Body thetan
Encyclopedia
In Scientology
, a thetan
is the term corresponding to one's "spirit", and a Body Thetan is another thetan
(spirit) who is 'stuck' in, on or near a human "meat body" because of activities of an ancient Space opera figure named Xenu
of the Galactic Confederacy. All human bodies were said by L. Ron Hubbard
to be covered in clusters of these misplaced thetans.
This information was originally published openly by Hubbard and the Church of Scientology
in a number of "policy bulletins" (HCOBs) and "policy letters" (HCOPLs), but were later made secret. It was also alluded to (although not described in any detail) in a publicly available cassette tape Hubbard released called "Ron's Journal 67", addressed to "all staff and students of Scientology organizations". For some years, it was reported by former Scientologists that the material was still being used, but not divulged until one reaches the third Operating Thetan
level (or OT III).
According to many former Scientologists who have reached Operating Thetan
levels, Xenu/Body Thetan material is still being taught in higher levels on Scientology's Bridge to Total Freedom
.
as a result of an event in their past. There are several Scientology Auditing
'processes' which are believed to help a body thetan restore free will. Upon reaching OT 3, the individual finds body thetans by locating any sensation of pressure or mass in his or her body. This is addressed telepathically as a cluster, and taken through the cluster-making incident of 75 million years ago.
will publicly deny the existence of space opera doctrines, or attempt to minimize their importance. Because the secret information imparted to members is to be kept secret from others who have not attained that level, the member must publicly deny its existence when asked. OT III recipients must sign a waiver promising never to reveal its secrets before they are given the manila envelope containing the Body Thetan knowledge.
It is supposedly knowledge so dangerous, as noted on the "Ron's Journal 67" cassette, that anyone learning this material before he is ready could die though many have learned the story and remain alive.
Despite the Church's efforts to keep the story secret, details have been leaked over the years. OT III was first revealed in Robert Kaufman's 1972 book Inside Scientology: Or How I Found Scientology and Became Super Human
, in which Kaufman detailed his own experiences of OT III. It was later described in a 1981 Clearwater Sun article by Richard Leiby, and came to greater public fame in a 1985 court case brought against the Church by Lawrence A. Wollersheim
. The Church attempted to keep the case file checked out by a reader at all times, but the story was synopsised in the Los Angeles Times
, November 5, 1985 and detailed in William Poundstone
's Bigger Secrets (1986) from information presented in the Wollersheim case. Church lawyer Warren McShane later claimed the story had never been secret, although maintaining there were nevertheless trade secret
s contained in OT III. Notably, McShane discussed the details of the Xenu/Body Thetans story at some length and specifically attributed the authorship of the story to Hubbard. Audio recordings exist of Hubbard lectures that discuss Body Thetans and other Space Opera subjects.
In HCOB 29, Hubbard vaguely describes another technique whereby one finds a key cluster of Body Thetans holding other clusters of Body Thetans together ("there can be a thousand or two BTs in such a mass"), and if you "handle" this key unit then "sometimes these explode apart as they blow."
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
, a thetan
Thetan
In Scientology, the concept of thetan is similar to the concept of spirit or soul found in other belief systems. The term is derived from the Greek letter theta, which in Scientology represents "the source of life, or life itself." In Scientology it is believed that it is the Thetan, not the...
is the term corresponding to one's "spirit", and a Body Thetan is another thetan
Thetan
In Scientology, the concept of thetan is similar to the concept of spirit or soul found in other belief systems. The term is derived from the Greek letter theta, which in Scientology represents "the source of life, or life itself." In Scientology it is believed that it is the Thetan, not the...
(spirit) who is 'stuck' in, on or near a human "meat body" because of activities of an ancient Space opera figure named Xenu
Xenu
Xenu ,also spelled Xemu, was, according to the founder of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of his people to Earth in a DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and killed them using hydrogen bombs...
of the Galactic Confederacy. All human bodies were said by L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
to be covered in clusters of these misplaced thetans.
This information was originally published openly by Hubbard and the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
in a number of "policy bulletins" (HCOBs) and "policy letters" (HCOPLs), but were later made secret. It was also alluded to (although not described in any detail) in a publicly available cassette tape Hubbard released called "Ron's Journal 67", addressed to "all staff and students of Scientology organizations". For some years, it was reported by former Scientologists that the material was still being used, but not divulged until one reaches the third Operating Thetan
Operating Thetan
In Scientology, the state of Operating Thetan is a spiritual state above Clear. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, defined it as "knowing and willing cause over life, thought, matter, energy, space and time ". According to religious scholar J...
level (or OT III).
According to many former Scientologists who have reached Operating Thetan
Operating Thetan
In Scientology, the state of Operating Thetan is a spiritual state above Clear. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, defined it as "knowing and willing cause over life, thought, matter, energy, space and time ". According to religious scholar J...
levels, Xenu/Body Thetan material is still being taught in higher levels on Scientology's Bridge to Total Freedom
The Bridge to Total Freedom
According to sources, a Scientologist moves up The Bridge to Total Freedom, or simply "The Bridge", to a state of Clear when they have freed themselves from their "reactive mind". Purportedly , this takes place beyond training sessions in Church of Scientology auditing, and is said to be a lifetime...
.
Free Will
According to Hubbard, body thetans cling to a body because they have lost their free willFree will
"To make my own decisions whether I am successful or not due to uncontrollable forces" -Troy MorrisonA pragmatic definition of free willFree will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long...
as a result of an event in their past. There are several Scientology Auditing
Auditing (Scientology)
Auditing was developed by L. Ron Hubbard, and is described by the Church of Scientology as "spiritual counseling which is the central practice of Dianetics and Scientology".-Description:...
'processes' which are believed to help a body thetan restore free will. Upon reaching OT 3, the individual finds body thetans by locating any sensation of pressure or mass in his or her body. This is addressed telepathically as a cluster, and taken through the cluster-making incident of 75 million years ago.
Secrecy
Often members of the Church of ScientologyChurch of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
will publicly deny the existence of space opera doctrines, or attempt to minimize their importance. Because the secret information imparted to members is to be kept secret from others who have not attained that level, the member must publicly deny its existence when asked. OT III recipients must sign a waiver promising never to reveal its secrets before they are given the manila envelope containing the Body Thetan knowledge.
It is supposedly knowledge so dangerous, as noted on the "Ron's Journal 67" cassette, that anyone learning this material before he is ready could die though many have learned the story and remain alive.
Despite the Church's efforts to keep the story secret, details have been leaked over the years. OT III was first revealed in Robert Kaufman's 1972 book Inside Scientology: Or How I Found Scientology and Became Super Human
Inside Scientology
The book should not be confused with the February 2006 Rolling Stone article, .Inside Scientology: How I Joined Scientology and Became Superhuman is a non-fiction book that takes a critical look at the Church of Scientology. It was written by Robert Kaufman, and published in 1972 by Olympia Press....
, in which Kaufman detailed his own experiences of OT III. It was later described in a 1981 Clearwater Sun article by Richard Leiby, and came to greater public fame in a 1985 court case brought against the Church by Lawrence A. Wollersheim
Lawrence A. Wollersheim
Lawrence Dominick Wollersheim is a former Scientologist. He sued the Church of Scientology in 1980. The story of Xenu was made public when Church materials detailing the Operating Thetan Level 3 were used as exhibits.-Legal actions:...
. The Church attempted to keep the case file checked out by a reader at all times, but the story was synopsised in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, November 5, 1985 and detailed in William Poundstone
William Poundstone
William Poundstone is an American author, columnist, and skeptic. He has written a number of books including the Big Secrets series and a biography of Carl Sagan...
's Bigger Secrets (1986) from information presented in the Wollersheim case. Church lawyer Warren McShane later claimed the story had never been secret, although maintaining there were nevertheless trade secret
Trade secret
A trade secret is a formula, practice, process, design, instrument, pattern, or compilation of information which is not generally known or reasonably ascertainable, by which a business can obtain an economic advantage over competitors or customers...
s contained in OT III. Notably, McShane discussed the details of the Xenu/Body Thetans story at some length and specifically attributed the authorship of the story to Hubbard. Audio recordings exist of Hubbard lectures that discuss Body Thetans and other Space Opera subjects.
Removal
In 1978, Hubbard announced a visualization technique to use against one's Body Thetans. The "Thetan Hand Technique" is to "mock up", or create in one's mind, an invisible thetan hand, and to use the edge of it as a knife cutting away the Body Thetans from yourself, literally slicing away with mental energy the "strings or lines or suction cups or beams" that connect your body to the Body Thetans. (HCOB 16, Sep 78, Issue 3)In HCOB 29, Hubbard vaguely describes another technique whereby one finds a key cluster of Body Thetans holding other clusters of Body Thetans together ("there can be a thousand or two BTs in such a mass"), and if you "handle" this key unit then "sometimes these explode apart as they blow."
External links
- OT III Course, summary and comments
- Margery Wakefield's "The Road to Xenu"
- OT III Scholarship Page (David S. TouretzkyDavid S. TouretzkyDavid S. Touretzky is a research professor in the Computer Science Department and the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition at Carnegie Mellon University. He received a BA in Computer Science at Rutgers University in 1978, and earned a Master's degree and a Ph.D. in Computer Science at Carnegie...
) - The NOTs Scholars Home Page (Scientology) (David S. Touretzky)
- Spaink on the Fishman affidavit