Hello everyone!!! This past weekend was chaotic. There was so much going on; I even had an event to vend at, which I did running on 3 hours of sleep…so fun. All in all, things have been busy. Other than that, things are good. I hope you have all had a good weekend.
But let’s get onto this review! I was excited to read this because I work with animals regularly.
Totem Animals 
Author: Celia M Gunn
Publisher: Hampton Roads Publishing (Red Wheel Weiser)
Published: March 4th 2024
Book Length: 144 Pages
Genre: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Paganism, Witchcraft
Rating: ♥ ♥ (2.5)
Buy the Book: Amazon, Red Wheel Weiser
*I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest, unbiased review*
Animals do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.The tradition of spirit guides speaking through animals and birds dates back to ancient times. Today, if we’re open to watching and listening to our totem animals, we can develop beneficial relationships with them. We can also recognize that when a totem animal appears to us in a special way, it’s offering insight into what’s happening in our lives.
This helpful book will give you a greater understanding of more than sixty totem animals and their unique meanings in an A-to-Z encyclopedic listing, lead you through the steps for accessing a chosen spirit, and help you explore the role of animal spirits in cultures around the world. Gunn learned about the tradition of totem animals directly from Native Americans, with whom she worked on cultural preservation for several years. This inspiring book suggests ways to find, honor, and work with your totems, and provides a rich list of creatures from all around the world and their unique meanings. Totem Animals is a user-friendly guide with practical and accessible information This book was previously published as Totem Plain & Simple .
I was so discouraged about this series of books when, once again…there were no citations or references. I have said this in a previous review, but that is an instant red flag for me. This reflects poorly on an author writing a book that is supposed to be taken professionally as a learning tool for many in this community.
Now, there is a lot of information in this book about various totem animals but then again, there is no way that the author works with every single one enough to provide that information without any sources or references. This lack of citing work they used or learned from does not sit well with me.
That being said, I did enjoy the information this book provided. There were a few animals whose symbolism I did not agree with, but everyone will have their own view when they work with them spiritually. This is a good start if you are looking for a generalized book with basic information on animals in spiritual practice and their symbolism. However, I recommend looking for a more in-depth book that can reference where the information came from.
Do you work with animals in your practice, or believe in their symbology? I often work with them in my shamanic spiritual practice, and I would love to hear if any of you do as well. What are your favorite spirit animal or totem animal books? Let me know in the comments below.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.