Animism the religion of children

The featured image for this article is titled ‘What does life want from us?’ It has been beautifully crafted by Sofia Jain-Schlaepfer

Animism is often regarded as the oldest known concept of belief. If we briefly reflect on my previous record - Childhood: The Ancient Ruins of the Human Psyche which explored the idea that the child represents the ancient ruins of the human psyche, it naturally follows that the earliest religion or belief system would be intrinsically connected to our child self: the infant God within.

When we observe children at play, we witness something extraordinary. They freely employ their imagination; their inner “nation of magic” to animate the world around them. Objects, toys, spaces and seemingly mundane items come alive in their minds. There is no rigid distinction between what we would classify as real or unreal; rather, the experience unfolds as a seamless, surreal reality.

This mirrors the universal view held by many indigenous cultures of ancient times; the belief that everything possesses a spiritual essence. Every stone, tree, stream and gust of wind is permeated with life and consciousness. Such a perspective resonates deeply with the innate way a child’s mind operates when immersed in imaginative play.

Yet, as we grow older, a separation often occurs. Many adults experience a profound detachment from their imagination. There is a school of thought suggesting that this divide is not accidental, it is deliberately fostered. The structure of our modern paradigm subtly conditions us to create a distance between the conscious and subconscious mind, resulting in a fragmented experience of existence.

Imagination becomes dismissed, relegated to the realm of “make-believe”. However, this term itself is misleading for it is “belief that makes”. In truth, the creative force of imagination is a gateway to deeper knowing and a more unified state of being. To honour and rekindle this childlike wonder is not to regress, it is to remember. The world is alive, and so are we, in ways far richer than our adult minds often dare to perceive.

With honour and intention,

Corey

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