I looked into it a few years ago, found it once again and it is very interesting to me again.
Are there any animists here?
Are there any animists here?
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Animism
- Thread starter The Sum of Awe
- Start date
Gjallarhorn
N'yog-Sothep
Ever since I read the Little Book of Demons, I would have to say I have a growing animist facet...
Yes. Paganism (contemporary or otherwise) has strong currents of animism. The manner in which I work with the divine could be considered primarily animistic.
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
yup... I'm an animist.
wa:do
wa:do
enchanted_one1975
Resident Lycanthrope
Agreed
Sylvan
Unrepentant goofer duster
I am having a hard time deciding if I am an animist or something else. What would you say the distinguishing characteristics of animism is? I believe in the existence of spirits, both of nature and the dead, and participate in a few different traditions or "systems" of honoring and interacting with those spirits. At first, when I was younger, and now most recently again under the guidance of initiates of those traditions. Between those times I had a very experimental attitude about these matters, and learned lessons that both helped and seriously hindered me.
A constant presence in my life, quite without any conscious effort on my part, are close relationships with powerful mediums (usually women) who are almost all self-taught (or need teaching..). Not romantic partners (i'm gay btw) but witch-sisters. One after the other, whom the spirits have come to on their own. Many have turned to me and spoke in a voice who could only be an ancient one. My role here, I have found out, is to give them confidence in their powers and context for their visions (with all my book lernin and such), and sometime save them from the pressures and traumas typical of sensitives.
I believe that what anthropologists study as animism in the various indigenous traditions and their evolutions/syncretizations to be the pieces of a powerful technology along with a philosophy guiding its use. Due to the spiritual genocide perpetuated by the violent evangelism endemic to colonialism, much of this knowledge has been lost or is wisely being kept secret to avoid its exploitation.
In terms of what my practice looks like I set up "houses" or altars for various spirits I am working with on a regular basis, along one for my ancestors generally. I also have a "working" altar where primal cosmological forces are represented and where spirits of any tradition can be worked. I go the woods for certain things.
I use a scrap piece of polished granite to mark in blessed chalk various signatures intended to call particular spirits and feed them water and liquor. After which, we converse. In my tradition learning the ways in which this conversation occurs and how to test that you're not just talking to yourself or even some random parasite instead of what you called is why you only do this kind of thing under the guidance of an initiate who has given you license to do so. In person. After they have gotten a sense of your character and the spirits have given their approval.
My use of the term work shouldn't imply that my attitude toward all these things is necessarily sorcerous. There are beings with which I share an incredible affection and love. They are like my parents, or grandparents. Some are like far relatives.. favorable to me but still wary. We are still dealing with each other. Than there are those who if you let them in would take advantage of your generosity. Than there are those who are intwined with powerful natural forces and are therefore very abstract and fearsome in aspect.
A constant presence in my life, quite without any conscious effort on my part, are close relationships with powerful mediums (usually women) who are almost all self-taught (or need teaching..). Not romantic partners (i'm gay btw) but witch-sisters. One after the other, whom the spirits have come to on their own. Many have turned to me and spoke in a voice who could only be an ancient one. My role here, I have found out, is to give them confidence in their powers and context for their visions (with all my book lernin and such), and sometime save them from the pressures and traumas typical of sensitives.
I believe that what anthropologists study as animism in the various indigenous traditions and their evolutions/syncretizations to be the pieces of a powerful technology along with a philosophy guiding its use. Due to the spiritual genocide perpetuated by the violent evangelism endemic to colonialism, much of this knowledge has been lost or is wisely being kept secret to avoid its exploitation.
In terms of what my practice looks like I set up "houses" or altars for various spirits I am working with on a regular basis, along one for my ancestors generally. I also have a "working" altar where primal cosmological forces are represented and where spirits of any tradition can be worked. I go the woods for certain things.
I use a scrap piece of polished granite to mark in blessed chalk various signatures intended to call particular spirits and feed them water and liquor. After which, we converse. In my tradition learning the ways in which this conversation occurs and how to test that you're not just talking to yourself or even some random parasite instead of what you called is why you only do this kind of thing under the guidance of an initiate who has given you license to do so. In person. After they have gotten a sense of your character and the spirits have given their approval.
My use of the term work shouldn't imply that my attitude toward all these things is necessarily sorcerous. There are beings with which I share an incredible affection and love. They are like my parents, or grandparents. Some are like far relatives.. favorable to me but still wary. We are still dealing with each other. Than there are those who if you let them in would take advantage of your generosity. Than there are those who are intwined with powerful natural forces and are therefore very abstract and fearsome in aspect.
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Never knew there were any here xD
Sum, a Christmas present for you: a bit of light reading.
Panpsychism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Panpsychism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
Animism is arguably the largest category of spirituality on the planet. Not only does it cover almost every indigenous culture on the planet but it can include others like Shinto and Chinese Taoist/Buddhist/indigenous mixture and the other south east Asian Buddhist/indigenous blends.
wa:do
wa:do
You would think that given its prevalence, there would be more good reading on the subject. I've had trouble finding much. Most of what I was able to find were ethnocentric evaluations of "primitive" cultures by early anthropologists. Where's the book on animistic theology? Perhaps I have not been looking hard enough.
Breathe
Hostis humani generis
Yeah, animism is very widespread, yet there isn't really much on it that I've encountered (although admittedly I haven't really looked for much on it). It's also true that animism often seems to be seen as "primitive" by some, as well, sadly.
Still, now we can see there's quite a few of us, we can speak about animism and things.
So, a question to my fellow animists:
Did you become an animist, or just realize you were one? How old were you for either? Was it by realization, or by an experience? You don't have to say the experience if you don't want to.
For me, I can't really remember, but I think I actually applied the term to myself about 14 or 15 or so. No experience at the time.
My wife is also an animist; she said as long as she remembers, she's had animistic tendencies. She exhibits her tendencies and things far stronger than I do in comparison.
Still, now we can see there's quite a few of us, we can speak about animism and things.
So, a question to my fellow animists:
Did you become an animist, or just realize you were one? How old were you for either? Was it by realization, or by an experience? You don't have to say the experience if you don't want to.
For me, I can't really remember, but I think I actually applied the term to myself about 14 or 15 or so. No experience at the time.
My wife is also an animist; she said as long as she remembers, she's had animistic tendencies. She exhibits her tendencies and things far stronger than I do in comparison.
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
Animist religions tend not to have written scriptures, higher levels of privacy and low/non-existent levels of proselytizing. So it's much harder to study.
If you enter the situation already dismissive of "primitive" people, then you aren't likely to be good at paying attention to subtleties. Indeed many indigenous religions were outright dismissed as not really religions at all. Since they don't often have scriptures, churches and a rigid priest system... like "real" religions.
If you don't think of it as a religion you aren't going to bother looking for or even recognize the theology.
wa:do
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
I'm not exactly sure when I started to become animistic... I may have always been to some degree. It certainly wasn't a conscious decision in myself.
wa:do
wa:do
CynthiaCypher
Well-Known Member
So you guys decided to have an animist party without inviting me?