CHAPLAINCY PRESENTATION:
SCIENTOLOGY: HANDLING OF THE BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT

Rev. Caralyn Percy spoke about the religion of Scientology and it's use of Dianetics (combined with medical treatment) to speed healing, at a Chaplaincy-sponsored presentation on January 23rd.

Caralyn Percy is a Reverend of Scientology at the Church of Scientology of Boston. Her interest in Scientology began in 1971 during her tenure as a teacher in Brooklyn, New York. While there, she observed and admired the work of a colleague who, although his students were labeled as unruly and difficult to teach, was able to better their learning skills and foster their growth in ways no other teacher seemed able. This teacher was a Scientologist, and he used the technology of study as developed by L. Ron Hubbard to improve the lives of his students. Caralyn Percy wanted to affect people the same way her colleague (and future husband) did, and thus began her studies into Scientology.

Rev. Percy told us that Scientology is a religion about improving and changing conditions. It is an applied religious philosophy that is concerned with the rehabilitation of one's spirit and the awareness of one's ability to do so. Scientology is something you do, not necessarily something you believe. Members are encouraged to make their own observations and believe what they see. Scientology was founded by L. Ron Hubbard, whose writings and lectures are translated into over 50 languages and whose major churches span the globe. His breakthrough book, published in 1950, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, gives details and uncovers the source of unwanted sensations and emotions, accidents, injuries and psychosomatic illnesses, and sets forth effective handlings for these conditions. Further research into the spiritual aspects of Dianetics led to the discovery of Scientology.

There are three parts of a person that Scientology deals with including, the spirit (or thetan), the mind, and the body. The thetan is the spirit and it is the person him or herself, not his or her body, mind, name, the physical universe, or anything else. It is that which is aware of being aware. One is a thetan, one does not have or own one. The thetan has the ability to make decisions, to act, and to make things happen. A thetan can communicate with or without a body. When trying to conceptualize what the thetan is, a great example, given to us by Rev. Percy, comes from the movie, "The Sixth Sense". Bruce Willis' character in the movie is a thetan.

The mind is composed of pictures. The mind also has thoughts, attitudes, considerations, decisions, and viewpoints. The mind is a communication and control system between the thetan and the physical universe. The mind is not a tangible brain, but is composed of pictures. The brain is a part of the body.

The body is the organic, physical composition, which houses the thetan. It is the thetan's communication center.

The Church of Scientology International asserts that Dianetics is the methodology through which Scientologists alleviate unwanted sensations and emotions, irrational fears and psychosomatic illnesses. It aids one in identifying what the spirit (thetan) is doing to the body through the mind. The Church of Scientology International writes, "After any necessary medical treatment, the individual himself has an enormous capacity to influence the body and it's well-being or lack of it. L. Ron Hubbard developed numerous applications of his discoveries for the mental and spiritual aspects of a person's physical difficulties. And as more and more techniques evolved, a new body of technology came into use, called 'Assists.'" Rev Percy explained Assist Technology, and her personal experiences with it, to us.

Rev. Percy's first experience receiving an assist occurred as the result of a painful, but not serious, accident involving her finger and a car door. While getting into her car, she managed to close the door on her finger. Her finger was not broken, but bruised, swollen, and very sore. Her husband asked her if he could perform a contact assist on her finger, in an attempt to help heal it. As this was her first experience with an assist, she reluctantly agreed. He took her hand and placed her finger in the same spot in the door frame where she had injured her finger. He then very gently touched the car door to her finger. He repeated this motion until Rev. Percy described feeling a short burst of pain, and then none. Her swelling and bruising subsided and she felt no further soreness or pain from it again.

Assist Technology can be performed by anyone, not solely by Scientologists and is not meant to replace medical treatment, simply to add and compliment it. Assists can speed recovery. The Church of Scientology International explains that the goal of an assist is, "assisting the individual to heal himself or to be healed by another agency by removing his reasons for precipitating and prolonging his condition… ." There are many different types of assists, including contact assists, touch assists, and unconscious person assists, all of which are described in the booklet, "Assists for Illness and Injuries". Copies are available through the Community Resource Center.

After Rev. Percy ended her presentation, the audience had many questions. Below are some of the questions that were asked:

• Q: How does Scientology treat mental illness?
  

  A: Scientology is in fact for the able person. People who have "mental illnesses" are outside of the realm of Scientology. However, Mr. Hubbard did spend some time, during his research of Dianetics in the 1930s and 1940s, helping patients in mental wards. He found often that the "mentally ill" person had some underlying physical illness that was untreated and thus caused reactions that were classified as "mental illness". In his research notes he indicated a simple and effective technique to help people whom were classified as mentally ill. This technique requires a hospital setting where the person should be placed in an environment that is calm, peaceful, and free of noise and talking; given no mental treatment, only rest, healthy food, vitamins, and no prescription drugs, if possible.

  
  

• Q: How would Scientology respond to medical intuitives (those who use chakras, energy levels, can determine cause of illness, without knowing the diagnosis)? And how does it deal with chronic illnesses, like arthritis, bursitis, etc.?
  

  A: Scientology is a religion and deals with increasing spiritual abilities. Dianetics would (after medical treatment) be the way to address chronic illness. 70% of illnesses are psychosomatic and Dianetics sets forth effective handlings for these conditions. The book, Dianetics talks about how a condition like arthritis arises. As far as medical intuitives are concerned, there is nothing wrong with them, but Dianetics techniques enable a person to discover for him/herself what set the body up for illness and/or accidents in the first place.

  
  

• Q: How does Scientology deal with anomalies in the body?
  

  A: By performing assists - correcting the flows and putting the person back in touch and communication with their bodies. The purpose of the assist would be to enable someone to realize what is happening with his or her body. Also, those who are sick may be so because of the people around them. Someone may be making them ill, causing them stress or suppressing them in some way. The ill person after assists would be educated about such types of people and might experience relief once recognizing who is contributing to their upsets, etc. They could then choose whether or not to continue the relationship.

  
  

• Q: What exactly is the religion of Scientology? What are some of the tenets? How does it fit into the hospital setting?

  A: You won't see too many Scientologists in the hospital, since they use other ways to heal their bodies than medicine or standard medical procedures. However, medical treatment is encouraged and recommended when needed. They claim to be the only 100% drug free church. Except for antibiotics or other prescribed medical drugs by a medical doctor, they don't use drugs in any other forms, such as psychiatric mind-altering, or illegal street drugs. They believe that there is a Supreme Being. In Scientology, the concept of God is expressed as the eighth dynamic - the urge toward existence as infinity, as God or the Supreme Being or Author of the Universe. L. Ron Hubbard is not God, he is the founder of Scientology, much like Mary Baker Eddy is the founder of the Christian Science religion. Scientologists do not have to disconnect from any other religion they are affiliated with. Scientology is a religion about improving and changing conditions. It sees people as being basically good. This starts within one's self and expands out into the community. It is an activist religion, though non-partisan. Churches are located all over the world. Main churches are in Los Angeles, Clearwater - Florida, and England. Famous Scientologists include Jenna Elfman, John Travolta, and Tom Cruise.

  
  

• Q: What does Scientology bring to the dying patient?
  

  A: There are assists that can be performed at the time of death to assist with the transition (there is a back-to- life-assist, also). [In the film, "Far and Away" with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, there is a scene towards the end in which a horse rolls over Tom Cruise's character, near fatally injuring him. Nicole Kidman's character keeps him from dying by basically "talking him back to life" thus "putting life back into his dying body". This is an example of what happens with the back-to-life assist.]

  
  

• Q: What is the view of life after death?
  

  A: Can differ from Scientologist to Scientologist. Rev. Percy believes in life after death. She knows this is a possibility for herself. Reincarnation is a definite system and is not part of Scientology. It is taken as a fact that unless one begins to handle aberrations built up in past lives, one doesn't progress. The common definition of 'reincarnation' has been altered from its original meaning. It has come to mean, "to be born again in different life forms" whereas its actual definition is "to be born again into the flesh or into another body". Scientology ascribes to the latter and original definition of reincarnation.

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