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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)

1) G e n e r a l   o v e r v i e w / i n t r o d u c t i o n :   M i s s i o n   s t a t e m e n t ,   o v e r v i e w ,   r e s e a r c h   s p e c i f i c s I n t r o d u c t i o n   t o   S c i e n t o l o g y   a n d   L R H K e e p i n g   S c i e n t o l o g y   W o r k i n g ,   f u n d a m en t al s S c i e n t o l o g y   i n   m e d i a   a nd   I n t e r n e t   ( +   f o r u m s ,   W i k i p e d i a ) S c i e n t o l o g y :   I t s   t r u e   h i s t o r y   e x p o s e d ? S c i e n t o l o g y   Q & A   ( F A Q ) E x t e r n a l   l i n k s M a t e r i a l s   w a n t   l i s t R e c o m m e n d e d   l i s t   o f   m a t e r i a l s 2) R e s p o n s e s   ( w i t h   a n n o t a t i o n s ) : A p p r e c i a t i v e   r e s p o n s e s   t o   m y   p a g e s C r i t i q u e   r e c e i v e d   ( 1 )   f r o m   c h u r c h g o i n g   S c i e n t o l o g i s t s C r i t i q u e   r e c e i v e d   ( 2 )   f r o m   o u t - o f - c h u r c h   S c i e n t o l o g i s t s C r i t i q u e   r e c e i v e d    ( 3 )   f r o m   a n t i - S c i e n t o l o g i s t s 3) T o p i c s   o f   p a r t i c u l a r   i n t e r e s t : (a): G e n e r a l   t o p i c s H o l y   S c r i p t u r e s   v s   S c i e n t o l o g y L R H   v s   D i c t i o n a r i e s L R H   v s   t h e o r y   o f   e v o l u t i o n L R H ' s   w o r k s   o f   f i c t i o n (b): O r g a n i z a t i o n a l   t o p i c s A   p r i n t i n g   h i s t o r y   o f   t h e   m a t e r i a l s   o f   S c i e n t o l o g y S c i e n t o l o g y   M e m b e r s h i p :   H A S I   v s   I A S L R H   v s   p r i c i n g   p o l i c i e s T h e   c o p y r i g h t s   i s s u e   a n d   l i c e n s i n g (c): T e c h n i c a l   t o p i c s H i s t o r y   o f   G r a d e   C h a r t :   a )   G e n e r a l H i s t o r y   o f   G r a d e   C h a r t :   b )   D e t a i l e d ‘ C l e a r ’   d e f i n e d N E D   f o r   O T s T h e   ‘ P r i m a r y   R u n d o w n ’ 4) C o n t r o v e r s i a l   t o p i c s : M i s t a k e n   i d e a s   o f   ‘ E t h i c s ’   c l a r i f i e d T h e   F a i r    G a m e   L a w P r a c t i c e   o f   D i s c o n n e c t i o n S e c u r i t y   C h e c k i n g F r e e l o a d e r s   v s   E x - s t a f f   m e m b e r s T h e   ‘ R e h a b i l i t a t i o n   P r o j e c t   F o r c e ’   ( R P F ) 5) C h a n g e s   i n   t h e   f l o w   o f   ‘ i n f o r m a t i o n ’: (a): A l t e r a t i o n s   ( L R H   o r   n o n- L R H ? ) L R H   v s   A l t e r a t i o n s N o n - L R H   t u r n s   i n t o   L R H ?   &   P r o p o s a l   t o   s o l u t i o n T h e    ‘ C r a m m i n g   S e r i e s ’   -   L R H   o r   n o t   L R H ? B a s e d   o n   L R H   p u b l i c a t i o n s (b): G e n e r a l   o v e r v i e w L R H   v s   A   N e w   O r d e r   ( i n t r o d u c t i o n ) → A d m i n i s t r a t i v e   a n d    o r g a n i z a t i o n a l   m a t t e r s S e t u p   o f   t h e   p r i n t e d   m a t e r i a l s   ( 1 9 7 3 - 8 6 ) T h e   R T R C ,   t h e   u n i t   t h a t   w r o t e   L R H   i s s u e s   ( 1 9 7 3 - 8 2 ) T h e   d a w n i n g   o f   R T C   a n d   n e w   m a n a g e m e n t   ( 1 9 8 2 - 8 3 ) → T e c h n i c a l   m a t t e r s I n t r o d u c t i o n   t o   t h e   e v e n t   o f   l o s i n g   a   B r i d g e ) A n a l y s i s   o f   H C O B   “ T e c h   C o r r e c t i o n   R o u n d - u p ” L o s t   B r i d g e :   T e c h   c h a n g e s   d u r i n g   1 9 7 8 - 8 2 T h e   h i s t o r y   o f   t h e   o r i g i n a l   O T   V I I I ‘ G o l d e n   A g e   o f   T e c h ’   ( G A T )   a n a l y s i s D r i l l i n g   i n   S c i e n t o l o g y (c): T h e   m a t t e r   o f   D a v i d   M a y o S t o r y   o f   D a v i d   M a y o ‘ S O   E D   2 3 4 4   I n t’   a n a l y s i s T r a i n i n g   d r i l l s   ( T R s ) M a y o   r e f e r e n c e   l i s t 6) C o n s p i r a c i e s   -   I n   L .   R o n   H u b b a r d ' s   f o o t s t e p s S c i e n t o l o g y   v s   a   N e w   W o r l d   O r d e r → W h e r e   i s   L .   R o n   H u b b a r d ?   ( c h r o n o l o g y   o f   S c n   h i s t o r y ) W h e r e a b o u t s   o f   L .   R o n   H u b b a r d   c h r o n o l o g y T h e   e r a   o f   a d o r a t i o n ;   P r e s e n t a t i o n   o f   L .   R o n   H u b b a r d L .   R o n   H u b b a r d   i n t o   a r t i s t r y :   M u s i c   &   F i l m → W h e r e   i s   h i s   w i f e   a n d   f a m i l y ? S t o r y   o f   M a r y   S u e   H u b b a r d T h e   l a s t   s t a n d :   T h e   G u a r d i a n   O f f i c e 7) S c i e n t o l o g y   u n d e r   a t t a c k (a): A   p r e m e d i t a t e d   s e r i e s   o f   o c c u r r e n c e s ?   ( ’ 8 0 s   c o n s p i r a c y ) I n t r o d u c t i o n   &   R o n   D e W o l f G e r r y   A r m s t r o n g   ( ‘ a f f i r m a t i o n s ’ ) R u s s e l l   M i l l e r    ( ‘ B a r e - F a c e d   M e s s i a h ’ ) A   r e l i g i o n   c r e a t e d   f o r   t h e   m o n e y ? (b): B a t t l e s   f o u g h t   a n d   t h e   i n t e r n e t   ( 2 0 1 6 -   ) L e a h   R e m i n i :   S c i e n t o l o g y   a n d   t h e   A f t e r m a t h   ( T V   s h o w )

>> 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])

 
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)

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...

	“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”)

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 scope of Scientology (1970-72)
	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.

	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 snippet

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.”.

	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)
	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”:

“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.

	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.”

	“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?

	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.”

	“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.

	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:

(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.

	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)

	“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.

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.”

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.

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”!

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

Higher pricings

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.

Old technical bulletin volumes better than the new ones?

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?

	“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

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

Wild imaginations flying high...

“*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”.

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.

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.

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:

“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” )

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:

► 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:

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:

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).