Animism is the belief that personalized supernatural beings (or souls) inhabit all objects and govern their existence.

attribution of conscious life and a discrete indwelling spirit (soul) to inanimate objects and the phenomena of nature e.g. animals, stones, plants, thunderstorms; “belief in spiritual beings” was the “the minimal definition of religion” according to anthropologist E.B. Tylor in 1871. Belief lies at root of belief in ghosts, transmigration of souls, soul-travel, devil-possession, witchcraft, and sorcery [See "Ojibwa Ontology, Behavior, and World View" by A. Irving Hallowell (1960)

(1)Religious practices based on the belief that all living things and natural objects have their individual spiritual essence or "soul". (2) The belief that every object found in nature, whether living or non-living, has a spirit or life-force attached to it which is endowed with the same fundamental reasoning and volition of men. In essence, all of nature is endowed with a pure life essence which holds all things in a symbiotic relationship and a spiritual balance within the universe. This is a core belief in many magical philosophies and practices.

Tendency to attribute life to objects that are not alive.

Belief that life is activated by spiritual force.

( AN·i·mism). The belief that disembodied beings in the form of ghosts, gods, souls, and spirits, populate the world and can live in objects such as altars, idols, and rocks. More Information.

A view of the world, often associated with "primitive" peoples, in which the world is regarded as pervasively animated by creative (or divine) energy. For the animist, there is no clear distinction between the material and spiritual planes of being--both are alive and possess consciousness--and, as the poet William Blake wrote, "Every thing that lives is holy." See also "totem."

a type of religious belief that all components of the universe, including humans, animals, plant life, rocks, etc. contain some form of life force, soul or spirit. Some are seen as friendly spirits; others as tricksters. " While animists can be found in almost all Asian countries, they are more than 5% of the population only in Laos. Animists are between 1% and 5% of the population in Burma, India, Indonesia, Kampuchea, Malaysia, and Vietnam."

belief in a soul, a spiritual essence that differs from the tangible, physical body.

the belief that everything in nature is alive.

It is the belief that natural objects, and Nature itself, are alive and conscious.

the belief that spirits inhabit land forms, trees, rivers, or any other natural object.

belief in a spirits, souls, or doubles.

(Reber) 1. Loosely, the belief that all things animate or inanimate, living or not living, possess a soul or other form of spiritual essence that transcends the physical forms…. 2. In anthropology, it is often argues that animism, are derived form the more primitive beliefs of animatism, represents the earliest form of religion…. 3. In developmental psychology, the term is used for early patterns of thought and speech in young children in which feelings, desires and beliefs of the child are invested in the non-human and the non-living.

the doctrine that all natural objects and the universe itself have souls; "animism is common among primitive peoples"

A belief that all natural objects including plants, animals, and minerals possess souls or consciousness.

the worship of spirit beings, rather than the worship of God; the belief that inanimate objects possess a soul or spirit.

the belief that objects are inhabited by spirits, and that natural events or processes are caused by spirits.

A belief that a life-force exists within non-human forms (trees, rocks, etc.). A belief in spirits such as angels, demons, and ghosts. The earliest form of religion. Many aboriginal beliefs are animistic.

The belief that plants, animals, or other elements of the natural world are endowed with spirits or life forces having an impact on events in society.

The action of a medium disseminating his own ideas, memories and thoughts while in trance as if this information was coming from a Spirit. Animism may happen without the knowledge of the medium himself if he is not well enough educated in the subject.

Belief that inanimate objects are alive and have souls.

A belief that a spirit or force resides in every animate and inanimate object, every dream and idea, giving individuality to each. The related Polynesian concept of mana holds that the spirit in all things is responsible for good and evil.

animistic, adj. The theory that all beings and objects have a soul. Animism ascribes to all things of the universe the faculty of action, similar to that of man. UF. 36.

a belief that there is a life force in all things, both animate and inanimate. This includes a belief in spirits who rule the natural elements such as the wind, the sun, the moon, etc.

the belief system that everything in nature is part of the collective consciousness and thus everything within nature has a soul as part of that consciousness.

The belief that natural phenomena or inanimate objects possess spirits.

Used to describe the worldview of those who believe that "spirits" reside in everything: people (including ancestors), rocks, wind, trees, river, etc.

The belief that inanimate things (such as plants) possess a soul or spirit. New Age advocates see animism as a way of rededicating the earth.

A religious outlook that sees gods in many aspects of nature and propitiates them to help control and explain nature; typical of Mesopotamian religions. (p. 33)

Religious practices based on the belief that all living things and natural objects have their individual spiritual essence or soul. Last updated:March 8, 2006

a system of belief in which it is held that each thing consists of a physical phenomenon as well as the spirit of the phenomenon. That is a rock is a rock, but there is also the spirit of the rock. And it is the spirit which is the 'real' rock.

in primal religious consciousness, the belief that natural objects such as mountains, trees, rivers, etc. are spiritual embodiments; i.e., that powerful spiritual beings inhabit and "animate" them. Generally, the natural objects in question are not "any" trees, mountains, rivers, etc., but particular ones that are located within the bounds of a sacred place.

A belief commonly associated with shamanism that holds all things as possessing life.

Attribution of lifelike qualities to inanimate objects.

Animism is a belief system that does not accept the separation of body and soul, of spirit from matter. As such it is based upon the belief that personalized souls are found in animals, plants, and other material objects, governing, to some degree, their existence. It also assumes that this unification of matter and spirit plays a role in daily life.http://www.bartleby.com/65/an/animism.html The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-05.