My Book Review of Indian Astrology, by Komilla Sutton

[Guest guest]

Tuesday, December 05, 2000

 

Re: My Book Review of Indian Astrology, by Komilla

Sutton

 

All,

 

Just your friendly neighborhood Astrological Book

Critic, with some thoughts on one the latest books out

on the market, Indian Astrology, by Komilla Sutton.

Sutton is a bit new to the American audience; she's a

Brit, I believe, and from what I hear, a pretty good

Vedic Astrologer. She has another book out last year

or so, Essentials of Vedic Astrology - I flipped

through it, and it dealt mainly with the basics of

Vedic Astrology, kind of on the cookbook tip.

 

Her latest book, deals with a little known topic - the

Vedic Zodiac, the 27 Nakshatras. What she does, is she

takes the nakshatras and finds out where they would

fall in the Tropical Zodiac; she then gives readings

for these stars in the light of your Western Sun Sign.

For example, my birthday is Dec 2; so, the Nakshatra

ruling that stretch of time (from Dec 2 to Dec 15)

would be Jyestha. I would then simply read what she

gives for that combination.

 

The book is very good-looking, an artist lover's

delight - there's a collection of pictures from India,

very nice artwork (the cover is very, very nice), and

there's some good info on the fundamentals of Vedic

Astrology.

 

Now, that's the good part.

 

The not-so-good part is, that it follows the path of

most Western Astrology books, by pandering to the

lowest common denominator among the Astrology-reading

public; what I'm referring to is, Sung Sign readings,

and the like. It seems to bethe current trend - fellow

Vedic Astrologer Ronnie Gale Dreyer also put out a

book recently, called Healing Signs - it too tries to

deal with a very deep and complex issue, within the

context of Sun Signs. I have had personal

communication with Dreyer, and have voiced my

displeasure at presenting such works for public

consumption. I feel the same way, even moreso, about

Sutton's book.

 

It sends out the wrong message about Astrology in

general, and Vedic Astrology in particular, that you

can kind of get a "quick fix" style read on you and

your spouse-to-be, by simply looking up you and

her/his Sun Signs/Nakshatras. Of all the various

offshoots of Vedic Astrology, thee most important is

the time-tested Kuta System, which is the

compatibility point system used in determining

relationship compatibility between a prospective

couple. I think that this book, while it gives some

tid-bits here and there, and while it certainly is a

feast for the eyes, does more harm than good, by going

the American style "dummying-down" route.

 

If Astrology, Western or Vedic, is to ever get the

respect it deserves, we in the Community simply MUST

demand that we raise the bar concerning such writings;

they help no one in the end.

 

Read at your risk…

 

Salaam,

Mu

 

 

 

 

Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products.

/

[Guest guest]

dear Mü´min,

 

Thanks for the revue and warning, though I would have never read the said book,

unless universally praised!

 

Compatibility analysis as per jyothish is not all that better! Combined

prosperity, children etc. are considered, but not whether the couple will be

happy witheach other, have good relationship with cildren etc. crteris for

the uniom is only prolification and material welfare!

 

Wish you success in interpretation!

 

regards

Mani