If you were ever a fervent, KSW believing Scientologist, then you probably adopted Scientology to do your thinking and feeling for you. As a result, you may have had difficulty dismantling this cognitive apparatus from your mind and life to get your old self (the real you) back again.
[Yes, we know that you tried to escape that old self of yours in order to become something new – a Scientologist – but you will find, through this process, that there was very little of that old self that you had to escape.]
It’s an almost universal phenomenon among those who have left Scientology that they still maintain old thought and emotional habits from Scientology, and the process below is a basic process for recovering from it. Practicing this simple process certainly gets you moving on down the road from Scientology, if nothing else.
So here are a few simple steps that you can take to help clear(!) your cognition(*) of Scientology.
- Become acutely aware of your thinking and feelings every time you interpret something, such as a real life situation or person, using a Scientology term.
- Identify exactly what Scientology term you are using to interpret your real life.
- Find an Earth-based equivalent for it.
- Use the Earth-based equivalent instead.
That’s it.
There are other steps, and other approaches, of course. But this is the simplest and most powerful process to recover from Scientology that I know of. You will find that your cognition(*) becomes unstuck and you will start seeing things in new ways. You may even start learning new things in life that you thought were all “wrapped up” before!
Practice this for a week, and you will be amazed at the results.
If you can think of other techniques to stop thinking and feeling with Scientology, let us know in the comments.
(!)English definition of “clear”
(*)English definition of cognition
A late P.S.
That T.O. post was “Troublemakers: The women who won’t keep quiet about Scientology” Alonzo started a list of “More Troublemakers:”
There is also an original song and video there by Moxie Magee called “Troublemakers”.
🙂
Alonzo, 1645 comments and going up on Tony Ortega as I get ready for bed. Super idea of yours to start that list. Thumbs up!
Thanks, Clear
I’ve been around for a while and I’ve seen a lot of people do a lot of great things to warn the public about Scientology.
Inevitably, the creation of any list ignores the contributions of someone whose contribution should not be ignored. It’s an inherent consequence of using a list.
And even that list ignored the contributions of never-ins who do great things every day to warn the public about Scientology. And when you think about it, they’re especially deserving of recognition because they weren’t even personally hurt by it.
Alanzo
Looking at my last comment it does look rather dark. lol I was being facetious. I was just saying that if overpopulation entered the global warming conversation more often then some nice people might reconsider having a BIG happy family. Of course parents with many children love them all.
And Alonzo, “Thanks for validating my cognition.” (Scio-speak is occasionally useful.) 🙂
We’re still choking on fallout from your stupid midwest coal plants. Actually the River is now quite clean. Environmentalists and others have had quite an impact. There is hope for humanity!
While I’m at it, climate control advocates are missing a major point. What about worldwide free birth control? If it’s this bad with 7 billion people, what will it be like with 9 billion? Too many humans are preoccupied with be fruitful and multiply. When they start getting fed soylent green they’ll learn.
Richard
Lol You replied before I could add my P.S.
P.S. As you can see, this topic (and you) has allowed me to recognize and get rid of a whole lot of scio-gunk.
New Jersey is in full fall color and the wife and I and our pooch took a long ride along the Delaware River yesterday.
The Delaware river?
Was it on fire? 🙂
(Sorry – midwestern slur against all the pollution in the Yankee Industrialized North.)
Alanzo
Thanks Alonzo, I’m stable and I can take a hit
I made a comment on another blog along the lines that I’m leaving my scn experience behind and no longer wish to reflect back on what was useful about it.
A person replied, apparently ruffled, that I should continue to use my personal “gains” (no such usage in King’s English) and “awarenesses” (same) and use what was “workable”.
I replied back that I felt that realizations that were permanent wouldn’t need to be “used” but would just be a part of me without attribution. My viewpoint might be debatable but it’s where I stand now.
As an aside, along the way I dumped a piece of huge, for me, piece of cognitive dissonance. “I should continue my intellectual and spiritual advancement BUT I can’t trust anyone.”
“Scientology Deprogramming” continues!
Clear wrote: ““I should continue my intellectual and spiritual advancement BUT I can’t trust anyone.”
I’ve got that one, too!
That’s a great one.
Alanzo
Hi Alonzo
Great post of yours on Tony Ortega today. VWD to you! I have been commenting on Marty’s blog. I even got your “truth-hood” quip posted! What fun. 🙂
Richard
I just saw that. 🙂
You should know that any mention of Alanzo at that blog makes you a target for destruction, or at least taunting ridicule – which is pretty much the same thing.
I know you’re new – so be careful out there.
Alanzo 🙂
Huh? When I typed that in yesterday the direct link showed up
I’m on a roll today
How about “Ser fac”, ser/fac, service facsimile whatever What a gobbledegook scio term. People are still using it all over the blogs. Unless there is something better I’ll just use “make-wrong” which is still a made up term but closer to King’s English.
I learned something about blogging yesterday www.paulsrabbit.com The ESMB Posts)
Back to “process”
It appears that process/processing is entrenched in the lexicon and won’t go away soon. “We will now begin the process.” still strikes me wrong. oh well
I have started reading (scanning) Alan C. Walters dialog at paulsrabbit.com (The ESMB Posts)
Apparently in the ’60 s at Saint Hill there were many genius types working at codifying procedures and approaches to raising human ability and consciousness with all good intentions.
As I progress
I am sorting out what things and terminology I learned in scio which are still useful. I’ve changed my mind about using ARC as a tool. It’s a clumsy way to communicate. Listen and observe and communication comes naturally.
“Comm cycle” still works for me, but I have a good friend who communicates perfectly without ever having read a word of scio. He listens attentively, understands what the person said and replies appropriately.
I occasionally use “MEST” as a joke to myself. Eg. “I’m THINKING too much. Time to go do some MEST work!”
Alonzo
You do get a bit worked up at times, re: your post at TO site October 3 (and elsewhere).
Do you remember when Bill Clinton evaded impeachment and all the jokes about “This is a no-gloat zone”. Well all the hard work you have done toward deleting cos is coming to fruition at an accelerating rate. Take some time and Gloat for a while! You certainly deserve it and I’ll be gloating with you.
Richard
A note to the above
“mental implant” is more King’s English than “implant” alone which is scio-think
P.S. Alonzo I notice you have over 100 posts on your blog. With that said: (music) “99 bottles of posts on the wall, 99 bottles of posts, if one of those bottles should happen to fall . . . . . . .”
Don’t worry. As soon as I improve my internet skills I’ll comment elsewhere (too). 🙂
Upon further reflection, process/processing might be the key mental implant of scio. I vaguely recall “not quite getting it” when I first came across that idea/concept. It just didn’t fit my understanding of the words.
Other than cult, a single word description of scio might be SCIENTOLOGY=PROCESSING
Here is a thinking and feeling with scio mind f**k which rattled in my cage for years until now. Hubbard said if a person stopped after clear and didn’t immediately continue, he/she was at high risk of aberration, addiction, perversion, whatever.
A hypnotically conditioned mind awaits the next command. Receiving none- – -off it goes! lol
That might slightly affect anyone blowing scio at any time depending on the level of hypnosis. Of course science has no definitive solution for addiction, obsession etc. Genetics, predisposition, background etc. etc.
Elron was probably more worried about losing a customer than a person’s well being. Plus it was a good way to scare someone into coughing up more money for OT levels.
Alonzo
I walked the Alcoholics Anonymous path for three years over fifteen years ago, so I relate much of my scn recovery to that.
One of the best results of AA was learning how to laugh at ourselves, not only for our crazy thoughts, but also for the crazy things we DID. It might be a future topic for you-just a thought.
I would suggest that the addiction/recovery rate among exes is the same as that in the general population. So to those who might be embarrassed or ashamed of their addictive behavior after leaving scn, you’re not alone. Been there, done that.
🙂
The sob was damn sure clever
The more I think about it the more ridiculous and funny it gets. Dear LRH, Here I am. I’m ready. Please process my mind! Dear LRH, I’ve had such wins! Please keep processing me! On and on. One of the biggest jokes I bought into! lol.
I can see why so many exes become so great at satire. So much material to draw from!!
Since I unofficially edited a history book for a friend as he wrote it, I have developed a bit of an editor’s eye. (I’m giving myself some altitude here.)
Isn’t “process” a scn junk word? Does any legitimate practice use that terminology? “Process” and “processing” would seem to apply more to a meat (or brain) packing factory. “Procedure” sounds more professional.
As with my friend, take or leave my editorial comment(s) as you wish. 🙂
It’s a very good point.
You’re right, Hubbard used “process”. “Procedure” would be an English equivalent.
The odium of using any term that still might have some Scientology on it demands that an English equivalent be used.
See? The Scientology is so ingrained in me that only others can see it! 🙂
Alanzo
Lol Bit coins I presume or just another cert?
I made a grammar mistake above. Should read “That instantly started a conversation . . . . .” As leaders in un-clearing the planet we should stay grammatical. My mistake.
I went to my local adult community center today where they offer computer training classes. I explained that I wanted to improve my internet skills since I was involved in an “Internet Scientology Recovery Program”.
That started an instant conversation with the three people working there. I explained the (thinking with) “never give anyone sympathy for anything-you pulled it in” concept and they all got it right away. What fun.
You are on your way to earning an FSM commission from Alanzo’s Blog!!
Alanzo
I hear you Idle Morgue
I thought Scn Recovery would be easy for me since I had not suffered hardships like you. It’s not that easy. Shit keeps popping up. Recovery takes time but the pain goes away.
I continue to find arc to be a useful tool, but the oft used metaphor of scn-zombies walking around also continues to be fun. “A R C to you Sister” THANK YOU “A R C to you Brother” THANK YOU
I honestly cannot say I had ONE nice moment in Scientology. I got in back in 2007.
It was complete and utter hell.
Sure – I had some moments where I “keyed out” but heh, heroine and crack give the same “win”. I did not know about cognitive dissonance. Scientology calls that a “roller coaster” and is due to being connected to an SP. I believe it is the pain one feels trying to hang on to old beliefs whilst being indoctrinated into the Scientologial Bubble lingo and thinking. It hurts like hell…emotional and physical pain. Does anyone else know what I mean? At times, I heard my brain POP. It was crazy. I never saw so many bombs go off in people’s lives either. Divorces, deaths, suicides, bankruptcy and foreclosures. I looked at the people and OBNOSED them carefully to decide if “The Bridge” worked. Most of these people were failing in life and really hurting. All of them were struggling to be on staff, no money, no decent living arrangements – mainly flop houses. No nice cars to drive if any at all. After I got Debbie Cook’s e-mail – I blew. She was “spot on”.
I love people and typically have no problem making friends anywhere I go.
Scientology is a vicious group of zealots that use ARC to manipulate each other out of their bank accounts, their children’s lives and their sanity. If a Scientologist is smiling at you or trying to “get in comm with you” – they want MONEY…or FREE LABOR…pure and simple.
I did not like the people I met in Scientology.
I think the days of “having anything including friends” in Scientology are OVER.
Hi Alonzo
Thanks for giving me a great laugh. HE WENT RIGHT BACK IN! Maybe you didn’t even mean it as a joke but that crazy-shit absurd stuff hits my sense of humor. More in a bit but first…
I must offer you an apology. Earlier I griped about not finding enough intelligent conversation on the scio blogs. Well yesterday I was browsing (stumbling) around your blog and discovered that you have a Wealth of intelligent conversation here. I just didn’t know how to look. So another small step for me toward graduating from internet first grade. Dear Alonzos Blog, I am sorry if I insulted you.
Also, since the 4 steps article on the home page indicated 0 comments I thought you weren’t posting my comments but I see our conversations are over in the recovery section.
Alonzo, have you ever considered adding a scio humor section (or thread, topic whatever its called) to your blog? A good laugh never hurt anyone and would certainly be therapeutic. Here is an episode of mine which might cause a laugh or snicker. I rented a room in the LA scio Celebrity Center right after they bought it. Rickety old beds, paint peeling off the walls and half of the toilets didn’t work but I was in scio heaven because I was TOTALLY ON PURPOSE. Only a scio would understand.
There must be a zillion episodes out there like that with your brother in law and I personally would check in regularly to read them.
I would like to compliment you on your excellent prose. “Not everyone needs an everclimbing level of truth to the stellar heights of ultimate truth-hood.” I have written that down and its still making me laugh when I read it. Sort of scio in a nutshell. If you ever add a scio humor section that must remain at the top of the list forever!
How do you come up with such stuff? You have a strange brain. 🙂
Clear?
alonzo
You made me laugh. Thank you. HE WENT RIGHT BACK IN! Hilarious. Ain’t it great to just throw up our hands once in a while and shout “I’m just human!!” Laughter is the best medicine. If you ever want to slant your blog (or part of it) to a more humorous side of scio and recovery I have a few stories to tell. Eg. I rented a room at the Los Angeles Celebrity Center right after they bought it. Rats running around, half the toilets didn’t work and I was in scio heaven because I was TOTALLY ON PURPOSE! More to say but its late. Talk to ya later.
There is no slant here at Alanzo’s blog.
The truth about Scientology is both the good and the bad, the true and the false.
Tell your story as you see it.
Alanzo
alonzo
Will you include my meager comments on your plates? I’d like that! Since my comments are not showing up anyhow I guess its ok to ramble on a bit?
About cos hanging around. The entry level procedures and counselling in scio are powerful and life changing for many as you know. Therefore there will always be new public. What about the xenu story? Fully informed about what is on the upper levels, i respond “I’ll take it as parable or metaphor. Everyone has some unwanted personality traits and I’ll approach it that way.” What about the abuses, betrayals etc. etc.? “That’s them not me. I am aware.” And so on the list goes with rebuttals for almost anything.
So the point is that time wishing or acting to delete cos is not well spent.
There. That was fun. Good practice for posting on ESMB. I am sure with your background you have already considered my opinions above. If I can get it up there it might reach some who are newly out. (or at least cause a flap heh heh)
Here is something you might not have considered coming from myself, a new and basically disinterested observer on the current scio scen. Almost all of the scio blogs are almost entirely negative. Dumping on cos and people deservedly venting. The main exception I found is the comments part of Marty’s blog where intelligent give and take occurs. (Your current “4 steps” Is positive.)
Too much negativity is a bad thing and i am losing interest. Here is a message (ok advice) I’d like get out somehow to the badly bruised. “If you can, try to reflect on the good times you had in Scientology. I’ll start. Back in the 70’s and early 80’s when I participated, Scientology was a lot of fun. Lots of parties, get togethers and comaraderie. Myself and those around me were totally dedicated to being totally professional in what we were doing. Those are nice memories for me.”
Thanks for listening Alonzo. Now I can stop talking to myself! laughing
You wrote:
“Here is something you might not have considered coming from myself, a new and basically disinterested observer on the current scio scen. Almost all of the scio blogs are almost entirely negative. Dumping on cos and people deservedly venting. The main exception I found is the comments part of Marty’s blog where intelligent give and take occurs. (Your current “4 steps” Is positive.)
Too much negativity is a bad thing and i am losing interest. Here is a message (ok advice) I’d like get out somehow to the badly bruised. “If you can, try to reflect on the good times you had in Scientology. I’ll start. Back in the 70’s and early 80’s when I participated, Scientology was a lot of fun. Lots of parties, get togethers and camaraderie. Myself and those around me were totally dedicated to being totally professional in what we were doing. Those are nice memories for me.”
This is great stuff, Clear#?#
I agree with you.
Too much negativity, I have found, sources from people who were never involved.
There were great parts to Scientology which changed my life IMMEASURABLY for the better. Or maybe it was just the first place that I learned it, and so I have a soft spot in my heart for something I never did learn any where else.
I have a brother in law who was involved when I was, then who got out when I did, and then went back in.
This was an amazing shocker to me, because he and I discussed EVERYTHING about Scientology that anyone would ever need to know to NEVER get involved. Yet he went RIGHT BACK IN!
Well, the only way I can understand this is from the truth you wrote above. Not everyone needs an ever-climbing level of truth to the stellar heights of ultimate truth-hood. They need what works for them in their own life right now.
If there were no vulture-savage prey-upon organizational structures that L Ron Hubbard built and that Davey Miscavige could ride like a broomstick onto all scientologists, then maybe I could leave Scientology to the loonies and never think about it again.
But right now, that’s not what is happening. Tom Cruise and Davey’s legal team are able to keep Scientology being offered in that vulture, prey-upon structure by L Ron Hubbard, and they can still use people like I never thought anyone could be used when I got myself involved in Scientology.
And so until they have no power to harm people with Scientology, I believe it is my duty to warn the public about what I know.
Alanzo
hi alonzo
I didn’t see my comment show up. nbd. More on my admiration for your blog and posts on other blogs. Yourself and others are actually recording current history. I am composing a post “The Church of Scientology will be around forever. Here’s why.” Maybe post it on ESMB if I figure out how to do that.
One hundred years from now people will be leaving cos with the same question as today “What just happened to me?”
They will search the internet, brainnet, robonet or whatever it is then, and yours and others historical intelligent discussions, debates and lol arguments (with civility of course) will appear. Just as today, they will process the information and get relief. So at least some of your opinions and wisdom will be past on
forever!
Of course this assumes civilization and the internet are still around. Just to be safe you should gather together all of your blog, posts etc. and bury it in a nuclear proof bunker so a next round of homo saps or chimps can dig it up.
Yes. I’m thinking of creating a team of
crack professionalsminions to download my whole website and etch each page onto titanium plates.It may be that you are right, that something like the Church of Scientology will always be around, but I hope not. If you study the life of Mesmer, which Hubbard also undoubtedly did, you’ll find that he was the L Ron Hubbard of France a few hundred years ago. He even had his own Tom Cruise in the form of Wolfie Mozart. (This is actually true)
But the government of France today does not treat their L Ron Hubbards very nicely, and I am hoping that some day the US government will learn this lesson, as well.
I am new to posting so I’ll be brief and see if I am doing things right. I am 30 years out. I watched Going Clear doc, decided to see what ScioWorld was up to these days and have been buried (interestedly) in the blogs for 3 weeks! Yours and others comments on Mark Rathbuns site have been a joy to read.
After all these years out, past programming was, is still there and bubbling up! Eg. Occasionally explaining the “logical” points of scio to others “The mind is composed mental pictures blah blah blah” =memories. Thinking with The Emotional Tone Scale (replete with mystical numbering) = A (flawed) Scale of Emotions. And worse yet Chronic Tone = classify, evaluate and judge another person. Only two months ago I used this tripe to evaluate and judge a person who is important and dear to me. Ugh.
As i said, this deep programming has just bubbled up for me. The four steps you mention would seem to hasten the process although I am content for now to just let it happen. Stating and sharing these realizations might also bring this thinking and these feelings up for myself and others.
A couple others without elaborating–feelings of superiority for having “done” scio, study tech is the only way to blah blah blah, and thoughts about what would I be like if I had continued on “The Bridge” = programming.
Today’s final answer to that one? Worse! laughing
I’ve been out for 15 years, and have been writing about Scientology this whole time, and I still spot things and have to re-examine them, as well.
Socrates said that the unexamined life was not worth living. And I agree with him.
The Dalai Lama once said that if the Chinese had not invaded his country, burned all those books and killed all those monks, he would not have had such a rich opportunity to practice forgiveness and lovingkindness. He said that the Chinese gave him causes and conditions in his life that he could use to make real spiritual progress.
I think the process of “recovering from Scientology” can be approached as another way to attempt to live a little bit more of an examined life. It can be a great, and very fruitful, opportunity for that.
Alanzo
And PS Clear?#?, thanks for your compliments about stuff on Marty’s blog. I did not think that anyone was ever reading anything I frikking wrote on that blog! ( 🙂 )
And as for your posting to blogs… dude – you’re a natural!
My first time at trying to post on a blog! if I do it right I’ll continue with “30 years out and still deprogramming”
You have succeeded!
VWD! 🙂
Please continue….