Animism

[David19]

I hope this is the right forum for this (I wasn't sure if Pantheism and animism were similar, so if you want to move it, I'll understand), but would anyone here consider themselves a animist, as in believing their are spirits in everything. I recently feel that some of my beliefs are animistic (even though it's not my main path, I do hold many similar beliefs), like I believe there are spirits everywhere, in trees, mountains, cities, even in so-called abstract concepts.

To me, I feel that there are a hole host of spirits and other spiritual/supernatural beings in everything, but I was just wondering, if I was alone in this or if others share my beliefs (or similar ones).

Also, I don't see it as being in conflict with my belief in deities as I'm still a "hard" polytheist.

Anyway, I just wanted to get your thoughts on this?.

BTW, for those that are animists or hold animistic beliefs, have you noticed a kind of attitude that some people have towards animism like some people seem to think it's a "primitive" belief system (I've noticed it especially in reading certain books from the early 20th century and before then, like with 'The Golden Bough' by James Frazer and others).

[Whitewolf]

I'm a [hard] polytheist ecclectic pagan with leanings towards Shamanism/animism. I don't see it as being in conflict with my belief in deities either. I'm confused to what Pantheism is exactly. Is it similar to animism?

[David19]

I'm a [hard] polytheist ecclectic pagan with leanings towards Shamanism/animism. I don't see it as being in conflict with my belief in deities either. I'm confused to what Pantheism is exactly. Is it similar to animism?

I'm not too sure, I think it is similar (I think pantheism is the belief that God exists in nature or something, but I'm not sure if they believe in individual spirits everywhere (like of trees, water, storms, etc) or more monotheistic (as in everything is part of one God).

Maybe someone can clear it up for us?.

Good to know I'm not the only one who's a polytheist and a animist :).

[cheddarsox]

I'm not too sure, I think it is similar (I think pantheism is the belief that God exists in nature or something, but I'm not sure if they believe in individual spirits everywhere (like of trees, water, storms, etc) or more monotheistic (as in everything is part of one God).

Maybe someone can clear it up for us?.

Good to know I'm not the only one who's a polytheist and a animist :).

Here is my concept of pantheism.

Everything that is, and all the laws, forces and energies that cause things to be and occur make up what I recognize as Divinity.

There is no "being" or specific deity.

I am not an animist, I don't believe in spirits, etc. but, because everything is part of the Divine Whole, the Divine does reside in everything.

There is Divine intelligence and order, but it is not like human thought, nor does it have a human type "personality".

Some pantheists do believe in supernatural beings, but most that I run across do not.

Some pantheists don't use any religious concepts or terms. They would not consider the universe Divine. they usually refer to themselves as natural or scientific pantheists.

I am a religious pantheist. I worship the Divine Whole, the What Is, and practice a religious faith.

Hope that helps, any questions, and folks here will be glad to help.

[Windsmith]

I'm a [hard] polytheist ecclectic pagan with leanings towards Shamanism/animism. I don't see it as being in conflict with my belief in deities either. I'm confused to what Pantheism is exactly. Is it similar to animism?


I'm not too sure, I think it is similar (I think pantheism is the belief that God exists in nature or something, but I'm not sure if they believe in individual spirits everywhere (like of trees, water, storms, etc) or more monotheistic (as in everything is part of one God).Okie-dokie. I'm gonna do 2 things here. First off, I invite you to check out the Pantheism FAQ (http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=159815), specifically the thread that addresses what, exactly, Pantheism is (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=138994), and the one that addresses the relationship between Pantheism and Animism (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=162051).

Dosly, I'm going to give you the closest thing to a "Pantheism elevator speech" that I've managed to cough up.

Pantheism is the belief that the entire Universe, including all of its processes and laws, is synonymous with the theological concept of God. Some people deify the Universe and relate to it in much the same way a monotheist relates to their God. Others believe that the objectively observable Cosmos is the ultimate reality and therefore the most worthy object of reverence, but they don't think of it as a deity.


(I think pantheism is the belief that God exists in nature or somethingWhat you're thinking of, David, is Panentheism, a belief somewhat similar to but ultimately different and, at least in my opinion, mutually exclusive from Pantheism.

As to the connection between Pantheism and Animism (and, seriously, the FAQ thread on it rocks!), it's possible, though perhaps rare, to be both a Pantheist and an Animist: believing that All That Is, collectively, makes up the divine, but that each thing contained within All That Is has its own unique existence and identity. I suppose it's the non-deistic equivalent of the "facets of a diamond" analogy that's popular in Wicca.

Does any of this help at all?

[David19]

Okie-dokie. I'm gonna do 2 things here. First off, I invite you to check out the Pantheism FAQ (http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=159815), specifically the thread that addresses what, exactly, Pantheism is (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=138994), and the one that addresses the relationship between Pantheism and Animism (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=162051).

Dosly, I'm going to give you the closest thing to a "Pantheism elevator speech" that I've managed to cough up.

Pantheism is the belief that the entire Universe, including all of its processes and laws, is synonymous with the theological concept of God. Some people deify the Universe and relate to it in much the same way a monotheist relates to their God. Others believe that the objectively observable Cosmos is the ultimate reality and therefore the most worthy object of reverence, but they don't think of it as a deity.

What you're thinking of, David, is Panentheism, a belief somewhat similar to but ultimately different and, at least in my opinion, mutually exclusive from Pantheism.

As to the connection between Pantheism and Animism (and, seriously, the FAQ thread on it rocks!), it's possible, though perhaps rare, to be both a Pantheist and an Animist: believing that All That Is, collectively, makes up thhate divine, but that each thing contained within All That Is has its own unique existence and identity. I suppose it's the non-deistic equivalent of the "facets of a diamond" analogy that's popular in Wicca.

Does any of this help at all?

Yes that does help, thanks for the explanation, I kind of knew that Pantheism was different to Animism, but I wasn't too sure.

I hope you don't mind me posting this thread in here (I was just curious to see if there were any other Animists here).

Thanks again for the explanation.

[RainInanna]

What you're thinking of, David, is Panentheism, a belief somewhat similar to but ultimately different and, at least in my opinion, mutually exclusive from Pantheism.

Can you clarify how you see them as mutually exclusive?

[Whitewolf]

Now I get what Pantheism is. Thanks for explaining. :)

[Eleisawolf]

Can you clarify how you see them as mutually exclusive?

I will try to answer this, though of course I can't speak for all Pantheists, nor can I speak for what Windsmith was saying. But I can give my take.

Pantheism follows the idea that what is contained within the material universe is all there is (including things that seem supernatural or nonmaterial, which we believe are things that just haven't been explained materially yet for lack of information or understanding or experience), and therefore Deity is fully contained within the universe.

Panentheism maintains that Deity is both inherent in and separate from the universe.

A Pantheist is going to see Panentheism as as exclusive from Pantheism because there's nothing separate from the universe. So a Panentheist cannot also be a Pantheist, nor can a Pantheist also be Panentheist, from that perspective.

I don't know if they'd be mutually exclusive from the Panentheist perspective--I am not a Panentheist. But from a Pantheist perspective, I think they are mutually exclusive.

Peace

[Windsmith]

I will try to answer this, though of course I can't speak for all Pantheists, nor can I speak for what Windsmith was saying. But I can give my take.Yup. You said pretty much exactly what I was going to say - and you said it in way fewer words than I was gonna need, too!

[Windsmith]

I hope you don't mind me posting this thread in here (I was just curious to see if there were any other Animists here).Don't mind at all. You might also consider checking in the Shamanism forum, as Shamanism and Animism go together like cookies and milk.

At least, every Shaman or Shamanistic witch I've ever met was an Animist. And also liked cookies and milk....