Success Through Communications Course
Hubbard Qualified Scientologist Course

The Success Through Communications Course is an entry-level Scientology course, and is many people's first introduction to the cult's practices. It appears at the bottom of the big chart of The Bridge on display in every Scientology org. The course covers TR 0-4, while the follow-on Hubbard Qualified Scientologist Course covers the upper-level TRs plus a taste of various other Scientology topics, such as the eight dynamics, the tone scale, "word clearing", and "assists". The two courses use the same book: an 8.5x11 softcover volume with large type, like a children's book. Many pages contain a single large cartoon illustration.


Illustration of TR4

Illustration of TR4 from Hubbard Qualified Scientologist Course, by L. Ron Hubbard, p. 155. Copyright © 1988 by the L. Ron Hubbard Library. Reproduced under the "fair use" provision of the US copyright code.


Although the TRs when sold at the introductory level are supposed to facilitate "communication", by TR 4 it becomes clear that the real goal is preparation for learning "auditing" -- and for being audited.

This image from the HQS book is the fourth in a sequence illustrating the TR 4 drill known as "Preclear Originations". The student auditor (the woman) has asked the auditing question "Do fish swim?" and been told in response by the coach, simulating a preclear, "I have a pain in my stomach." She dismisses (Scientologists would say "acknowledges") this "preclear origination" with "I understand", and then, as shown above, repeats the auditing question. She must persist in this manner until the preclear has answered the question. In the figure she is displaying good "confront" (TR 0) by staring directly at the preclear and remaining motionless as she repeats the question.

One wonders about the smiles on the particpants' faces; in the previous panels the preclear has a pained expression as he describes his stomach ache, and the auditor is shown with an even sorrier looking "mental picture" of his distress as she acknowledges (in reality, dismisses) his comment. The subtext in this last panel seems to be this: by forcibly refocusing the preclear's attention on adherence to Scientology ritual, his stomach pain is alleviated and he is made happy again. (This is in fact the rationale behind Scientology "assists".)

It's also worth noting the violation of norms for personal space inherent in the positioning of the student and coach in the image, a technique designed to increase tension (and especially effective with partners of mixed gender.) This is discussed further in Perry Scott's critique and Dick Sutphen's essay as cited on the main TR page.