More Than A Body

I had an emergency client this weekend and wound up doing back-to-back all night stints at the job site. In that 48 hour period, I had just under 3 hours of sleep. Was I exhausted? Actually, I was exhilarated. My BODY was ready to collapse.

It's not unusual for a Scientologist to make a very clear differentiation between how they are feeling and what is happening with their body. We're not just bodies, we are something much, much more than that. Our emotions and attitudes are not controlled by our body any more than a race car driver's strategy is controlled by his car. Sure, the car is an important tool - but it's not the driver.

Knowing with certainty that I'm a spirit, with a body and a mind makes life a lot more interesting and a hell of a lot more fun!

Volunteer Ministers - Helping in a BIG Way

How can you recognize a Scientologist in case of an emergency? We are the ones moving into the disaster area. When the levees broke in New Orleans, I didn't have the think twice about how I could help or what needed to be done. Within hours, I grabbed 4 other Scientologists, loaded a van with supplies and we were on the road to Louisiana.

During the drive, I called my clients and told them what was happening. Every client gave full throated support for what we were doing and all of them voiced the same regret. One-for-one, they all wished there was something they could do to help. Most had already donated money and some even donated funds for my team, but each of them wanted to do more - and didn't know how.

As a Scientologist, I have the ability to improve conditions and handle problems. While I may get frustrated or balked in the process, there's never that helpless feeling that something can't be changed.

Oh, there's another way to recognize Scientologists in a disaster. We are the guys in the bright yellow shirts. There were over 400 of us in New Orleans. Take a look at photos or videos from the shelters and you'll see those yellow shirts all over the place!

Moving on to a Better State of Mind
Last night I went out with some friends. We were serviced by a fellow who didn't look too happy. When I asked him "How is your night going?" - BAM! - I got hit with a pair of dagger eyes like you would not believe. After a brief moment, the server got his composure and stiffly said "Thank you for asking".

As a Scientologist I knew two things about this fellow already. First, although he was curt and a little snarly, he wasn't mad at me. Second, his emotional tone level was resentment. This guy was furious and he was just holding it all in.

With my understanding of the spectrum of human emotions - called the Tone Scale - I knew that cheerful conversation wasn't going to have any effect on this fellow. So put together a pretty good frown and said "Man, who decided to ruin your night?!" (OK, I used a more colorful phrase than that - but you get the idea). Immediately, this fellow - who I'd just met - told me the entire story about how someone not only trashed his day, but started a long-winded debate that made him late for work.

We talked on-and-off (while he served us)for about a half hour. When I stood up to leave, my new friend was smiling and laughing. He earnestly shook my hand and said "Thank you, John. Thank you. I feel better now. Talking about it really helped."

I love helping others more than anything else in life. It is the reason I became a Scientologist.

How Does Scientology Help Others? It's so simple!
A new client called me yesterday in total despair. Her America Online connection was trashed. Since she used AOL for her home office accounts, her business was stalled. If that wasn't enough, this poor woman had already spent hours on the phone with tech support from AOL and her high speed internet provider. By the time she called me, she had passed hysteria and was easing into a complete apathy over the whole matter.

The job was tedious and time consuming. We were on phone and running a virtual computer consultation for almost four hours. Finally, we had to compromise and use an older version of AOL just to get the connection back. I know this new client was hoping for a quick and inexpensive answer - but the solution was long and pricey.

Put yourself in her shoes. How would you feel at then end of such a journey? Hopeless? Depressed? Frustrated? By the time we finished, my new client was cheerful and enthusiastically talking about business associates whom she wanted to refer to me. The job was a nightmare, yet the client was in a great mood - how the hell did that happen?


As a computer consultant, I worked on the technical problem. As a Scientologist, I helped the person with the problem. All I did was raise her Affinity and Reality through Communication until she was back to a point where she could enjoy life and not be stressed by the computer.

How did I do this? Simple. I talked with her and listened to her thoughts, concerns and frustration. Simple communication. Not surprisingly, less than half of the conversation was about computers. More of it was about technical support personnel who wouldn't listen to her and didn't seem to care. Caring (affinity) was the next point. While we talked, my new client knew that I was genuinely interested in her concerns and cared about what happened to her. Finally, I helped her to grasp what had happened and why (reality). She was very upset about her inability to understand this AOL/Computer problem and a little education went a long way. As a result, her Affinity, Reality and Communication for myself, the computer and herself were all much higher - and she was ready to take on the world.

How did she respond when she learned I was a Scientologist? The subject never came up. I wasn't trying to "do Scientology" - I just saw that she was sad, wanted to help her and knew that I could. The rest was easy.

"You're a Scientologist? Interesting. So ... what exactly is Scientology?"

If I had a nickel for every person who has asked me that question over the past 20 years. It's a good question, but it's like asking "What is the Supreme Court?" If the one asking does not have at least a basic understanding about laws, justice, courts and government - how can you give a short answer that will help them understand the function of our highest court? If the question is important, how can to you make sure he really comprehends the answer?.

For me, Scientology is a way of life which has given me the knowledge and useable tools to fully handle conditions in my life and the lives of many other people. This can range from simple day-to-day matters up to helping others in a way that impacts major world events. Honestly. I've been there. I know.

This blog is a one-man insight into what being a Scientologist is all about. Think of it as an online reality show. I'm not the ultimate Scientologist or a Super-Duper Superhero. I'm a computer consultant from Phoenix Arizona, who is also a Volunteer Minister for the Church of Scientology. This is my story.