What is the purpose of Scientology religious retreats?
Certain Scientology Churches maintain religious retreats for the benefit and use of parishioners. In Scientology, some upper levels of spiritual counseling require the parishioner s full-time participation for a period of several weeks for the parishioner to achieve the full benefit. Thus, the Church maintains religious retreats, away from the distractions of the world, which provide parishioners the ideal environment for advanced religious studies and spiritual counseling. The Church maintains two such religious retreats — one in Clearwater, Florida, and another aboard the motor vessel Freewinds, whose home port is in the Caribbean. The Church of Scientology in Clearwater is the spiritual headquarters for the religion and hub of the international Scientology community. With more than 20 buildings and nearly 1,000 staff, it is the largest Church of Scientology facility in the world. It delivers advanced spiritual training and auditing to parishioners who come from around the world to
