Meet a Scientologist - Yulia Gould's Path to Freedom

Yulia Gould spans the landscape of arts, professions and interests. A Clearwater, Florida-based graphic artist, professional interpreter, public relations officer and events coordinator, she is also a certified scuba diver who loves skiing, skydiving and traveling the world. And although raised in the Soviet Union where the only “religion” was atheism, she has been a Scientologist since she was 14.

“I have walked a long way from being born and raised an atheist to finding my spiritual side through Scientology,” she says. “Realizing that I am not just an ‘animal’ as I was taught in school gave me a different level of responsibility for my actions. It matters what we do with our lives. I want to make the world a better place through my art and work.”

From a background where freedom and basic human rights were not available, Gould doesn’t take these rights for granted. One of her passions is promoting religious and cultural diversity, a goal she pursues by volunteering in groups that promote religious tolerance. And she is particularly proud that her painting “The Awakening” is part of the collection of the founder of the “Pave the Way Foundation,” a nonsectarian public foundation that identifies and eliminates obstacles between faiths.

“As a professional and an artist I really appreciate freedom of speech and expression,” she says. “I am very gratified that I belong to a church that sponsors an international human rights campaign.”

Yulia became involved in Scientology in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union.

“Both of my parents are MDs,” she says. “They knew that there was more to life than what is normally taught in school. They were searching for the answers. We saw a TV show featuring Dianetics and they became really interested, as it showed the way to help people alleviate psychosomatic illnesses where traditional medical approaches are not enough.”

Gould and her parents enrolled in a Dianetics seminar in Moscow.

“It answered all my question about human behavior—why people sometimes act in a way that seems to have no explanation. I realized here was something that could change my life and the lives of others for the better,” she says.

The entire family continued to study and practice Scientology and Dianetics and it made an enormous difference in Gould’s life.

“I used to be very shy. I was reluctant to speak up,” she says. “Now I really enjoy communication and working with people. Scientology has really helped me get my message across confidently and professionally, whether in interpreting, art or personal relationships. Through Scientology, life has become much easier to understand. If I have an issue or a problem in some area, I know that there is some aspect of Scientology technology that I can learn and use to make things better for myself and others.”

To meet Scientologists from all walks of life, view more than 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos on www.Scientology.org.

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The popular “Meet a Scientologist” profiles on the Church of Scientology International Video Channel at Scientology.org now total more than 200 broadcast-quality documentary videos featuring Scientologists from diverse locations and walks of life. The personal stories are told by Scientologists who are educators, teenagers, skydivers, a golf instructor, a hip-hop dancer, IT manager, stunt pilot, mothers, fathers, dentists, photographers, actors, musicians, fashion designers, engineers, students, business owners and more.

A digital pioneer and leader in the online religious community, in April 2008 the Church of Scientology became the first major religion to launch its own official YouTube Video Channel, with videos now viewed more than 8.1 million times.

^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard}, founder of the Scientology religion

Honoring L. Ron Hubbard

^{It is traditional in the Church of Scientology to celebrate Ron's birthday by doing all you can to advance yourself spiritually and disseminate Scientology to others, help in the community--all the things LRH was trying to accomplish to help people regain their native abilities, improve conditions in their lives and thrive.}

^{Here is one of my favorite articles, laying out his own viewpoint on what is important in life:}

The only tests of a life well lived are: Did he do what he intended? And were people glad he lived?

People have often desired me to write an autobiography and while I would be perfectly willing to do so had I the time, I consider such a work, as I do myself, quite unimportant.

I have led an adventurous life and it would possibly be entertaining to read, but I doubt such a work would shed any background light on my researches and would not clarify my intentions or why I developed Dianetics and Scientology.

My motives have not been fame. I tried to give Dianetics, the entire work, to the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association in 1949 and the AMA only said “Why should you?” and the APA said “If it is important we will hear of it.”

I tried to avoid, until July 1950, saying I had personally done the research but then owned to it when I saw that unowned, it could be lost in its original form.

My motives have not included amassing great wealth. The royalties of the first book, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, were given to the first Foundation. So it is not wealth.

Power has not been my motive. I only held office in organizations to insist upon correct usage of the work, and this having been achieved sometime since, I resigned all directorships and retained only an honorary post.

Further, one cannot have more power than he himself already has as a being; so power by reason of position I consider pointless and a waste of time.

My motives are so hard to understand because they largely omit me from the equation. And self-centered men are not likely to understand such a thing since they know they would not forgo fame, wealth or power and so conceive that another would not.

Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion

What is Scientology’s System of Ethics?

The Scientology system of ethics is based wholly on reason (Scientology.org).

L. Ron Hubbard defined ethics as “reason and the contemplation of optimum survival.” He has also pointed out: “Dishonest conduct is non-survival. Anything is unreasonable or evil which brings about the destruction of individuals, groups, or inhibits the future of the race.”

Ethics may be further defined as “the actions an individual takes on himself to ensure his continued survival across the dynamics.” It is a personal thing. When one is ethical, it is something one does oneself by choice.

The Scientology ethics system includes a body of technology called Conditions Formulas. L. Ron Hubbard discovered that there are various states of existence and that there are exact formulas connected with these states. A person can determine what condition any area of his life is in and apply a formula to immediately improve that condition. While very simple, such actions are quite powerful and have enabled millions of individuals to improve their lives in ways never thought possible.

Another part of Scientology’s ethics system is a type of auditing known as a Confessional. Man has long postulated a means by which he could put himself on the right path. As long ago as 500 b.c., religions recognized that confession frees a person spiritually from the burden of sin. In Scientology, it has been found that a Confessional assists the person who has transgressed against their own and their group’s moral code to unburden themselves and again feel good about themselves and be a contributing member of the group.

As L. Ron Hubbard has written:

“No man who is not himself honest can be free—he is his own trap. When his own deeds cannot be disclosed then he is a prisoner; he must withhold himself from his fellows and is a slave to his own conscience.”

These are but two of the tools from the wealth of Ethics Technology that exists in Scientology.

^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

L. Ron Hubbard--Biography

I love the video of L. Ron Hubbard's biography on the L. Ron Hubbard website.

It's incredible reading his books and listening to his lectures, and learning more about his life just adds to the experience.

^{The primary step in resolving the broad activities of man could be considered to be the resolving of the activities of the mind itself.— L. Ron Hubbard} (Founder of Scientology and Dianetics)-- Scientology 0-8

An Introduction to Scientology (DVD) - Dianetics & Scientology :: Bridge Publications, Inc.

An Introduction to Scientology (DVD)

^{A few years ago, David Miscavige released the newly restored film--An Introduction to Scientology--a filmed interview of L. Ron Hubbard. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to learn more about L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology or Dianetics.}

^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

What Time is It?

Do you ever get confused about what time it is? Ever wish you had more time? Ever start the day with an idea of what you wanted to accomplish and find the day is over and you didn't get there?

There is a Scientology book called Self Analysis by L. Ron Hubbard that has really simple exercises you can do to improve your time sense.

Anybody want more time?



^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

New Scientology Churches Revive Historic Buildings

_{Foyer inside the Church of Scientology on Victoria Street, London.}

When the new Church of Scientology of Pasadena opens its doors in the city’s historical core this summer, it will not only enable the Church to expand its service to the community, it will give back some of its cultural history. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the character of what was once a turn-of-the-century bicycle factory has been transformed into a unique blend of old and new, its four-story atrium and original façade still intact. With attention also given to 21st century detail, the restored building will also be LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

The Church of Scientology International has been working for the past six years on a program to acquire new buildings for its regional Churches around the world. Launched in 2004 by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, the aim of the program is to establish each Church in premises ideally suited for its many and varied religious services as well as its community outreach activities. So far, 19 such ideal Churches have opened, eight of them in unique historic buildings, with more on the horizon.

_{The Brussels branch of the Churches of Scientology for the European Communities situation at Boulevard de Waterloo 100-103, is an early-20th-century structure fully renovated to serve the congregation and the community. It was dedicated 23 January 2010.}

“These Churches have already been in their cities for many years and their buildings need to be large enough to accommodate all their activities including a chapel, rooms for the study of our theology and introductory courses for new people and individual spiritual counseling rooms,” said Church of Scientology International spokesman, Tommy Davis.

Far from a Sunday-only meeting place, Churches of Scientology hum with activity seven days a week. In addition to common congregational services such as weddings, funerals, naming ceremonies for newborn children and Sunday service, parishioners can study days and evenings as well as receive the religion’s unique form of one-on-one religious counseling, participate in the Scientology Purification Program (a precise and closely supervised religious regimen that addresses barriers to spiritual gain) and take part in community betterment planning and activities, sponsored and initiated by the Church.

In May the Nashville, Tennessee Church of Scientology historic building took top honors in the city’s 35th Annual Preservation Awards for meeting all safety standards while preserving the beauty and grace of the 1898 building, which opened last year. Built just two years after the famous Grand Ole Opry in a similar style, its features include red brick walls, original doors and hardwood floors, 14-foot ceilings and an unusual three-floor atrium crowned with a glass cupola.

Last January, the Church opened the Belgium branch of the Churches of Scientology of Europe, an 88,000 square-foot early 20th century historic structure in the heart of Brussels. In October 2009, the Founding Church of Scientology in Washington, DC completed renovation of its seven-story, 49,000-square-foot historic building by architect Appleton P. Clark, Jr., half a mile from the White House. And another historic Church property fully restored in 2009 is the 1926 Mediterranean Revival-style Fort Harrison building in Clearwater, Florida.

_{The first floor hallway of the Brussels branch of the Churches of Scientology for Europe with study rooms, offices and the a Documentation Center which holds the written and recorded works of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.}

Other cities with historic buildings now home to Scientology Churches include: San Francisco, California; London, England; Tampa, Florida; and Buffalo, New York. The Church has also acquired historic buildings that are in pre-construction stages in Detroit, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; Boston, Massachusetts; Portland, Oregon; Montreal, Canada; and Manchester, England.

“We take a lot of pride and care in adapting and rehabilitating our historic buildings,” said Davis. “The result is truly unique as these new Churches exemplify our religion and are dynamically practical and aesthetic, and enable us to practice the full range of Scientology services as laid out by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.”

^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Scientology Russia Goodwill Tour Completes 19,000-Mile, Four-Year Trans-Siberian Journey

Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Russia complete journey across 10 time zones helping thousands along the length of the Trans-Siberian Railway

A team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Russia have completed a 19,000-mile journey across 10 time zones—a journey that began in Moscow four years ago. Since August 2006 these volunteers have traveled the length of the Trans-Siberian Railway giving lectures, seminars and courses to some 8,000 individuals on communication skills, study technology, conflict resolution, salvaging marriages, raising happy children and 14 other subjects contained in the Scientology Handbook. In each location they trained Volunteer Ministers and established groups to continue to help their communities.

On August 1, 2006, a 20-member Scientology Volunteer Ministers team boarded the Trans-Siberian Railroad at the first station on the line—the Yaroslavsky station in Moscow—and began a trek across 5,800 miles and 10 time zones to the Pacific Ocean seaport of Vladivostok. In the summer months they set up their signature yellow tent—a 3,400-square-foot pavilion with lecture rooms, classrooms, and a display describing the Volunteer Ministers program. In winter months, when temperatures never rose above zero for months on end, they provided their services in rented halls.

Trans-Siberian Goodwill Tour leader Sergey Nikitin said, “We are here to provide effective help—that is our purpose. Our motto is ‘Something can be done about it,’ and that means not only in times of major disasters and emergencies but in everyday life.”

The Volunteer Ministers delivered lectures and seminars and provided classes and one-on-one help in Perm, Ekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Zheleznogorsk, Ulan-Ude, Chita, Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok, in hospitals, orphanages, government offices, fire station, invalid centers, veteran associations, businesses, clubs or women’s groups.

To ensure the courses and assistance would continue to be available with neighbor helping neighbor, in each city the Volunteer Ministers trained local residents as Volunteer Ministers and helped them establish groups to sustain the assistance after the tour moved on.

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard created the Volunteer Minister program in answer to escalating crime and violence in the later 1960s and early 1970s, to provide practical tools for engendering understanding and compassion. The program has expanded to 203,000 Volunteer Ministers worldwide who have served at 185 disaster sites, including Ground Zero after 9/11, the Southeast Asia tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and Haiti.
For more information on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, visit their website at www.volunteerministers.org.

^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Restoration of Lost Scientology Materials Complete

I was surprised and pleased to see an AP wire in the NY Times on Friday that had it pretty right about the completion of the Golden Age of Knowledge -- the complete restoration of Scientology materials announced at the Scientology New Years event by Mr. David Miscavige.

What was completed is called the Advanced Clinical Courses and consists of more than a thousand lectures delivered by L. Ron Hubbard between 1953 and 1962.


I listened to the first lecture in the first American ACC last night and it was a total delight.

Here's a link to a site that described the ACCs

David Miscavige presents: Restoring L. Ron Hubbards Lectures

Restoring L. Ron Hubbard Lectures

In the 1950s, L. Ron Hubbard delivered hundreds of lectures to Dianeticists and Scientologists, each expanding on some aspect of the corresponding book. Although recorded, many of these lectures had never been broadly available due to lack of reproduction facilities in the Church's formative years. An earlier project had scoured the cities where the lectures were delivered—Los Angeles, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Wichita, London, Melbourne, Johannesburg—and rounded up all known original recordings. But mass reproduction was still hindered by the poor quality of many of the originals or by their deterioration over the years. Factually, despite various restoration attempts through the years, many of the lectures had never been heard since the day they were delivered.

By the turn of the 21st century, however, computer and digital technology had advanced dramatically, and the painstaking work was begun anew—this time with result. But even then, to achieve the quality befitting the content, the Church continually pushed boundaries of existing audio technology and thereby established the world's most sophisticated sound restoration studios. Tens of thousands of hours later, the project had successfully restored hundreds of hours of previously missing, distorted or inaudible recordings. The net result was the recovery of an enormous body of Scientology Scripture for today and forever.

This monumental undertaking in research, verification, editorial and audio was directed at every step by Mr. Miscavige. From this came the most dramatic achievement in the Church's history: recovery of the very foundations of the Scientology religion. Eighteen books by L. Ron Hubbard, perfect in every detail; the corresponding lecture series for each book, 280 lectures in all, produced inhouse on CD; each lecture series including verified transcripts and supplemental references; and each book and lecture series containing a massive glossary, defining words as Mr. Hubbard used them to ensure understanding by any listener. And to cap it all, every book and lecture was reproduced and released in the world's 15 major languages.

And that is why this is truly a Golden Age of Knowledge for every Scientologist.

As Mr. Miscavige summed it up: "And just in case you missed it—we are not speaking of 'corrected' manuscripts. Not 'newly verified' manuscripts. And definitely not just 'repackaged.' What we are speaking of is 100 percent unadulterated SOURCE."

To know that they are receiving the actual material from the source of the Scientology religion, L. Ron Hubbard, is the primary goal of every Scientologist. And Mr. Miscavige made it possible.

The Basics Create Demand for Dianetics and Scientology

The release of the basic books and lectures means that every Scientologist can now study the foundation of the Scientology religion easily, rapidly and in chronological sequence, thereby gaining an unprecedented understanding of the religion and its application to life. Tens of thousands of Scientologists have done just that.

As but one measure of its impact, in the 50 years prior to the release of The Basics, a total of 39 million copies of L. Ron Hubbard's written and spoken works on Dianetics and Scientology were in circulation. Since release—that is, in the last two years alone—more than 60 million L. Ron Hubbard books and lectures are in the hands of readers.

With all of those materials available in 15 languages, and the most basic of them in 50 languages, the total number of Dianetics and Scientology translations over the last decade is 10 times the previous five decades. In recognition of just that, the Guinness Book of Records has acknowledged L. Ron Hubbard as the world's most translated author.

But, of course, the real significance of the basic Dianetics and Scientology materials can only be measured in terms of people's lives. Whether to better one's ability to get along with others, mend a broken marriage, acquire artistic skill or improve job performance through increased competence—not to mention the attainment of total spiritual freedom—the books and lectures of Scientology contain principles that millions have applied to achieve their goals.

(More in Freedom Magazine)

What is Greatness?

This is one of my favorite articles by L. Ron Hubbard and it has been put into a video. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Awesome Video about L. Ron Hubbard

Here is a video about the guy who founded the Scientology religion.

Wins from Scientology and Dianetics Books

I've been watching some of the videos of people who have completed the study of the basic Scientology and Dianetics books of L. Ron Hubbard. These have been so inspiration I've doubled the amount of time I'm putting into studying Scientology, and I'm really glad I made that decision as the wins are incredible.

I can really understand why David Miscavige put so much attention onto getting these materials into the hands of every Scientologist and seeing to it that they are broadly available to everyone.

Dianetics Videos Online

Thanks Grahame. I checked it out and this site smokes!

It makes so much sense to have a Dianetics video channel because Dianetics is, itself, a best-seller, and not everyone associates Dianetics with Scientology at first.

What a great way to introduce people to the subject!

From Dianetics

I'm reading Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health again and I came across this great quote:

All factors necessary to the resolution of a science of the mind were found within the finite universe and were discovered, sensed, measured and experienced, and became scientific truth. The finite universe contains Time, Space, Energy and Life. No other factors were found necessary in the equation. - L. Ron Hubbard

That really makes clear the down-to-earth foundations that underlie the technology of Dianetics and Scientology. To use them and to see them work requires only accurate application and then a pair of eyes to view the results.

L. Ron Hubbard's Birthday

Today is the birthday of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Dianetics and Scientology. Today Scientologists all over the world will be celebrating and acknowledging the contribution to their lives that Ron has made.

Here are just a few blog posts from Scientologists:
From Julia: Happy Birthday, L. Ron Hubbard
From Grahame: Happy Birthday, L. Ron Hubbard
From "the Life Repairman"
Scientology Mission of Seattle
Why is L. Ron Hubbard My Friend? (from 2007 - Spanish)
Why are you glad that he lived? (Spanish)

The Discoveries of Dianetics, by L. Ron Hubbard

I just found a great article by L. Ron Hubbard that is online! It is called "The Discoveries of Dianetics." Dianetics was the forerunner of Scientology. The discoveries made in Dianetics and then its practice led to further discoveries that ended up with the spiritual technology of Scientology.

Here is a quote from the article:

Accumulated physical pain and loss brings about a reduction of consciousness, a reduction of physical health and a reduction of the will to live to a point where the organism actively, if often slyly, seeks death.

Erase or nullify the physical pain, the losses of a lifetime, and vitality returns.

The vitality of living, of seeking higher levels of survival, is life itself.

Criticism of Scientology

"Do the right thing" has written an excellent article on criticism (a word that covers a multitude of sins) of Scientology. Criticism of Scientology

"Do the right thing" refers to an article in the Way to Happiness about thinking for yourself. Here is another great article on the same subject: Personal Integrity by L. Ron Hubbard

^{"Never regret yesterday. Life is in you today, and you make your tomorrow." — Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard}

DDB awards Scientology founder, anti-drug crusader

The Government of the Philippines has given an award to L. Ron Hubbard for his work in the field of Drug Education.

The Philippine Government press release says:

Secretary Anselmo S. Avenido Jr., Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman, recognized Hubbard for his humanitarian commitment and as the "source of information and wellspring of inspiration". He further stressed that the DDB is sincerely grateful for his contributions in the fields of drug education and rehabilitation, and for being someone who did not stop at being mere anti-drug advocate but instead came up with a concrete technology to counter the ill effects of drugs.

You can read the entire story here: DDB awards Scientology founder, anti-drug crusader

This is a great recognition, and just in time for Ron's birthday on March 13th.

^{"Never regret yesterday. Life is in you today, and you make your tomorrow." — Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard}

Great Article by L. Ron Hubbard

Here is an article by L. Ron Hubbard about what we do in Scientology. As you read it I recommend you click on the links so you make sure you understand the terms that are being used, for example Reactive Mind is an important concept to understand and when it is first mentioned there is a link to the definition. Similarly for other words that have special definitions in Scientology.

Anyway, here is the article: Dianetics, Scientology & Beyond By L. Ron Hubbard