The Eight Dynamics

In order to increase the ability to survive, according to Scientology, a follower must go through the Eight Dynamics. The first dynamic is Self. This is the realization that one wants to try to survive for as long as possible. This principle includes a person’s material possessions but excludes all others. Secondly comes Creativity. Creativity is “making things for the future.” This encompasses an individual’s family and especially children, as they are literally for the future. In addition, this can mean sex, because this leads to “future survival.” Group survival is the third dynamic. In this dynamic, one person moves on from single survival to thinking of survival within a group. This group can be any size or type of organization, including a country. The fourth dynamic is mankind. The next step up from groups is in species, and as the name of this dynamic suggests, this principle deals with the survival of all members of the human species. Life forms are the fifth dynamic. Within this dynamic, the urge for forms to survive extends beyond the human species to all species—to all living things, including plants and other animals. The sixth dynamic is called physical universe. This has four parts to it: “matter, energy, space and time.” Now outside of the realm of living organisms, an individual is to encourage the survival of the entire universe, including these four components. Spiritual is the seventh dynamic. This calls for a person to have the urge for all spiritual life to survive. Finally, the last and eighth dynamic is infinity. This is to mean an all-creator, or God. Within this dynamic, it “embraces the allness of all.” When a person is completely comfortable on each one of these levels, he or she can then move on to the next dynamic. Ultimately, the goal is achieve the eighth dynamic.

This idea of following a certain set of principles is similar to some of the major religions of the world. For example, the Ten Commandments of Christianity and the Seven Pillars of Islam both dictate how people should live. They help to uphold social standards and ways of life that followers should stick to. In this way, Scientologists are similar to Christians and Muslims.

http://learn.scientology.org/wis4_12.htm