Volume 6, Issue 8, page 6

All 'Phelloliloia' of
Processing Labeled
Form of 'Hypnosis'
By ART COULTER
HERE seems to be a general impression that Scientological processing
helps some persons. Whether the
benefits are worth the money is another question -- and the gains must
be weighed against the harm done in
some cases. Nevertheless, the fact
remains that some people a r e
helped. But why? It's quite simple;
Scientology works because it produces in the pre—clear a state of hypnosis.

Now I am quite aware that Scientologists
vehemently deny this. I also realize that many
pre-clears, with thousands of hours of processing, may also question it. I can understand this viewpoint, because for many years I
shared it. I was once a pre-clear myself, and
I know I did not get any of the "mumbo-jumbo
look deeply into my eyes" sort of stuff that
we have some to associate with hypnotism. And
I hotly defended auditing against the "charges" that hypnotism was used. Only gradually ,
after further investigation, did I come to
realize the truth: That I had accepted a sugrstion to the effect that I was not under
pnosis. When I had cleared out this hypnotic
command and examined the matter rationally and
open-mindedly, it soon became quite obvious
that processing is basically a new way of inducing a state of hypnosis.

Let me try to prove this. First of all, it
is necessary to make a basic distinction between hypnosis and hypnotise. Hypnosis is a
condition of increased suggestibility that is
produced in an individual. In this condition,
there is an increased tendency to accept suggestions made by the operator, on an " A equals
A equals A" basis, ' without question or the exercise of critical judgment. These suggestions
may be verbal or nonverbal, direct or indirect. The key point about hypnosis is the increased suggestibility.

Hypnotism, on the other hand, consists of
the words and actions done by the operator to
produce a state of hypnosis in another human
being. Classically, this involves use of an
authoritarian manner, with verbal suggestions
repeated over and over. Now, it should be
clearly emphasized that I am not saying that
the auditor uses hypnotism'.

What I maintain is that a state ot hypnosis
is induced by Scientological processing. This
is easily tested. Does the pre-clear show an
increased tendency to accept suggestions? If
he does, he is in a hypnotic state. Certainly
every auditing session I have observed or participated in., the pre-clear did show an in
creased suggestibility.

Viewed from this light, it becomes quite
clear that all the benefits of Scientological
processing are simply the result of hypnotic
suggestions. These are achieved not by using
the techniques of classical hypnotism, but in
a different way.

How are these suggestions installed? First,
there is the suggestion: "Processing will make
you better". This is stated with certainty and
conviction, over and over, in the literature.
Second, there is the repetitive ritual of processing itself. Please note the stress given
to repetition. Thirdly, there is the suggestion that bizarre phenomena will occur. These
may be "pre-natal engrains" or "past deaths" or
"Facsimile One" or "being three feet behind
your head", etc. As far as I know, the objective validity of these phenomena has never
been proved. Y et they are accepted without
question as absolute truth. From an operational point of view, there is no difference between phenomena such as these and the delusions
and hallucinations that are produced by classical hypnotism.

The subjective vividness of the phenomena
is sometimes advanced as "proof" of their validity. But this is no proof. The phenomena
produced by classical hypnotism are equally
vivid to the subject. Tell the subject, under
hypnosis," You cannot move your arm", and be
will quite literally be unable to move his arm.
This is quite real to him. yet objectively he
has not lost his ability to move his arm. He
has merely accepted, at the identic mode ,level ,
the suggestion that he cannot move his arm.

So it is with scientological processing. A
state of hypnosis is induced in the pre-clear,
in which he is increasingly susceptible to
hypnotic suggestions. one of the more important suggestions that is installed, early in
the game, is that the individual is not under
hypnosis. This is rather clever, because it
removes any negative feelings the pre-clear
may have against being under hypnotic control.

As far as I am concerned, I have proved to
my own satisfaction that Scientological processing induces hypnosis in pre-clears. But no
one has to take my word for it. A very simple
teat suggests itself.. First, obtain the services of a competent hypnotist -- one who is impartial. Next, have an auditor give processing
to a pre-clear for 15-30 minutes. Then let the
auditor administer verbal suggestions to the
pre-clear, as directed by the hypnotist. Observe how the pre-clear responds to these
suggestions, and compare his response with the
way he responds to the same or similar suggestions given by another person when fully conscious. If his suggestibility is greater during processing, he is in a state of hypnosis.

Hypnosis is an acceptable method of psychotherapy. I am not questioning its validity.
Personally, I prefer other methods. But to use
a method which induces hypnosis, while denying
hypnosis is used, is questionable procedure.
0*)
"NBY HORIZONS" HA YB A "LOSE " HORIZON
Complaints that too many magazines are named
"New Horizons" caused Max "Huns" Long to rechristen his "baby" for Issue 2. In "Huns Vistas", devoted to the Tarot cards, Max continues his facetious slant on the deck of historical pasteboards few of us can understand -- even
if we study diligently the myriad explanations
and interpretations (including Max'sl. But to
a fellow foe of "Foundations for Sucker Bilking", we acclaim the change in mastheads.