Clear Body, Clear Mind

Clear Body, Clear Mind
2002 edition cover
Author(s)	Lafayette Ronald Hubbard
Country	United States of America
Language	English
Genre(s)	Alternative medicine
Publisher	Bridge Publications
Publication date	1990
Pages	306
ISBN	0884045498
OCLC Number	22113510
Dewey Decimal	613 20
LC Classification	RC564 .H828 1990

Clear Body, Clear Mind is a book published in 1990 by the Church of Scientology's publishing house Bridge Publications.^[1] It is credited to L. Ron Hubbard who died four years earlier, and is largely a compilation of material he wrote in the 1960s.^[2] It is one of the canonical texts of Scientology^[3] and mainly deals with the Purification Rundown ("Purif"). This "detoxification" program, created by Hubbard, is believed by Scientologists to have unique medical and spiritual benefits,^[2][4][5] but has been criticized by medical professionals as "dangerous",^[6] "quackery,"^[7] and "in some cases lethal".^[8]

Purification Rundown

Main article: Purification Rundown

The Purif consists of a "combination of exercise, vitamins, nutrition and sauna use," which purportedly "dislodges drug residues and other toxins from the fatty tissues so that these substances can then be eliminated from the body."^[9] Scientologists are expected to take the Purif as part of their spiritual progress^[2][4] and it is also promoted in secular contexts via Scientology-related groups including Narconon, Criminon and Second Chance.^[10][11] It is promoted as a cure for conditions including cancer, AIDS, heart problems, kidney failure, liver disease and obesity.^[5] The procedure is viewed as dangerous by many medical professionals, as it calls for saunas and vitamins far in excess of safe levels.^[12][13] Side effects listed by Scientology include dehydration, electrolyte disturbances including hyponatremia (low sodium level) and hypokalemia (low potassium level), and heat-related illnesses.^[6] Some families have sued the Church of Scientology claiming that the Purif was responsible for the death of a relative.^[5]

Medical claims

Main article: Medical claims in Scientology doctrine

The book includes a disclaimer to the effect that the Purification Rundown is not a medical treatment and that it should not be read as making medical claims.^[12] However, in their Introduction to the book, David Root M.D. and James Barnes write:

L. Ron Hubbard's Purification program remains the only proven and safe method for reducing or eliminating chemical residues from the body. It has been used to alleviate the symptoms and concerns of people exposed to radiation. With each year, the importance of this discovery to every man, woman and child on this planet becomes more evident.

Hubbard claims to have been the discoverer of the "acid flashback" phenomenon, in which LSD is said to lodge itself in tissues and re-enter the bloodstream years later. He claims to have made this discovery "In the 1970s, working with cases of individuals who had been drug users". (pg. 23, 1990 hardcover edition)

Scientology's official website says of the book:

"Pesticides, solar radiation, drug and environmental toxins have become increasingly pervasive in today’s society. They damage not just your health, but your personality and your ability to think clearly. Clear Body, Clear Mind -'The Effective Purification Program', by L. Ron Hubbard, details his groundbreaking discoveries in this field. Discover the world’s only all-natural, proven program to eliminate drug and toxic residues lodged in the fatty tissues of your body. Over 250,000 have done this program with spectacular success." [1]

The claim of "Over 250,000" successes drew censure from the UK's Advertising Standards Authority.^[14] The figure was a count of everyone who had completed the program, including people whose "drug" exposure was infrequent use of alcoholic drinks or prescription drugs.^[15]

A 1995 review of the book at a medical conference described the mega-doses of Niacin as inappropriate, especially since they cause the release of histamine, which is counter-productive when dealing with chemical sensitivity.^[16]

Related books

In All About Radiation, Hubbard (1957) sets out his idiosyncratic theories of radiation, including the idea that large doses of vitamins could both alleviate and prevent radiation sickness.^[17]

Purification: An Illustrated Answer To Drugs (New Era Publications, 1984. ISBN 8773363502) is an earlier, illustrated explanation of the Purification Rundown.^[2] Another illustrated book, Narconon New Life Detoxification Program: the effective purification program by L. Ron Hubbard. (Bridge Publications, 1991. ISBN 0884046583) is listed as based on Clear Body, Clear Mind.

See also

• Downtown Medical
• Scientology bibliography
• Mens sana in corpore sano

Notes

1. ^ Bridge Publications official website
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Christensen, Dorthe Refslund (2009). "Sources for the Study of Scientology". In James R. Lewis. Scientology. New York: Oxford University Press US. pp. 420–421. ISBN 9780195331493. 
3. ^ Rothstein, Mikael (2007). "Scientology, scripture and sacred tradition". In James R. Lewis, Olav Hammer. The invention of sacred tradition. Cambridge University Press. pp. 21. ISBN 9780521864794. OCLC 154706390. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Bouma, Gary D. (2006). Australian Soul: Religion and Spirituality in the 21st Century. Cambridge University Press. p. 9. ISBN 0521673895. 
5. ^ ^{a b c} Dougherty, Geoff (March 28, 1999). "Store selling Scientology vitamin regimen raises concerns". St. Petersburg Times. http://www.sptimes.com/News/32899/Pasco/Store_selling_Sciento.html. Retrieved 2009-02-14. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Al-Zaki, Taleb; B Tilman Jolly (January 1997). "Severe Hyponatremia After Purification". Annals of Emergency Medicine (Mosby, Inc.) 29 (1): 194–195. doi:10.1016/S0196-0644(97)70335-4. PMID 8998113. 
7. ^ O'Donnell, Michelle (October 4, 2003). "Scientologist's Treatments Lure Firefighters". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/04/nyregion/04DETO.html?ex=1158638400&en=1a7005cc75461171&ei=5070. Retrieved 2006-09-17. ^{[dead link]}
8. ^ Roberton, Craig (December 28, 1981). "Narconon". St. Petersburg Times: pp. 1–B. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RPoNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RXsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6687%2C4378405. Retrieved 2009-02-21. 
9. ^ "What is the Purification Program?". Basic Facts About the Scientology Religion. http://www.scientology.org/html/opencms/cos/scientology/en_US/news-media/faq/pg019.html. Retrieved 2006-06-21. 
10. ^ Asimov, Nanette (October 2, 2004). "Church's drug program flunks S.F. test". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/10/02/BAGN292LAC1.DTL. Retrieved 2009-02-14. 
11. ^ Proctor, Jeff (January 25, 2009). "Scientology Base Denied By Officials". Albuquerque Journal. http://www.abqjournal.com/news/state/25104016state01-25-09.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-14. 
12. ^ ^{a b} DeSio, John (2007-05-30). "The Rundown on Scientology's Purification Rundown". New York Press. http://www.nypress.com/20/22/news&columns/feature.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 
13. ^ Kelsey, Tim; Mike Ricks (January 31, 1994). "The Prisoners of Saint Hill". The Independent: p. (II) 1. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-prisoners-of-saint-hill-the-scientologists-call-it-babywatching-but-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-looking-after-infants-tim-kelsey-and-mike-ricks-investigate-the-potentially-dangerous-and-possibly-illegal-secret-treatment-that-the-worlds-largest-cult-uses-to-deal-with-difficult-members-1403815.html. Retrieved 2009-02-17. 
14. ^ Petre, Jonathan (March 27, 2003). "Scientologist drug claim on poster is censured". Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1425742/Scientologist-drug-claim-on-poster-is-censured.html. Retrieved 2009-06-13. 
15. ^ Bates, Stephen (March 27, 2003). "Cult church censured on drug ads". The Guardian (Guardian News and Media). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2003/mar/27/religion.anglicanism. Retrieved 2009-06-13. 
16. ^ Kurt, T. (1995) "Sauna-Depuration: Toxicokinetics" presentation at 2nd Aspen Environmental Medicine Conference. Aspen, Colorado, September 7–9. cited in Staudenmayer, Herman (1998). Environmental Illness: myth and reality. CRC Press. pp. 48. ISBN 9781566703055. 
17. ^ Atack, Jon (1990). A Piece of Blue Sky: Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed. Lyle Stuart / Carol Publishing Group. p. 142. ISBN 0-8184-0499-X. 

References

• Mallia, Joseph (1998-03-03). "Scientology reaches into schools through Narconon". Inside the Church of Scientology. Boston Herald. 
• Mallia, Joseph (1998-03-05). "Scientology group reaches kids through PBS videos". Inside the Church of Scientology. Boston Herald. 
• "Actor Cruise backs terror detox". Entertainment. BBC News. 2004-04-13. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3621633.stm. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 
• Gittrich, Greg (2003-12-13). "Bravest taking the Cruise cure". Special Report (NY Daily News). Archived from the original on 16 December 2003. http://web.archive.org/web/20031216055606/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/local/story/145576p-128631c.html. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 
• Asimov, Nanette (2004-06-10). "Schools put drug program on notice / S.F. tells lecturers linked to Scientology to fix inaccuracies". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/06/10/MNGRA73O141.DTL. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 
• Jacobs, Robin (2004-09-01). "Is Scientology in Your Schools?". The Humanist. http://www.thehumanist.org/humanist/articles/JacobsSeptOct04.pdf. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 
• Schaffer, Amanda (2004-10-21). "Poisons, Begone!". Slate Magazine. http://www.slate.com/id/2108471/. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 
• Gianni, Luke (2007-02-22). "Scientology does detox". Sacramento News & Review. http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=283982. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 

External links

Publishers' sites

• www.clearbodyclearmind.com Official Site.
• New Era Publications: Clear Body, Clear Mind
• www.asdegasdgasdcasdgt4.org International Academy of Detoxification Specialists.
• www.chernobyl.info Tschernobyl - Information Detoxification Program.

Critical sites

• Stop Narconon Critical commentary on the book's introduction by Dr Dave Touretzky