Hubbard’s Operating Thetan Levels

Article written by Aviv Bershadsky

(‘OT’ means Operating Thetan.)

Ron Hubbard defined the state of OT as follows: “Let us look at the definition of OT – cause over thought, life, form, matter, energy, space and time.” (from: Policy Letter “OT Orgs” 14.1.1969). Another definition is found in the technical dictionary, page 280, “7. This state of being is attained by drills and familiarity after the state of Clear has been obtained. A real OT has no reactive bank, is cause over matter, energy, space, time and thought and is completely free.”

Well, what is the difference between Clear and OT? Clear is defined as “A being without a reactive mind of his own” (from: the Bridge to Toatal Freedom, Classification, Gradation and Awarness Chart of Levels and Certificates).

Hubbard fully clarifies the difference between Clear and OT in Ron’s Journal 67 recorded in 1967 (an important talk by Hubbard, known as ‘RJ 67’, in which he announced the release of OT III):
“A man is clear on the first dynamic. It is necessary to become OT in order to reach clear on all dynamics. Including the dynamic of society and of the physical universe.”

The state of OT is the final product of the Bridge to Total Freedom. When a person is Clear he has no longer a reactive mind of his own. But he is still influenced, in some way or another, by his other dynamics, for instance his relatives, the society in which he lives or the physical universe.

What OT really is

Ron says: “Thus there is a gradient scale of OT. It’s not an absolute. One is as OT as he can cause things. One of the things to cause is target attainment. When somebody can push through a target to completion, he’s to that degree OT.” (from: Policy Letter “OT Orgs” 14.1.1969)

Thus, the state of OT is attained gradually. That means, the individual goes through a set of grades and in each grade he comes closer to his ideal state in all the dynamics. These grades are the OT levels. The OT levels unleash the power and abilities concealed in the being. A being who is OT is free to set and attain each target he wishes.

The original OT levels as developed by Ron Hubbard

Ron Hubbard developed the OT levels from OT I to OT VIII, starting in the 1950’s. OT III, The Wall of Fire, was developed by Ron and released in 1967. It was announced in RJ 67 quoted above.

In the year 1978 Ron enhanced the Technology markedly. Ron described in detail the developments of this year in Ron’s Journal 30, issued on 17.12.1978 as LRH Executive Directive 301 Int, titled:
Ron’s Journal 30, 1978 – The Year of Lightening Fast New Tech.
In this article, Ron says, “1978 was indeed the year of tech breakthroughs!”
(Note: I strongly advise you to read this article in full. You will find it in Tech Volume XI, page 380.)

In this year, 1978, Ron released the Purification Rundown and New Era Dianetics and designed the Tech as we know it today. Ron lists 12 new releases under the heading “Discoveries and Advancements in Tech in 1978”.
Section No. 10 is devoted to a new process called New Era Dianetics for OTs (NOT’s for short). Ron describes the new process:
“10. NED for OTs. The discovery and development of techniques by which the Second Wall of Fire can be overcome. This consists of 29 fantastic new confidential rundowns, delivered by a specially trained OT auditor. The auditors are in training right now from AOs to give NED for OTs to all those who are OT III… Some of the miracles of life have been exposed to full view for the first time ever in NED for OTs.”

Advanced Orgs

In the same article, RJ 30, Ron details the OT Levels under the heading “Advanced Orgs”, page 388:

1. Setups. …
2. Solo Auditor’s Course. …
3. R6EW. …
4. Dianetics Clear Rehab. …
5. The Clearing Course. …
6. Operating Thetan I. …
7. OT II.
8. OT III. This is the big step and one has to allow time for it.
9. OT III Expanded.
10. OT VII. This is an auditing step by a professional OT auditor. It can be given in any sequence after OT III Expanded and before OT VIII. (Editor’s Note: yes, it is not a mistake, OT VII comes after OT III and before OT IV.)
11. NED for OTs. This is the big news of the OT world. … There is very wild excitement on the results of NED for OTs as, of course, they’ve never been seen before on this or any other planet. NED for OTs can be given any time after OT III and before OT VIII and is a prerequisite for OT VIII.
12. OT IV.
13. OT V.
14. OT VI.
15. OT VIII. (Editor’s Note: please note, OT VIII comes after OT VI because OT VII comes after OT III.)

What happened to the OT levels in the Church of Scientology?

When we examine the Bridge to Total Freedom in use currently in the Church of Scientology, we find significant deviations from the Bridge developed by Ron Hubbard as described in RJ 30 of 17.12.1978.

The process NED for OT’s on Hubbard’s Bridge of 1978 is not an OT level and it is not given a number. It is a process to be done after OT III and before OT VIII, so that every person who progresses on the OT levels will receive NOT’s auditing and will also do the original OT levels – IV, V, VI, VII and VIII.

In the Church’s Bridge, NOT’s appears as three separate OT levels! NOT’s in the Church is New OT V, New OT VI and New OT VII! The four original OT levels that Ron numbered as OT IV, OT V, OT VI and OT VII have disappeared and instead we have New OT IV – OT Drug Rundown, and NOT’s divided into three ‘New’ OT Levels.

Veteran scientologists tell us that during the 1970’s, they did the original OT levels and gained huge wins.
In the early 1980’s, when Ron ceased supervising personally the management of the Church and the delivery of the Tech, NOT’s was broken up into three OT levels and the original levels vanished.

These are the abilities attained on Ron’s OT levels:

OT I – Extroverts a being and brings about an awareness of self as a thetan in relation to others and the physical universe.

OT II – Ability to confront Whole Track.

OT III – Wall of Fire – Return of full self determinism; Freedom from overwhelm.

OT Drug Rundown – Eradication of the last vestiges of the effects of drugs on the being.

Audited NOT’s – Completion of Audited NOT’s Rundowns and ready to begin Solo NOTs.

Solo NOT’s Auditor Course – Ability to audit Solo NOT’s.

Solo NOT’s – Cause over life.

OT IV – Certainty of self as a being.

OT V – Re-familiarizes a thetan exterior with the physical universe; freedom from fixated introversion into MEST.

OT VI – Ability to operate freely as a thetan exterior and to act pan-determinedly; extends the influence of the thetan to the universe of others.

OT VII – Rehabilitation of intention; ability to project intention.

References:
– Book: Scientology 0-8, 1971 edition.
– The Bridge to Total Freedom.
Much Love, Aviv