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The history and dropping out of the original OT VIII  or
     The scope of Scientology

(OT VIII: The end of the line... cancelled?)
(to other Scientology pages)

>> Do you want to help with preserving the original technology? <<  Consult my want list here!

Please note that words with an asterisk (*) are defined at the bottom of this page! Only first appearances are indicated.

        
“OT VIII will be released soon and we want as many people as possible up to OT VII and full case completion, ready to go when OT VIII is released.
        
 
How soon OT VIII is released depends on how many are prepared for it. So it is the responsibility of each individual, not only for himself, but to all Scientologists and the rest of Mankind to get to OT VII with no Q&A. Don't let anything stop you – it's your own immortality and OT Power at stake.”
 
  (from ‘Clear News 57 (AOLA edition)’, [May 71])  


OT VIII would essentially have meant the end of the Bridge. Then everything turned around. Tracked here is the original OT VIII, that was never released, and its circumstances that may give a hint or an answer why things got turned upside down so dramatically. Do observe though the imagination and expectation of various Scientology parishioners flying high... or is it gullibility?

 
Index:

OT VIII: The end of the line... cancelled?
The story of the original OT VIII  (A chronological track)
           The scope of Scientology (1970-72)
           1968: (a first mention)
1970: (a first criteria prior to release)
1971: (a promise for upcoming release)
    A change in focus (1973-82)
      1973: (a first mention of a further 15 levels above OT VII)
1977: (an explanation for not having released it)
1978: (a first step towards the later ‘New’ OT levels and further justification)
1978-79: (a mention of OT VIII released, an odd mistake)
1982: (original OT levels dropped, OT levels redefined & changed time factor)
Additional notices (higher pricings and uncertainty factor introduced - since 1978)
The original OT VIII  vs  The end of the road?
    (Includes:  Wild imaginations flying high...)
Mention of OT levels above OT VIII  (A brief chronological track)



 
Back to Main Index OT VIII: The end of the line... cancelled?

With the scope of Scientology is basically meant, end of the circle. Here you arrived at the end of the Bridge. In brief...

First we have:
        
“So technical progress has been:
        
 
CLASS VIII - 1968.
 
 
COMPLETE DIANETICS - 1969.
 
 
COMPLETE SCIENTOLOGY - 1970.
 
 
This is quite an achievement.”          LRH
(from ‘LRH ED 117 Int’, 26 Aug 70 “Current Cases”)
 

Next we have:
  Name of state Ability Gained Inability Lost
 Section VIII OT  Ability to be at cause knowingly and at will over thought, life, form, matter, energy, space and time, subjective and objective  Freedom from inability to be totally free and at total cause as a being
  
  (from June & December 1970 Grade Chart)

But it was not to be as this Bridge was turned upside down during 1978-82. The Scientology Clear essentially was cancelled (through turning Grade V to VII into conditional actions). Next the original OT levels IV-VIII were also abandoned and replaced with New OT IV-VIII, where New OT IX-X have been on the list for release since 3 decades now. The original OT levels were rather affordable and did not take much time to complete, whereas the New OT levels could take you, as it seemed, an eternity, where charged for not as a package or action but per intensive* or hours run, and thus came at a considerable cost.
Was the turnaround caused by an economical consideration, as in for profit? I fear that t does give that impression.

We do have references that lay out some characteristics about this original OT VIII. You may consult at your own leisure:
     HCOB 8 Jan 69 “Drugs and ‘Insanity’ Non-Compliance and Alter-Is”
  HCO PL 14 Jan 69 “OT Orgs”
  HCO PL 24 Jan 69 II “Purpose & Targets”
  HCOB 1 Oct 69 “Why Thetans Mock Up” (Secret)

 
Back to Main Index The story of the original OT VIII (A chronological track)
OT-symbol
 
    
The scope of Scientology (1970-72)
  1968:  (a first mention)
  1970:  (a first criteria prior to release)
  1971:  (a promise for upcoming release)
 
A change in focus (1973-82)
  1973:  (a first mention of a further 15 levels above OT VII)
  1977:  (an explanation for not having released it)
     1978:  (a first step towards the later ‘New’ OT levels and further justification)
  1978-79:  (a mention of OT VIII released, an odd mistake)
  1982:  (original OT levels dropped, OT levels redefined & changed time factor)
  Additional notices  (higher pricings and uncertainty factor introduced - since 1978)


The scope of Scientology (1970-72)
Go back 1968:  (a first mention)     
A first mention of this level is made as early as August 1968 (see HCOB 26 Aug 68 “The Class VIII Course”). This reference will though not be readily available for consultation. See later chapter “The original OT VIII vs The end of the road?” for this.


Go back 1970:  (a first criteria prior to release)     
‘Clear News 33 (AOLA edition)’, [Jul/Aug 70] says in article “Ron Expands the Bridge”:
        
“You will also be glad to know that just as soon as I am very sure that we have Lower Grades Expanded back in to Scientology Class IV Orgs. And just as soon as I am sure that the Saint Hills are in a fully operative condition and are teaching all of those materials as they should, why, then we will release OT VII and OT VIII. We're not ready for those yet and I have done them, but I am not releasing them until we have Lower Grades Expanded fully worked over.”          LRH
(taken from “Ron's Address to The Grand National Convention in Los Angeles”, given on 21 Jun 70)
        
        
sound  Sound snippet
        
As it would seem this work over of these Expanded Lower Grades 0-IV was released only 4 days after that talk was given on 25 Jun 1970. Subsequently OT VII was released on 20 Sept 1970. (both these release dates have been captured in ‘What Is Scientology?’ (1992 edition))

Then ‘Clear News 44 (AOLA Edition)’, [Nov-Dec 70] reports on its front page: “We're sure OT VIII is just around the corner and that it will be released as soon as we have a supply of OT VIIs with their cases totally completed.”.


Go back 1971:  (a promise for upcoming release)     
Next ‘Clear News 57 (AOLA edition)’, [May 71] says on page 1:
        
“OT VIII  
        
 
OT VIII will be released soon and we want as many people as possible up to OT VII and full case completion, ready to go when OT VIII is released.
 
 
How soon OT VIII is released depends on how many are prepared for it. So it is the responsibility of each individual, not only for himself, but to all Scientologists and the rest of Mankind to get to OT VII with no Q&A. Don't let anything stop you – it's your own immortality and OT Power at stake.”
 



A change in focus (1973-82)
Go back 1973:  (a first mention of a further 15 levels above OT VII)     
Not much attention is given in the Scientology periodicals why OT VIII does not get released in this 1971-73 time frame. One could though continue to prepay for it. Finally we find the following notice in HCOB 30 Jul 73 “Scientology, Current State of the Subject and Materials”:
        
“There are perhaps 15 levels above OT VII fully developed but existing only in unissued note form, pending more people's full attainment of OT VI & VII.”          (Attributed to LRH)
        
Ever since, this phrase has been on frequent display in the various Scientology periodicals whenever OT VIII is brought into the discussion or is reported about. It is also since that time that the messages in these periodicals changed from OT VIII – not yet released” to OT VIII and beyond – not yet released”.

We see for example ‘Clear News 93 (AOLA edition)’ [ca Sept/Oct 73] carrying on page 3 an article entitled “How to get to full OT Super Seven” making efforts to keep your expectations high:
        
“And . . . . Ready for OT VIII! Then OT IX and OT X and above, when they are released!”
        
        
“FUTURE GAINS FROM OT?”
        
        
“What will be the gains above FULL OT SUPER SEVEN?”
        
And urges you to do OT VII:.
        
“Help release the upper OT levels above Full OT VII. Go Full OT VII yourself, FAST!”
        
This all being in alignment with the announcement found in HCOB 30 Jul 73 “Scientology, Current State of the Subject and Materials”.

‘Clear News 97 (AOLA edition)’ [ca Nov 73] once again reminds us on page 2 of:
         “L. Ron Hubbard has said:
‘There are perhaps 15 levels above OT VII fully developed but existing only in unissued note form, pending more peoples’ full attainment of OT VI & VII.’
AOLA is expanding to hasten the release of this valuable data!
Come to AOLA and fully attain VI & VII, now!”
        
Nonetheless besides it apparently having been proof run at the vessel Apollo it never came to an official release of this original OT VIII. One could however prepay for this level throughout the ’70s. Then the announcement of “New OT VIII through XI” (see ‘Advance! 74’, [Mar-Apr 82], insert) will have permanently abolished the original OT VIII. As these new levels, as per the data that we have, were not the same action.


Go back 1977:  (an explanation for not having released it)     
Early 1977 does make an attempt to explain some things with the release of HCOB 24 Jan 77 “Tech Correction Round-up”:
        
“I have been engaged for some months now in a round-up of out tech issues.
        
 
And I have found, I am sorry to say, that mice have been gnawing at the pillars of the Bridge, putting up traffic barriers and false detour signs.”
 
And further on in this same reference:
        
X:  ADVANCED GRADES  
        
 
For a number of years people have wondered when OT VIII would be released.
 
 
Well, to tell you the honest truth, OT VIII has been in existence all those several years, and to it has been added a very large number of OT grades. None of them have been issued. Notes for all these grades are in existence.
 
 
What I have been waiting for is 2 or 3 months of free time to go over these materials and write them up and make them available through Advanced Organizations.
 
 
Now I will make a bargain with you. If you get all the tech straightened out and the orgs and flaps and emergencies off my lines and get your training in and your Word Clearing in and everything flying and this civilization even more thoroughly pointed in a civilized direction, you will buy me those 3 months’ worth of time so I will be able to afford the time to write up all these Advanced Levels I have researched. Do your job well and buy me these three months.
 
 
Is it a bargain?”          LRH
 
The above notice was given in January 1977. Nothing apparent was happening for some time again regarding this. Had new “false detour signs” been given out?

Offering this communication as if making a bargain is funny. It is not clarified though why L. Ron Hubbard would not have had these “2 or 3 months of free time” in the previous 3½ years since the release of HCOB 30 Jul 73 “Scientology, Current State of the Subject and Materials”. He wasn't lecturing particularly or releasing lots of HCOBs and things. Then what occupied his time?

Might it be said here that questions have been raised about these supposed “out tech issues” and “that mice have been gnawing at the pillars of the Bridge”. A study about this can be consulted at below link:  (separate window)
    “Analysis of HCOB 24 Jan 77 “Tech Correction Round-up”  or  A prelude to a deliberate ‘change of direction’?”


Go back 1978:  (a first step towards the later ‘New’ OT levels and further justification)     
It was not until mid-1978 that we see the next development. In July 1978 we see that Standard Dianetics (StDn) had been replaced with New Era Dianetics (NED). Standard Dianetics was no more! A matter thus of ‘Ring out the old, ring in the new’.
We receive an attempt for explanation in ‘LRH ED 298 Int’, 19 Sept 78 “A. D. 28, The Year of Technical Breakthroughs” informing us that:
        
“An attempt to run NED on an OT resulted in a phenomenon which caught my attention, and on further investigation brought to light the fact that you cannot run NED, or any Dianetics for that matter, on a Clear (Dianetic or Scientology Clear) or above. Research into this paid off handsomely with a fantastic breakthrough for Clears and OTs. I have now developed an entirely new rundown called ‘NED for OTs.’ This deals with living lightning, the very stuff of life itself. Run exactly correctly by the book it produces remarkable results in the OT band, and has made it possible for me to now release OT VIII.”
        
And further noting in the same LRH ED at:
        
OT VIII  
        
 
Although OT VIII has been researched earlier, I knew there was something that had to be handled before I could release OT VIII. ‘NED for OTs’ does just that, and now I am very pleased to announce the release of OT VIII, which will be available at AOs* and Flag to OTs who have completed ‘NED for OTs.’ It is a Solo level which will fortify an OT already in excellent shape from NED for OTs.’”
 
We did receive here some sort of explanation (or attempt to) why it thus far had not been released. This NED for OTs in fact does make for an extraordinary tale that contains factors that could be regarded as rather contradictory. There appear to exist various factors involved with it that really do not make very much sense.
An overview of these factors can be consulted at link here below:  (separate window)
    “Notes on NED for OTs (NOTs) and its relation to the state of ‘Clear’”
Nonetheless in spite of these new ‘discoveries’ and the given expectation that this “has made it possible for me to now release OT VIII, we were apparently still all in for a considerable wait.

Then a few months later it notes in ‘LRH ED 301 Int’, 17 Dec 78 “Ron's Journal 30, 1978—The Year of Lightning Fast New Tech”:
        
“OT VIII.  This rundown was developed and will be available to OT VIIs who have completed their NED for OTs which is a prerequisite for OT VIII.”
        
And elsewhere in this same reference it is saying:
        
“OT VIII.  Although several upper OT grades have been researched, pre-OTs were not ready for them and so they were not released. The needed link which makes it possible is NED for OTs which is its prerequisite. The upper levels above VIII will probably be released from time to time into the future. OT VIII's release is a real cap for the tech breakthroughs of ’78.”
        


Go back 1978-79:  (a mention of OT VIII released, an odd mistake)     
The 1979 edition (both the US and Denmark print) of ‘All About Radiation’ has an interesting notice in the section entitled “About L. Ron Hubbard” on page 153. First it says:
        
“January, 1968, saw the release of OT Sections IV, V and VI as a sequence of spiritual abilities to be reached. In September of 1970 came OT VII, ...”
        
So far things are all right. But in the remainder of that sentence it states incorrectly:
        
“..., and in 1978 L. Ron Hubbard released OT VIII.”
        
In the printing notices it says: “1979 Edition Produced & Released by LRH Personal Compilations Bureau”. An interesting error.

The text appears an adaptation taken from the introductory chapter “L. Ron Hubbard, Explorer of Two Realms” of the little book ‘Mission Into Time’ (Oct 73). It says in the original paragraph:
        
“January 1968, then saw the release of OT Sections IV, V and VI as a sequence of astounding spiritual abilities to be reached. And, in September of 1970 came OT VII. OT VIII has yet to be released.”
        
It appears that purposely the notice about OT VIII had been altered from this original to reflect a supposed release of OT VIII.

In relation to this it is in addition also noteworthy to see that the (December) 1978 Grade Chart as found in ‘What Is Scientology?’ (1978 edition) actually does list OT VIII as if having already been released! The entry above it then lists OT IX and Above” which was indicated with “To Be Released”. OT VIII did not receive this notice:
  
(December) 1978
FOR DIANETIC AND SCIENTOLOGY PROCESSING
  Preclear grades Processes audited Class of auditor required Training required
 OT IX and Above  To be released  As issued  O.T. courses as issued
OT VIII  O.T. VIII  Solo Auditor preferably HNEDA* and classed  O.T. VIII course
 OT VII  O.T. VII  O.T. VII, Class IV or above  O.T. VII course
   
     * HNEDA, Hubbard New Era Dianetics Auditor.


Go back 1982:  (original OT levels dropped, OT levels redefined & changed time factor)     
Original OT levels dropped
Then the announcement from early 1982 of “New OT VIII through XI” (see ‘Advance! 74’, [Mar-Apr 82], insert) made it rather clear that the original OT VIII had been dropped. Undoubtedly as part of the same package the Grade Chart for January 1982 had already made clear that the original OT IV-VII had been dropped. (see for details about that here, separate window)

OT levels redefined
Just a few months later we get some more information about these New OT levels through ‘LRH ED 342 Int’, 9 May 82 “Ron's Journal 35, From Clear to Eternity”. By now the OT levels below New OT VIII had been redefined.
It lists “six rough divisions of case gain”. The last 2 say:
         “5. 
The pre-OT levels, leading to personal spiritual freedom. These carry up through all NOTs, audited and Solo. What is amazing here is that each one of these levels, according to rave reports, has, each one, its own spectacular level of gain.
        
  6. 
The actual OT levels beginning now with New OT VIII and going on up.”
 
Pre-OT has earlier (in 1972) been defined as a person that “through the advanced courses, is advancing to the full state of operating thetan”. This is still a fairly broad definition. Grade IV completions at times have also been referred to as pre-OTs. Roughly though one could say that those persons that commenced on the Solo Auditing levels (Grade VI) up to auditing on OT III can safely and rightfully be called pre-OTs. In the writings prior to 1978 an actual OT III completion or higher is not in particular referred to as a pre-OT, they were already OTs. This was thus redefined in December 1978.

Changed time factor
It also gives a new indication of the time involved for completing them. In particular the notices regarding the higher OT levels are interesting. Divided up in these “six rough divisions of gains” up to Clear (indicated as “fourth level”) the time factor remains the same:
        
“It doesn't take half an eternity. It doesn't take millennia—though this could be reasonably expected. It doesn't take centuries. It only takes years.”
        
Then:
        
“The fifth band now begins to really lengthen. To become a Solo Auditor and go up through the levels to OT III could take months. And through OT III can stretch out considerably. And then audited NOTs and Solo NOTs really adds time on. The gains of each point of progress can make, according to reports of pcs, progress at the lower end look like inches. Yet the lowest of these bands is above any progress Man has made before.
        
 
Now when we get to band six, get ready for a long haul. It won't happen in a minute.”
 
The reality factor put forward is basically:
        
“The higher the level, the longer the time—because one is handling a higher band of potential gain.”
        
I have always failed to actually see the logic in this argument in this last sentence. Remember it's just about removing barriers. Therefore the focus does not necessarily has to be on “potential gain” versus “the longer the time”. I perceive rather that it should go swifter and swifter as already a multitude of fundamental barriers had been removed when one finally had arrived at these levels. Most prominently this was the eradication of the reactive mind*! Everything after that logical wise should go much faster as you had cleared your first dynamic*, which is survival of self.

And guess what, the originally OT levels were all swift cycles of action. From OT I to OT VI could by some persons be completed in 3-6 weeks, although generally it may take a bit longer for most people. Various such announcements have appeared in amongst other the periodical The Auditor. For the time involved in regards to the original OT VII the periodical ‘Clear News 41 (AOLA edition)’, [Nov 70] says on page 1:
        
“OT VII sessions are short, averaging from 5 to 30 minutes, because the processes are so POWERFUL. So far, it has taken an average of 4 to 7 days to complete OT VII with an average of three sessions a day. It is a fast, yet thorough, trip out the top of the bridge.”
        
This time factor as proposed in ‘LRH ED 342 Int’, 9 May 82 “Ron's Journal 35, From Clear to Eternity” also seriously contradicts the rather proud sounding statement from ‘LRH ED 301 Int’, 17 Dec 78 in its title: 1978—The Year of Lightning Fast New Tech”. As basically the former reference does confirm that it added a considerably longer time factor. To “get ready for a long haul” simply is surely not “Lightning Fast”!

 
Go back
Additional notices  (higher pricings and uncertainty factor introduced - since 1978)

Higher pricings

It is noted here that the cost involved for doing these levels increased rather dramatically most particularly in the 1978-83 time frame. If a package of services in 1974 would have cost $5,625 and then the same actions would in 1996 have gone up to $151,250, then what are we to think of that? Would we think it would have made these services more accessible and more interesting? This is unfortunately the reality that we are facing where it concerns the donations that are asked by the Church of Scientology. Be also assured that the pricings have risen since the last 20 years.
These do not either include travel expenses (as you are required to go to the Flag Land Base, Clearwater, Fl.), and you will have to add cost for staying in hotels and such. The next thing is that people are asking you all the time for donations for various humanitarian or other projects instigated or run by the organization. This way it gets rather costly.
You can read more about cost for services at link here below:
    “Pricings for Services at Advanced Organizations (AOs)”  (separate window)


Uncertainty factor introduced

It is also to be noted that probably since so about 1978 an uncertainty factor had been introduced about when one should have completed some level. Things in particular turned insecure with the reinstatement and redefined use of the so-called Clear cognition in 1979. Since that year it sufficed to originate a certain concept/wording and one could then start considering that one might be Clear, hence the development of the Dianetic Clear Special Intensive in the same year (rechristened 6 years later as Clear Certainty Rundown) that had to sort of verify this. As a result this also introduced that one suddenly also could skip the remainder of the thus far mandatory steps that previously all persons had to go through (in particular Grade V to VII). For details see my article about “The ‘Clear Cognition’” here, separate window.

Then in regards to those higher OT levels there does not seem to exist a particular exact circumscribed end phenomena. You just had to run the processes as instructed and then simply continue running these processes. But how to establish that you were done with them? The majority of these persons simply do not seem to even know exactly where they were at. That has been my impression of those persons that I have spoken with and that have commenced on these levels. One person I have spoken with had been on New OT V for over 12 years. He himself figured that he had finished them, but he was not allowed to.
All this is a rather huge change with the original Bridge which was very clear-cut indeed. You knew your end phenomena. A huge difference is as well that with the original Bridge you would be in control of you and you yourself would know when you had achieved the end phenomena of a process. This is indeed very different from these New OT levels as here you have to be told by someone else if you have achieved that or not.

As one proceeds on the various stages and steps in Scientology it should result in an increase of stability and certainty foremost in oneself as a person in the degree that one unfolds more of oneself. I do not perceive this is actually happening with today's completions of OT levels. They may feel great, or so it may seem and they may be doing their thing in life, work or other, so they may say, but there is a missing factor in regards to certainty in oneself. There appear to remain to exist obvious parts of knowledge, understanding and observations that they certainly have not mastered and are uncertain about. It could be so that prestige does not help to acknowledge and see that. Completion of OT levels have for a variety of Scientologists sort of turned into that status, “You see, I am OT [such and so], therefore listen to me and don't try to tell mé anything!”, something like that.
Practically there can also be seen a difference in the nature of the success stories that we see printed in for example in pre 1977-78 issues of Scientology magazines such as Advance! and Clear News! This compared to these success stories that are printed after that time. This is actually an observation that quite a few people since have made and expressed.


Old technical bulletin volumes better than the new ones?

Adding to the confusion may also very well be that the information that is presently found in particularly ‘The Technical Bulletins of Dianetics and Scientology’ volumes released in 1991 in fact contain contradictory information, whereas the information prior to 1978 is clear-cut. We have for example New Era Dianetics principles that replaced those from Standard Dianetics. Much of the previous information is still present in these old references, then later years have added different interpretations or standards in some of these old references, here and there. The problem here is that both these standards exist simultaneously in these same volumes, which of course will be a cause to serious confusion.
Interesting here is that if you take the previous 1976 release of ‘The Technical Bulletins of Dianetics and Scientology’ volumes I to X (covering 1950 to 1975), and skip the in 1979 & 1980 released volumes XI & XII (covering 1976-79), that you effectively will skip also any confusion in the given information!

I print here below again:
  
          Opposed to:
 July 1978:   1.  New Era Dianetics (NED)  Standard Dianetics (1969)
 September 1978:   2.  NED for OTs (NOTs), NED or Dianetics never run on OTs  Dianetics run on OTs (1970)
 3.  Change in definition of Clear  (abandoning
Grade V, VA, VI & Clearing Course and thus abandoning the Scientology Clear)
 Definition of Clear established (1965)

 
Back to Main Index The original OT VIII vs The end of the road?
(Includes:  Wild imaginations flying high...)

A consideration could be made with that when we actually consult the circumscriptions for the abilities attained for OT VIII that one may would figure that it sounds like an end of cycle. As in what else can be achieved above that?

HCOB 26 Aug 68 “The Class VIII Course” says :
        
“The Class VIII Course will teach the entire subject of Scientology in its exact standard practical applications from ARC Straightwire to OTs. ...
        
 
How to handle exact data of the levels will be taught and data necessary to the level, as not doing standard actions are all that hang a case up, no matter what level a case is from—Straightwire to OT VIII.”          LRH
 

Clear had been:
    
  
 Clear  Ability to be at cause over mental matter, energy, space and time on the 1st dynamic (survival for self)  Freedom from inability to be at cause over mental matter, energy, space and time. ‘Stops’ being nonsurvival on the 1st dynamic.
And OT VIII basically added upon and extended this:
    
  
 Section VIII OT  Ability to be at cause knowingly and at will over thought, life, form, matter, energy, space and time, subjective and objective  Freedom from inability to be totally free and at total cause as a being

Above entries are taken from June & December 1970 Grade Chart.


Wild imaginations flying high...

What else was there still to expect? The notices found in ‘Clear News 93 (AOLA* edition)’ [ca Sept/Oct 73] on page 3 does attempt to make some rather wild and presumptuous guesses at it:
    “*Exterior with full perception?*
*Total Cause?*
*Able to create and destroy MEST?*
*Levitation?*
*Telepathy?*
*Teleportation?*
*Total ARC?*
*Intergalactic travel?*
*Able the predict the future?*
*Able to create new bodies?*
*Able to ‘just know’ anything?*
*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*”
Mind that this is all purely hypothetical! After all this is not what Scientology actually was about. In fact it is entirely irrelevant. It actually surprises me to see these kind of speculations printed in such a magazine and it may have been all incited by this one sentence in that aforementioned HCOB from July 1973 foreshadowing “perhaps 15 levels above OT VII fully developed but existing only in unissued note form”.

It is an assumption that any such ‘abilities’ could/would manifest themselves when doing some OT levels, as the reports are that some particular OT level would not awake a pre-described ability. Any traits or awarenesses may manifest at random on any level and differ from person to person judging from the testimonies that have been given by them in the past. But again speculating or focusing about what some level would give for abilities is still not doing Scientology. All Scientology essentially is about is removing mental barriers. As any person will have different such barriers, that came about in different circumstances and for different reasons, it will not be possible in advance to determine what will manifest in some person when some barriers do get removed or get shifted. Important is also to realize that we as persons are living on different levels in regards to intelligence, experience and interests. It is a reality that you also can not run that which does not fall in the awareness or range of some person. That what you do not see, you can not do anything about.
This in essence also would explain why we have people having done some of these original OT levels and that they as a person did not in particular change. And in later times they could even abandon Scientology or turning against it. It requires your willingness, involvement and activity. It was never about sitting in some chair and dreaming, “Now am I going to go free and get powerful!”. It doesn't work that way, nonetheless many a person went about it that way! L. Ron Hubbard also made clear already very early on that Scientology is foremost for the intelligent and the able. This is not without reason as this is what is required to reach full end phenomena of anything. Just as it is with any other subject or study you commence on. It is however not said either that if you would be fulfilling the intelligence and ability criteria's that you would make a better job of it. All that you may get is an additional set of tools and understanding you can work and play with.

See, a person in the degree that they received more and more information could start to assume things and then could stop being critical about matters altogether. A basic frame of mind then gets established that may got triggered because of prestige. There is knowledge but it created the inability to actually reason with the information. This can be commonly observed with university graduates and such. It has been said that the only price for freedom is constant alertness and willingness to fight back. Understanding got nothing to do with amassing information. The former does not automatically come with the latter. New information has to be observed by you to find out if it is true for you and what it may mean to you, many persons fail to follow up on that.


There are selection of observations that I wish to pose here:
  (1)
Why were these speculations being made here and who originated this?, as to my knowledge they have not in particular been presented like that prior to this point in time;
 
  (2)
the realization that L. Ron Hubbard had not been around during 4 Dec 72–mid-Sept 73;
 
  (3)
that upon the return of L. Ron Hubbard that suddenly each and every issue of the AOLA periodical Clear News had a photograph of L. Ron Hubbard presented on its front cover starting with issue #94 [ca Oct 73)], when this was never the case on any issue prior to this;
 
  (4)
and as a matter of coincidence #93 of the periodical was also the very last issue to make mention of details concerning achieved end phenomena or what to expect on these levels above Clear.
 
Some people have said that photographs of persons increase their significance when a person may have died. It's then just a means to keep memories close to some deceased person. In this case however L. Ron Hubbard had returned after having been mysteriously completely out of reach with the organization for a period of about 9½ months. That what was interesting is that the L. Ron Hubbard was not in particular anymore a public figure when he returned. New breakthroughs (releases) were not introduced anymore by him in person, something that he also had done prior to his disappearance. He was also not present at important meetings or openings. He then also altogether had effectively ceased lecturing in public. We don't either see much anymore of Mary Sue Hubbard either anymore. In regards to their children they could appear in public for some presentation still as late as 1977-78, but then we don't see or hear about them either. The face towards the public about technical matters was, although briefly, taken over by David Mayo, the Senior. C/S International. He presented the release for example of NED for OTs and the later Solo NOTs. I say briefly as David Mayo was also gotten rid off by 1982.

It can also be perceived that the original intent of OT VIII effectively failed to ‘solidify’. That repeatedly messages had gone out, about that it would be released soon, but that it failed to ever materialize, and even withdrawn, could be seen as particularly bad planning. Hopes were kept high as one prepaid for it during the whole of the ’70s (at least from October 1968 to October 1980, see price inserts in ‘Advance 2’ to ‘Advance! 66’). People have been assuming that the person L. Ron Hubbard actually was still around. I did track these things in a chronological overview that can be consulted at link here below:  (separate window)
    “The whereabouts of L. Ron Hubbard chronology   or  A closer look at 1972, 1977 & 1982”

We do have the option that some entity simply did not want the original OT VIII to be released. Instead, and much later, then something else was released.

Go to index

 
Back to Main Index Mention of OT levels above OT VIII (A brief chronological track)

The so-called L-Rundowns are claimed to have emerged from research into the levels above OT VIII. This may be so, or this may not be so. Reality is that they have not ever been considered by themselves as some OT level. The message also has been that one could receive these rundowns (lists) at various different points on the Bridge.

1971:  The earliest instance of mention of levels above OT VIII (as attributed to L. Ron Hubbard) is found in HCOB 30 Aug 71 I “Student Completions”. It provides for the following interesting entries:
         “27.
OT VIII 3 points (when released).
        
  28.
OT IX 3 points (when released).
 
  29.
OT X 3 points (when released).”
 
This is found in ‘The Technical Bulletins of Dianetics and Scientology: Volume VII, 1970-1971’ (1976 release). It is attributed to as having been written by L. Ron Hubbard. However a notice appears underneath it in this volume:
         “[This HCO B was revised four times by issues not written by LRH, the latest of which is BTB 30 August 1971RD, Issue I, Revised 15 May 1975, Paid Completion Points – Pc Completions, Student Completions and Internship Completions.]”          
It is accordingly also indicated in its appearance in these volumes that it was REPLACED by BTB 30 Aug 71RD, which is a not by L. Ron Hubbard written issue-type. It appears unclear insofar or in which degree L. Ron Hubbard was actually involved with the original release of the HCOB version. After all HCOBs as a rule do not get cancelled by a minor issue-type such as a BTB. It was only reverted to if the reference was not actually written by L. Ron Hubbard to start with. An at a much later date released technical bulletin interestingly notes the following:
        
“Board Technical Bulletin 30 August 71 Issue I RF Revised 24 September 76, RF-I, Issue I RF-I, I RF-2 are hereby cancelled. It is not valid anyway, nor any previous BTB on the subject of student, preclear or interneship Paid Completions as they and their series cancel an HCOB. BTBs cannot cancel HCOBs.”
(from HCOB 14 Jun 77 “Paid Completions Simplified” )
        
        
(Notice: one may have thought this would restore the original HCOB, but the fact is that this was not done, it remained cancelled)
        
During December 1974 lots of HCOBs got cancelled or reissued as BTBs. Reason was that the HCOB issue-type would from January 1974 and forward be reserved for L. Ron Hubbard only.

Mind that this HCOB 30 Aug 71 I “Student Completions” is not either a technical issue, it is an administrative matter of points counted when services had been completed. These points were calculated for “statistical purposes”. Mind that L. Ron Hubbard was very rarely involved in such details like figuring out points and things like that. A guiding rule could be set by him and the rest was relegated to staff to complete. Per the information ac covered here above it can easily be perceived here that someone else added OT IX and X on the list.

Are we going to take the mention of this OT IX and OT X seriously as if tangible? I guess we really shouldn't.

1973:  Then we have the already previously mentioned HCOB 30 Jul 73 “Scientology, Current State of the Subject and Materials” that has been providing for this one sentence:
        
“There are perhaps 15 levels above OT VII fully developed but existing only in unissued note form, pending more people's full attainment of OT VI & VII.”          (attributed to LRH)
        
Although this is released at a time that L. Ron Hubbard was said to be in hiding (4 Dec 72 to mid-Sept 73;). And thus was not physically around. So, how (or who) got it published and with that date?

1975:  Accordingly probably due to this message from aforementioned HCOB it changed on the January 1975 Grade Chart (©1974) the text from the previous Grade Chart OT VIII into OT VIII AND ABOVE.

1977:  Then we have in early 1977:
        
OT VIII has been in existence all those several years, and to it has been added a very large number of OT grades. None of them have been issued. Notes for all these grades are in existence.”          LRH
(from HCOB 24 Jan 77 “Tech Correction Round-up”)
        

HCOB 31 Aug 74RA (Re-Revised 9 Apr 77) “New Grade Chart” added following the mention of OT VIII: OT IX on up.”.

1978:  ‘LRH ED 301 Int’, 17 Dec 78 “Ron's Journal 30, 1978—The Year of Lightning Fast New Tech” notes:
        
UPPER LEVELS.  There are other OT levels above VIII but these will be released from time to time when people are ready for them. We're already higher than Man has ever been and it can get quite stratospheric.”
        

The (December) 1978 Grade Chart as published in ‘What Is Scientology?’ (1978 edition) is the first chart to actually note OT IX and Above” following OT VIII. Odd enough on the [December] 1980 Grade Chart it was reverted back to only mentioning OT VIII and Above”.

1982-83:  Later with HCOB 19 Jan 82 “New – Streamlined Classification and Gradation Chart” the original OT levels IV-VIII were dropped and the subsequent March 1982 (Temporary Issue) Grade Chart then lists other actions developed at a much later date as the ‘New’ OT levels IV-VII. This Grade Chart also added the mention of various additional levels and lists now up to “New OT XI. (for details see the 2 tables found in article here, separate window). Finally the October 1983 Grade Chart lists up to “New OT XV where it is still at today.

1986:  The next mention about higher OT levels was in a speech given by Pat Broeker on 27 Jan 1986 at a meeting held in the Hollywood Palladium that was arranged to announce the passing of L. Ron Hubbard to the Scientology public. He said:
        
“New OT IX and X have also been finished and written up. There are several other OT levels that it is my job to compile.” & “We have a thick sheaf of LRH's notes for New OT XI, XII, XIII and so forth and then a stack about 5 feet high comprising the materials of subsequent OT levels!” (quoted in ‘International Scientology News 8’ [ca Feb-Mar 86])
        

And these are basically all the notices there have been till this point in time.

 

Vocabulary:

     ..R, ..RA, ..RB (etc) or #R, #RA (etc):
For example: ‘HCO PL 24 Sept 70R’ & ‘HCO PL 24 Sept 70RA, etc. The given date denotes the first time it has been published in issue-form. The R, RA indication may also follow after an issue-number. The R stands for ‘Revision’ and would refer to that it has been revised since it was first published. If it is revised a 2nd time it is indicated as RA, a 3rd time RB, then RC, and so on.
     Advanced Org(anization) (AO):
The denominates a Scientology organization which delivers higher level auditing and training. The first Advanced Organization was located in Saint Hill, England. The initials AO will appear somewhere in the name for the various AOs. For example: AOLA, ASHO, AOSH EU, etc.. This may also be referred to as a Saint-Hill organization.
     AO:
Short for ‘Advanced Organization’. See at that entry in vocabulary.
     AOLA:
Advanced Organization Los Angeles’: A Scientology organization which services higher level auditing & training, located in Los Angeles, USA.
     audit, auditing, auditor:
The application of Scientology processes and procedures to someone by a trained auditor (listener). The goal of the auditor is to make the receiver of the auditing look at incidents and reduce the mental charge which may lay upon them. The auditor may not evaluate and has to adhere to the Auditor's code.
     BTB:
Board Technical Bulletin’. Color flash–red ink on cream paper. These are the issues of the Boards of Directors of the Churches of Scientology and are separate and distinct from HCO Bulletins written by LRH. Only LRH issues may be printed green on white for Technical Bulletins and only LRH issues may have the prefix HCO. These Board issues are valid as tech. (BPL 14 Jan 74R I, New Issues).
  This issue-type was established in January 1974. In December 1974 a project was started to cancel HCOBs not written by L. Ron Hubbard and if still found being of value having them reissued as BTBs. By 1980 all BTBs had been revoked.
     Dynamics:
The urge, thrust and purpose of life – SURVIVE! – in its eight manifestations. The First Dynamic, survival of self; the Second Dynamic, the urge toward survival through sex and children; the Third Dynamic, the urge to survive through a group. The Fourth Dynamic, the urge to survive through all mankind; the Fifth Dynamic, the urge to survive through all living things; the Sixth Dynamic, the urge toward survival as the physical universe; the Seventh Dynamic, the urge toward survival through spirits or as a spirit; the Eighth Dynamic, the urge toward survival through infinity. (Marriage Hats booklet)
    HCO PL:
Hubbard Communication Office Policy Letter’. Color flash–green ink on white paper. Written by LRH only, but only so starting from January 1974. These are the organizational and administrative issue line. For more information go here (separate window).
     intensive:
Auditing is sold in “numbers of intensives.” These are given in chunks exactly scheduled by Tech Services Monday to Friday. Today we would call the 12½ hour intensive given in one week an intensive. (LRH ED 145R Int, 6 Oct 71)
     LRH:
An usual abbreviation for ‘L. Ron Hubbard’.
     Operating Thetan (OT):
1. Willing and knowing cause over life, thought, matter, energy, space and time. And that would of course be mind and that would of course be universe. (SH Spec 80, 6609C08)  2. An individual who could operate totally independently of his body whether he had one or didn't have one. He's now himself, he's not dependent on the universe around him. (SH Spec 66, 6509C09)  3. A being at cause over matter, energy, space, time, form and life. Operating comes from “able to operate without dependency on things” and thetan is the Greek letter theta (θ), which the Greeks used to represent “thought” or perhaps “spirit” to which an “n” is added to make a new noun in the modern style used to create words in engineering. (Book of Case Remedies, p. 10)
     org(s):
Short for ‘organization(s)’.
     OT:
Short for ‘Operating Thetan’. See at that entry in vocabulary.
     pc(s):
Short for ‘preclear(s)’. See at that entry in vocabulary.
     PDH, PDHed:
Pain Drugs Hypnosis’. A person is put into a trance through use of pain, drugs and hypnosis and is told things. Roughly it means you have become stimulus response without really having control of yourself anymore.
     preclear (pc):
1. A person who, through Scientology processing, is finding out more about himself and life. (The Phoenix Lectures, p. 20)  2. A spiritual being who is now on the road to becoming Clear, hence preclear. (HCOB 5 Apr 69)  3. One who is discovering things about himself and who is becoming clearer. (HCO PL 21 Aug 62)
     Q&A:
Question and Answer’. 1. When the term Q and A is used it means one did not get an answer to his question. It also means not getting compliance with an order but accepting something else. (HCOB 5 Dec 73)  2. The origin of the term comes from “changing when the pc changes.” A later definition was “Questioning the pc's Answer.” The basic answer to a question is, obviously, a question if one follows the duplication of the comm formula completely. Q and A is a failure to complete a cycle of action on a preclear. An auditor who starts a process, just gets it going, gets a new idea because of pc cognition, takes up the cognition and abandons the original process is Q and A-ing. (HCOB 7 Apr 64)
     reactive mind:
1. That portion of a person's mind which works on a stimulus-response basis (given a certain stimulus, it gives a certain response) which is not under his volitional control and which exerts force and the power of command over his awareness, purposes, thoughts, body and actions. It consists of GPMs, Engrams, Secondaries and Locks. (Scientology Abridged Dictionary)  2. Stored in the reactive mind are engrams, and here we find the single source of aberrations and psychosomatic ills. (Scientology 0-8, p. 11)  3. ‘bank’: a colloquial name for the reactive mind. This is what the procedures of Scientology are devoted to disposing of, for it is only a burden to an individual and he is much better off without it. (Scientology Abridged Dictionary)  4. The reactive mind acts below the level of consciousness. It is the literal stimulus-response mind. Given a certain stimulus it gives a certain response. (The Fundamentals of Thought, p. 58)
     ‘The Technical Bulletins of Dianetics and Scientology’:
This is a series of books that contain the HCOBs, and any references that are primarily dealing with technical matters. The HCOBs are printed in red ink on white paper, and the volumes themselves come in red bindings. The references are arranged in chronological release order (per issue date). These books may also be referred to as the ‘red volumes’. The ‘old red volumes’ then would refer to the 1976-80 release, the ‘new red volumes’ instead to the 1991 release. See a listing of published volumes here (pop-up window).


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