The Complete Magician's Tables

According to Skinner in his introduction, "Magic is based on correspondences" and it "most powerfully uses them when they are put together in a well-constructed ritual" (page 16). He notes that correspondences underlie communication whether it involves other humans, non-human entities, or even communication with one's own subconscious mind. Skinner's book is THE contemporary reference work to consult when it comes to historically-recognized MAGICAL correspondences. It is useful to both scholars and laypersons, skeptics and believers, when approaching the traditional categories associated with magic. Those categories that comprise the key to all the tables are provided up front on page 13 and involve the 10 Sephiroth of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the 5 Elements, the 7 planets, and the 12 Zodiacal Signs.The numerous tables are organized according to 26 categories as follows: 1] Angels - Biblical, Apocryphal and Gnostic; 2] Buddhism; 3] Christianity; 4] Dr John Dee's Angels; 5] Emblems and Alchemy; 6] Feng Shui, Chinese Taoism and Taoist Magic; 7] Geomancy; 8] Heavens - Zodiac, Planets, Houses, Decans, Mansions, Constellations; 9] Islam; 10] Judaism; 11] Kabbalah; 12] Letters, Alphabets and Numerical Values; 13] Magic of the Grimoires - Angels, Demons and Spirits; 14] Natural Magic - Animals, Plants, Stones, Herbs and Perfumes; 15] Orders, Grades and Officers; 16] Pagan Pantheons; 17] Questing and Chivalry; 18] Rainbow Colour Scales; 19] Sacred Geometry; 20] Tarot; 21] Uniform Timeline - Magicians, Kabbalists, Astrologers, Alchemists; 22] Vedic and Hindu; 23] Wheel of the Year, Seasons, Months and Hours; 24] X-Reference to Greek Isopsephy; 25] Y Jing or I Ching; and 26] Zones of the Mind, Body and Soul. Each of these categorized tables are supplemented with commentary at the back of the book according to the table columns.In the reference section at the back, Skinner provides biographical information on the authors whose works contributed most to the tables, beginning with Honorius of Thebes (fl. 1225) and ending with Blavatsky, Mathers, Crowley and Regardie as well as modern researchers in the field such as Adam McLean, Donald Tyson, Joseph Peterson and the encyclopedic works of David Godwin, David Hulse and Bill Whitcomb. This section shows that Skinner acknowledges the contemporary works of others and appreciates their contributions. His approach is opposite to that of Alan Richardson who put out a book in 2008 titled "The Magician's Tables: A Complete Book of Correspondences" which is not only a rip-off of Skinner's work but is also not as well organized or comprehensive. Be sure to purchase the right book.

Not a book you'd sit and read but great for when you need to check some information.

My 5 stars for this book are in regard to it being used as a reference source. As a reference work, Skinner's book is likely number 1 in its class. However, when I received this book and opened it I must admit that I was disappointed. I looked at table after table of columns and rows and thought, "What are you supposed to do with these?" On top of that, I found the pages of the book to be rather unappealing in appearance (black and white, rows, columns, relatively small type, small symbols, etc.) I put the book away while thinking of returning it.About 2 weeks later I purchased a copy of Alan Richardson's book of similar title (The Magician's Tables, A Complete Book of Correspondences). I was very pleased with its appearance and read through sections of the work each evening. Stephen Skinner gave Richardson's work 1 star... however, it was Richardson's work that I found to be more educational and more visually pleasing. Interesting is the fact that it was Richardson's book that encouraged me to dig out Skinner's book for another look. I then (with my knowledge gained from Richardson) saw Skinner's work as a very good reference work... but realized it simply was not an enjoyable read.Since Skinner had previously written a book about Feng Shui, I am surprised he would give Richardson's book 1 star (but then again, the two books are competing works,as must be seen from the authors' and publishers' points of view). What does Feng Shui have to do with these books? Look at both and you will see. Richardson's work seems to radiate energy... and Skinner's, to me, does not.In closing, I keep both books side by side. I see them as synergistic companions.

Every magic library would benefit from having a copy of this invaluable handy reference for pretty much all things magical. Any magician not owning a copy of this easy to obtain book is seriously shorting him/herself, when it's so easy to order from Amazon and have it in your hands in 2 days. Every table imaginable that is magic-related is in here and at your disposal. Thoroughly researched and comprehensively presented for the layman and advanced magi as well. Thanks to Dr Stephen Skinner for publishing a must-have for magic user world-wide that will be a part of magic libraries for millennia to come!Hope this helps someone make a decision on what to buy or not to buy. Thx

I like how the tables are interrelated.

The photo in the advertisement looks the same as what I received. It has everything in it that I could imagine asking no matter which flavor of magick, religion and even divination info. The introduction is extensive and contains quite a bit of info and also instructions on use of the book. The index in the back is an index of individual columns but not of individual key words with page numbers which many people enjoy. I would love a regular word index but other than that this was a great buy.

Very good read for this interested in this genre and would like further information on this topic. The author expresses themselves very well throughout this literature. I would recommend this book to those who like to have a better understanding or those who already have an appreciation of this and would like to immerse themselves more on this topic. Highly recommend this book / author and seller. Shipping and handling arrived new and without defects and well presented packaging.