Article 231162 of alt.religion.scientology: Path: casaba.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!cam-news-feed3.bbnplanet.com!delphi.bc.edu!Pjust From: segger@netlink.com (Sandra Egger) Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology Subject: THE BRIDGE TO A BETTER LIFE Date: 5 Nov 1996 00:16:12 GMT Organization: Boston College Lines: 95 Message-ID: <55m10c$ndi@delphi.bc.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: 206.171.236.30 X-Newsreader: News Xpress Version 1.0 Beta #4 Many falsehoods and inaccurate statements regarding several aspects of the religion of Scientology have been observed on ars. The purpose of this message is to give you a sample of the true data from the book 'What is Scientology?' and show you where you can look to get the full contents of this book. ------------- Man, in his religious heritage, has long imagined a bridge across the chasm between where one is now and a higher plateau of existence. Unfortunately, many of those attempting to cross that chasm fell into the abyss. Employing this metaphor, the Classification, Gradation and Awareness Chart represents, in fact, the bridge which spans the chasm and brings one to the higher plateau. This is the vision man has cherished for at least ten thousand years, and it is now attainable by following the steps as laid out on the chart. It is an exact route with standard procedures providing uniformly predictable gains when correctly applied. The bridge is complete and can be walked with certainty. You can order free from the bookstore a copy of the chart showing the Bridge as developed by L. Ron Hubbard. This chart is intended to serve the reader as a helpful guide to Scientology services described in pages to follow. (Instructions for its use are provided on the chart itself and any unfamiliar term is explained in the glossary linked to this and other pages.) Running up the center of the chart is a series of awareness levels, numbered from -34 at the bottom to +21 at the top. These levels represent what the individual person is aware of in his or her life. Everyone is somewhere on these levels of awareness. The goal of Scientology is to assist the individual to raise his awareness higher and higher. Each rise in awareness is accompanied by increased ability, intelligence and survival potential. As one improves, one naturally becomes aware of the next step. A person in "unexistence" (-34 on the scale), for example, when he improves becomes aware of "disconnection." In other words, disconnection (-33 on the scale) is an improvement over no existence at all. In realizing that one is truly disconnected from life, he is at least now in a position to rectify that condition. And so it goes for each level of awareness. A person who has recognized that he is introverted (-11) can then and only then recognize that he is numb (-10 on the scale), and thus gets no reaction from life. As a person progresses up the scale, he becomes aware in turn of the next higher stage. The chart, then, is a map of what one individual can become aware of. It is, however, important to note that the chart stresses one's personal awareness, not what others may have observed about his behavior. Thus, again, we find that what matters is the individual, for that is what is addressed and improved. At the level of "need of change" (-4) one is aware that he needs change in his life, and has actually reached quite a high state of awareness. Many people are not up to this level, and are therefore stuck in the unfortunate condition of wondering how they can endure that which they believe cannot be changed. Scientology is for the person who sincerely wants change, wants to become better and more able. Scientology thus helps the able to become more able. As one moves up this bridge, he becomes a trained auditor and learns to help another as well as receive his own auditing. He achieves the state of Clear, advances to the highest levels of auditor training and the highest states of awareness as a spiritual being. The awareness levels are paralleled by the various techniques and activities which approximate them and bring about further improvements as one progresses. As is evident from the chart, one must move up both sides, training and auditing, if one is to make it all the way. One must learn the axioms of existence by training in Scientology if one is to attain a higher awareness of life. One must experience how these axioms relate to himself through auditing if he is to fully understand himself and his relationship to life. Attempting to walk only one side of the Bridge is like trying to climb a hill by hopping on one leg. But an individual moving up both sides of this chart, one step after another, will arrive at the top. The chart is a guide for the individual from his first awareness of Scientology to each higher state. Man has never before had such a map. It is the Bridge to Total Freedom. It is the route. It is exact and has a standard progression. One walks it and one becomes free. For more information go to the following URLs: http://www.scientology.org http://www.lronhubbard.org http://www.dianetics.org (c) 1993 Church of Scientology International. All Rights Reserved.