Next in the series “Life is Good” from another who experienced the horrors of working directly for Miscavige, eventually escaped and is now a recognized leader in a totally new profession and has also moved up the bridge…. Mike Rinder
By Lana Mitchell
There are many things that cause a person to think twice when having doubts about departing the Church. The most obvious one is the idea that by doing so, you “forfeit your eternity”. By leaving the church you will no longer have access to the OT levels – or to standard tech – so you are damned to continue a homo sapien existence here on this planet. Considering the fact that we are immortal beings that will continue to live on, regardless of bodies or circumstances, it truly is absurd that we even buy these lines from Corporate Scientology.
I wanted to relay my story of departing the church, for anyone that is interested, as there are many false datums, lies and black propaganda that are used by the Church to keep you in the fold, obedient and subservient. And possibly, by dispelling some of those falsities, I can assist others to free themselves of chains that they have permitted to be put on them.
I left the Sea Org in 2005. I had been in the Sea Org for 17 years – and at the International base of Scientology for 13 of those years. I had worked at continental level in Australia and in Western US, at middle management, and also at CMO International, RTC and in Gold. I came into Scientology as a teenager, joined the SO in my early 20’s, and it was when I was 36 that I realized that the church I was working for 24/7 no longer resembled the religious philosphy and purpose that I loved and had joined for.
Much of my story of leaving the Sea Org has been covered on www.scientology-cult.com – so I will not repeat that here, and it is not necessarily relevant to the subject of this article. I left the SO in May of 2005 after completing all of my leaving staff sec checks, standard routing forms and waivers. I was declared a suppressive person (all ex-Int base staff were automatically declared at that time), and I was given $500 as severance pay, which was not even enough to get my plane ticket back home.
I had initially joined the Sea Org as a highly spirited, out going and enthusiastic individual. But some 17 years later I left as an uncertain, introverted shadow of myself.
My husband and I arrived home in Australia with no assets, no money/cash of any kind, and a debt of $2000 that we had to borrow to get home. Having spent the majority of our adult careers in the Sea Org and having few qualifications we could rely on, it was more than a little scary. But, some very interesting things occurred as soon as we had departed – and over recent times I have come to see that my story is not unusual – it is actually the norm.
Firstly, when you leave Corporate Scientology there is a relief – a tangible relief that occurs. You don’t actually realize the amount of attention and inhibition that is related to the group – until you leave it. It was like a huge weight that I had been carrying around (unbeknownst) was now gone. I found that my anchor points suddenly stretched out – and I started to notice my environment and I came into present time. Now that is a little amazing when I did not think I was out of present time in the first place – but it really was the case.
Over a matter of months, I relaxed and I started to be able to create a new future and a new life. I found a job almost immediately. It was not difficult as my communication skills are high and though I had no actual certificates, I have extensive experience in many different areas, and I simply had to transpose my abilities and skills into terms that non-Scientologists would understand.
I wanted to create a home based business, and I very much wanted to have a family. Having decided in my early 20’s that I would not have children this life, the sudden opportunity at age 36 to be able to have a children, I jumped at it. I was pregnant within a month – showing intention is cause.
I did extensive research into an agricultural enterprise and then launched a new business – borrowing money from my parents to get started, and erecting greenhouses on my mother’s farm. In the first year (while carrying and then delivering my son), I launched my flower business – and in the Spring of 2006 I had my first harvest of commercial cut-wildflowers. I had to apply Data Series to resolve situations and get right whys. I had to use management technologies to develop a market, to establish a strategy and to write and execute programs to get things done. I had to use basic Scientology communication principles to develop industry networks and I was amazed at how easy it was. In fact, while I was impatient with myself, or dissatisfied with progress – everyone around me was stunned at what was achieved in such a short period.
And then the awards started coming in. I won an agricultural scholarship in 2007 – which got me $12,000 for specialist training, for a market development trip to Japan, and more. Then I won the Young Achievers Award in 2008 (when I would not consider myself young). My business expanded and I was exporting Australian wildflowers to Japan, to the USA, to Europe and London – as well as domestic markets in Australia. At the same time I had joined the national industry body for wildflowers and was playing an active role in building the young industry on the larger stage of commercial flowers in Australia. I had a young baby at home, and life was busy – and I was amazed that things just continued to go right.
How could this be? In the Sea Org I had constantly rollercoastered. I would get on a post, do my best, and then I would be busted for some confusing reason, and I would conclude each time that there was some failing of my own that was causing this. Yet here I was, in Australia, no longer connected to the Church and things just seemed to get better and better.
Then I won the a prestigious rural womens award, with a bursary of $10,000. I was featured in Australian Women’s Weekly, was awarded the Australian institute of Company Directors Course, and travelled to Israel, London and Europe to build the market for my flowers there. The press I received in 2010 and 2011 exceeded 3 inches. Every major newspaper, local rag, radio stations, etc. carried the story of my flowers. I can call the local radio station and mention my first name and they immediately ask me how the flowers are going. I became known as the Gundaroo Flower lady.
This must be a fluke I thought. Things surely can’t continue to go so well… I am a declared SP. But they did.
My husband and I decided to build a home, got plans drawn up and approved, borrowed the needed money and built a beautiful home.
My first son, now almost 4 years old, was doing wonderfully – and I decided it was time for a sibling and immediately became pregnant again.
I had applied for a part time job editing an industry magazine and though I had no official qualifications for such, I got the job and edited the industry journal for two years. I then worked with 9 others to create a new rural industry organization and designed and edited a new magazine called Passion to Profit. My new communications role with this group became key and were tremendously successful. Over the next several years the magazine continued – first as a printed publication and then as an online mag. In the last 2 years it has had almost 200,000 views and it has been key in building and promoting new and emerging rural industries in Australia.
It was in 2009 that I started to find attention going back to Scientology. Mysteries and confusions from the past kept surfacing. I was still having nightmares of being trapped at the Int base or on the PAC RPF and not being able to leave. I was still hung up in areas of the past and questions I had on what had occurred at Int were hanging me up.
So I started looking for other ex-Int base staff members, to see if I could get questions answered, and find out what had occurred since I left. And that was when I stumbled on Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder and a whole slew of other former Int base staff. I found my dear friend Jackson, rehooked up with Dan Koon, Shannon Kimoto, Ulf Ollufson, John Horwich, Claire and Marc Headley and more.
I had to relook at my life and work out for myself – did I make gains from Scientology – did it work? And I realised, in looking at my wins (and particularly at my success since leaving) that the truth was I did have certainty that the tech works. I also came to see the source of suppression in the Church, the perversion and unmock of management and standard tech, and the corruption of The Bridge (aka David Miscavige).
I started to become vocal on the internet, and announced my independence in June of 2010. It was shortly after this that my husband demanded that I recant. He threatened that if I did not do so, then we would divorce me – and he went so far as to call in two former RTC staff to my home for 3 nights in a row to encourage that I cooperate. Confused and unsure I pretended to agree, feeling blackmailed and muzzled – but 3 months later I decided the violation of my integrity was more than I could handle. I got terribly sick and before that got out of control, I asked my husband to leave.
Since that time so many doors have opened and so much has changed, it is difficult to sum it up easily. With the assistance of two dear friends and standard tech terminals, I was gotten through my OT preps and onto my OT levels. I had been Clear since 1957 – so the relief on this was substantial. I have since completed through OT 3, as an independent Scientologist and I am now co-auditing on NOTs. My wins on these levels have been incredible. Just amazing. My every day existence has changed and my postulates just STICK. It is fantastic.
I found a new 2D – someone who is a dedicated Scientologist and is a caring, intelligent and funny man. Together we have been steadily re-establishing Scientology delivery in Australia – with 4 Clears made and a number of others now back onto the Bridge and winning, just since the beginning of this year. And people just keep on finding us and arriving on our doorstep which provides for fantastic company and conversation.
And an attack by my husband, through the courts, that was based on hostilities and resentment, has ended and I can just get on with the job of raising two cheeky, lively and wonderfully funny boys – now aged 7 and 3.
I started the iScientology blog in January – to present articles on the application of LRH tech, in life – and we are now at a steady 1000+ visitors a day. And it seems that so much is now possible as ever-increasing number of revitalized independent Scientologists link up and join forces. The future is not just certain – it is exciting.
So… in reflecting back on my last 8 years since leaving the Church – I have to say that I did not lose my eternity.
I FOUND it.
I have reaffirmed my love for standard LRH tech, I am moving up the Bridge, my dynamics are aligned, productive and expanding – and the future is bright.
I hope people find their way to this blog and that they read my story and the many others. Life in the big bad ‘wog” world is not that. In fact, there is a huge community of friends here ready to assist in any way they can. You are welcome to contact me at any time by email if you need assistance or support or just would like to have a chat. And I am just one of many.
Lana, thanks so much for your write up. You are an inspiration!
What a great story Lana. Thank you for writing it and letting us know.
This will help many, many folks looking and a-wondering.
Greenonwhite
Yes, I agree! More “latent success stories”, please!
Lana,
Just reading your story made me think that if I were on a meter my needle would be floating. Thank you for sharing your own truths with us. I am so happy for you 🙂
Beautiful Lana-a very inspiring story! And i love your blog!
Lana,
You are living proof that by helping the individual man, one is truly helping the planet. Look at how many you have been able to help and how your life is flourishing and prospering because of the help you received from scientologists using scientology technology.
Well done on getting out and going free – for eternity!
Lana, just beautiful! Thanks for broadening your reach yet again, Sunshine. Life sure is exciting when one’s life is free of suppression and full of PURPOSE/S. My life so overwhelmingly full of purposes at the present time, that I struggle to find ANY free time! But that’s only good, yeah? Except don’t get to visit the blogs much, but hey, time for this good stuff later.
ML, Calvin.
Fantastic and inspiring story Lana! It was a joy to meet you at the Indy reunion 2 years ago. Continued success and happiness for you and your family!
Lana, My first reaction was WOW. Followed by a double WOW!!! I don’t think I’ve read anything (other than Debbie Cook’s startling revelations about what a complete ass hole & psychopath David Miscavige is) with my mouth wide open — for the entire article.
You are very impressive. VVWD to you!! I was amazed that your then husband reacted like he did — he must be brain-damaged. How the hell could anybody know what you went through, be out, be free, and still drink the Kool-Aid. What an astounding fool.
Thank you very much for you taking the time to share your story. I am one of those wimps who, even though I am apparently declared an SP myself, still linger out of sight (so I think). I have many Indie friends but there are becoming so many Indies up here in the northwest U.S., that it is hard to organize any group gatherings due to insufficient space accommodations.
I have not made any public declaration because I have nothing nearly as impressive as you, and most others, have said — to say about my story. I come from the other end of the spectrum.
At 34 yrs old, I was safely in my career at IBM, playing Bridge one night with a friend and co-worker, and our wives. We all smoked back then and there were these humongous ash trays on the table — I mean these suckers were 2” high and 8” across.
I got curious when my friend (he and his wife became OT VIII before she died of cancer, and he reverted to Christianity — how’s that for a mind-bender?), was telling me how much happier he was now that his wife stopped throwing these ash trays at him when she got upset.
We were sitting on the side of the table closest to this stairway that went downstairs — he leaned back and pointed down the stairs at the wall above the landing — I leaned back and looked — there was this gigantic hole in the wall. “She missed” he said — smiling. “We still need to get that fixed”. I was like “What!!”
Next thing I know, we are sitting at his coffee table with the box thing in front of me with a dial on it — he is asking me to hold these soup cans. I’m sitting there thinking that I suppose I need to humor this poor diluted fucker. The rest is history.
Enroute to OT VII, I ended up divorcing a woman I should have never divorced, so I could join the Sea Org at the ripe old age of 41 — she could not rationalize joining the S.O. as it then was too militarized for her. For me — I was so excited — it was so enticing — LRH was still alive — I might get to meet him, etc.
It went downhill from there. To make it even more convoluting, I was in and out of the S.O. — 3 times — I feel like a moron just writing that down. I was in the S.O. a total of 10 years.
I never worked for the David Miscavige but I was in his presence eight times — once as a public — he spoke to me three times. He had always seemed so gracious and friendly to me.
The first time I’d even heard of DM was when I first joined the S.O. — I was in the Int Finance office in early 1985. I’d see him riding his little motor scooter uplines (on my weekly trips up from PAC for our Int Finance staff meeting).
I remember my senior, Lionel Menenzes (who later blew), telling me that DM was really the guy who was running things — DM was then head of ASI.
The first time that I was shocked by DM was years later. It was a late night FSO staff meeting where he was going to address us in the auditorium in the Fort Harrison. Someone had upset him with a plan to get more money out of Lisa Pressley — he swore like a sailor — I was dumbfounded.
When I left the S.O. for the last time, with my $500, I was 64. I had no wife, no kids, and no career any longer, I had little money — fortunately I did have Social Security and I had been at IBM long enough to have a pension.
Of equal importance was that I my brother and I have always been good friends, his wife likes me (usually) — a most vital and salient point is that they have a (totally paid off) huge house, with lots of bedrooms, including one apartment (that our dad lived in for over a decade before he died) which I now occupy.
Finding income when one is over 60, out of date in one’s main industry, out of energy, picking those little aches and pains that come to bodies over 60 — was not too fruitful. So I get by.
And I read and support (however I can) those efforts of those that have realized the validity of LRH’s technology and who still have the energy and willingness to continue the fight. Myself, I’m tired. I’ve got my sports to keep me entertained — and tons of little grand-nephews and grand-nieces.
Carlisimo VII – wow! Spat out at the age of 60! Your story sounds just as harrowing in many respects!
Write me please — I would like to talk more.
Cheers- Lana
Well OK. My story was harrowing enough — I’ve heard others that would rip your heart out — as I am sure you have as well. I need your contact data — not sure how that is done unless you can get my email address (needed to sign on to this blog) from Mike.
I am just over 60 too (but most say I don’t look a day over 59…). My career in the SO was over when I was 52 but I was already morphing into a curmudgeon! So, I know how it feels, I think, to be in shoes like yours. I’d like to hear from you too and wonder if we might be old friends.
I was PAC crew for a number of years, in various orgs, mainly the ASHOs. I saw a LOT of Commodore’s Messengers come and go: blow, get shit-canned, get transferred or promoted. Some of these people seemed to be demented little tyrants, others were an inspiration to all in their area. Lana was VERY much an inspiration when she was the CO CMO PAC. So, I am not at all surprised by all the good news flowing out of her corner.
For the life of me, I don’t remember exactly her time period… early 80’s? Early 90’s?
I did not have a lot of interaction with her, but some, and I saw her on the third flow very much. In every encounter she was 4.0+++. In my long career, I witnessed only about a half dozen or so people in all of Scientology that I ever saw hold a comparable post with such strong and positive emotion.
I think a lot of very good guys holding exec posts got bullied around and then got to thinking it was the winning valence for being an exec. Then they too started behaving like bullies! But I never witnessed Lana succumb to that. Never. She seemed to have adopted all the best characteristics of an exec and truly wore her hat in a manner that I am certain Ron would have been proud of.
I have a tiny bit of interaction with her since; all pleasant, and have sent a good Aussie friend to her to talk about the bridge outside of the church, he was also impressed.
I hope you do more and more of these profiles, Mike. I personally think it’s what a good portion of the world of fence-sitters want to hear about: that we aren’t a bunch of charred cinders smoldering away out here; that there is happiness, and that there are dreams and happy lives unfolding all around.
Thanks VERY MUCH for this blog post!
Thanks Dan! I was CO CMO PAC from late 91 through to 93 when I was promoted to CMO Int.
She was at PAC in the early 90’s, at least ’91 & ’92. She was there when Ivan blew AOLA.
Speaking of Ivan who blew from AOLA, does anyone know where he is and what he is doing now? Is he an Indie or did he leave Scn completely? I heard he blew with embezzled funds from the org and with the Treas Sec, an out 2D as both were married to others at the time. Is this true? Or is it the COS black PR on him since he blew?
Wow, that’s a lot of church bs they spread around. He is in LA. I am not sure what he calls himself these days. There were no embezzled funds. There was “out 2D”. She was not Treasury Sec, she was in the Finance Office.
Dan, I fully agree on Lana being way, way above the norm of
all the messengers I met when in the SO but then again the
ones I dealt with who were REAL and up the tone scale are
now indies, which makes a lot of sense.
Lana, the dictionary should have a picture of you next to the word integrity. Great job!
Lana.
You are a beautiful being. Welcome back to life!
Hi Lana;
Can’t keep a good thetan down! Your story and persistence is an inspiration to all who are in looking out.
bob
Great story, Lana.
Isn’t it just awful that you are totally free to create a wonderful life, with great children, a loving man and your own home. How could this possible be when you aren’t donating every dime to the IAS?
I’m very much looking forward to following your progress and hearing your wins on the flowers and clears you are helping to flourish.
Les
Hey Lana, beautifully put.
You are a great thetan and I am proud to be your friend. There is so much we can achieve as a team and our ranks are growing daily.
Thank you for what you are doing and saying, Dani
Lana…high 5 to you. Very inspiring look at your life post Sea Org.
Lana, Thank you for sharing. Awesome story. ML Jan
Simply inspiring!
Very good story Lana. And I think it’s only the beginning of something much larger. VWD.
Wow Lana – you are prospering…..flourishing…..blossoming…….booming…….and beaming. And it will continue because you are who you are. What a beautiful story on a Sunday morning. I really hope this message gets through to anyone in fear of a life outside the SO. The truth is the truth – it does not matter what your location in space is, what you are doing or where you are going. The truth just is. And you can be happy and still with and around the truth – on the outside of the SO.
What a beautiful, inspirational journey you have made! You are truly shining and your presence is being felt in so many places. Thank you for doing what you are doing and thank you for sharing your story. No building will ever make any clears and no building will ever be a true stable datum – only strong and shining beings will and you are one of them! Thank you!
Great Lana! What I found was that the wins and abilities of the training/auditing tend to catch up to you too!
VWD and welcome to freedom and expansion through your abilities and postulates.
Yes, I hope others read this fabulous story and join other Independents that use Scientology to improve conditions in his and others´ lives. Carry on with your successes Lana
SILVIA
Just beautiful, Lana. Thank you for sharing your journey to Independence with us. Your success story on leaving the cult should be required reading for all fence-sitters and new escapees. They have much to look forward to outside the razor wire, where Scientologists and the tech are free.
Wow, that was an incredible story.
I have not been posting on the blogs as of late, but I had to give an ack to this post.
I am very happy for your new-found life outside the glitzy, glutzy, putzy, whatzy,church of nutzy.
Now you are on a real spiritual path – one that is walked by you, rather than walking on you.
Thank you for sharing. And all the best for the future!
Lana, you are beautiful inside and outside. Thanks for sharing
this with us and I am sure it will help others to take that first step
out of the suppressive cage called the church of Scientology
into the freedom of Scientology and life.
i loved reading your success story. what a great life you are creating for your self.it is exciting for me every time i read of someone who spent so many years in the sea org. no money no history of working in the real world and goes out and makes it go right,that is OT TO ME.
Wonderful story Lana !! You go and keep on going girl, all the best of everything !!
I love this. It’s feels like a ray of sunshine through the clouds.
Actually for the first time I looked at what it would be like if the Church was disarmed, or de-fanged, or Miscavige gets dragged out in handcuffs for some crime he has undoubtedly committed in his efforts to suppress. I think a lot of people will feel a tremendous relief. The attention units and negative energy being absorbed by this little man is quite tremendous. I believe I will have a persistent FN knowing I and everyone else are free from that suppression.
Yesterday I had the idea that maybe it would be good for some people to formally disconnect from him as an ‘unhandleable’ SP so we can end off on it. You know- just to cut that line with some intention.
Wonderful Lana! It’s great to have the before and after side of the story. More lies dispelled. I’ll be forwarding this to some of my friends who enjoy sitting on fences.
Lana thank you for this.What a great story of landing firmly on your own two feet despite suppression.
I look at your picture and I see just one thing-Theta!
Beautiful Lana, you are an inspiration…. I’m so glad your are flourishing and prospering.. you know who hates the fact that you are. You, we and others are actually doing quite well in life. The irony is that he (DM) and his followers are the ones not doing well as so explicity documented on the Ideal Org scams, et al. And I’m glad to hear that court business was settled, may you ex one day way up and smell the roses.