In Scientology the components of understanding – an important part of spiritual well-being—are viewed as a triangle consisting of Affinity, Reality and Communication, known as the ARC Triangle.

UNDERSTANDING LIFE

Because the ultimate goal of an immortal spiritual being—infinite survival—can be attained only by maximizing one’s participation along all eight dynamics, the question arises as to how, then, an individual accomplishes this.

Scientology teaches that by increasing understanding along all eight dynamics, the thetan can increase his participation and survival potential. Scientology defines understanding as being composed of three elements: affinity, reality and communication. These three interdependent factors may be expressed as a triangle and are examined at great length in Scientology Scripture. Each element occupies a corner of the triangle, known as the ARC triangle.

The first element is affinity, which is the degree of liking or affection. It is the emotional state of the individual, the feeling of love or liking for something or someone. The second element is called reality, which could be defined as “that which appears to be.” At bottom, reality is actually a form of agreement. What we agree to be real is real. The third element is communication, the interchange of ideas. These three concepts—affinity, reality and communication—are the component parts of understanding. They are interdependent one upon the other, and when one drops, the other two drop; when one rises, the other two also rise.