Animism - A Breakdown And Brief History

Animism - A Breakdown and Brief History

Inspired by a question from an anonymous user on Tumblr, I’d like to make a post discussing animism! I heavily identify with this manner of belief and thinking, so I’d love to share it with you all :)

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Exploring nature with a new perspective. Everything around you sings. The sky, bright blue and full of puffy clouds, bids you good day… the sun and moon are having a dinner date above you. They gaze down upon you lovingly like parents to a child. The ducks chitchat in the pond below you. The water bubbles next to you like nature’s engine chugging along... the trees, bare branched and budding, are stretching their arms and beginning to awaken from their long overwinter slumber. They gift you with a bit of their spirit. You feel like singing. Maybe you do. Nature is beautiful. Life is beautiful.

modern paganism is reblogging a post about a deity that you don’t worship or work with bc u still think they’re hella cool and deserve the attention

How to Enchant Items 🔮

To enchant an item is to infuse it with magickal energy. This energy can come from a variety of sources, including celestial bodies, elements, crystals, herbs, or even yourself. 

Some individuals use the words “enchant” and “charm” synonymously as a way to describe the process of infusing something with energy, but for the sake of this post and due to my own beliefs, you enchant something and it then becomes a charm. Alternately, a charm can be something with its own innate energy, like a crystal or herbal amulet. 

Enchanting items to turn them into magickal objects involves more than just intent - you must learn to channel and manipulate energy, and direct it into that item for enchanting to be successful. 

Although, the process of enchanting is extremely versatile and there are many ways to do it.

Here are a few ideas on how to enchant items, in no particular order:

Surround the item with crystals of corresponding intent

Surround the item with herbs of corresponding intent 

Place the item in a jar filled with herbs that represent your intent

Place the item in front of a candle and meditate on your intent 

Anoint the item with an oil, charged water, or crystal elixir of corresponding intent 

Hold the item in your hand(s) and visualize it filling with the appropriate energy 

Hold the item in your hand(s) and speak or sing your intent aloud

Craft a symbol to keep near the item in an envelope or sachet

Sew, stitch, or carve a symbol into the item  

Write your intention on paper and keep in an envelope with the item 

Pair the item with a corresponding runestone or tarot / oracle card in an envelope 

Take the item and put it in a box with other items that represent your intent such as crystals, herbs, talismans, amulets, etc. 

Bury the item in soil with herbs and/or crystals that match your intent (please don’t put salt on your lawn though, unless you want dead grass)

Pass the item through incense smoke that matches your intent 

Pro Tip: Time your enchantments with the appropriate planetary hour, day of the week, time of day, or lunar phase to increase your chances of creating a successful charm.

© 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺 𝙰𝙳-𝙲𝙰𝙴𝙻𝙴𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙰

Cultural Appropriation

There is a large problem with cultural appropriation in the Witch community as a whole. The following is a guideline to what terms to not use, terms that have appropriate alternatives, and cultures that are closed to anyone outside of them, items used by those cultures, as well as paths and cultures that are completely open.

Please note that discussion of these cultures and religion is fine. For instance, if you feel called to a deity that is in a closed culture/practice, politely decline them or approach someone who works with them with respect and discuss it. You should be free to discuss these feelings without being attacked for them.

We must be cautious to not use wrong words to not harm cultures that may not be able to withstand the shock of the Western World massively distorting their philosophy/way of life/religion/belief. You can use smoke to cleanse your space, but call it “smoke cleansing” - you shouldn’t use the word “smudging” because it refers to a specific Native American ritual. You won’t be using a word that does not mean what you think it means, and you’re using a more precise word that will allow you to discuss the subject with other people in a respectful manner.

TL;DR: THE POINT IS AWARENESS AND RESPECT!!!

Terms you should NEVER use:

G*psy (slur)

Practices and terms not to appropriate; culturally open alternative practices:

Spirit/Power animal, Spirit guide; Spirit companion (Native American)

Smudging; Smoke Cleansing (Native American)

Golem; Guardian, Construct (Judaic)

Chakras; Energy Points (Hinduism, Buddhism)

Karma; Cosmic Forces (Hinduism, Buddhism)

Guru; Spiritual Leader (Sikhism, Hinduism)

Tulpa; Cogniform (Buddhism)

Mantra; Chant (Hinduism, Buddhism)

Closed Cultures and Religions:

Native American

Native African

Saami

Sikhism

Hoodoo

Voodoo (dependent on group)

Haitian Vodou

Polynesian religions, including Hawaiian

Rastafarianism

Armenian polytheism

Slavic polytheism

Indigenous religions, including Mayan, Aztec, and Incan

Diasporic systems, including African, Sámi, and Romani

Partially Open and Initiation-based Religions:

Wicca (Gardenian, Alexandrian, Corilean)

Santería

Hinduism

Judaism

Kemetic Orthodox

Buddhism

Shinto

Items and Symbols used by Closed Cultures and Religions:

Dream catchers; buy only from Natives

Religious or cultural head-coverings, head-wraps, tichel, etc; they should be worn with respect and called by the correct terms

Bindi

Natha

Om (ॐ) and other spiritual symbols used by the Dharmic Religions (Hinduism, Sikhism, etc)

Mudras

Dreadlocks are both secular and religious; unless you are from one of the groups they are a part of, don’t get them

Open Cultures/Paths:

Paganism, as an umbrella term:

Hellenic

Kemetic

Etruscan

Minoan

Roman

Mesopotamian (including Babylonian)

Celtic polytheism (including Gaulish, Irish, Scottish, German, Iberian, Lusitanian)

Finnish polytheism

Heathenism, as an umbrella term:

Asatruar

Vanatruar

Rokkatruar

Lokean

Reconstructionist

Northern Tradition

Norse Tradition

The Elder Troth

Folkish

Universalist

Neo-Druidism

Neo-Wicca

You can appreciate the aesthetic of other cultures, but you have to remember that there is more to each one than that. Appropriation is not diversity. 

Many thanks to those who have helped me in compiling this information over the past year.