Ra's calling, Law of One Book 1, Law of Squares

[sunnysideup]

hmm. Ok I think I know what you mean.

Now, past societal views are not worthless, and not to be discarded, animism included. They all have worth and positive (and negative) traits that can be carried over into the next stage of development and so on.

Thing is, animism is one of the earliest worldviews that emerged into human consciousness, basically everywhere on the planet. It was a natural view that arose due to the dominance of the intuitive function (lack of directed thought ties loose ends up of causality through higher analogues [the beyond] ie. deities and magic, the properties of which are transferred to natural phenomena ie. plants and animals), of early man just becoming acquainted with self awareness. The fact that this is one of the first ways of looking at the world is of tremendous importance to understanding the mind (and spirit).

The reason I say "child's play" is because it is a level we started at and have since progressed from, thus the analogy of the child, as it really is a form of regression. I'm not saying "viewing animals and plants as having a divine essence (which is a part of animism) is silly", I'm saying looking at the world at that level alone instead of learning from that level and moving on (to questioning just what is divine or appreciating the capacity for thought which allows you to ask questions of that nature for example) is a disregard for opportunity to grow.

As children we learn all sorts of integral skills that are absolutely necessary for later stages of development, however choosing to behave like children when we have the capacity to do higher things seems foolish.

Corinthian 13:11
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

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Maybe because of the way I was raised but I believe an animal, plant or inanimate object possesses a spirit. Respecting, honoring and looking after the bond with my ancestors and nature, spiritual guidance, commemorate the dead, these are things I value and practice in my day to day life

This is actually what I would see as the healthy transference of past collective views (animism) filtered through modern understanding and rational evaluation, you see you're not saying "shiny screen spirit make words" you are being humble and appreciating that which you are aware of, in a fashion that makes use of past lessons as well the understanding of the present.

Thank you for your clear response, I see what you meant now and to be honest I had to look up the definition of the word animism first to find out that some of my own worldviews matched the description. And I agree with you on that in order to develop one can't keep behaving like a child, though I do think having child-like traits from time to time such as curiousity and a sort of "clean sheet" approach on things can also have benefits to one's development.