A Cunning Man's Grimoire: The Secret of Secrets — Grimoires

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A Cunning Man's Grimoire: The Secret of Secrets

Name: A Cunning Man's Grimoire: The Secret of Secrets
Price: 65.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780738760728

✍️ Skinner, Stephen

Reader Score

4.6

(4 reviews)

$65.00

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

This volume captures a working manual where high ceremonial operations meet regional folk practices. Rooted in Eastern traditions, the text provides functional instructions for image magic and precise astrological timing. By including detailed tables for the 28 Mansions of the Moon, it offers practical tools that traditional Solomonic texts usually omit. The work suits serious researchers of historical sorcery, though readers seeking modern beginner guides will find its original historical focus less accessible.

Skinner, Stephen

📚 all books by this author (15) →

📕

Grimoires

🏛 Llewellyn Publications 📖 176 pages 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9780738760728

Fun Fact

Skinner’s curation is masterful, offering a rare glimpse into a magical tradition that defies easy categorization. The inclusion of lunar mansion tables is a significant scholarly and practical contribution. However, readers seeking purely Solomonic rituals may find the folk elements jarring. It sits uniquely at the intersection of high esotericism and practical folk craft, indispensable for serious historians and eclectic practitioners alike.

📚 This Book in Collections

⚗️ Magick Studies

📝 Description: A Cunning Man's Grimoire: The Secret of Secrets

Originally produced by Dr. Stephen Skinner through Golden Hoard Press and published by Llewellyn Publications, this handbook presents the working notes of a practicing sorcerer. The text bridges high ceremonial magic and local village sorcery, drawing directly on historical Arabic and Indian traditions. Its contents focus heavily on practical magic alongside specialized astrological data. Readers will find operations for image magic, detailed timing methods, and specific instruction built around the 28 Mansions of the Moon, extending well past standard planetary days and hours. Dr. Stephen Skinner brings his background in historical grimoire research to this edition, framing a text that sits at the intersection of several distinct magical lines. The material provides an authentic operational manual rather than a modernized guide. Practitioners seeking historical Solomonic techniques will find unique lunar and image traditions here that rarely surface in standard grimoires. The volume suits readers searching for traditional operational texts, while those looking for modern, simplified witchcraft manuals may prefer a different title.

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Stephen Skinner presents a fascinating rescue of a forgotten manual that bridges the gap between elite ceremonial magic and folk practice. The text offers intricate workings alongside vital astrological data often omitted elsewhere, notably providing detailed timing based on the twenty-eight lunar mansions rather than standard planetary hours. Rooted in Arabic and Indian traditions, it provides a distinct perspective on image magic and celestial influence. However, this book does not suit readers seeking straightforward, low-complexity rituals or those unfamiliar with astrological frameworks. It requires a willingness to engage with complex historical contexts and cross-cultural esoteric currents. Those preferring modern, simplified approaches may find the dense integration of ancient celestial tables and village craft too demanding for casual reading.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This volume is an essential addition for those seeking to understand the cross-cultural currents of Western esotericism. It serves as a practical handbook for the working magician, offering intricate workings alongside vital astrological data often omitted elsewhere. Readers will appreciate the rare fusion of high ritual and village craft, guided by lunar mansions and ancient celestial tables. By providing detailed timing based on the twenty-eight lunar mansions rather than standard planetary hours, it offers a distinct perspective on image magic and celestial influence. Stephen Skinner has rescued this forgotten manual, making it invaluable for scholars and practitioners interested in the gap between elite ceremonial magic and folk practice.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

Readers interested in the intersection of high ritual and folk magic will find this invaluable. It is particularly suited for practitioners looking to expand their astrological toolkit beyond standard planetary hours and explore the nuanced timing of lunar mansions.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 4 reviews

Willow W.

November 16, 2025

Excellent find

Perfect companion for my morning study sessions. The material is presented clearly and the structure makes it easy to revisit key passages. I found myself reading passages aloud just to sit with them. Great value for what you get.

Victor T.

November 18, 2025

Perfect companion for my morning study sessions. The print is clean and easy on the eyes for long sessions. The ideas are old but land with surprising force today. I'd have loved an index, but that's on the original text. Recommended with reservations.

Adam K.

January 19, 2025

A treasure

Honestly wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm impressed. It connects ideas I'd only seen treated separately elsewhere. Not a light read, but far more accessible than I feared. Recommended if you're ready to do the work.

Esoterica Books editorial team

Stephen Skinner presents a fascinating rescue of a forgotten manual that bridges the gap between elite ceremonial magic and folk practice. The text offers intricate workings alongside vital astrological data often omitted elsewhere, notably providing detailed timing based on the twenty-eight lunar mansions rather than standard planetary hours. Rooted in Arabic and Indian traditions, it provides a distinct perspective on image magic and celestial influence. However, this book does not suit readers seeking straightforward, low-complexity rituals or those unfamiliar with astrological frameworks. It requires a willingness to engage with complex historical contexts and cross-cultural esoteric currents. Those preferring modern, simplified approaches may find the dense integration of ancient celestial tables and village craft too demanding for casual reading.

❓ Frequently asked questions

It uniquely incorporates the twenty-eight lunar mansions for timing and blends high magic with local village practices, diverging from the purely planetary hour systems found in typical Solomonic texts.

While accessible, it assumes some familiarity with magical workings. It is best for those with foundational knowledge who wish to deepen their practice with specialized astrological and folk techniques.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Lunar Mansions

Folk Magic Synthesis

Celestial Timing

📜 Historical context

This work sits at the crossroads of Arabic, Indian, and European magical traditions. Unlike typical Solomonic texts, it reflects a unique synthesis where village sorcery meets high magic. It preserves astrological techniques, specifically the lunar mansions, which were vital for timing operations but often lost in later European grimoires. It represents a critical link in the transmission of esoteric knowledge across cultures.

📚 Glossary

Lunar Mansions
Image Magic
Cunning Man

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might the timing of your work change if you considered the lunar mansion rather than just the planetary hour?
In what ways does your current practice blend high ritual with folk elements, and where could you deepen that integration?
What specific image magic workings could you develop using the astrological tables provided in this text?