Yesterday I discovered that one of the symbols of Scientology is a cross with 8 points on it. The 8 points on the cross represent something called the “8 Dynamics” in Scientology. I’m no expert in Scientology (only started reading about it yesterday), but the 8 Dynamics seem to be basically urges for survival which range from the personal to the universal. A Scientology FAQ offers the following descriptions of the 8 Dynamics, suggesting they form a concentric circle, with the individual standing at the center:

The first dynamic, self, is the effort to survive as an individual, to be an individual and to fully express one’s individuality.

The second dynamic is the urge toward existence as a future generation. It has two components: sex and the family unit, including the raising of children.

The third dynamic is the urge to survive as a member of a group. A company, a political party, a church or a social organization are all examples of the third dynamic.

The fourth dynamic is the urge for survival of man as a species. All of the races of man together constitute the fourth dynamic.

The fifth dynamic is the urge to survive for all life forms — animal or vegetable and anything directly and intimately motivated by life.

The sixth dynamic is the urge for survival of the physical universe and reflects the drive of the individual to enhance the survival of all matter, energy, space and time –the component parts of the physical universe.

The seventh dynamic is the urge toward existence as a spiritual being.

The eighth dynamic is the urge toward existence as infinity. This is also identified as the Supreme Being. Thus, this dynamic can be called the infinity, or God, dynamic.

The similarity to Timothy Leary’s 8 Circuit Model of Consciousness is hard to deny. The order and wording is rearranged a bit, of course. But it goes something like:

1. Bio-Survival Circuit
2. The Emotional-Territorial Circuit
3. The Semantic Circuit (concerned with systems of meaning)
4. The Social-Sexual Circuit
5. Neurosomatic Circuit (related to “bliss” or “ecstasy”)
6. Neuroelectric circuit (related to “metaprogramming” or “consciousness of abstracting”)
7. Neurogenetic Circuit (supposed to allow access to the collective race memory of the species; the collective unconscious, the akashic record, reincarnation, etc)
8. Neuro-Atomic Circuit (basically related to God or infinity - allows humans to operate outside space-time, etc)

In Leary’s system, the last four circuits are supposed to be somehow overlaid and correlated to the first four. Robert Anton Wilson is also a big proponent of this model. I know that they crafted this model using other older systems. But I’m curious if Scientology was one of them, or if Scientology is merely drawing on the same sources in mystical tradition. Does anybody have any good info on this?

If you look at the official Scientology site, you’ll run into a lot of confusing terminology about what the hell dynamics are all about. Check out this paragraph from “How Can Scientology Help Me With the Dynamics?”

[…] this dynamic can become more and more enturbulated until it is headed toward death, or succumb, exactly in the opposite direction. The dynamic goes toward succumb in the exact ratio that it is enturbulated. It goes toward survival in the exact ratio that it is clean and clear.

Hilarious. There’s also some really cute usage of stock photos. I highly recommend it. If you’re interested in decoding all the weird jargon, try reading through one of their glossaries.