"Ask ponokee (named after a spirit guide) and solon (wife an expert in them) ... I don't know anything about animals and souls."
Of course you don't know anything about them. You're a superstitious, cheese-head idiot!
I suppose it would be fair to term my wife an expert in Native Culture. Certainly, neither of us are novice in the field.
Belief in Animal Spirits is a superstition largely held by first peoples of all cultures. The Greeks believed in animism. The Romans. All the other tribes we read from in most of the cultures on earth. Indeed, one of the most well known and fastest growing Christian superstitions believes in animism. I am speaking, of course, of the Mormons. The Mormons also believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are separate "persons" and are flesh and blood (also, that our spirit bodies will be flesh and blood--but that is another matter).
Animism existed in the religions that later came together to form Christianity. And animism still informs much of Christianity in various parts of the world through objects of power and rituals of power where Spirits of Nature are venerated or appealed to.
Indeed, one of the most famous examples of this is St. Francis of Assisi who preached the gospel to the birds and other animals (rabbits, fish, wolves, etc.) who received God's blessings.
Let me make it clear once again (for the benefit of internet liars and weaklings who intentionally misrepresent things)--neither my wife nor I are superstitious. Neither of us believe in the actual existence of "spirits". However, having extensive familiarity with Aboriginal Cultures, we are fully aware of the power of belief--and how believing alters things for both the Superstitious Christian (who spills all to a Priest), and the Superstitious Native (who is shown a "Spirit Helper" through a Shaman Priest).
Science has proven that how and what we think affects how we feel, as well as physical events within our endocrine and other body systems.
In that regard, some of the awe inspiring events that (are said to) happen to believers in Shamanistic superstitions certainly rival the mysterious events (that are said) to have happened to believers in several Christian objects of power (another aspect of animism)--such as Fatima, Lourdes. etc.
There is much (actually most) of everything that humans do not know. So I approach Nature and life and the universe with a child-like awe. The unknown is awesome. The known (such as the superstitious, absurd, barbarian, and inhuman "books" of the bible)--are anything but awesome. |
