cosmology
Animism
The doctrine and worldview that natural phenomena, places, and objects possess inherent spirit, soul, or personality — and that the cosmos is populated by countless local, plural, embodied divine agents: kami in mountain and tree, sidhe in cairn and well, landwights in field and stone, nymphs in spring and grove, haltija in forest and lake, lares and penates in household and threshold, Iamblichean daemons in element and place. Distinct from monotheism (single transcendent God), pantheism (one underlying substance), and emanation_hierarchy (cascading single source); animism's signature is the plurality, locality, and embodied-in-landscape character of the divine.
423 passages · 7 traditions
finnic255
◆The Kalevala | Rune Ia
“OF WAINAMOINEN.
In primeval times, a maiden, Beauteous Daughter of the Ether, Passed for ages her existence In the great expanse of heaven, O'er the prairies yet enfolded.
Wearisome the maiden growing, Her existence sad and hopeless, Thus…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune Ib
“Surely would the winds destroy it, Far away the waves would wash it." Then the daughter of the Ether, Now the hapless water-mother, Raised her shoulders out of water, Raised her knees above the ocean, That the duck might build her dwelling,…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune Ic
“Wainamoinen, old and trusty, Lingering within his dungeon Thirty summers altogether, And of winters, also thirty, Peaceful on the waste of waters, On the broad-sea's yielding bosom, Well reflected, long considered, How unborn to live and fl…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune IIa
“'S SOWING.
Then arose old Wainamoinen, With his feet upon the island, On the island washed by ocean, Broad expanse devoid of verdure; There remained be many summers, There he lived as many winters, On the island vast and vacant, well consi…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune IIb
“Wainamoinen, old and trusty, Thought awhile, and well considered, How to kill the mighty oak-tree, First created for his pleasure, How to fell the tree majestic, How to lop its hundred branches.
Sad the lives of man and hero, Sad the homes…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune IIc
“Straightway to the oak-tree turning, Thither stalks the mighty giant, In his raiment long and roomy, Flapping in the winds of heaven; With his second step he totters On the land of darker color; With his third stop firmly planted, Reaches h…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune IId
“Down from heaven came the eagle, Through the air be came a-flying, That he might this thing consider; And he spake the words that follow: "Wherefore, ancient Wainamoinen, Hast thou left the slender birch-tree, Left the birch-tree only stand…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune IIe
“Here a few days pass unnoted And as many nights fly over.
When the seventh day had journeyed, On the morning of the eighth day, Wainamoinen, wise and ancient, Went to view his crop of barley, How his plowing, how his sowing, How his labors…”
Show all 255 →celtic97
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINa
“King Arthur was at Caerlleon upon Usk; and one day he sat in his chamber; and with him were Owain the son of Urien, and Kynon the son of Clydno, and Kai the son of Kyner; and Gwenhwyvar and her handmaidens at needlework by the window.
And…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINb
“And they had daggers with blades of gold, and with hilts of the bone of the whale.
And they were shooting their daggers.
“And a little way from them I saw a man in the prime of life, with his beard newly shorn, clad in a robe and a mantle…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINc
“The man looked upon me, and he smiled and said, ‘If I did not fear to distress thee too much, I would show thee that which thou seekest.’ Upon this I became anxious and sorrowful, and when the man perceived it, he said, ‘If thou wouldest ra…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINd
“Under this tree is a fountain, and by the side of the fountain a marble slab, and on the marble slab a silver bowl, attached by a chain of silver, so that it may not be carried away.
Take the bowl and throw a bowlful of water upon the slab…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINe
“So I returned along the road by which I had come.
And when I reached the glade where the black man was, I confess to thee, Kai, it is a marvel that I did not melt down into a liquid pool, through the shame that I felt at the black man’s de…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINf
“And Owain made it known to him, and said, “I am in quest of the Knight who guards the fountain.” Upon this the yellow man smiled, and said that he was as loth to point out that adventure to Owain as he had been to Kynon.
However, he descri…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINg
“And as long as thou concealest it, it will conceal thee.
When they have consulted together, they will come forth to fetch thee, in order to put thee to death; and they will be much grieved that they cannot find thee.
And I will await thee…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINh
“And following the train, he beheld a lady with yellow hair falling over her shoulders, and stained with blood; and about her a dress of yellow satin, which was torn.
Upon her feet were shoes of variegated leather.
And it was a marvel that…”
Show all 97 →western_esoteric31
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | The Life and Philosophy of Pythagorash
“This fifth element, or ether, was called by the Hindus akasa .
It was closely correlated with the hypothetical ether of modern science, and was the interpenetrative substance permeating all of the other elements and acting as a common solv…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | Ceremonial Magic and Sorceryd
“For the third time I asked my question and he answered, 'I am as swift as human thought.' 'You shall serve me,' I replied.
This spirit was faithful for a long time, but to tell you how he served me is not possible in a document of this len…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | The Elements and Their Inhabitantsa
“FOR the most comprehensive and lucid exposition of occult pneumatology (the branch of philosophy dealing with spiritual substances) extant, mankind is indebted to Philippus Aureolus Paracelsus (Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim), prince…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | The Elements and Their Inhabitantsd
“Each species moves only in the element to which it belongs, and neither of them can go out of its appropriate element, which is to them as the air is to us, or the water to fishes; and none of them can live in the element belonging to anoth…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | The Elements and Their Inhabitantsf
“By this it is not meant that they themselves are of such disposition, but rather that they have special control over elements of similar consistency.
The gnomes marry and have families, and the female gnomes are called gnomides .
Some wea…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | The Elements and Their Inhabitantsg
“Some inhabit waterfalls, where they can be seen in the spray; others are indigenous to swiftly moving rivers; some have their habitat in dripping, oozing fens or marshes; while other groups dwell in clear mountain lakes.
According to the p…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | The Elements and Their Inhabitantsi
“In his editorial notes to the Occult Sciences of Salverte, Anthony Todd Thomson says: "The Fayes and Fairies are evidently of Scandinavian origin, although the name of Fairy is supposed to be derived from, or rather [is] a modification of t…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | American Indian Symbolisma
“THE North American Indian is by nature a symbolist, a mystic, and a philosopher.
Like most: aboriginal peoples, his soul was en rapport with the cosmic agencies manifesting about him.
Not only did his Manidos control creation from their e…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | American Indian Symbolismb
“By the first act he returned thanks to the Great Spirit for the preservation of his life during the past year, and for being permitted to be present at this council.
By the second, he returned thanks to his Mother, the Earth, for her vario…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | American Indian Symbolismc
“The Indian does not worship the sun; he rather regards this shining orb as an appropriate symbol of the Great and Good Spirit who forever radiates life to his red children.
In Indian symbolism the serpent--especially the Great Serpent--cor…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | American Indian Symbolismh
“In consternation, the princes of Xibalba then counseled together how they could destroy the intrepid neophytes and forthwith prepared for them the next ordeal.
For their fourth test, the two brothers were made to enter the House of Cold, w…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | American Indian Symbolismi
“Concerning these rolls, Colonel Carrick Mallery writes: "To persons acquainted with secret societies, a good comparison for the Midewiwin charts would be what is called a trestleboard of a Masonic order, which is printed and published and p…”
◆Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi) | 4. The Tetragramb
“The Great Magical Agent is the fourth emanation of the life-principle, of which the sun is the third form - see the initiates of the school of Alexandria and the dogma of Hermes Trismegistus.
In this way the eye of the world, as the ancien…”
◆Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi) | 4. The Tetragrame
“Now, created spirits, being called to emancipation by trial, are placed from their birth between these four forces, two positive and two negative, and have it in their power to affirm or deny good, to choose life or death.
To discover the…”
◆Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi) | 5. The Pentagrama
“GEBURAH ECCE HEREUNTO we have exposed the magical dogma in its more arid and abstruse phases; now the enchantments begin; now we can proclaim wonders and reveal most secret things.
The Pentagram signifies the domination of the mind over th…”
◆Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi) | 5. The Pentagramb
“Here let us state distinctly that this work is being performed continually in the world by some of the flower of mankind; that there is hence a permanent revelation by intuition; and that there is no insuperable barrier which separates soul…”
◆Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi) | 5. The Pentagramc
“The secret of this Great Work does not remain for discovery; it has been known and practised by a great number of initiates, above all by the celebrated Apollonius of Tyana, who has left a theory concerning it, as we shall see in the “Ritua…”
◆Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi) | 6. Magical Equilibriumd
“It is a fatal and inevitable operation, directed and made still more calamitous by elementary spirits and suffering souls, whose restless wills seek out sympathies in our weakness and tempt us, but not so much to destroy us as to win friend…”
◆Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi) | 12. The Great Workb
“The diversity of the forms which abound in Nature is explained, in this treatise, by the diversity of spirits, and monstrosity by divergence of efforts.
Its study and understanding are indispensable for all adepts who would fathom the myst…”
◆Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi) | 14. Transmutationsc
“She accused him when he wished to withdraw from her, and the conversion of this young woman was a revenge, for there is nothing more cruel than depraved passions.
An influential society, which intervened in the trial of Grandier for the de…”
◆Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi) | 4. The Conjuration Of The Foura
“THE four elementary forms separate and distinguish roughly the created spirits which the universal movement disengages from the central fire.
The spirit toils everywhere and fructifies matter by life; all matter is animated; thought and so…”
◆Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi) | 4. The Conjuration Of The Fourc
“Prayer of the Undines Dread King of the Sea, Who hast the keys of the floodgates of heaven and dost confine the waters of the underworld in the caverns of earth; King of the deluge and the floods of springtime; Thou Who dost unseal the sour…”
◆Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi) | 4. The Conjuration Of The Fourd
“The earth is exorcised by aspersion of water, by breathing and by fire, with the perfumes proper for each day and the Prayer of the Gnomes King invisible, Who, taking the earth as a support, didst furrow the abysses to fil them with Thine o…”
◆Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi) | 4. The Conjuration Of The Foure
“Fulfil, Judgment, by fire in the virtue of Michael.
Angel of the blind eyes, obey, or pass away with this holy water!
Work, Winged Bull, or revert to the earth, unless thou wilt that I should pierce thee with this sword!
Chained Eagle, o…”
◆Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi) | 15. The Sabbath Of The Sorcerersg
“a black seamless and sleeveless robe must be provided; a leaden cap emblazoned with the signs of the moon, Venus and Saturn; two candles of human fat set in black wooden candlesticks, carved in the shape of a crescent; two crowns of vervain…”
◆Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi) | 16. Witchcraft And Spellsb
“They are persuaded, and often rightly, that the victim of their infamous operations experiences as many tortures as if his own heart had been pierced at all points.
He begins to waste away and dies after a time of an unknown disease.
Anot…”
◆Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi) | 16. Witchcraft And Spellsd
“For bewitchment by the waxen figure, a more perfect figure must be made, and set about as far as possible with things belonging to the person; seven talismans must be hung round the neck; it must be placed in the middle of a great Pantacle…”
◆Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi) | 16. Witchcraft And Spellse
“Thomas, that daring innovator who first substituted the absolute law of reason for arbitrary divinity, by formulating an axiom which we cannot repeat too often, since it comes from such a master: “A thing is not just because God wills it, b…”
◆Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi) | 17. The Writing Of The Starsc
“The Assyrians or Chaldeans, incited by Nebuchadnezzar or Salmanasor, gave fullest evidence of this truth by the destruction of the most splendid and most holy temple and city in the universe, and by the complete overthrow of a people whom G…”
◆Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi) | 17. The Writing Of The Starse
“Birth of Benjamin.
Day of preference and tenderness.
24.
Influence of Jupiter.
Birth of Japhet.
25.
Influence of Mercury.
Tenth plague of Egypt.
26.
Influence of Mars.
Deliverance of the Israelites and passage of the Red Sea.
27.…”
◆Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi) | 21. The Science Of The Prophetsc
“The Tarot was the sole book of the ancient Magi; it is the primitive Bible, as we shall prove in the following chapter, and the ancients consulted it as the first Christians at a later date consulted the Sacred Lots, that is, Bible verses s…”
← Collapsenorse24
◆The Poetic Edda: Hovamol | Section 1f
“Fire for men | is the fairest gift, And power to see the sun; Health as well, | if a man may have it, And a life not stained with sin.
69.
All wretched is no man, | though never so sick; Some from their sons have joy, Some win it from kin…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Hovamol | Section 1g
“The stanza-form is so irregular as to show either that something has been lost or that there have been interpolations.
The manuscript indicates no lacuna; Gering fills out the assumed gap as follows: "Certain is that which is sought from r…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Hovamol | Section 1i
“50 Foul scorn was my meed | from the crafty maid, And nought from the woman I won.
* * * 103.
Though glad at home, | and merry with guests, A man shall be wary and wise; The sage and shrewd, | wide wisdom seeking, Must see that his speech…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Hovamol | Section 1j
“On his ring swore Othin | the oath, methinks; Who now his troth shall trust?
Suttung's betrayal | he sought with drink, And Gunnloth to grief he left.
* * * 111.
It is time to chant | from the chanter's stool; By the wells of Urth I was,…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Hovamol | Section 1k
“I saw a man | who was wounded sore By an evil woman's word; A lying tongue | his death-blow launched, And no word of truth there was.
119.
I rede thee, Loddfafnir!
| and hear thou my rede,-- Profit thou hast if thou hearest, Great thy ga…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Hovamol | Section 1l
“| and hear thou my rede,- Profit thou hast if thou hearest, Great thy gain if thou learnest: I bid thee be wary, | but be not fearful; (Beware most with ale or another's wife, And third beware | lest a thief outwit thee.) [129.
Line 5 is a…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Hovamol | Section 1m
“I ween that I hung | on the windy tree, Hung there for nights full nine; With the spear I was wounded, | and offered I was To Othin, myself to myself, On the tree that none | may ever know What root beneath it runs.
[138.
In the manuscrip…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Hovamol | Section 1n
“Knowest how one shall write, | knowest how one shall rede?
Knowest how one shall tint, | knowest how one makes trial?
Knowest how one shall ask, | knowest how one shall offer?
Knowest how one shall send, | knowest how one shall sacrifice…”
Show all 24 →mesopotamian9
◆Adapa and the Food of Life | Section 1a
“ADAPA AND THE FOOD OF LIFE .
TABLET NO.1 He possessed intelligence .
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, His command like the command of Anu ...
He (Ea) granted him a wide ear to reveal the destiny of the land, He granted him wisdom, but he did not grant him eterna…”
◆Adapa and the Food of Life | Section 1b
“Adapa, For whom art thou clad in a mourning garment?" In the country two gods have vanished; therefore am I clad In mourning garments." "Who are the two gods, who have vanished from the land?" "Tammuz and Gishzida." They looked at one anoth…”
◆Epic of Gilgamesh: Tablet III — The Expedition against Humbaba | Tablet III, Section 1a
“THE THIRD TABLET.
THE EXPEDITION TO THE FOREST OF CEDARS AGAINST HUMBABA.
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"He lifted up [his foot, to the door .
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(?) They raged furiously .
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Enkidu hath not [his e…”
◆Epic of Gilgamesh: Tablet III — The Expedition against Humbaba | Tablet III, Section 1b
“Proffereth nothing of substance thy courage—I, I'll be thy va ward!
’Tis thine own mouth shall tell thou didst fear the onslaught (of battle), (I, forsooth), if I should fall, my name will have stablish’d (for ever).
15.
Gilgamish ’twas,…”
◆Epic of Gilgamesh: Tablet III — The Expedition against Humbaba | Tablet III, Section 1c
“I (forsooth) dread him, and (yet) to [(the depths of the) Forest] I'll take [me] .
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may thy god (so) [protect] thee, Bringing thee back [(safe and)] sound to the walls of [broad-marketed] Erech." 35.
Gilgami…”
◆Epic of Gilgamesh: Tablet IV — The Arrival at the Gate of the Forest | Tablet IV, Section 1a
“THE FOURTH TABLET.
THE ARRIVAL AT THE GATE OF THE FOREST.
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36.
Enkidu lifted [his eyes] .
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and spake with the Gate as [’t were human(?)]: "O thou Gate of the Forest without understanding(?
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Sentience which thou hast n…”
◆Epic of Gilgamesh: Tablet IV — The Arrival at the Gate of the Forest | Tablet IV, Section 1b
“[Be brave(?)] and resist!
O my comrade, together We will go down—let the combat [in no wise diminish(?)] thy courage!
40.
O forget death, and be fearful(?) of nothing(?) .
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(for he who is) [valiant(?)], Cautious (and) careful, by lead…”
◆Epic of Gilgamesh: Tablet V — The Fight with Humbaba | Tablet V, Section 1a
“THE FIFTH TABLET.
OF THE FIGHT WITH HUMBABA.
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Stood they and stared at the Forest, they gazed at the height of the Cedars, Scanning the avenue into the Forest: (and there) where Humbaba 5.
Stalk’d, was a path, (and) straight were his t…”
Show all 9 →renaissance_hermeticism6
◆Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter XVII — How by Enmity and Friendship the Virtues of Things Are to be Tried and Found Out | Chapter XVII, Section 1a
“CHAPTER XVII.
How by Enmity and Friendship the Virtues of Things Are to be Tried and Found Out .
In the next place it is requisite that we consider that all things have a friendliness and enmity amongst themselves, and every thing hath so…”
◆Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter XVII — How by Enmity and Friendship the Virtues of Things Are to be Tried and Found Out | Chapter XVII, Section 1b
“When Sappho writes to Phaon: To Birds unlike oftimes joyned are white Doves; Also the Bird that’s green, black Turtle loves.
Again, the whale and the little fish, his guide, are friendly.
Neither is this amity in Animals amongst themselve…”
◆Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter XVIII — Of the Inclinations of Enmities | Chapter XVIII, Section 1a
“CHAPTER XVIII.
Of the Inclinations of Enmities .
On the contrary, there are Inclinations of Enmities, and they are, as it were, the odium, and anger, indignation, and a certain kind of obstinate contrariety of nature, so that any thing sh…”
◆Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter XVIII — Of the Inclinations of Enmities | Chapter XVIII, Section 1b
“Amongst birds, also, some are at perpetual strife one with another, as also with other animals, as jackdaws and owls, the kite and crows, the turtle and ring-tail, egepis and eagles, harts and dragons.
Also amongst water animals there is e…”
◆Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter XXIV — What Things Are Lunary, or Under the Power of the Moon | Chapter XXIV, Section 1b
“But most Lunary of all is the two-horned beetle, horned after the manner of a bull, which digs under cow-dung and there remains for the space of twenty-eight days (in which time the Moon measures the whole Zodiac), and in the twenty-ninth d…”
◆Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter LV — How Auspicias Are Verified by the Light of Natural Instinct, and of Some Rules of Finding It Out | Chapter LV, Section 1c
“Many, being much moved with these words, went to see, and so it was, as Apollonius said, at which they much wondered.
Phorphyrius, the Platonist, in his third book of sacrifices, saith that there is certainly a swallow language, because ev…”
shinto1
◆The Kojiki: The Beginning of Heaven and Earth | Section 1
“p. 15 RECORDS OF ANCIENT MATTERS [SECT. I.—THE BEGINNING OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.] The names of the Deities 1 that were born 2 in the Plain of High Heaven 3 when the Heaven and Earth began were the Deity Master-of-the-August-Centre-of-Heaven, 4…”