A floating needle always occurs when the basic on a chain erases.

A floating needle is valid only between 2.0 and 3.0 Tone Arm position on a meter. (Note: False TA can be caused by dry or calloused hands or improper grip — makes it read high. And by overly wet or greasy hands — makes it read low.)

Above or below that Tone Arm reading, the F/N is called an “ARC Break” needle. A floating needle between 2.0 and 3.0 Tone Arm position with BAD indicators is an “ARC Break” needle. It is not a real floating needle.

A real floating needle, between 2.0 and 3.0 Tone Arm position also carries with it Cognitions and Very Good Indicators. The pc is cogniting, cheerful and happy.

When the Tone Arm is below 2.0, the chain has not been erased.

When the Tone Arm is above 3.0, erasure has not occurred.

When the Tone Arm is up at 4.4, the pc has made it more solid and has not erased the basic on the chain.

On the second time through, if the TA rises, you know there is an earlier incident.

The Dianetic Auditor is not concerned with “rehabilitation” of the overrun if he sees the Tone Arm has gone high. In Dianetics it only means the engram chain is in restimulation and has not been erased.

When the basic erases, the TA will fall or rise to the area between 2.0 and 3.0 and the needle will F/N, the pc will have cognitions and very good indicators. The sequence is F/N, Cog, VGIs, Erasure. The auditor then stops running that chain. He can reassess and run another chain now.

COGNITION means a pc origination indicating he has “Come to realize”. It’s a “What do you know. I….” statement.

Cognitions usually occur immediately before an erasure. Cognitions can also occur while running the chain. But when they occur with a real floating needle and very good indicators, you know erasure is occurring. When you see this happening, let the pc cognite. Don’t chop his cognition. Let all the bits and pieces blow.

You can expect the rapid end sequence of:

1. Floating Needle

2. Cognition

3. Very Good Indicators

4. Erasure

in a well run Standard Dianetic session.

That’s all you really need to know about it in Dianetics. But you have to know it very well.