Animism Overview
Animism is the belief that there is no separation between the spiritual and physical (material) world. In virtually all societies that practice animism, there are three broad categories of spirits: Spirits of the Ancestors, Spirits of the Locale or Environment (often referred to as genie of the soil) and Spirits of Nature or Natural Phenomenon. Those individuals who were important in this life, such as patriarchs, matriarchs, clan leaders, political leaders, or chiefs, are honored after their death because it is believed that if they were powerful in this life then they will be powerful in the afterlife and consequently they should be consulted. Security for the living is achieved and maintained by consulting these important ancestor spirits to receive advice on major decisions and assistance to bring them to fruition.This belief states that everything has some sort of soul or spirit, humans, animals, trees, mountains etc. Research shows that at one time the ancient Egyptians went through and animistic stage which might have been a very important factor in deciding what they wanted their gods and religion to be like. Studies show that animism is perhaps the most primitive of all religions for it derived from peoples’ self conscious experience of the intangible, such as one’s reflected image or dreams. Animists believe in treating everything like it is animate rather than inanimate. Jean Piaget applied the term in child psychology in reference to an implicit understanding of the world in a child's mind which assumes that all events are the product of intention or consciousness. Piaget explains this with a cognitive inability to distinguish the external world from one's internal world. Animistic beliefs have not changed much over time, but people like Sir Edward Tylor. According to Tylor the more scientifically advanced the society the less likely they will be prone to believe in absolute animism. However some people still practice ancient animism.