Dianetics is a set of ideas and practices regarding the metaphysical relationship between the mind and body which was created by L. Ron Hubbard and is practiced by followers of Scientology.

The goal of Dianetics is to remove the " reactive mind ", which Scientologists believe prevents people from becoming more ethical, more aware, happier and saner.

The Dianetics procedure to achieve this is called " auditing ".

Dianetics is also practiced by independent groups, collectively called the Free Zone.

Where the goal of Dianetics is to rid the individual of his reactive mind engrams, the stated goal of Scientology is to rehabilitate the individual's spiritual nature so that he may reach his full potential.

It is run ( processed ) exactly like Standard Dianetics ( once very widely practiced before the advent of NED ) except the pre-clear ( parishioner ) is encouraged to find the " postulate " he made as a result of the incident.

New Era Dianetics is really only a prelude to what is available at the high levels of the Bridge including the incidents: New Era Dianetics for OTs also known as NOTS.

A basic idea in Dianetics is that the mind consists of two parts: the " analytical mind " and the " reactive mind.

Dianetics is a proposed method to erase these " engrams " in the " reactive mind " to achieve what is referred to in Scientology as a state of " Clear ".

In Dianetics, the unconscious or reactive mind is described as a collection of " mental image pictures ," which contain the recorded experience of past moments of unconsciousness, including all sensory perceptions and feelings involved, ranging from pre-natal experiences, infancy and childhood, even the traumatic feelings associated events from past lives and alien cultures.

'" While it is sometimes claimed that the Church of Scientology no longer stands by Hubbard's claims that Dianetics can treat physical conditions, it still publishes them: "... when the knee injuries of the past are located and discharged, the arthritis ceases, no other injury takes its place and the person is finished with arthritis of the knee.

He emphasizes: " The discovery of the engram is entirely the property of Dianetics.

Hubbard writes: " Again, Dianetics is not being released to a profession, for no profession could encompass it.

Commentators from a variety of backgrounds have described Dianetics as an example of pseudoscience — that is, information presented as scientific that fails to meet the basic criteria for science.

The procedure of Dianetics therapy ( known as auditing ) is a two-person activity.

In 1955, the article was expanded into a book of the same name ( Bridge Publications, ISBN 1-4031-0538-3 ; not to be confused with the larger and more well-known book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health ).

The publication includes Hubbard's account of the reasoning behind, and development of, Dianetics, more so than its " sister volumes " DMSMH and Dianetics: The Original Thesis ( aka The Dynamics of Life ).

Dianetics has achieved no acceptance as a scientific theory and scientists cite Dianetics as an example of a pseudoscience ( see below ).

One example was Harvey Jackins, founder of Re-evaluation Counselling, originally a sort of discrete reworking of Dianetics, which L Ron Hubbard later declared suppressive to Scientology.

" Subsequently, Dianetics has achieved no acceptance as a scientific theory and scientists cite Dianetics as an example of a pseudoscience.

For example, philosophy professor Robert Carroll points to Dianetics ' lack of empirical evidence:

" Narconon, with the Scientology program, is another example of the workability of Dianetics and Scientology ", said an adherant in 1970.

Hubbard explained the backlash as a response from various entities trying to co-opt Dianetics for their own use.

:" The sexual pervert ( and by this term Dianetics, to be brief, includes any and all forms of deviation in Dynamic II sexuality such as homosexuality, lesbianism, sexual sadism, etc., and all down the catalog of Ellis and Krafft-Ebing ) is actually quite ill physically ... he is very far from culpable for his condition, but he is also far from normal and extremely dangerous to society ..."

* L. Ron Hubbard, author ; founder of both the Church of Scientology and of Dianetics

Hubbard conducting Dianetics seminar in Los Angeles in 1950

Hubbard coined Dianetics from the Greek stems dia, meaning through, and nous, meaning mind.

When Hubbard formulated Dianetics, he described it as " a mix of Western technology and Oriental philosophy ".

Hubbard claimed that Dianetics could increase intelligence, eliminate unwanted emotions and alleviate a wide range of illnesses he believed to be psychosomatic.

Hubbard variously defined Dianetics as " a spiritual healing technology " and " an organized science of thought.

Hubbard always claimed that his ideas of Dianetics originated in the 1920s and 1930s.

Hubbard first introduced Dianetics to the public in the article Dianetics: The Evolution of a Science published in the May 1950 issue of the magazine Astounding Science Fiction.

Hubbard wrote Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health at that time, allegedly completing the 180, 000-word book in six weeks.

The success of selling Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health brought in a flood of money, which Hubbard used to establish Dianetics foundations in six major American cities.

In later years, Hubbard decided that the psychiatric profession was the origin of all of the criticism of Dianetics, as he believed it secretly controlled most of the world's governments.

Because of a sale of assets resulting from the bankruptcy, Hubbard no longer owned the rights to the name " Dianetics ", but its philosophical framework still provided the seed for Scientology to grow.

In 1978, Hubbard released New Era Dianetics ( NED ), a revised version supposed to produce better results in a shorter period of time.

In the book, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, Hubbard describes techniques that he suggests can rid individuals of fears and psychosomatic illnesses.

Hubbard described Dianetics as " an organized science of thought built on definite axioms: statements of natural laws on the order of those of the physical sciences ".

Unlike conventional therapies, Hubbard said, Dianetics would work every time if applied properly and " will invariably cure all psychosomatic ills and human aberrations.

Some of the psychometric ideas in Dianetics can be traced to Sigmund Freud, whom Hubbard credited as an inspiration and was said to have used as a source.

According to Bent Corydon, Hubbard created the illusion that Dianetics was the first psychotherapy to address traumatic experiences in their own time, but others had done so as standard procedure.

One treatment method Hubbard drew from in developing Dianetics was abreaction therapy.

According to Hubbard, before Dianetics psychotherapists may have been able to deal with very light and superficial incidents ( e. g. an incident that reminds you of a moment of loss ), but with Dianetic therapy, the patient can actually erase moments of pain and unconsciousness.