After Impact magazine, our next favorite Scientology publication is Advance!, which tries to sell upper-level services to Scientologists and keep them going up the ever-more-expensive “Bridge to Total Freedom.”
And traditionally, the best part of that come-on was a regular feature known as “OT Phenomena.” Former Advance! editor Jefferson Hawkins told us it was the most-read and anticipated part of the magazine, and we could understand why. The column is a collection of stories from Scientologists recounting the superpowers (they call them “OT abilities”) that they attained while unlocking the Operating Thetan auditing levels.
And in past years, wow, these were some pretty wild miracles. They often involved cars and driving, for some reason. But we miss those old days when you would read stories of Scientologists using their tractor beams to prevent auto collisions. Or even wilder stories of leaving their bodies and visiting friends, etc.
The OT Phenomena column has gotten a lot duller in recent years, and this latest issue may be the dullest yet. What’s going on? Are upper level Scientologists just not becoming the super heroes of the past? Or are they more self-conscious of making supernatural claims when the church itself is in such bad shape? What’s your theory?
Well, at any rate, here are the measly three ghost stories that were published in the new issue of Advance! It’s such a weak showing, our tipster felt bad about it and also included some testimonials from the issue to pad it out. Thank you, correspondent!
A Magical Reunion
I was accompanying my father to a medical appointment one day. As we were crossing a bridge in a beautiful park, I thought about how I missed my school classmates, whom I hadn’t seen for about three decades. I thought about how I would love to meet them again, perhaps at a dinner reunion. (There had been other get-togethers, but I had moved abroad, so I could never attend.)
On the way back from the appointment, my father and I were deep in conversation as we were crossing that same spot on the bridge when a woman passed by. She called out to me by name and said, “I recognised your voice.” To my great surprise, it was one of my old classmates. She was very happy to see me and suggested organising a dinner with some of our former classmates. That’s when I realised how easy it is to materialise my wishes as an OT. I felt magic that day and I know that this power that is within each of us is restored as we move up the Bridge. — M.M.
Cleared For Take-Off
I had boarded a plane with a friend for a four-day trip to Italy. It was the first time I was travelling alone without my children and I was so excited to have a minivacation. At the time we were supposed to take off, the pilot announced that, because of air traffic, we would be delayed 45 minutes. My friend and I — both New OT Vs — looked at each other smiling and said simply, “No!” I went to the bathroom and when I came back the Captain said, “All air traffic cleared. We are leaving now.” My friend and I looked at each other and said, “Of course.” — E.V.
OT Power Operates an Inoperable Machine
For years I have been in charge of a complex machine at my production company. It runs on a special computer programme. I know this machine inside and out. One day, after finishing the annual maintenance of the mechanical parts, the impossible happened. During a test run, an error occurred, one that I had never come across before. Our technical support abroad was not easily reached. If this wasn’t fixed, it would result in a complete stop in production for several days. I had read the machine’s operating manual hundreds of times and knew this error hadn’t been described. Still, I picked up the manual and there, on the random page I had opened it to, was the solution I needed. I carried out the steps it described and got the machine going smoothly again. — A.E.
So much for OT abilities. Here are those testimonials from the same issue.
Guy Kelleter
When I attested to the State of Clear and it was time to start my OT Levels, I decided to come to Saint Hill because of the beautiful environment and, above all, because it is Ron’s Home. OT I was such a nice gradient, perfectly suited for the new Solo auditor I was. This level was very personal to me and it made me stronger. As I Solo audited, I was handling many situations from the past, and my ARC for the Third and Fourth Dynamics grew tremendously.
Then came OT III, and my attitude towards my fellows changed to having empathy for everyone. My communication lines are clean and they are the carrier wave only for my real intentions. My Second Dynamic is also so clean and aligned now.
On New OT IV, I became aware of the volume of masses I could handle in a single session, and I became calmer and calmer.
Doing the OT Levels gave me the impression that curtains had been torn open and light had flooded into the most remote corners of myself.
Benjamin Du Petit Thouars
For me, there is life before and life after OT III. Solo auditing is easy, and today I am much more stable; the effort has dropped and I can see that the MEST universe is following me.
For example, I had a situation recently where I had my electric car here at Saint Hill. It was uncharged, but I knew a friend of mine was recharging his car and I thought, “It would be great if he could somehow charge my car, too.” But since I had the car keys, I knew that wouldn’t be possible. But when I got to Saint Hill, I found my car fully charged! I asked my friend about it and he said, “Oh yes, as soon as I finished my car, I turned to yours, and the charge port opened, so I went ahead and charged it.” I had an intention, and the MEST universe followed.
Tamna Montero
Completing New OT V has been one of the greatest and most important achievements of my life. I cannot see the world again with the same eyes — my perspective has changed completely. I have acquired a level of understanding that I would have never imagined.
This, of course, has greatly increased my level of control, responsibility, ethics and ARC on all my dynamics! Each session was a surprise and I understood more and more about myself and my environment.
Thanks to doing the OT Levels, I now feel safer, happier and more me. I also managed physical conditions that had become so normal in my life that I had gotten used to living with them. Today, they are no longer a part of me.
Rizwan Dhanani
The fun on OT III started when I entered the course room and read the data. A lot of things in life suddenly make sense! From then on, I had regular moments of “Ohhhhhh. That’s why that happened,” or “That’s why I did that.” So much confusion about life and living blew off, and I felt more and more renewed.
On NED for OTs, I addressed many aspects of my spiritual nature, all of which would have remained complete mysteries if not for the genius of Ron and the skill of my auditor.
Bonus items from our tipsters
We’re just hearing now about this epic Albuquerque event on Saturday that had both Sharron Weber and Michael Chan beaming in remotely! New Mexico will be cleared in no time!
Hey guys,
I’m pretty sure this is a first - the CO FSSO, Ms. Sharron Weber, along with Michael Chan in the same virtual event!! It’s going to be Epic! WOOHOO! I CAN’T WAIT!
Register now if you haven’t yet!
Join us tonight (Sat 6 July) for an Epic Ideal Org Event and Celebration in the name of true Freedom.
Ms. Sharron Weber, Commanding Officer Flag Ship Service Org, has a special message for ALL OTs and Scientologists in West US. You must hear this!
Michael Chan, OT Ambassador, New OT VIII, will share key LRH data on why Freedom is so suppressed and how you can emerge victorious despite all odds. This is information you need to hear!
Virtual for the Wild West Alliance:
5:00 pm Pacific / 6:00 pm Mountain / 7:00 pm Central / 8:00 pm Eastern
(sign-in starts 30 minutes earlier)
Register now for this VIRTUAL event: https://goideal.org/enchant/7036.46824580
Ml,
Lesley McCaffrey
OT Ambassador
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I liked the OT Cop testimonial of Pat Broeker's in one old Advance magazine. He supposedly used his supernatural powers in a parking garage to help catch a criminal.
My own supernatural testimonial was as a Flag Word Clearer. After a long day, of word clearing students on the FEBC and OEC courses in the Flag auditorium which today is used for the Flag events, back in 1981 when Jon Horwich, Jay Hurwich, Jean-Michel Warniex, Mary Tinney, and Chuck McDougal was Course Admin, he used the stage as the Course Admin references area. Ginny Martin was there for a time too.
Anyways I was a busted Course Sup from years of being the OEC sup, and FEBC Sup for a tiny slot too, anyways, I had years of student spot checks (quizzes on the spot to studying students) behind my belt, so I knew all the tricky words and the words typically misunderstood in the whole OEC/FEBC course. Thus, as the word clearer, I would patiently run the students through all the word clearing on these tricky words most commonly misunderstood in the thousands of pages of Hubbard's cult paperpusher writings which had the goal of turning them into ideal cult bureaucrats.
I used the allowed list of Hubbard dictionaries, all "wog" dictionaries, and usually the one that resolved the most of these subtle definitions which Hubbard could sometimes use, was the Webster's Third International, the biggest largest fattest and it sat on a pedestal in the auditorium for students' use.
But, I was years in the experience of using this dictionary daily, and as an essentially five year vet of word clearing students on tricky words, I'd used it hundreds of times, if not more.
I came to thus remember where in the thick dictionary I had to physically whip the hundreds of thin pages of the dictionary, to land roughly where the word was I was searching to define.
My "supernatural" "skill" was that sometimes I'd hit TWO words in a row, right at the right page where the word was. (If you use the same book, like these big dictionaries, you know that they have a physical "memory" themselves, in that they become easy to open to the same word, over and over, as they are physically being flipped to that word, over and over.).
One day, I had my record of this exact flipping, and in the presence of the student, a woman from France, who I was word clearing.
I did three perfect flips in the Webster Third, to exactly the right word, in a row, in her presence.
I'd achieved, for an instant, in her eyes, the label, "Flag's OT Word Clearer."
It still gives me a laugh and slight tingle of joy, but it was just coincidental, of course, and also like I said, the dictionaries get physical memories themselves, even the largest, giantess Webster's Third.
Chuck Beatty
ex 75 to 03
I did love word clearing others, it allows you constantly to delve into the real word's knowledge base, a constant respite from the Hubbard world. I'm glad Hubbard laid down concrete rules to use outside world dictionaries and encyclopedias. One edition of the one volume Columbia University encyclopedia even contained the word Xenu one edition, later edited out. I dutifully cut Xenu out of the copy I donated to the RPF Course Room, no one was the wiser. But today, I really hope Xenu is in all outside world dictionaries and encyclopedias, and that they at least mention that Xenu caused the Wall of Fire and the body-thetans problem for humans which then helpfully explains WHY "Advance Org" even teaches the Xenu theory as it explains why so much body-thetan exorcism/soul-freeing today is part and parcel of Scientology, since OT 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are the body-thetan exorcism steps of upper secretive Scientology.
I was wishing I could reconnect with family members on my dad’s side and I drove to St. George in April and they were there at the reunion! Last weekend, Hubby’s mom’s family were all at Blair Basin. How OT is that?
I had a similar experience with an airplane. Our flight to my cousin’s wedding was delayed by hours and as we headed to the gate after the third delay, I stopped at a bathroom. Then we were allowed to board and the plane took off. Every time an OT goes to the bathroom a plane departs.
I was trying to figure out how to program a tricky piece of html. I didn’t remember reading the coding for that so obviously it didn’t exist. But when I googled it, it appeared.
And, even better. I was camping this weekend. My husband couldn’t find the keys to the side by side. I got him to share his air tag with me and magically located them on the passenger seat of his pickup.
The OT phenomenon are much tamer than they used to be. Before they were something to strive for and now it’s almost like any Joe Blow can do them. Oh, wait…