Pagan Book Reviews

Your Sun Sign as a Spiritual Guide
Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters)
Ananda Publications, 1971
130 pages

I’m a sucker for vintage pagan and occult books; while there’s a circa-2003 edition out, I managed to snag a somewhat well-loved orange-covered first edition from Ananda Publications at the local Goodwill store (which has a fantastic selection of books, let me tell you! Hooray, Portland!)

Astrology isn’t one of my main areas of focus, so basic books are just about my speed. This one was definitely a nice introduction in a slim volume. The author provides a down-to-earth overview of astrology, the differences between different types of astrology, and a basic look at what each planet’s influence is. He also demonstrates how a person may not necessarily “match” their sun sign’s attributes at first glance, and how the lunar and rising signs may contribute to the interpretation thereof.

The sections on individual sun signs was quite enlightening. One of the main reasons for the book is to show how we aren’t trapped by our sun sign, but instead finding positive ways to channel natural inclinations. I got the most out of my own chapter, Scorpio, though it was nice to read interpretations of others and compare them to the people I know in those signs.

I don’t really have any complaints about this one–it did was it set out to do in a thorough, easy to read manner. There weren’t any huge glaring errors, and I learned quite a bit. I’ll be hanging onto this one, not just because of its age, but also because it’s a good basic resource for functional astrology.

Five pawprints out of five.

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