This is Standard Operating Procedure for Theta Clearing. This IS THE ROAD. It applies to all cases of whatever kind. It does not change or vary from case to case.

This process is done in steps. The auditor with EVERY preclear makes no other judgment than to begin with Step I and, failing to accomplish that immediately, to go to Step II; if he fails to accomplish this immediately he goes to Step III and so on. When he is able to accomplish a step he labels the case as that step number, i.e. , a III. He then begins working with that step. After a few hours of work he again starts at the top with the pc with Step I and progresses on through. Eventually the pc becomes a Step 1.

Step I: POSITIVE EXTERIORIZING. Ask the preclear to step a foot back of his head. If he does, make him go back further, then up, then down, practicing placement in space and time. Then one asks him to see if there are any items in the body he would like to repair and proceeds to let pc repair them according to pc’s own ideas as to how he should do it. Then educate the pc by making him create and destroy his own illusions into finally getting a certainty of illusion and from this a certainty of perceiving the real universe with all perceptions. (Note: The most real universe is, of course, one’s own illusory universe and should be completely rehabilitated before one attempts to perceive or handle or worry about the MEST universe. Rehabilitated, sonic, visio, etc., of the MEST universe are clear and very certain. Clear perception in early stages is not a test of being outside. The only test is whether the pc KNOWS he is outside.) Failing the first line of this step, go to Step II.

Step II: NEGATIVE EXTERIORIZING. Ask the preclear NOT to be a foot back of his head. (See sub-zero tone scale where all commands reverse.) Give him commands in the negative which will be obeyed in the positive sense. Then orient him in space and time (the thetan can be out of time badly) and thereafter treat him as a Step I case. Failing this step, go to Step 111.

Step III: BY ORIENTATION. Ask the preclear, still inside, to locate the inside of his forehead. Ask him to put a pressor beam against it and push himself out the back of his head. Supplement this by asking him to reach out through the back of his head and grab the wall with a pulling beam and pull himself out. Ask him to steady himself outside and then, by means of beams, to raise and lower himself while outside and to move to various parts of the room while still outside. By orientation as a thetan, placing himself as a thetan in time and space, he becomes sure of his whereabouts. Have him find and cast off old lines which have their terminals fixed to radiators and water taps so the energy will drain out of him. The III ordinarily has enough lines to cause him to snap back in the head when he releases beams. Failing this go to Step IV.

Step IV: RIDGE RUNNING. Ask the preclear to give himself a command to walk. Let him locate the white flow line which results inside his head. When this line goes dark, have him locate the tiny inside skull ridge that stopped it. Have him run the flow from this barrier (these barriers are tiny ridges, each having a thought with it such as “Can’t walk” or “Too bored to walk”) back toward the spot where he told himself to walk. It will run white for a moment, then go black. Have him give himself the command to walk again and “watch” this flow line. It may run through two or three tiny barriers and then stop. Again have him run the “objection” to walking. Have him watch this “objection” flow until it goes black. Then have him give himself the command to walk again and so on and so on. He will wind up at some outside point. Now have him give himself the command “Listen” and have him run this and its back flows on “black and white” until he is exterior on the subject of listen. Then use the command “Talk” similarly. Then the command “Nod,” then the command “Move.” Give “Look” last for it may “blind” his perception of black and white. He may each time get out to a distance in another quarter. If he can do all this start with Step I again. Failing this step, failing to “see” black and white energy manifestations, go to Step V. (See What to Audit.)

Step V: DED-DEDEX RUNNING. Audit the preclear on DEDs and DEDEXes with particular attention to blanketings. Audit him also very heavily on “Creative Processing” (Self Analysis, British Edition). Then go through steps again. If pc is immediately perceived to have little or no reality on ANY incident, go to Step VI.

Step VI: A-R-C STRAIGHT WIRE. Drill, by direct questioning, on locks until pc can remember something really “real” to him, something which he “really loved,” something with which he was in communication. Then drill him on creating illusions until he is certain he has created one which really isn’t real, which he is certain HE put the emotion and perceptions into. (See Self Analysis, British Edition, with attention to “End of Session Processing.”) Then go through steps again. Failing Step VI after a quick test, go to Step VII.

Step VII: PRESENT TIME BODY ORIENTATION. Have preclear locate a part of his body and recognize it as such. Have him locate furniture, fixtures, auditor in room. Have him locate the town and country he is in. Get him to find something in present time which is really real to him, with which he can communicate.

Work on this until he can do this. Then go to Step VI. Then go to Step I.

The Bibliography for SOP Theta Clearing is as follows: Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, Science of Survival, Self Analysis (British Edition as revised Fall, 1952), What to Audit, Professional Course Books, Scientology: 8-80.

[Also in this issue of the Journal was a list of terms and definitions used extensively in the theta clearing techniques. This same collection of terms, with some revisions and modifications, can be found as the Glossary of Scientology 8-8008.]