COMPLETE MAGICIANS' TABLES

The Complete Magician’s Tables
Stephen Skinner
Llewellyn ©2006 Second edition


This book is a compendium of lists of correspondences from 26 areas relating to magic. Since magic is based on correspondences, which are essential to communication between levels of consciousness within and without one’s own self, magic workers will appreciate becoming aware of more correspondences.

The basic categories on which the author focuses consist of the Tree of Life, the Zodiac, the Elements, and the Planets.

On page 13, there is a “Key to the Tables” that you will refer to often, consisting of 34 lines arranged by these 4 basic categories, and assigned a key and a path to easily locate their correspondences. At the back of the book, there is an explanation for the alphabetic codes that group the topics.

Sources for the lists include Buddhism, Christianity, Alchemy, Feng Shui, Geomancy, Astrology, Islam, Judaism, Kabbalah, Grimoires, Orders, Alphabets, Pantheons, Chivalry, Tarot, Sacred Geometry, Hinduism, I Ching, psychology, Greek Isopsephy, and other disciplines, as well as color scales and the Wheel of the Year. Each of these categories is further broken down into many sub-categories and arranged in tabular format.

Some of these lists are familiar. Others are not. The standard correspondences from Liber 777 are included. Much of the additional material comes from unpublished works such as manuscripts in museums and archives, where the ordinary reader is not likely to come across them. Skinner has provided access to material you may never have come across otherwise.

Everyone should read the introduction, which introduces the history of tables of magical correspondences. Influential authors and their works are identified, and their historic significance explained.

Skinner compares and contrasts his book of correspondences with Liber 777 by Crowley, which has been the standard book of correspondences for many people.. He also discusses the connection between the Tree of Life and Western Magic, and why he does not use the Path model in his correspondences.

There are 19 classic black and white full page illustrations such as the constellations of Northern and Southern hemispheres, various Trees of Life and cosmologies, King Arthur’s Round Table, etc..

Examples of the kinds of lists you will find are as follows. Under the main category of magic, you will find subdivisions of magic, such as geomancy, tarot, etc. Natural magic falls into this category. For the subdivision of “Natural Magic” you will find lists of animals, plants, stones, metals, perfumes, and incenses. The sub-category “animals” is further broken down into real and imaginary animals and birds arranged by qabalistic, elemental, planetary, and astrological correspondences.

This is a large, comprehensive book. Be sure to read the introduction, and prepare to invest some time in familiarizing yourself with the structure and the conceptual arrangements. Skinner’s goal was to organize and present a comprehensive collection of correspondences in a logical way. He has done his best to maintain columns of correspondences together only if they truly belong together. In general, I believe you will be very well served by the material in this book.