CHAPTER 21
AFFINITY, REALITY, AND COMMUNICATION

Affinity (or liking), Reality (or agreement), and Communication form an inter-related triangle that tends to increase or decrease as a unit. The effect is so common that Scientology refers to this as the ARC triangle.

As the ARC for something is increased, you will also find that one comes to a greater understanding of it, therefore you will also see the equation ARC = Understanding. A useful technique for teachers is to raise the student’s ARC for the subject being studied because they will understand it more easily. The techniques that we discussed in the chapter on study are actually built on this idea of increasing A or R or C in the area being studied.

Again we have an inter-related feedback effect. As you communicate more, you tend to like somebody better and come into closer agreement and therefore you are even more inclined to communicate with them.

This is not an absolute fact. You are not forced to agree by the mere act of communicating. But there is a tendency in this direction by the simple fact of finding out more and coming to a greater understanding.

These factors of ARC could be thought of as flowing or interchanging between beings. People communicate, they like each other, they agree with each other and so forth. Or they break and reject these connections.

Sometimes these breaks occur for good reason, but the usual case is that they come about because of mechanics and were neither necessary nor desirable.

The problem is in the interrelationship of these factors. A communication is inadvertently cut, for example, and suddenly one is also dealing with dislike and disagreement.

Furthermore, these things could be said to have mental energy associated with them. When ARC is suddenly cut, there is a tendency for this energy to backup on one. This forms, let us say, mental sore spots where further breaks occur more easily and draw their force from a past history of earlier similar breaks.

Somebody, for example, who has often had their affinity rejected will become quite touchy about the subject and tend to get upset at the slightest hint of rejection. The solution is to confront the earlier rejections because that is where the bulk of the upset is coming from.

And one can break a flow just as easily by enforcing it as by inhibiting it. Too much of something can be as undesirable as its absence. Being force to agree with something is a very hot button on most people and will often cause an instant ARC break.

These ARC breaks are undesirable because the amount of upset is generally out of proportion to the immediate cause.

There was, let us say, one specific thing, some particular enforcement or rejection of affinity, reality, or communication. It could perhaps have been handled in a sane and reasonable manner if the person had confronted it when it occurred. But the mental charge of earlier occurrences was stirred up, so the person became upset instead.

And with the upset, all three factors went bad, so that now they were out of communication, and in disagreement, and disliking the person or group or whatever was involved. Now they have trouble spotting what first went wrong because other things are wrong too.

And once they are upset, they mishandle things and make mistakes and it all gets worse. Almost inevitably, the advise given to an upset person is that if they would only calm down, things would get better. But in everyday life, this is usually accomplished by suppressing the upset instead of confronting the factors involved. This leaves buried charge which can again be triggered.

This buried charge weighs one down and makes life miserable.

It dissolves on spotting the underlying moments of enforcement or inhibition of A, R, or C that triggered the upsets, especially if one spots the first time that it happened in this lifetime or even earlier, because later occurrences can hang up on the earlier times.

We will handle this with simple recall type processes on these areas individually. Each set of processes should be continued until the charge in that area falls away.

If any of these give you trouble as far as stirring up too much charge, make a point of spotting precise actions and going as early as possible.

21.1 Enforced Affinity

Here we are looking for moments when affinity or liking was enforced. This could include insisting or demanding or any kind of pushiness.

These commands are run alternately.

21.1.1a Recall a time when you insisted that somebodyq like something or somebody

21.1.1b Recall a time when somebody insisted that you like something or somebody

21.1.1c Recall a time when somebody insisted that another like something or somebody

Next, run this on a personal basis as follows:

21.1.2a Recall a time when you insisted that somebody like you

21.1.2b Recall a time when somebody insisted that you like them

21.1.2c Recall a time when somebody insisted that another like them

21.2 Inhibited Affinity

Here we are looking for moments when affinity or liking was inhibited. This could include denial or rejection.

These commands are run alternately.

21.2.1a Recall a time when you insisted that somebody dislike something or somebody

21.2.1b Recall a time when somebody insisted that you dislike something or somebody

21.2.1c Recall a time when somebody insisted that another dislike something or somebody

Next, run this on a personal basis as follows:

21.2.2a Recall a time when you rejected somebody’s affinity

21.2.2b Recall a time when somebody rejected your affinity

21.2.2c Recall a time when somebody rejected another’s affinity

21.3 Positive Affinity

Now let’s finish this off by recalling some positive affinity.

a) Recall a time that you liked somebody

b) Recall a time when somebody liked you

c) Recall a time when somebody liked someone else

21.4 Enforced Agreement

Here we are looking for moments when agreement or reality was enforced. This could include insisting or demanding or any kind of pushiness.

These commands are run alternately.

21.4.1a Recall a time when you insisted that somebody agree with something or somebody

21.4.1b Recall a time when somebody insisted that you agree with something or somebody

21.4.1c Recall a time when somebody insisted that another agree with something or somebody

Next, run this on a personal basis as follows:

21.4.2a Recall a time when you insisted that somebody agree with you

21.4.2b Recall a time when somebody insisted that you agree with them

21.4.2c Recall a time when somebody insisted that another agree with them

21.5 Inhibited Agreement

Here we are looking for moments when agreement or reality was inhibited. This could include denial or rejection.

These commands are run alternately.

21.5.1a Recall a time when you insisted that somebody disagree with something or somebody

21.5.1b Recall a time when somebody insisted that you disagree with something or somebody

21.5.1c Recall a time when somebody insisted that another disagree with something or somebody

Next, run this on a personal basis as follows:

21.5.2a Recall a time when you rejected somebody’s reality or you refused to agree with them

21.5.2b Recall a time when somebody rejected your reality or refused to agree with you

21.5.2c Recall a time when somebody rejected another’s reality or refused to agree with them

21.6 Positive Agreement

Now let’s finish this off by recalling some positive agreement.

a) Recall a time that you agreed with somebody

b) Recall a time when somebody agreed with you

c) Recall a time when somebody agreed with someone else

21.7 Enforced Communication

Here we are looking for moments when communication was enforced. This could include insisting or demanding or any kind of pushiness.

These commands are run alternately.

21.7.1a Recall a time when you insisted that somebody communicate with somebody or something

21.7.1b Recall a time when somebody insisted that you communicate with somebody or something

21.7.1c Recall a time when somebody insisted that another communicate with somebody or something

Next, run this on a personal basis as follows:

21.7.2a Recall a time when you insisted that somebody communicate with you

21.7.2b Recall a time when somebody insisted that you communicate with them

21.7.2c Recall a time when somebody insisted that another communicate with them

21.8 Inhibited Communication

Here we are looking for moments when communication or reality was inhibited. This could include denial or rejection.

These commands are run alternately.

21.8.1a Recall a time when you insisted that somebody not communicate with somebody or something

21.8.1b Recall a time when somebody insisted that you not communicate with somebody or something

21.8.1c Recall a time when somebody insisted that another not communicate with somebody or something

Next, run this on a personal basis as follows:

21.8.2a Recall a time when you rejected somebody’s communication

21.8.2b Recall a time when somebody rejected your communication

21.8.2c Recall a time when somebody rejected another’s communication

21.9 Positive Communication

Now let’s finish this off by recalling some positive communication.

a) Recall a time that you communicated well with somebody

b) Recall a time when somebody communicated well with you

c) Recall a time when somebody communicated well with someone else