The belief that natural objects, phenomena, and living beings possess souls or spiritual essence. Animistic traditions view the world as inhabited by spirits that can influence human affairs.
From Latin 'anima' (soul, life) + '-ism' (doctrine). The term was coined by anthropologist Edward Tylor in 1871 to describe what he considered the earliest form of religious belief.
Animism is considered humanity's oldest spiritual worldview, still alive in indigenous cultures worldwide! It's the reason why ancient peoples spoke to trees, rivers, and mountains as living beings—and why modern environmentalists sometimes echo these same reverent attitudes toward nature.
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