The steps on the CBR Stairway are: awareness, guidance, learning, application, teaching, transition, and fulfillment. It seems a long stairway at the beginning, but in actuality, most find it much too short. The CBRs way is revered as The Right Way to Live, and you have chosen well. It is said that a long journey begins with the first step, and you have taken it. It is now up to you to complete it. However, help is available for the asking. Remember, there is strength in numbers, and it is those numbers that you will most certainly find interesting.
Here's how it works: each adept is an individual unto him or herself, but each
is a part of a greater whole called the All. The All is the Grand Creation of
the Objective Force (Lucifer) and includes all things great and small. CBR
Adepts, you see, are simply the custodians of the All. That is why I refer to
myself as Head Devil and Custodian. See, you will be dealing with numbers,
a lot of them. Take a moment to ponder the implications! When something
![[Order the New Seven Scrolls Book]](7scrl1.gif)
falls over, it's your job to pick it up. This can become a lot of work, so as time
passes, Adepts tend to gather about them several other kindred spirits to help
in the project. Most find twelve helpers quite enough, though some require
more. Mostly, however, twelve is considered an optimum Extended, CBR
Family Group. Of course, one family will become associated with others, and
in time, a tribe will form. This is handy as when something really big falls
over, there are adequate resources to help pick it up.
Here, here! If we keep this up, we'll have a society on our hands. Oh well. Fortunately, the CBR has taken all this into consideration, and there are many lessons devoted to handling that subject. You see, the CBR is at its best when dealing with people. However, before we start dealing with people, we have to begin dealing with you. Order and stability are necessary to success, and all brothers and sisters, including you, must first begin by doing some mental house cleaning. Now that statement is sure going to piss somebody off! However, most adepts, sooner or later begin to try to accomplish fetes of Greater Magic. The day will come, and when it does, you will find that self discipline and self control is of paramount importance. Order and stability are absolutely necessary, or your will have hungry daemons lunching upon your bones! Oh well, being pissed off is better than being pissed on, or worse, being pissed out.
OK, now that we have calmed down, the first thing to do is start a journal. All budding adepts and the experienced ones too, keep a daily record of where they are at and where they are going and what they did when they got there. Not only that, but they also keep notes upon how they could have handled their various situations better. All this helps to fine hone the art of perception and broaden the Circle of Awareness. Here, you will keep all that you learn of magic and the manipulation of forces and powers. What was that daemon's name? Do I mix the acid into the water or the water into the acid? What was that about the color markings of that odd snake? Black touch yellow, kill a fellow? Or was it red touch black, all right, Jack! The journal also answers many questions such as: why did I win or lose in this attempt? Read your journal and you will know. Remember: all endings have a beginning and a middle. It is the order or chain of events that ensue that produce an ending. Endings may be changed. Start your "Black Book" now, or you will surely wish you had.
It is often said that a person should know his or her limitations. However, we don't have to be carried away with them. Many of our limitations really belong to someone else. Take time to list your limitations in your journal. Just jot them down as you encounter them or they encounter you. Once you have your list of limitations, ask yourself from whence each one came. Chances are that you will have learned most of them from other persons who taught them to you. Once you realize that a limitation is really someone else's limitation, you can cross it off your list, for it doesn't really belong to you. See, your load is getting lighter already.
However, the majority of us will probably still have a few limitations left even after returning those that belong to others, so a portion of your CBR adept's training will of necessity deal with ridding yourself of those few left on your list. This is an early step in the process of awareness. When we are free of limitation, we are free of fear. Then when we are free of fear, we can remove our heads from the sand and take a close look at what is around us. More than that, we can do more than wait for something to happen to us. Yes, we can take steps to change endings. In fact, we may shuffle things around and create endings much more to our liking. However, before we begin making changes, we must first learn to see their outcomes. Remember, the Rock of Stupidity is large, but we may still trip over it if we can't see it.
We become aware by seeing; think about seeing. Ask yourself what is a seer. The simple answer is: someone who sees. Rest assured that there is more to it than that. Look out of your window for ten seconds, then try jotting down what you have seen without looking back at the object of your study. Then, after you are sure that you have written down everything you have seen, compare your notes to the actual scene and discover all that you have missed. Most of us will record the obvious, but neglect the fine detail. Many will be unaware that any detail exists at all. Try to discover the depth of your discernment. More than that, consider how the shadows deceive you. Where is the wind going? Why do sun drops dance on water? What did the clouds try to tell you, and why was there anything out there anyway?
Often have sages expounded on the difference between looking and seeing. Once there were two Indian boys who were rivals, and each tried to outdo the other. As they grew older, their contests grew more exacting, and the difference between them became harder to discern. One of their favorite pastimes was target practicing, one trying to out-shoot the other with bow and arrow. However, it soon became obvious that their scores were about even. What they needed was a real tie breaker. One morning, they met a medicine man, and one boy asked this old sage's advice on their dilemma. The old man simply said, "Go you hunting, one East and one West; he who brings me meat by day's end shall have a powerful charm, and all will know of his prowess!"
This seemed like a fine idea to the boys, and they quickly followed the old sage's advice, one traveling East and one traveling West. In his own way, each boy tried his best, traversing meadows and valleys in his quest. While the boys hunted, the old seer waited and peered into the shadows of today to see the bright light of tomorrow. Then, as those shadows lengthened and the moon rose pale in the evening sky, the boys returned to the old man. He stood waiting for them on the little hill where he lived near the stream his father had discovered so many moons ago. Later that evening, the boys came in from different directions, but long before they arrived, the old man could see that one of them proudly carried something over his shoulder- the other, only carried his bow and arrows.
It was clear to the old shaman that while both could shoot equally well, one boy could see while the other could only look. Then the wizened old man, true to his word, presented the successful boy with his prize in exchange for the meat. Indeed, he was a great hunter. However, in the end he gave the other boy the greater gift. He taught that boy to really see. So, who turned out to be the great hunter? Who was the next medicine man? Could the hunter see at night? Could the medicine man see in spite of it? Who became really aware? Who could see the color of tomorrow from the shadows of today? What did the old man perceive in the boy who had not yet learned to see? The natural hunter already had his gift. Though he brimmed with ability, the other boy's heart was not in hunting, but the old man saw a spark of magical ability in him. All that was necessary was to slowly develop that spark into a flame and then into a white-hot star of purpose, intent, focus and will.
The steps on the great CBR Stairway are: awareness, guidance, learning, application, teaching, transition, and fulfillment. Do you see how each of these seven principles are fulfilled in this simple children's story? Is it really a simple children's story? How well do you see?
Lets think a little about living in the here and now. The past is history and can't be changed. However, one can learn its lessons. Both positive and negative experiences can be great teachers whether the events concerned are our own or those of others. The future has yet to come and is mostly hidden somewhere behind the veil. Therefore, all must live in the here and now. The trick is to focus on what we are doing while we are doing it. This involves being in control of our thinking and our emotions. There are those who run free, mindlessly doing whatever seems like a passable idea at the time, never weighing past successes or failures or having any concern about how their actions may affect future events. These people never fare very well, and the product of their lives generally adds up to little or nothing. Mostly, they are a burden on society, and often they are shunned or expelled from the community at large. Other more intelligent people learn by doing and seeing and knowing. They consider their actions before they do them, deciding whether or not they like the probable outcome. These people are usually successful in their endeavors and are well thought of by their family, friends and community.
Therefore, our doing should be a product of our careful considerations. Man is capable of thinking and planning. He is even able to forecast the course of future events based upon the outcomes of similar past situations. If in the spring a man cast a handful of seeds into the ground and later harvested a crop, it is safe to assume that he might gain another similar harvest should he repeat his actions the following spring. If a criminal robbed and killed a man and was later caught and hanged for his crime, another person contemplating such an act might well assume that he would suffer the same fate and therefore refrain from such action, thereby avoiding the consequences.
A brother or sister not only considers how his or her actions will affect his or
her own future but also the futures of others and society in general. They
learn to think in concentric rings through time and space, observing the action
and reaction of their manipulations. An adept is also conscious of the actions
of other people and their affects upon the whole. Throwing a gallon of bleach
into an acid vat is not a smooth move. Often, a perceptive adept, by some
small, apparently insignificant act can often ward off harmful effects from
another person's actions. For example, let's suppose that an adapt knows that
a criminal is about to perpetrate a crime. That adept could warn the intended
victim, convince the criminal to relent, subdue the criminal before he could
cause harm, or simply call for assistance. Also, the adept could cause a
diversion or an impasse, making an impossible situation for the criminal.
Be aware that for an event to occur, it must be preceded by a chain of events leading to its culmination. For a volcano to erupt, pressures must first build up deep within the Earth, exceeding the ability of the cap to safely retain them. For an accident to happen, its chain of events must proceed in an orderly manner as a row of dominoes toppled by a finger. This event is known as the domino effect. A wise adept knows that if one domino or link in such a chain is removed or differently placed, the outcome of the event will be altered. Therefore, it can be assumed that one brother or sister in the proper place at the proper time could change the fate of the world. Should such an adept standing beside a road see an automobile approaching in the distance, then observe a small child playing in that same road they would immediately know that an accident is possible. If the adept removes the child from the road, there is little possibility of the auto running over the child. To extend this chain of events, let's suppose that the saved child grows up to be a great leader who in his turn saves the world from disaster. Therefore, should another brother, sister or ken-youth be in danger, you should make every effort to render aid and assistance.
Getting your head on straight is one of the most difficult lessons to grasp, because it first requires a much greater personal awareness or introspection. Later, it requires mastering the fine points of a discipline similar in nature to that of the marshal arts. It also involves greater self control and a regular inventory and maintenance of your own personal mental, spiritual, and physical states, in addition to all that which is currently at your disposal. Most people aren't even aware of the time of day, let alone the real condition of their total self and all available assets. Let's face it, a workman needs to feel well, think well, have needed skills, and possess all of the necessary tools in order to accomplish his chosen job in a satisfactory manner. So it is with each and every adept.
A student of the CBR should begin his or her personal effort by refining his/her mental state. This state is easily altered as the manner in which most people think is usually habitual. Fortunately, such thinking habits can be changed in as little as thirty days by the application of a little self control. Of course, the desire for self improvement must be present in the individual, for no one else can light its spark or do the job for them.
Pay attention to your thoughts as they filter through your mind. During waking hours, post a little part of yourself, a sentinel, so-to-speak, to stand guard and keep track of what is going on inside your head. Then, ask your little sentinel whether your thoughts are positive or negative or beautiful or ugly. Ask often, for your thoughts will change faster than the speed of light. Most people find their thoughts are a mixture of black, white, and gray. Now, ask your sentinel if your thoughts are balanced. Ask if they are predominantly positive or mostly negative. In other words, honestly try to find out for yourself just what kind of person you are and what kind of shape you are in. You might be surprised. If you are too happy or too sad, ask why. Ask why you are aggressive, diminutive, bubbly, bleak, or just average.
When you make your daily journal entry, take a moment to assess how you are feeling and doing on that day. Assign a number from 1 to 10 as a rating. Then over the month, you can make a graph and establish a trend. That way you will have hard evidence of the shape you are in.
As you learn more, you will actually have four numbers. The first will be your mental state, the second your spiritual state, the third your physical state, and the forth, the state of your assets. These four numbers will reveal your whole- self condition and a history of how you got there. You may also add up all four numbers and divide by four, thus gaining an average of your daily condition and your progress as all four states affect the whole of your being. Are you beginning to see the importance of keeping your journal? The reason most people are confused or depressed is that they don't keep a journal. These people don't know why they have problems, and probably never will know. If an adept suffers the loss of one leg, the very first thing she'll do after she is patched up and has her wits about her again is write down why she lost it. That way, she probably won't have to lose the other one.
Do you keep a journal? No? Then you have some catching up to do. This is as good a time as any to begin. Get yourself a loose leaf notebook, some paper and a pen. The task is to try to remember everything you can about your life to date. Just jot down what you can easily remember, leaving plenty of room between entries for those lesser events you will remember later. The idea is to clean up your mental house and in the process, learn more about who and what your are. Don't worry, as no one but you will ever know the results. Just for fun, picture yourself standing in a large attic, cluttered with many boxes stacked one upon the other. These old boxes contain the sum total of your experience. Many of the boxes are open and the contents easily viewed. However, a few are closed and tied up, their contents a mystery. Now, the idea is to bring everything out of the darkness and into the light so that you can see what it is and figure out what to do with it. The idea here is to get rid of all the hurtful memories, so think of this experience as you would cleaning out your attic.
Make yourself an inventory of what you can find right off and jot each memory down in your journal. Soon, you will have quite a list and can make some choices of what to keep and what to toss out. The process is to view and review all that you find, examine it closely, figure out how it effects your life right now, and jot the results down in your journal. Your job is to transfer memories, both positive and negative from your mind to your journal. This is thought transference is it not? We are removing data both helpful and harmful from your mental file and placing it on paper where it can't squirm around and hide. Now once this is done, we can make some choices as to what to do about all those memories that might be hurtful to you. The good memories are no problem, but the mistakes are another matter.
However, this job will not be as easy as it looks. Be aware that within your mental attic there are many stumbling blocks with which you must deal, either now or later. The human mind, especially the subconscious mind is capable of many tricks and ploys to keep the conscious mind from unraveling its mysteries. Events of long ago that have been totally forgotten by an individual's conscious mind are often boxed, indexed, and kept by the subconscious mind as a series of checks and balances (read limitations) to control the actions of that individual. The main thrust of the subconscious mind is defensive in nature as it wishes to avoid pain. Do you now fully understand the importance of clearing your mind? Do you see that there would be little benefit in filling a cluttered and therefore limited mind with further knowledge it couldn't use because of built-in limitations? Good, keep on writing everything you find in your journal!
Once you have gone as far as you can, remembering everything possible for the time being, look it over very carefully, and consider its effects upon your here and now. More than that, look for chains and links that might lead down other avenues of your past. Next, take up a clean sheet of paper and write an essay entitled, "Why am I screwed up in the head?" Step two entails waiting a day or two before reading it. Never will you have read such a pack of lies. Should you believe them, you have a problem; no, you have many problems. However, if you can smile at the contents of your essay, there is hope.
Apply your gained knowledge and keep on sorting through your memories
even if they are harsh until you have transferred all memories that might drag
you down or lift you up into your journal. Do not be afraid to open any box
no matter how dark and smelly it might be as its contents can hurt you more
while covered than when out in the clean air and sunlight. Even if the box is
sealed up tight, your subconscious can see right through the carton as if it
were clear glass. You see, the subconscious mind is very defensive and has a
marked tendency to compartmentalize anything it fears, disapproves, or
doesn't like. Never underestimate the latent power of your subconscious
mind; it can make or break you. So, run down any lead you can find and
transfer it to your journal.
Well, aren't we going to a lot of trouble here, making a big deal out of looking under the corners of your mental rug... However, wouldn't it be a shame to be kidding yourself or hiding something from yourself. Then when you are right in the middle of perpetrating a high magical act which includes trashing a cheating lover, a member of the opposition jumped up and said, "But you have done the same thing yourself!" Well, then. Instead of commanding the entity to crawl off and die as you should, you go blank, wondering what to do next. You cannot afford such a loss of power at a critical time. No kidding, clean out your head before it's too late and you wind up daemon dung.
