Dance of the Sun Goddess: Pagan Folkways of the Baltic Coast

by Kenneth Johnson

Kenneth Johnson has written a beautiful book that will open the door to the magic of the Baltics. Explore the Amber Coast and its many magical mysteries, meet a pagan sun goddess, and explore the spirituality of a people who were the last to convert to Christianity in long-ago Europe.

Discover the Magic of the Baltics

Kenneth Johnson takes us on another magical journey in his third Crossed Crow Books title, Dance of the Sun Pagan Folkways of the Baltic Coast . This is the first easily accessible book in the English language to offer an in-depth look into the Pagan folk traditions of the Baltic Coast, the last region of Europe to be converted to Christianity. We are introduced to the goddesses and gods of this magical land, as well as seasonal and family rituals that shed a surprising light on some of the most ancient concepts of Pagan Europe. Dance of the Sun Goddess is an inspiring addition to traditional Pagan and magical practices.
 

Genres: Paganism, Mythology, History, Folklore

201 pages, Paperback

Published March 26, 2024

About the author

Kenneth Johnson has been a professional astrologer for forty years. He holds a B.A. in Comparative Religions from California State University Fullerton. He obtained his Master of Arts in Eastern Studies (with an emphasis in Classical Sanskrit) from St. John's College, Santa Fe.
A leading figure in the study of myths and archetypes and their importance to the art of astrology, Kenneth is the author of numerous books and magazine articles, including the well-known Mythic Astrology series (with Arielle Guttman) and Mansions of the Moon: The Lost Zodiac of the Goddess, a study of the lunar zodiac of India. A close student of both Western and Vedic astrology, he has been the managing editor of the Journal of the American College of Vedic Astrology and a frequent contributor to The Mountain Astrologer.
A serious researcher of the culture of the Maya, both ancient and modern, he has spent months with indigenous teachers in remote parts of Guatemala and is the author of Mayan Calendar Astrology: Mapping Your Inner Cosmos, Jaguar Wisdom: An Introduction to the Mayan Calendar, and The Mayan Prophecies: The Renewal of the World 2012-2072.
Throughout the years, Ken has developed a unique approach to the art of astrology, blending contemporary practice with ancient insights. Astrologer, researcher, and writer, Ken lives in Taos, New Mexico.

Reviews

[QueenDee · Rating 4 out of 5]

#NetGalley #DanceoftheSunGoddess

I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange got my honest review. This novel is an interesting read for anyone who's interested in learning about Baltic Paganism. At times, the book is more text book sounding buy overall this is a good read.

[IHave NoClue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a delightful introduction to Baltic paganism. Johnson introduces the key gods, goddesses, and spirits, along with pagan yearly celebrations and rituals.

Given the scarcity of books on this topic, especially in English, this work stands out as a valuable resource. It serves as a great general introduction to Baltic paganism and was a real joy to read!

That being said, some topics could be expanded upon and explored in greater depth. As a Lithuanian, I found that the sections focused on Lithuanian Balts were quite familiar and could have been more detailed. However, it was fascinating to learn more about Latvian and Prussian traditions and how these related to each other and other Indo-European pagan belief systems. There are many more deities and traditional celebrations that were either skipped or could have used more explanation. But, to be fair, the lack of surviving sources and good English translations may explain some of these gaps.

Regarding the wheel of the life, Johnson’s Dance of the Sun Goddess focuses more on Latvian yearly celebrations. Lithuanian readers may find this section lacking. For more detailed information on Lithuanian holidays and celebrations, I recommend ‘Lietuvių šventės. Tradicijos, papročiai, apeigos’ by Pranė Dundulienė, although as far as I know it is not available in English.

As for the accuracy of the accounts, I can’t claim to be an expert, but from my general interest in Lithuanian mythology, the parts of the book based on Lithuanian language and traditions seem accurate and aligned with other texts I have read, including those from the Romuva movement. The only minor mistranslation I noticed was in the Sky Father chapter: “Visagalis” should probably be translated as “All-Powerful” rather than “All-Knowing” since “galia” means “power” in Lithuanian, and “All-Knowing” would be “Visažinis.”

In summary, Dance of the Sun Goddess is a wonderful introduction to the rich tapestry of Baltic pagan traditions, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in this fascinating subject.

[Raven Nivhaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who loves mythology, I found this dive into Baltic lore well done and satisfying. I hadn't looked deeply into Baltic myth before, and this book proved I should have done so much sooner! Filled with rich beliefs and beautiful culture, Dance of the Sun Goddess paints an intriguing picture of the Baltic coast.
If you have even a passing interest in the subject or in the Baltic, I would highly recommend giving this book a try!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Pauline Stout · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an exploration of ancient and modern paganism in the Baltic region. It explains different gods that were worshipped, festivals that was celebrated in their honor, festivals for different points in the year, and ones celebrating different parts of a persons life. It also covers the introduction of Christianity into pagan countries and how places were forced to convert.

Overall I liked this story. Then info about the gifs and rituals was interesting to read and learn about. I’ve heard some of the names involved before but there was a lot I didn’t know.


The only reason I’m not giving this a higher rating is that even though I found the information in this interesting at times most of the time it was delivered in a very dry manor imo. At times it felt like I was reading a textbook and I had a hard time making myself read the content.

Overall I think this is a good book though. Recommend for people interested in the history of paganism or for practicing pagans looking to know more about the history of their beliefs.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discussions of paganism are mostly limited to the Greek and Norse pantheons, so I was very interested to learn more about Baltic paganism. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found Johnson's writing scholarly in its content but understandable as an entry-level reader. Obviously, Johnson did not make any of the history or the practices up, but those were also very enjoyable to read nonetheless, which is a credit to his storytelling ability. It was a bit slow at the start but I breezed through the final 50% in one sitting. It's an important book for any mythology buff given the aforementioned biases and those who are interested in pagan practices.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crossed Crow Books for the Advanced Reader Copy.

[Wake Up Neo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author shows us that there are no universal beliefs in paganism and the Baltic region is the perfect illustration for this. Largely overlooked, there is a rich diversity in the mythology of the Amber Coast, containing very ancient mythological themes that echo even older myths stretching back to the neolithic era. Some of the pantheon will sound quite familiar, and the author does a beautiful job guiding the reader through the history and migration of those myths to it's origin.

Thank you to the Author & Publisher for allowing me to read this book early in return for my honest thoughts and review.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative book. I enjoyed reading about the origins of paganism in Europe. Being unchurched and a pagan, I appreciate a bit of scholarly insight into my beliefs. I also enjoyed the learning of the magic associated with the Baltic pagan community and it's beliefs and practices. I've never been a fan of the Christian churches and their trampling on everyone else's faiths. I think this should be a must read for pagan and Christian alike. Good historical overview of history. I am glad to hear about paganism still surviving in corners of our lives! Good read!
I received an arc from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

[Megan Craddock · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

I enjoyed this book immensely, the mythology of the Baltics is something I had no previous knowledge of. Compared to Greek, Norse, Egyptian etc., there are fewer books and information on Baltic mythology. I was so excited to see a whole book dedicated to the subject. The layout was easy to understand and follow, which made it easier to learn the information. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mythology!

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Part history on Eastern Europe from medieval to modern, part anthropology on the Neolithic, part compare and contrast of world myths, and part primer on Neo-paganism, Johnson takes us through all that is still known about the ancient myths, religion, and culture of the Balkans, pointing out the unique parts and the parts that are shared with so many other cultures, walking through just how long Christianity took to take over in an area that stayed firmly Pagan much longer than most, and how the typical year, holidays, seasons, and lives turned for these Pagan folks not so long ago.

[LittleRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love history, and I love reading about how others practice their own religions. This book is an excellent resource and explorers the last frontier in Europe that was converted from paganism to Christianity. It provides quite a bit of information that I was never aware of and sheds insight into an area where a few of my four bears lived in and practiced. Back in their day. A great read!

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like reading about different traditions and I love learning about Baltic traditions. Well written and researched, informative and full of food for thought
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was so informative and cool. my little nerd brain loved it. 10/10. i'd absolutely read something else from this author.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dance of the Sun Goddess, by Kenneth Johnson is the book of magical/ Pagan beliefs of some Eastern European countries. As a longtime practitioner of Northern European, and North American magics I was surprised and fascinated by how different there beliefs are. I recommend this for furthering your magical education, and for those wanting to connect to their magical heritage.