/r/Animism

Photograph via snooOG

This channel is dedicated to animism in all its forms. No matter what your interest in the topic is, we welcome you.

Credo:

We believe that there is no separation between the spiritual and physical world, and souls or spirits exist, not only in humans, but also throughout all things in nature.

You can be a theist or an atheist and believe in animism. It is, by its very definition, pretty all encompassing, and we welcome you.

Other subs that may interest you:

/r/paganism

/r/druidism

/r/Animism

8,291 Subscribers

7

Animist Fishing

I have been a vegetarian for over 10 years now and over the past year I've been feeling called back to fishing and eating fish. I would love all your thought's on the subject, as an animist, I feel the need to do things properly and take any new relationship with fish seriously. Please tell me what you believe would be proper protocol for fishing. What's your thoughts on giving back? Ceremony? Catch and release? Eating fish etc?

16 Comments
2024/03/14
22:15 UTC

6

Do animists have spirits that only know them?

Are there animists? who have spirits, which we do not know, in a sense which are not listed in known books for example on animism, kind of spirits unknown to others except to the one who speaks

9 Comments
2024/03/12
18:07 UTC

5

Do animists believe in spirits?, rather than gods?

in many animist currents, I have the impression that there is much more of the spirit of nature or of animals than of the gods,

10 Comments
2024/03/12
17:50 UTC

12

I see crows often

Hello, I would like to ask you, I know about animism, because I have heard about it, and several times, there are crows, which fly above me, or even in front of me, but at 5 m, However, in the city where I am, there have not been many crows, and at the moment, I often come across them

7 Comments
2024/03/12
17:47 UTC

54

We're you raised in an animist family?

What were some of your customs/rules/rituals?

We used to have shamans come heal us when we were sick and little rules like, don't point at the moon and don't whistle at night.

My family is hmong/miao, My parents used to be animist and venerated ancestors. My grandmother passed away when I was about 20, and my parents converted to Christianity. However, all my siblings and I have taken the secular route. I have gone back to a light form of animism + secularism, so it's not traditionally as before. It's more personal and individualized now.

1 Comment
2024/02/28
13:56 UTC

6

Prayer question

Have any of your prayers offer to the spirits came true?

10 Comments
2024/02/26
23:14 UTC

5

Is anyone here an experiencer?

I’m just wondering if any animist out here is a NHI “UFO” experiencer.

I ask this because psychologist John Mack would say that the UFO experience promoted animism and environmentalism.

7 Comments
2024/02/16
11:07 UTC

8

Book or source for symbolism of animals

Would anyone have a recommendation about what an animal can symbolize as a sign? I don't mean as a spirit animal.

I am aware that animals have different meanings across cultures. Also, that no one can tell me specifically what an animal sign means. I guess what I would like is some general advice.

Most everything I find online seems copied from one site to the other.

Thanks for your help!

8 Comments
2024/02/15
00:20 UTC

33

What are your common practices?

I just want to preface I have only been recently introduced to animism, so my knowledge is certainly lacking and I am trying to learn more about it. I am totally open to corrections! I've noticed on here that being an animist is mainly believing/resonating with the belief system that encompasses it, but the practices are more subjective and some drawn from outside sources, others personally created.

My question is this: Do you have any practices/rituals you partake in, and how often do you do them? What value do you find in them?

Thank you all, blessings.

7 Comments
2024/02/14
22:06 UTC

2

Evolution of the concept of God from premodernism to metamodernism

0 Comments
2024/02/06
16:57 UTC

5

Animal Animism: Evolutionary Roots of Religious Behavior

0 Comments
2024/02/05
10:37 UTC

11

When we lived in the rhythms of the moon.

4 Comments
2024/01/29
16:29 UTC

8

Quality books on Shamanism and Animism in Europe

Hello, I am looking for reading materials on Shamanism and/or Animism in Europe. I am not looking for something on neo-paganism, neo-shamanism or that is "heavy on the woo-woo"... As in the author has recreated their own version of what ancient or traditional practices would have looked like(which is fine but not what I am looking for).. I am looking more for texts, or surving fragments of texts, that record first or second hand accounts of traditional shamanic-like practices. I understand that frequently in Europe from the middleages onwards these practices are grouped under witchcraft, so if its about "traditional Witchcraft" and genuine, I would be interested as well.

I am after books similar to Holger Kalweit's "Dreamtime and Innerspace" ... Ones that compile first hand accounts from throughout history, ancient texts, archeology ,folklore, and surviving folk practices to showcase shamanic or anamistic practices in Europe or parts of Europe.

For example, genuine texts(ideally the actual sources of these sotries if anyone knows what texts they come from) on Odin that relate stories of him climbing the world tree, going into trances and travelling through the different worlds etc. I would be very interested.

Thanks for your time.

9 Comments
2024/01/28
23:27 UTC

19

Animism fables, parables, legends,...

God-based religions have many stories about gods and their relationship with humans whether they are polytheistic (Theonomy) or monotheistic (the Bible).

Does animism have any stories about creation, ethical living, love,...?

The only one I can find that features no deity is "Lion's whisker".

The story is about a woman who has a loving husband who suddenly turns into an angry man after returning from war. Not knowing how to deal with him, she goes to a witch-doctor who asks her to get a lion’s whisker in order to sort her husband’s attitude. The lady braves many patient months with the ferocious lion winning his trust before finally managing to take a whisker back to the witch. The witch takes one look at the whisker and throws it into the fire telling the woman that if she could win the heart of a lion and earn his trust, she most certainly was ready to deal with her husband.

If you have any collection of such tales, please share with me. I love storytelling. It has proven benefits on our brain and helps us understand the world and ourselves better.

Thank you.

13 Comments
2024/01/26
07:34 UTC

4

Is killing some animals while not some other ones the only possible animism in reality?

Especially for people who eat also meat?

7 Comments
2024/01/22
06:28 UTC

9

New Animism Megathread

11 Comments
2024/01/18
04:00 UTC

5

Death Is the Great Healing: Reclaiming Ancestral Relationship With the Dead

7 Comments
2024/01/08
12:06 UTC

19

Name my religion

While I currently identify as an animist I’m not sure since I don’t follow rituals. In a way I worship Gaia like Christians worship god, I pray before I eat, take, or sleep to Gaia. I do believe every part of the world even down to my bathroom tile and you and me are extensions of Gaia. I don’t do any rituals or offerings I simply offer my devotion, prayer, and as many simple tasks like planting new plants and cleaning up litter. Am I a bad animist because I don’t do rituals?

18 Comments
2023/12/29
01:03 UTC

16

I need help

While I do believe in animism I don’t follow other beliefs. I dont necessarily follow any pagan or other witchy rituals (Please don’t be mad at me I was raised very closeted and don’t know the proper wording), but I want to practice my beliefs. Is it possible I can come up with my own practices? I truly do love Gaia and want to worship her but I don’t follow any rituals besides praying to her and being kinder to the world and my world view. I really want to get more into this but I only see people speaking about animism in context of other beliefs. Is there a religion or practice that solely focuses on animism? Please I need guidance.

12 Comments
2023/12/29
00:55 UTC

12

Can an Earth religion stop climate change?

3 Comments
2023/12/27
23:36 UTC

5

Can a thoughtform have a soul?

Hi everyone, Can a thoughtform have a soul?

8 Comments
2023/12/24
18:55 UTC

2

Creating a doll/Soul

Hi everyone, So I’m creating a doll and I was wondering if I can give the doll a piece of my soul so that the doll could be a part of my soul eternally. Is that possible in animism?

5 Comments
2023/12/23
20:45 UTC

43

Do you celebrate solstice?

Winter solstice is my favorite date each year. The longest night invokes anticipation and excitement for the sun to trickle back into our days. There is yearning and nostalgia, too, for the loss of long nights and long shadows. Our journeys together feel powerfully interconnected at this time...perhaps because lean days are ahead as we wait for spring.

I usually don't do anything special... yet, everything FEELS special on a solstice! As though my actions are done "with" everyone instead of for myself, due to the increased sensation of connectedness. I guess that's why I wanted to write this out, to get out the joy of being in the presence of all spirits today. I'm so thankful for each plant, each animal, each stone, each frosty breeze, the light of each person.

Do you have any celebrations or traditions for solstice today?

8 Comments
2023/12/21
13:19 UTC

18

Are there any practicing Anamists out there?

I'm interested in exploring the spiritual, are there any practicing Anamists who would like to share their beliefs?

Also are there any accessible sources other than Wikipedia?

39 Comments
2023/12/19
19:38 UTC

14

Are there any dusk and dawn spirits?

I just recently started practicing animism. So correct me if I've got something wrong. I realized that the best concept for me in life is to perceive everything as a series of black and white stripes. Everything bad and everything good ends sooner or later. Everything has a beginning and an end. Completely opposite and yet inseparably connected. I know that there are spirits of day and night. But are there any spirits of dusk and dawn? If yes, how to worship them?

5 Comments
2023/12/18
09:38 UTC

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