The Scientology cross is one of the principal symbols of Scientology

Symbols of Scientology

This is an incomplete list of the symbols of Scientology, the Church of Scientology, and related organizations.-Trademarks:All official symbols of Scientology are trademarks held by the Religious Technology Center . They are said by the center to be used "on Scientology religious materials to...

. It is most often used to represent the Church of Scientology

Church of Scientology

The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...

.

The cross closely resembles the Christian cross, but differs from it with the addition of four diagonal rays between the conventional horizontal and vertical arms. The eight points of the cross represent the eight dynamics in Scientology:

1. The Self
2. Creativity, sex, and procreation (family)
3. Group, society, community
4. Species survival (humankind)
5. Life forms in general
6. Matter
7. Spirit
8. Infinity or Supreme being

The Church of Scientology says that "the horizontal bar represents the material universe, and the vertical bar represents the spirit. Thus, the spirit is seen to be rising triumphantly, ultimately transcending the turmoil of the physical universe to achieve salvation."

The Scientology cross apparently dates back to the mid-1950s. Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard

L. Ron Hubbard

Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...

 wrote in 1955 that "the model of the cross came from a very ancient Spanish mission in Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

, a sand casting which [Hubbard] dug up" He also occasionally referred to it as the "sunburst cross". Hubbard was based in Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...

 for a substantial part of 1952, though it is not clear whether his asserted discovery of the cross dates from this period.

Critics of Scientology have noted other possible derivations from occult

Occult

The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...

 sources. The Scientology cross is similar to the Rosicrucian or Rosy cross and the similar cross of Aleister Crowley

Aleister Crowley

Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...

's Ordo Templi Orientis

Ordo Templi Orientis

Ordo Templi Orientis is an international fraternal and religious organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century...

. Hubbard was briefly a member of the Rosicrucians and was involved in OTO "magical workings" in Pasadena, California

Pasadena, California

Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...

 some years before founding Scientology.

The practice of prominently displaying the cross in Scientology centers was instituted in 1969 following hostile press coverage in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 and elsewhere, when Scientology's status as a legitimate religion was being questioned. In response, Hubbard ordered that "Any staff who are trained at any level as auditors

Auditing (Scientology)

Auditing was developed by L. Ron Hubbard, and is described by the Church of Scientology as "spiritual counseling which is the central practice of Dianetics and Scientology".-Description:...

(but not in A[dvanced] O[rganization]s) are to be clothed in the traditioned ministerial black suit, black vest white collar silver cross for ordinary org wear."