Auditing (Scientology)

In the Church of Scientology, auditing is a practice wherein an auditor asks a question of another individual, known as a "preclear", and then acknowledges their answer in a non-judgmental form. Auditing began as an integral part of the pseudoscientific movement Dianetics and has since, with the addition of the E-meter, become a core practice in Scientology. Auditing is defined by the Church as "the application of Dianetics or Scientology processes and procedures to someone by a trained auditor. One formal definition of auditing is: The action of asking a person a question (which he can understand and answer), getting an answer to that question and acknowledging him for that answer." Auditing is considered “a technical measure,” that according to the Church, “lifts the burdened individual, the 'preclear,' from a level of spiritual distress to a level of insight and inner self-realization.” The process is meant to bring the individual to clear status.

Some auditing actions use commands, for example "Recall a time you knew you understood someone," and some auditing actions use questions such as, "What are you willing for me to talk to others about?"

In the context of Dianetics or Scientology, auditing is an activity where a person is hypnotized and trained in the task listens and gives auditing commands to a subject, who is referred to as a "preclear", or more often as a "pc". While auditing sessions are confidential, the notes taken by the auditor during auditing sessions, which are kept in the "pc folder(s)", are potentially subject to scrutiny by several staff members, especially if the preclear is later upset or having difficulty. Preclears never see their own pc folders.

Auditing involves the use of "processes," which are sets of questions asked or directions given by an auditor. When the specific objective of any one process is achieved, the process is ended and another can then be started. Through auditing, the subjects are said to free themselves from barriers that inhibit their natural abilities. Outlining the auditing process, Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard explained:

Charge is that which prevents the pc from thinking on a subject. Prevents him from thinking on a subject or getting rid of a subject or approaching a subject. Sum it up to handling a subject. Charged.

Scientologists state that the person being audited is completely aware of everything that happens and becomes even more alert as auditing progresses. As Hubbard wrote,

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