Dear Editor (continued)
systems of psychotherapy and religion which in different words present the 'perennial philosophy'. Prejudices vary so much that each new system will reach a number of people who are relatively inaccessible to other systems.
"It is my belief that I have never benefitted by the processing of dianetics or scientology. This is no libel against these processes but rather an admission that moment to moment experience outside the artificial environment of the auditing room has been my greatest teacher. 'Practice of the presence of God' could be considered a way of life rather than a self-processing technique. I consider it the supreme distillation from all these systems and, being so completely simple, it appears to be most difficult." -- Dr. Gordon Beckstead, Phoenix.
"Your publication, The Aberree, has caught my fancy ... and I hope you don't discontinue his thing as soon as you get my buck." -- -Donald R. London, Bremerton, Wash.
"I spent a few minutes this morning trying to clarify my thoughts on why I have benefitted from Dianetics/Scientology. There seem to be many reasons but still feel a little confused by it all. I have tried writing a validation of Scientology for First Book-Fourth Book Dianeticists which will be in the mails in due course.
"I have tried to differentiate my reactions from that of others to find the factors that have enabled me to progress greatly while many others did not.
"I find this difficult because I cannot at this time get inside of other people's skins. I must rely on their words and their actions.
"One factor that stands out was the drive that I had to do things for myself. I found that others depended on me and that the self-determinism goal was seemingly impeded by this.
"I discovered the same desire within myself to find someone to lean on. In the course of being rejected by many auditors on whom I wanted to lean, I discovered the strength of this feeling and recognized that I could make the decision to be apathetic or to continue alone. So I continued alone. I still felt and feel that under the proper auditor I could drop my aberrations and re-examine my postulates and decisions faster.
"This would not be 'leaning', I think. It would be a co-operative endeavor in which I could put full trust in the other fellow to guard me from harm while I turned all my attention inward.
"In the preliminary stages of testing out the situation, I know that I seem to be asking for somewhat more than that. So now I suspect that other people are acting similarly and that I simply was unable to accept the degree of responsibility they required in an auditor.
"I required less until I had experience with several who tried to push me around without reference to my own directions and feelings. I.e.: I would do as requested until I encountered something I wanted to explore. They did not have the patience or knowledge to let me explore, tried to keep me going in their directions.
"Getting back to the question of why I 'succeeded', I think partly because I was able to 'visualize' goal and various steps and to accomplish them; partly because I had made an extremely strong decision to go ahead after a long time feeling of failure; partly because I had been shaken up a bit some years earlier by an application of General Semantics so that I had a more efficient framework to think and analyze with.
"Partly because I lost or did not have a fear of change. I met many who feared instability, who insisted on two-valued speaking because it 'made things stable'.
"Partly because of my engineering background which emphasizes usable answers rather than absolute answers." -- Bernard Ross, New York, N. Y.
"I feel as though I am fed 'way up to here', with the enturbulence that has surrounded Scientology. Seems to me that there are too many chiefs and little enough Indians. I had hoped that since Book One, the little thetas would stabilize and stick to the original goals; instead they've turned out to be goahls. Everybody trying to get into everybody's pocket. Nutz. Everybody mad at everybody. Every two weeks, so it seems, the latest in techniques. The latest data in book or pamphlet form, come and get it. Only to be a rehash of the same words in different order. COULD THIS BE SCIENTOLOGY?
"The wars will still continue in spite of LRH writing to the field to write to him good or bad, and he will give such his personal attention...
"Enough. You are doing a wonderful job with the Aberree. THIS is something that IS GOOD for the Scientologists. Keep up the good work." -- T. E. Josephson, Los Angeles, Calif.
"The more I see of The Aberree, the better I like it." -- George E. Larson, Tampa, Fla.
"Some weeks ago I saw a copy of the Ghost. Our group secretary today showed me his first copy of The Aberree. It's good. I would like to subscribe and perhaps you can tell me how I am to get the 'coupla bucks' over to you from this monetary ridge surrounded island? ...
"The future time track should show a great stream of pcs bursting the first enthusiasm of novelty to find that Scientology is a reality and has come to stay?" -- Dr. James Clark, Lochielbank, Scotland.
"Judged from your sample copy (Vol. 1, No 7) 'The Aberree', like your stated policy, will be as a fresh