Animals may have spirits, and in some religions are sacred.
For example, in India the cow and monkey are both seen as sacred animals in
religion. Plants and trees are also said to hold these spirits; oaks, cedars
and ash trees are all worshipped in Europe because of the spirits they possess.
It is also a common belief that many subhuman beings exist in and around
different parts of nature. These are often in the form of trolls, fairies,
gnomes or other mythological creatures.
Sacred Spaces
Because nature is seen as ‘alive’ and the earth as a form of
entity in animism, most places are highly respected because they are seen as
equal to our own lives. As well as this, there are many sacred spaces/places in
animism, many of which exist where there is a concentration of sacred power.
These places exist so that witch doctors or shaman are able to communicate with
the spiritual world and other spirits. An example of a sacred space is a tree
in Haiti. Over 200 years ago, animistic witch doctors made a pact with the
devil. Although in recent years the witch doctors have been most displeased
because Christian pastors persuaded the spirits to leave by praying over the
tree.
As well as these sacred spaces, there are also sacred
objects and words. Sacred objects are said to contain spirits and sacred power.
These are objects like rocks, jewellery, some insects and carvings. Words from
white and black witchcraft are sacred, and when said by a priest or witch
doctor possess sacred powers. These ‘words’ can be oaths, curses or blessings.