Animism is one of the oldest ways humans have understood the world. At its core, animism is the belief that the world is alive and everything has a soul. This does not necessarily mean that every tree, stone, river, or animal is a god. Rather, it means that humans are not the only beings with awareness or value. The world is not a collection of objects existing for human use. It is a community of beings, many of whom have their own lives, purposes, and relationships.
Animistic beliefs have appeared across the world in many cultures. Many Indigenous cultures throughout the Americas have traditions involving relationships with animal persons, land spirits, and ancestors who stay within the landscape. In Japan, Shinto recognises kami, spirits or presences associated with natural places and phenomena. In pre-Christian Europe, many cultures left offerings to springs, rivers, sacred groves, and local spirits connected to the land. Similar beliefs can be found in parts of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and elsewhere. While these traditions differ greatly from one another, many share the understanding that humans exist within a wider network of relationships instead of being set apart as higher beings.
Something seen in most animistic worldviews is the existence of land spirits. These are spirits associated with particular places: forests, mountains, fields, coastlines, and other landscapes. Land spirits are often viewed as guardians, residents, or embodiments of a place. Rather than seeing a forest as a resource waiting to be harvested, an animistic perspective may see it as a community that deserves respect. Historically, people often acknowledged these spirits through offerings, prayers, or customs that showed gratitude for what was taken from the land.
House spirits are also in many different culturesl. Examples include the domovoi of Slavic folklore, the tomte or nisse of Scandinavian traditions, and tons of similar beings found throughout Europe and beyond. These spirits are often believed to watch over homes, families, and livestock. In folklore, maintaining a good relationship with them involved respect, cleanliness, and occasional offerings. Whether taken literally or symbolically, these traditions meant that a home was more than just a building. Rivers, springs, lakes, and other bodies of water have also been associated with spirits. Water provides life, sustains communities, and can be generous and dangerous simultaneously. For this reason, many cultures developed customs surrounding rivers and springs, treating them as reverence-deserving beings. Offerings were often given before crossing, fishing, or drawing water. In some traditions, specific rivers were believed to have distinct personalities, preferences, and powers.
Some animistic traditions also recognise spirits associated with human-made places. This idea can seem unusual to modern people, who will usually separate the natural and human worlds. However, many cultures have believed that buildings, bridges, shrines, or entire settlements possess spiritual presences. A place where people live, work, celebrate, and mourn accumulates stories and relationships over time. From an animistic perspective, this can create a spirit of place just as important as one found in a forest or river.
One of the biggest modern misconceptions about animism is the idea that spirits are simply tools to be used. Contemporary spiritual spaces sometimes present spirits as resources that can be summoned for favors, protection, information, or power. However, historically, relationships with spirits were reciprocal. People gave offerings, maintained customs, showed respect, and understood that relationships involve responsibilities. Another misconception is that animism requires a person to believe that every object is literally conscious in the same way a human is conscious. Many animistic traditions are far more nuanced than this. Different beings may have different forms of awareness, communication, and personhood. A river is not a human. A tree is not a human. But they may still be regarded as beings worthy of respect and relationship.
For modern practitioners, animism can be approached less as a list of beliefs and more as a way of relating to the world. It encourages observation, respect, gratitude, and attention. Instead of asking what a place can provide, it asks what kind of relationship can be built with that place over time.
Exercise:
Spend 20 minutes sitting quietly in a natural place. This could be a park, a forest, your backyard, or any outdoor location where you can remain undisturbed.
During this time:
Avoid listening to music or using your phone.
Pay attention to sounds, movements, smells, and changes in the environment.
Notice which animals appear and how they interact with the space.
Observe any feelings, thoughts, or impressions that arise.
Consider how the place exists when no humans are present.
Afterward, record your observations in a journal or your book of shadows. Focus on what you noticed rather than trying to force a spiritual experience. The purpose of the exercise is to practice attention and relationship-building, not to receive signs or messages.
