Achieving magical success requires more effort than just reading words from a script. The simple act of acquiring a spell, even a centuries old spell, and reading it out loud will not necessarily bring instant success. No, to consistently infuse successful magical energy into your environment becomes a substantial undertaking that requires much prudence, patience, perseverance and lots of practice. Magicians are not born, but are developed and proven in the fire of constant testing. To think that your uncle or aunt or grandmother was a witch, so you are a witch is a myth. True, they might be able to mentor you and even help you along a bit, but to assume that magical ability is altogether hereditary is ludicrous. Would you consider giving a child a dangerous device just because an ancestor could use it well? Hardly. To do so without consistent and proper training would be foolhardy, no matter what your roots.
A much better idea is to begin small and then grow in stature as experience is gained. This is why you have been given the Children Of The Black Rose Scrolls. Every word in the Scrolls is there for a purpose and is to be considered magical training of the first order. The Scrolls might be considered magical martial arts training. However, simply reading the Scrolls will do you no more good than picking up an old spell and reading it. That would be like reading an automobile assembly manual and expecting to build a sound automobile on the first try. To successfully assemble an automobile, you must actually have hands on training. You need experience. You need to see the parts going together. The same is true with magic. You learn by doing and putting the teachings into practice. You need to see the pieces going together and the relationship of one to the other. There is a lot to it.
The process has to begin somewhere, so we begin with the mundane that you can deal with instead of a bunch of mysticism that is above your experience and knowledge. Doesn't it seem reasonable that if you are to be able to focus your intent well enough to throw a curse that you need to first clear your mind of confusing issues? And if you are to be able to scry or see into the future, you need to know what to look for? How about developing technique? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to tell the difference between a misleading spirit and one who is telling you the truth? Right, you are going to wake up in the morning and master all of these varied skills by setting sun, because one of your esteemed ancestors was a witch or a magician. OK.
There are going to times of spiritual warfare where spirits who are defending your adversary will try to thwart you by showing you your own failings. Well, by Lucifuge, you better not have many failings at such a time. That's what the journal is all about. It's a powerful tool of recounting. It is a mirror that you can use to see the reflection of your passing days and learn to deal with who and what you are. That is why it is important to leave nothing out. Your own journal is one situation where you can only lie to yourself. Do it, and you will fail in the crunch.
It is one thing to throw a curse on some old schoolmarm. It is quite another to go up against an experienced magus who will eat your curse like candy, chew it up and spit it back at you with a good dose of the shards of hymovecaratheous. That will give you a thrill, it will, it will. No, before you begin playing at serious magic, you'd best first do your homework. A successful magician will build upon a solid foundation of spiritual training and become fully stabilized before attempting any high magical endeavors which could prove your undoing. The Scrolls will prepare such a sound foundation if you put them into regular practice.
Too, it is best that you begin with magic of a positive nature, as nobody is going to become angry if you do them a favor. Get your positive magic working well first, become well known on the spirit realms, gather some allies and learn the ropes well before attempting to climb very high upon them.
