Free to shine
Shiny & Free
I have already posted an outline of my story (In and Out Part 1) and have now decided to expand it and fill in a lot more personal details, as a new thread.
Sydney 1967 - 68
I went to my first seminar at an outer org in Sydney, Australia, (I think it was John McMaster’s tour). My father had been in Scientology for a while and making a long trip into the city almost every night to study, much to my mother’s disapproval at the time. He was already working very hard during the days to support the family and spending nights away studing, and she had 6 children to care for. My younger brother had already gone with Dad, and I wanted to see what it was all about and not be left out!
It felt like coming home the moment I walked into that Congress, to be amongst so many smiling and vital people. There was a great excitement and feeling of common purpose and at the age of 14 I felt honoured to part of “saving the planet” after hearing Ron’s Journal 67 (RJ67). We had to help NOW or the planet would be lost to WW3! What bigger purpose could there possibly be?
I did my Communication Course and PE course in May 67. I helped out with volunteer work for the harried staff of the local org while studying my 3 times through Dianetics course. I really enjoyed myself being part of the team and the moment I was legally able to at 15 years old, I left school. It was quite a long journey from our outer suburb home and I did it alone every day. Often I was scared, though after a while it was arranged I could catch the train with Peter and Maureen Sparshott when they were travelling at the same time.
At some point during this year, my mother came around to accepting Scientology. I know my brother and I drove her crazy with our newly learned acknowledgment skills. “OK”, “Thankyou” etc became banned words for a while.
I remember one incident where Dad came home really looking haggard and distressed. Apparently the whole of Sydney Org was assigned a Doubt Condition and Dad would not play ball. He was threatened with being declared Suppressive because he stuck to his guns – ie his own viewpoint. I have always admired him for that. My memory is hazy on these early years, but I think the whole thing was cancelled and it was life as normal again.
Saint Hill UK 1968 - 70
My family was a large one and Dad decided that Flag was the only place to be. House sold, ready to go and a Flag Order came out about no kids under 12. Oops, we no longer qualified as a family and were redirected to Saint Hill, UK. I can’t imagine what my parents went through to transport us all half way round the world, it’s staggering.
During my time in Sydney I had met the first love of my life, a young man on staff called Chris. Although very young, and an innocent relationship, we were inseperable and wanted to marry when we could. Leaving my home country, my friends and Chris was very hard. He agreed that we would somehow meet up again and that it was the greatest good and all that. After some months he stopped answering my letters, so I wrote to Peter Sparshott who told me Chris had died. It was a terrible shock, as Chris apparently had known he was ill and hadn’t wanted to tell me. And no-one else bothered to even let me know.
Dad had been promised accomodation for the family when we arrived, however it wasn’t organised at all. So someone rushed around and arranged for us to stay some house that was empty for a few days, until better things were arranged. I remember it was mouldy and damp and bare and there was another family there too. We kids had to hide when someone came close, as we were not supposed to be there. Not a good start, but the die was cast and we were there. October 1968.
Saint Hill at that time was an exciting place to be. So many people of all nationalities, people everywhere! Reception was down by the Chapel with the Canteen opposite, the hang out place for students. It was fascinating and ever changing. I remember when I saw snow for the first time, and once even rolling all the way down the driveway in the snow, what fun. I have memories of walking down by the lake, even though it was OOB. Walking through trees covered with snow and ice, a magical experience. There were so many lovely people sharing these life experiences there and I felt grateful to be part of it, despite the odd weird and nasty event.
The family had moved into a large house in Oxted that was a sort of boarding house for Scientologists. Mum and Dad ran it and although I don’t remember much of this time, I know this was an extremely hard time for them trying to juggle it all. They were both on staff at various times, or else training. My siblings had to fend for themselves a lot, something my parents do regret now, although they all survived OK.
Needless to say, I was soon recruited. What else was there to do? I had left school and had no intention of going back in a new country, and Scn was going to save the world anyway. I became the Receptionist and loved being the one who greeted people and happily sent them off on routing forms. I also did the switchboard, a big old plug board thing. I enjoyed my post and soon took on the same post on FND as well. I think I then did Mimeo Fdn but something went wrong there though, I can’t remember details but my first taste of ethics was being offloaded from FND as ‘deadwood’. It didn’t bother me too much, I was still working days!
At some point I changed posts to Qual I&I and was responsible for moving people efficiently around Tech and Qual. There were a few celebrities coming in then, it was fast paced and interesting.
Sydney 1967 - 68
I went to my first seminar at an outer org in Sydney, Australia, (I think it was John McMaster’s tour). My father had been in Scientology for a while and making a long trip into the city almost every night to study, much to my mother’s disapproval at the time. He was already working very hard during the days to support the family and spending nights away studing, and she had 6 children to care for. My younger brother had already gone with Dad, and I wanted to see what it was all about and not be left out!
It felt like coming home the moment I walked into that Congress, to be amongst so many smiling and vital people. There was a great excitement and feeling of common purpose and at the age of 14 I felt honoured to part of “saving the planet” after hearing Ron’s Journal 67 (RJ67). We had to help NOW or the planet would be lost to WW3! What bigger purpose could there possibly be?
I did my Communication Course and PE course in May 67. I helped out with volunteer work for the harried staff of the local org while studying my 3 times through Dianetics course. I really enjoyed myself being part of the team and the moment I was legally able to at 15 years old, I left school. It was quite a long journey from our outer suburb home and I did it alone every day. Often I was scared, though after a while it was arranged I could catch the train with Peter and Maureen Sparshott when they were travelling at the same time.
At some point during this year, my mother came around to accepting Scientology. I know my brother and I drove her crazy with our newly learned acknowledgment skills. “OK”, “Thankyou” etc became banned words for a while.
I remember one incident where Dad came home really looking haggard and distressed. Apparently the whole of Sydney Org was assigned a Doubt Condition and Dad would not play ball. He was threatened with being declared Suppressive because he stuck to his guns – ie his own viewpoint. I have always admired him for that. My memory is hazy on these early years, but I think the whole thing was cancelled and it was life as normal again.
Saint Hill UK 1968 - 70
My family was a large one and Dad decided that Flag was the only place to be. House sold, ready to go and a Flag Order came out about no kids under 12. Oops, we no longer qualified as a family and were redirected to Saint Hill, UK. I can’t imagine what my parents went through to transport us all half way round the world, it’s staggering.
During my time in Sydney I had met the first love of my life, a young man on staff called Chris. Although very young, and an innocent relationship, we were inseperable and wanted to marry when we could. Leaving my home country, my friends and Chris was very hard. He agreed that we would somehow meet up again and that it was the greatest good and all that. After some months he stopped answering my letters, so I wrote to Peter Sparshott who told me Chris had died. It was a terrible shock, as Chris apparently had known he was ill and hadn’t wanted to tell me. And no-one else bothered to even let me know.
Dad had been promised accomodation for the family when we arrived, however it wasn’t organised at all. So someone rushed around and arranged for us to stay some house that was empty for a few days, until better things were arranged. I remember it was mouldy and damp and bare and there was another family there too. We kids had to hide when someone came close, as we were not supposed to be there. Not a good start, but the die was cast and we were there. October 1968.
Saint Hill at that time was an exciting place to be. So many people of all nationalities, people everywhere! Reception was down by the Chapel with the Canteen opposite, the hang out place for students. It was fascinating and ever changing. I remember when I saw snow for the first time, and once even rolling all the way down the driveway in the snow, what fun. I have memories of walking down by the lake, even though it was OOB. Walking through trees covered with snow and ice, a magical experience. There were so many lovely people sharing these life experiences there and I felt grateful to be part of it, despite the odd weird and nasty event.
The family had moved into a large house in Oxted that was a sort of boarding house for Scientologists. Mum and Dad ran it and although I don’t remember much of this time, I know this was an extremely hard time for them trying to juggle it all. They were both on staff at various times, or else training. My siblings had to fend for themselves a lot, something my parents do regret now, although they all survived OK.
Needless to say, I was soon recruited. What else was there to do? I had left school and had no intention of going back in a new country, and Scn was going to save the world anyway. I became the Receptionist and loved being the one who greeted people and happily sent them off on routing forms. I also did the switchboard, a big old plug board thing. I enjoyed my post and soon took on the same post on FND as well. I think I then did Mimeo Fdn but something went wrong there though, I can’t remember details but my first taste of ethics was being offloaded from FND as ‘deadwood’. It didn’t bother me too much, I was still working days!
At some point I changed posts to Qual I&I and was responsible for moving people efficiently around Tech and Qual. There were a few celebrities coming in then, it was fast paced and interesting.