The Canonical Texts of the Royal Art

THE ESSENTIAL LIBRARY OF THE PATH

This is the core reading list for the Royal Path, organized by category. These texts form the foundation of study throughout the grades.

I. ESSENTIAL SCRIPTURE

A Course in Miracles

The primary spiritual text of the Royal Art.

• Text — Theological foundation, metaphysics, teachings on forgiveness
• Workbook for Students — 365 daily lessons (one year cycle)
• Manual for Teachers — Guidance for advanced students and teachers

Supplementary ACIM Texts:

• Psychotherapy: Purpose, Process and Practice
• The Song of Prayer
• The Gifts of God (poetry)
• Special Messages

Study: Begins in Probationer/Zelator, continues through all grades. By Adeptus Minor, the Workbook is completed and integrated. By Magister Templi, ACIM is fully embodied.

The Bible

Old Testament (Hebrew Bible):

• Genesis — Creation, Fall, patriarchs
• Exodus — Liberation, Law, Tabernacle
• Psalms — Prayers, hymns, invocations
• Proverbs — Wisdom
• Ecclesiastes — Vanity and meaning
• Song of Songs — Mystical love, the Bride and Bridegroom
• Isaiah — Prophecy, Messianic vision

New Testament:

• The Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) — Life and teachings of Christ
• Book of Revelation — Apocalypse, the New Jerusalem, eschatology

Study: Begin with Gospels and Psalms (Zelator/Theoricus). Revelation studied deeply in advanced grades (Adeptus Major and above).

Gnostic Gospels

• The Gospel of Thomas — Sayings of Jesus, esoteric teachings
• The Gospel of Philip — Sacraments, the Bridal Chamber
• The Gospel of Truth — Gnostic theology
• The Thunder, Perfect Mind — Divine Feminine, paradox

Study: Introduced in Theoricus/Practicus, deepened in Adeptus grades.

II. FOUNDATIONAL QABALISTIC & ALCHEMICAL TEXTS

Qabalah

• Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation) — Cosmology, Hebrew letters, Tree of Life
• The Zohar — Central Kabbalistic text (studied in advanced grades)
• The Bahir (Book of Illumination)
• Sefer Ha-Bahir and other primary Kabbalistic sources

Study: Sefer Yetzirah begins in Zelator. Zohar studied in Adeptus Major/Exemptus.

Hermetic & Alchemical Classics

• The Emerald Tablet — Core Hermetic axiom ("As above, so below")
• The Corpus Hermeticum — Hermetic dialogues
• Three Books of Occult Philosophy by Cornelius Agrippa — Comprehensive magical encyclopedia

Study: Agrippa studied throughout; Book I (Natural Magic) in First Order, Books II-III in Second Order.

III. POLITICAL THEOLOGY & TRADITIONALISM

• Revolt Against the Modern World by Julius Evola
• Men Among the Ruins by Julius Evola

Study: Primarily for understanding the political-philosophical dimension of the Royal Art, studied as supplement to core magical work.

IV. ARTHURIAN & GRAIL TEXTS

• Perceval, the Story of the Grail by Chrétien de Troyes
• Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach
• Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory
• Arthurian Magic by John Matthews and Caitlín Matthews

Study: Introduced in Portal grade (knightly initiation), referenced throughout Second Order.

V. CORE HERMETIC & MAGICAL TEXTS

General Hermetic Study

• The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall — Comprehensive overview
• Tree of Wisdom by John Michael Greer — Practical Qabalah
• The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie — Complete Golden Dawn system
• Complete Magician's Tables by Stephen Skinner — Correspondences
• The Book of Thoth by Aleister Crowley — Tarot (advanced)
• The Chicken Qabalah by Lon Milo DuQuette — Accessible Qabalah intro

Study: Regardie and Skinner are reference texts used throughout all grades. Crowley's Book of Thoth studied in Second Order.

Initiation & Practice

• Initiation Into Hermetics by Franz Bardon — Step-by-step magical training (Steps 1-10 correspond roughly to grades)
• The Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune — Each Sephirah studied with corresponding grade
• The Tree of Life by Israel Regardie — LBRP, Middle Pillar, foundational practices

Study: Bardon and Fortune used systematically, one step/sephirah per grade.

VI. ALCHEMY TEXTS

• The Mystery of the Cathedrals by Fulcanelli
• Dwellings of the Philosophers by Fulcanelli
• The Forge and the Crucible by Mircea Eliade — Alchemical symbolism and history
• Real Alchemy by Robert Allen Bartlett — Practical spagyrics (lab work)

Study: Bartlett for practical work (Philosophus and above). Fulcanelli for symbolic/philosophical alchemy (Second Order).

VII. ASTROLOGY TEXTS

• Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice (2 volumes) by Demetra George
• Hellenistic Astrology: The Study of Fate and Fortune by Chris Brennan
• The Picatrix — Medieval grimoire of astrological magic

Study: Astrology basics in Theoricus. Deep study in Adeptus Minor/Major. Picatrix in Adeptus Major/Exemptus.

VIII. ROSICRUCIAN TEXTS

The Three Manifestos

• Fama Fraternitatis (First Manifesto)
• Confessio Fraternitatis (Second Manifesto)
• The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz

Study: Introduced in Philosophus. Deep study in Adeptus grades. Chemical Wedding is central text for Adeptus Exemptus (preparation for Red Wedding).

Other Rosicrucian Texts

• The Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians (16th-17th century)
• Atalanta Fugiens by Michael Maier — Alchemical emblems
• Splendor Solis — Alchemical manuscript

Study: Adeptus Major/Exemptus.

IX. SOLOMONIC & GRIMOIRE TEXTS

• The Key of Solomon (medieval grimoire)
• The Lesser Key of Solomon (Lemegeton):
• Ars Goetia (72 demons)
• Ars Theurgia Goetia
• Ars Paulina
• Ars Almadel
• Ars Notoria
• The Heptameron by Peter de Abano — Planetary magic
• The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage
• The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses

Study: Introduced in First Order. Abramelin is central text for Adeptus Minor. Goetia practiced in Adeptus Major.

X. MYSTICAL & PHILOSOPHICAL TEXTS

Christian Mysticism

• The Cloud of Unknowing — Medieval mystical text on unknowing and contemplation
• The Interior Castle by Teresa of Avila — Stages of mystical ascent
• Dark Night of the Soul by John of the Cross — The dark night process

Study: Portal grade and Adeptus Minor (understanding mystical union).

Esoteric Christianity

• Meditations on the Tarot by Valentin Tomberg — Christian Hermeticism, deep Tarot study

Study: Adeptus Minor and above (advanced text).

The Way of Mastery

The Way of Mastery (channeled by Jayem/John Marc Hammer):

• The Way of the Heart
• The Way of Transformation
• The Way of Knowing

Study: Supplement to ACIM, studied in Adeptus grades.

XI. MYTHIC & LITERARY TEXTS

• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien — Mythic epic, archetypal journey
• The Divine Comedy by Dante — Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso (descent, purification, ascent)

Study: Read for mythic understanding, archetypal patterns. Divine Comedy particularly relevant for understanding the path structure.

XII. CULTURAL CRITIQUE & VISION

• The Ascent of Humanity by Charles Eisenstein — Cultural diagnosis and vision for transformation

Study: Supplementary, for understanding the New Earth vision.

XIII. HEBREW LANGUAGE

• The Alef-Beit by Yitzchak Ginsburgh — Understanding Hebrew letters
• Hebrew grammar and lexicon texts (various)

Study: Hebrew begins in Zelator (alphabet), progresses through all grades to fluency in Adeptus Exemptus.

XIV. ADVANCED & SPECIALIZED

Nag Hammadi Library

• The Nag Hammadi Library (complete) — Gnostic texts
• The Pistis Sophia — Gnostic cosmology and Sophia myth

Study: Advanced Adeptus grades.

Orphic Texts

• The Orphic Hymns (Athanassakis translation) — Hymns to gods, planets, zodiac, cosmos
• Orphic fragments

Study: Adeptus Minor (planetary hymns), Adeptus Major (zodiacal hymns).

Cosmic & Enochian

• The Cosmic Doctrine by Dion Fortune — Cosmic evolution and structure
• Enochian Vision Magick by Lon Milo DuQuette — Enochian system (optional)

Study: Adeptus Exemptus (if drawn to these systems).

XV. HOW TO APPROACH THE READING LIST

Don't Try to Read Everything at Once

The reading list is vast. It represents a lifetime of study.

Follow the Grade Structure

Each grade has recommended readings. Focus on those first.

Read Deeply, Not Widely

Better to read one book ten times than ten books once.

Allow texts to sink in. Meditate on them. Live with them.

Sacred Reading (Lectio Divina)

Approach spiritual texts prayerfully:

1. Read slowly
2. Pause when something strikes you
3. Meditate on it
4. Let it speak to your heart
5. Return to God in silence

Keep Notes

Journal insights, questions, connections. Dialogue with the texts.

Remember: Direct Experience > Books

Books are maps, not the territory.

The real teaching comes from practice, ritual, meditation, and direct gnosis.

Books guide you. But ultimately, you must walk the path yourself.

Conclusion

This library represents the wisdom of ages — Hermetic, Qabalistic, Alchemical, Christian, Gnostic, and more.

Study these texts with reverence, humility, and discernment.

Let them guide you on the Royal Path.

But remember: The greatest book is written in your own heart.