Animism is the original spirituality of humankind and still survives within us in it’s pristine form or diluted down, tinged into the modern religions of today. The next time you refer to your car as a “she” or kick and curse the couch you just stubbed your toe on, set back and ponder upon animism.

Animists, many Indians believe spirits are everywhere, dwelling in forests, meadows, mountains, lakes , rivers, the sky, villages and the household. Some are localized while others move about. They can also dwell in physical objects such as rocks, weapons, tools, charms, clothing, headdresses, body paint and structures. At times some of these spirits take physical form often appearing as known animal species and other times appearing as unknown species. They have been known to take the shape of humans or else human like forms appearing as either giants or little people, some rather scary. On occasion they can assume the shape of relatives and friends as some of these spirits take delight in fooling humans, but can be truly identified by their lack of a body part such as a finger or toe.

Some spirits are helpful to humankind, watching over gardens, households or protecting women, children, the elderly, hunters, warriors, peacemakers, gamblers, fools and medicine people, often going out of their way to combat spirits none too friendly to those mentioned above. Some of these spirits have their own feuds, some dating back before the time of humans.

As natural creatures, we should be well aware of who’s friendly and who is not when it comes to spirits.

Both good and bad spirits can enter the bodies of living creatures including humans. Doing this they can either assist an individual overcome difficulties or they can turn a human being into naught but a slave to it’s terrible endeavors and whims. Thus infected, if such evil spirits cannot be expelled and driven away, or contained, the host has to be dispatched by a medicine person wielding specially charged weapons. Sadly enough some of these hosts do not even know they are infected while some invited such into their lives, tricked by the lure of personal gain. There are many of them.

Although some can be summoned, they will not be ordered around like servants, but can be asked to assist in a reverent manner. There are those who require an offering or trade off, while others take a real shining to some people and assist them out of kindness. Many of these spirits are totally unconcerned with human kind.

Those who are friendly to us should be held in great reverence and not to be revealed to just anyone as such information available to the wrong people could very well be harmful to both individual and friendly spirit helper. Today it can only be either the ignorant or those infected with evil spirits who would request that one’s spirit helper be revealed or advise unknowing others to pick a spirit helper like an article of clothing off a rack to be worn openly for all to see.

I would suggest to anyone to keep such information guarded as we are in a place where souls are stolen and spirits get eaten. Apply a bit of scrutiny and trust your instinctive gut feelings when you suspect such an evil spirit is out to deceive.

Only a highly specialized medicine person can combat such, or retrieve and heal stolen souls.