First, I’ll go ahead and apologize again to myself and to anyone else reading this for not updating and being more involved in the project. I really want to be committing more time to this, after all I only have a few more months to get it right, and those will be taken up with the larger, more complex faiths. Despite what it may seem like, what with the very few posts concerning paganism, and the disparagingly few so far to cover Scientology, this is a very important project for me, and I don’t take it, nor my lax duties, very lightly.

That said, today I would like to share one of the cornerstones of Scientology- the eight dynamics of existence.
Scientology Cross

According to Scientology, all life exists and strives under the commandment to survive. As time passes we wish to be able to grow and survive, not only as an individual, but as a group, and even as a spiritual being. In Scientology and Dianetics these urges are called dynamics. L. Ron Hubbard originally posited four different dynamics in Dianetics (one to four). Later on, after his research that would culminate in the doctrine of Scientology, he posited four additional dynamics (five to eight). These eight dynamics are symbolized as the Scientology cross.

The dynamics are, generally, as follows:

First- The survival of oneself. This is the urge to become an individual and survive as a fit, unique person for the longest possible amount of time.

Second- Survival through family. This is the idea that one can live on through one’s children and the rearing of future generations. It encompasses sex and the basic relationships of the family.

Third- Surviving as a group. The third dynamic encompasses survival as a member of any group- a group of friends, a company, a class, a nation, or even a world. Whether it be transitory or permanent, large or small, each group that you consider yourself a part of is considered a third dynamic of survival.

Fourth- The survival of humanity. This dynamic is the continued existence of mankind as a species, including all races (each of which separately would count as a third dynamic).

Fifth- The survival and preservation of all life. Here the dynamics begin to step up a notch in scope and spirituality. The first of these is the urge for every form of life to survive as well as one’s own. The fifth dynamic is to survive for the sake of all life to survive.

Sixth- Survival of the physical universe. Scientologists believe that we have the urge to see the survival of matter, energy, space, and time (MEST). In addition to our own selves, our groups, and various forms of life, it would make sense that we would also want the substance of the universe in which we inhabit to survive as well, such as our own planet.

Seventh- The survival of the spirit and the spiritual universe. This is the motivation to continue on existing after we cease to exist as a body in the physical universe, the dynamic of the thetan.

Eighth- Existence as infinity, or the Supreme Being, or God. This is the dynamic of the never-ending life, to exist throughout all time (or perhaps even without time).

It is important to note that no one dynamic is considered more important than any other, though each person may put more stock and resources into some rather than others, this is just a matter of taste. An environmentalist would probably focus more time on the fifth and sixth dynamic, whereas an athlete may focus primarily on the first and third dynamics. All eight dynamics are closely interlinked, and if one or more gets pulled out or ignored, all of them suffer as a consequence.

As a person becomes more aware of their lives and the world around them, they become more interested in these dynamics. Scientology helps by explaining each of these areas of existence and teaching people how to balance between them and apply themselves to them so that they may feel more fulfilled and eventually get to the point where they feel they can survive in the eighth dynamic. That is, to exist for eternity as an infinite, spiritual being.