Animism for the Religious Naturalist

animism, David Abram, HP, inteconnectedness, John Halstead, Latest Posts, libations, Natural Pagans, naturalism, naturalistic pagan, reenchantment, Religious Naturalism, rewilding, Robin Wall Kimmerer

Animists see a world that is full of other-than-human persons, including salmon persons, tree persons, and even rock persons. It is difficult for many Westerners to understand the concept of other-than-human persons, especially when talking about (seemingly) “inanimate objects” like rocks. But for the animist, there is no such thing as inanimate matter, because it is all a part of the complex self-regulating living system called Gaia. Animism is not about the projection of consciousness or agency onto non-human things, but about respect and reciprocity within a more-than-human community that transcends the subject-object dichotomy.

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Pagan with a small “p”

animism, belief, Community, contemporary Paganism, Natural Pagans, Nature, pagan, Paganism, The Allergic Pagan

For every gem of genuine ecological wisdom I have found in the Pagan community, there is a deluge of crystals and correspondences, divinities and divination apps, wizards and wishful thinking. Maybe it’s time to face up to the fact that, while I am spiritually and religiously “pagan” with a small-p, culturally I am not a capital-P “Pagan”.

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Naturalistic Animism: Seeing the Trees for the Ents

animism, David Abram, HP, John Halstead, Latest Posts, Martin Buber, naturalism, naturalistic pagan, Nature, perception, reciprocity, The Naturalistic Pagan Toolbox, trees

It takes an artist’s eyes—or a lover’s—to really see. It takes a willingness to get our hands dirty, to get up close and personal with messy nature, and to use all of our senses. But most of all, it requires a willingness to be open to receiving, as well as perceiving—an openness to being “touched back” when we touch nature.

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