Animism: A Spiritual Way of Living
I know! I know! What the heck is Animism? Maybe the easiest way to understand is to think of the word animation, as in cartoons, pictures that have come to life!
The word Animism however, comes from the Proto-Indo-European root of “ane” - meaning to breathe. And many cultures have this same root word with translations that often have multiple, interwoven meanings all connected to breath, soul, wind, even the four directional winds.
Latin anima - life, breath, soul, and animus - consciousness, spirit
Greek anemos - wind
Old Norse anda - to breathe
Old Irish anal – breath and anam/animm - soul
Welsh anadl - breath
Old English eðian - to breathe
Armenian anjn - soul
Sanskrit अनिल aniti or ánila - breathes
Proto-Helenic ánemos - wind (any of the 4 directions)
Mycenean Greek ánemoi - winds
Ceremony with Wayra Tata (Father of Wind) at Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley of Peru
Animism as a Spiritual Path
As a spiritual way of living, Animism teaches us to remember and reconnect with the breath of life that runs through and between the infinite variety of energies and beings that live together in this big home we call Mother Earth.
Animism reawakens our deep knowing that everything is alive, everything has soul, and everything is connected to everything else.
Being connected to Life in this way also awakens us to our place as a human community member in the great web of life. Therefore, Animism is a path of spiritual ecology that reconnects us with the sacred nature of creation, and empowers us to take our seat in the healing of our planet.
One of the greatest gifts I have received from living and walking this path of Animism is a deep knowing that I am indeed connected to everything around and within me in every moment and every breath. My existence plays a unique role in the never-ending song of life, and my unique energy in this time and place has a purpose. I am no longer stressed in a state of existential confusion about my purpose as I once was looking for my purpose out there in the world and searching for a way or a person to tell me my purpose.
This is why I have remained so passionate about the path for so long and why I am so passionate about sharing it with other. Check out my comprehensive introductory weekend immersion, Doorways to Animism that I have been teaching for almost 20 years.
What I appreciate about Animism as a spiritual path is that it teaches is to come into Life and become an active participant in each moment. Some religions encourage the idea that we are working towards liberation out of the reality of this life and into a better place like heaven; that we strive for this because it will bring us freedom from the present pain, sadness, or difficulty we might be facing as a human in this reality. In some ways however, this encourages a separation between our divine nature and our human nature.
Because Animism reconnects us to the cyclic nature of life-death-rebirth, we are brought face-to-face with life on life’s terms, along with the reality and the challenges that come with being human. The practice of Animism is therefore about learning to embrace the life-death-rebirth cycles as initiation and an opportunity to grow and become a more skillful and resilient human. We practice being present to life creating itself through us in the moment, rather than striving for liberation to somewhere else. In this way we embrace the connection between our divine nature and our human nature.
The Living Energies of Tradition
Our Ancestors from long ago developed knowledge by learning to live in harmony with Mother Earth and the Cosmos. They didn’t have the comfortable life we have today which in so many ways insulates us from Nature. We no longer see ourselves as Nature, made from Nature, intricately inter-woven with other beings of Nature. Instead through colonization and industrialization, we now see Nature as some place “out there” or outside the house. The result of this is a separation of our mind from our body, and a separation from the wisdom that Nature “out there” has to share with us.
Although much Ancestral knowledge and Indigenous wisdom has been lost through colonization and industrialization, the Earth is always available to us when we open and have an intention of connection. Many cultures see the Earth as our Mother because she birthed us through our mother’s lineage all the way back to the very first mother. Mother Earth teaches us how to exits and live here as humans in the reality of this planet which is our home.
Tradition is made of the teachings and practices birthed through Mother Earth and the Cosmos and gifted to humanity through inter-relationship and osmosis. Tradition may include ceremonies, rituals, and ways of connecting and relating with spirit. Tradition offers a structure and container through which to inter-relate, and live in harmony and reciprocity with Mother Earth and all of her beings. Different cultures came into their own unique traditions in their own uniques ways, likely learning through trial and error, and adapting and refining traditions over many generations.
Traditions are living legacies given to us from the relationship between our Ancestors, the Land (Mother Earth), and the cosmos. Traditions are living lineages of energy that contain and transmit Ancestral knowledge, power, and spiritual wisdom to support an individual, a community, a culture to thrive. This is why respecting traditions is so key!
To learn more about the spiritual path of Animism check out this interview with Monica Krake from Head + Heart
Join Me and Experience the Path
Wheel of the Year Ceremonies
Beltaine UNTAMED | May 07, 2023
A Festive Mini-Retreat: Forest-Cacao Ceremony, Rapéh ritual, Ecstatic Dance + Live DJ, Soothing Soundbath & Fire Ritual to dance across the threshold of Beltaine
In-Person Immersions
Doorways to Animism | May 27 & 28, 2023
A comprehensive introduction to Animism in this 2-Day Immersion and evening Forest-Cacao ceremony full of earth honouring ritual, journeying, and wisdom-teachings