Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health Hot

I am a new member of the Church of Scientology, despite having seen all of the negative documentaries and knowing about the existence of the Freezone. I have my own reasons for going down the Corporate route, and I'm very happy with my org and my progress so far. If that ever changes, I'll bail. But until then, here I am...

I'm on my first ever course, the Dianetics: TMSMH Book and Lectures course. I was already familiar with Dianetics, having first encountered a tattered old copy of "The Original Thesis" in a charity shop some years ago.

For all the adulation that this book recieves from Scientologists - Corporate and Indy alike - it's actually a bit of a mess. Hubbard's prose is grandiose and rambling. He has a habit of making tangents, or of using three paragraphs where a sentence or two would suffice. There is good stuff here, don't get me wrong. But the real "crunch" of this book is buried under the weight of pages and pages of "fluff".

A far superiour source is the now out-of-print "Dianetics Today", available from Amazon for approximately £25. By far the best introduction to the subject is "Dianetics: The Original Thesis". The former work, while comprehensive, is much better edited. It "flows" in a much more logical fashion, and despite its length is a far more concise work overall. The latter book served as LRH's introduction to Dianetics for the medical community. Entirely absent is the sententious bombast that characterises "Dianetics: TMSMH". It's lean, mean and a delight to read.

In comparison to the two books mentioned above, "Book One" feels like wading through treacle. Indeed, I'm lucky to be reading it as part of a structured and intensive course, because that forces me to pay extremely close attention to every paragraph and pick up valuable data that I would otherwise miss due to clumsy presentation. Studying this work is a nescessary step in my gradient to becoming a competent and certified auditor, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

As above

Love it.

It was the first decent explanation of the human mind I had read... I studied psychology in high school and at a couple Universities, so I knew all the basic theories regarding man's mind. But, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health was the best and made the most sense to me.

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Dianetics was the first LRH book that I read.

In 1988, I saw a book display of Dianetics in an airport gift store and was intrigued by the cover and what it promised. I purchased a copy and sifted through the pages of text. Due to my own vocabulary deficits (at the time), I found some of its content difficult to fully comprehend.

However, I found enough of the basic concepts in Dianetics made sense to make me want to find out more. It contained key answers to questions that I had about myself and others. It seemed to provide solutions to problems that man has been plaque with for eons. Yet, after reading it I was at a loss with how to apply. I later found a Mission in Ft. Lauderdale that offered Dianetics processing described in the book and continued on my journey learning the philosophy developed by L Ron Hubbard for the next 24 years. Once I improved my vocabulary and learned how to study and re-read Dianetics, I have found the information in the book to be priceless.

I first read Dianetics the Modern Science of Mental Health on a train going to work ( I read it everyday on that train for about 3 weeks.) I eventually finished it and realized it
was important but I didn't do anything further.

Some years later I did 2 courses that went over this book in great detail. I applied the techniques in this book to help people handle the things that they wanted to handle in
their life.

I would not necessarily recommend this as a first book, unless you have read more beginning books on the subject, like Self Analysis (you can use Self Analysis on yourself and see how it works)it would be better to read a book like Self Analysis first.
That said, I am so glad I read Dianetics the Modern Science of Mental Health, even though I didn't really understand it well the first time.

While the book is a textbook for anyone who wants to practice Dianetics and Scientology, and once waded through and understood, contains a mine of information, I consider it too heavy for most beginners to the subject, or for anyone just wanting a basic overview of the subject. I think it was incorrectly marketed as an entry level book, and should rather have been marketed to more advanced students of Dianetics and Scientology.

When I went to a bookstore looking for a self-help book, Dianetics stuck out to me because of the television commercials that had been running on it at the time.I figured it would be a book on the power of positive thinking or some such approach to improving conditions in my life.By the time I got half way through the book it had blown me away! I had always enjoyed studying hard sciences and enjoyed reading science fiction novels so for me this book was a pleasant read.
Even so, I still had to read it twice to feel comfortable with the material presented in it.I have probably read this book 5 times and each time I read it I get more understanding out of it.

My advice to people who have a hard time reading or finishing it would be to pick up a lighter book on the subject such as "Dianetics: An Evolution of a Science" and/or "Self Analysis" and then tackle it again.

For people who think some of the info in the book is erroneous or false must understand that the science at the time it was printed was still in its infancy and advanced significantly as further research was done on the subject. However, the techniques put forth in the book are just as workable and valid as at the time the book was published.Some of the opinions of the author are just that and can be accepted or rejected as one may choose.

But if you really want to understand why man does the things he does I can think of no better book to read.

I am a bit biased in favor of this book because reading this is what got me into Scientology. This book gives an EXCELLENT understanding of how to help others in a very powerful way. The language and concepts require heavy study. It is not a light read. But if you dedicate yourself to the study of this material, you will see the human mind in a whole new light.

I found this book in my 20's when I was searching for truth. This book blew me away with its technical description of a very practical technology that people could used to help each other. I said to myself, "Oh boy! If this works, I am going to do this!"

So I went in to the local "Church of Scientology" mission in my town and found someone else who had just read the book as well. We got together and applied the material. And wow, it was right on! If you have the patience and desire to know, this book is extremely rewarding.

I put it down the first time I tried to read it as it didn't seem to apply to me. I read it after having had auditing and was then able to understand it.

I'm not even sure I have read DMSMH all the way through in one go. For me this book has always been a big dull dud. My biggest beef is that this book was never updated. Some very wild claims are still included to this day (ie. that Clear is an absolute state despite the author writing later that absolutes are unobtainable, or that Clears have perfect recall despite not one Clear ever being able to demonstrate it).

If you are keen to learn more about Dianetics then find a "How To" DVD or just throw yourself into one of the practical courses.

While in college, I read Dianetics twice. Once for understanding and once to really get it. I used it on a friend and he remember all six last lifetimes.

If you ever had had questions about life, about who you are, about what do you want, then this book is for you.
If you have searched for answers on the way you feel about things, then this book is for you too.
If you ever felt sad, in despair, disappointed or confused, then too, this book is for you.
Read it, it will answer about every questions about you, others and life.
If you want a better life for yourself and those you love, then, read this book.
As far as I am concerned it save my life.
Silvia LL

Not sure what to put here ...

Released on May 9th, 1950, this is the handbook, still in use, that enables any two relatively strong people to unlock hidden clarity within their own minds. This book has a reputation for being "complicated" and "difficult to understand." Actually, Dianetics is simple — and correspondingly powerful. What is complicated is the average person's prior notions regarding the anatomy of the human mind. These complexities collapse on the simplicities described in the book and the result is momentary confusion. Stay with it, and the confusion will pass, revealing true clarity.

Imagine a young man who never knew his father but suspects his father's brother's uncle's cousin grandson was actually his father but was killed in the war because he was close friends with his mother... etc. And one day while explaining his theories to an elderly neighbor, the old man says, "Actually, I'm your father." The result is going to be an acute state of confusion. That is an example of a complexity collapsing on a simplicity. The young man could stop at that point, but he's on the verge of finally knowing the truth. And likewise, so are you.

Dianetics was humankind's first clear look into the human mind. Dia, through + nous, the mind. If you decide to read the book and start getting confused, relax — it's working. Give it some time and understanding will dawn.

I first read the book in 1981 and tried out the therapy on a friend. It worked EXACTLY like LRH said. I was amazed. I have used it many times since and it always works.