In case after case, he found that by utilizing his techniques previously unresponsive patients immediately improved with medical treatment once the mental blocks were removed. His theory that in fact function did monitor structure gained further proof. As he noted at the time, “Thought is boss.”

This was then a revolutionary concept and opened the gates wide for further research.

In 1947, Mr. Hubbard wrote a manuscript detailing some of his new discoveries about the mind. It was not published at that time, but circulated among friends, who copied it and passed it on to others. The result was an increasing flood of letters wanting more information about these new breakthroughs. He soon found himself spending all his time answering letters and decided to write a comprehensive text on the subject.

His first published article on the subject, Terra Incognita: The Mind, appeared in the 1949 Winter/Spring issue of the Explorer’s Club Journal, followed by the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health which was published in May 1950. It became a nationwide bestseller almost overnight. By late summer, people across the country were not only reading the book but were also organizing their own groups for the purpose of applying Dianetics techniques. The book has remained a bestseller ever since, again becoming No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list almost four decades after its initial publication. It continues to appear on bestseller lists around the world.

During the course of thousands of hours of Dianetics counseling on thousands of individuals all over the country, incontrovertible evidence was amassed about the fundamentally spiritual nature of man. L. Ron Hubbard himself had discovered early in his research that man was a spiritual being, inhabiting a body and using a mind. These discoveries led him to realize that he had entered the realm of religion.

In 1954, Scientologists formed the Church of Scientology in Los Angeles. Within a few years churches had been started across the country and around the world.

In the years that followed, L. Ron Hubbard completed his research into the spiritual nature of man. Today, all his writings on the subject are available to anyone who wishes to study Scientology.

Though he passed away in 1986, the legacy of his work continues to help millions of people around the world successfully improve their lives through Dianetics and Scientology.