Letters on the Royal Art: The Spiritual Alchemy of JB Kerning's Esoteric Masonry

J.B. Kerning 's (Johann Baptist Krebs) Letters on the Royal Art presents a unique practice of inner letter mysticism never before seen in esoteric history. His system of "hearing, seeing, and feeling" the letters with the body and in the imagination teaches a path of awakening their own "inner word". Here, Kerning's method is revealed through the rich symbolism of Freemasonry, and available to all. Ignored by many in recent history, Kerning's influence was strong among esoteric and Rosicrucian communities in the mid to late 19th century. The secret Rosicrucian adept, Alois Mailander, followed his work and taught his methods to many key leaders of the modern esoteric era, including Franz Hartmann of the Theosophical Society, OTO co-founder Carl Kelner, and the esoteric author Gustav Meyrink. Kerning's influence also hides behind many practices of "letter-magic", "Qabala", and other visionary magic seen well into the 20th century, including that of Rudolf von Sebottendorf, Franz Bardon, as well as practices found in Robert Felkin's Stella Matutina of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Here, for the first time in English, Kerning's Letters on the Royal Art stands as an essential path of inner alchemy that is well-seated in the spiritual currents of Rosicrucian and Western Esoteric practice. Read more