn as “a way of life and thought” wouldn’t be a great book to read. Do well.

When Buddhism is mentioned I like to recommend my favorite reference book on Buddhism called “Buddhism: A Way Of Life And Thought” by Nancy Wilson. It’s easy reading, has a full glossary and index and is available in paperback reprint for $10.

“Scientology: A Way Of Life And Thought” would probably not be a good seller.