Blog - Experiential Online Animism Class
Pan Society makes animism accessible to the modern person. You don't have to be the grandchild of a Cherokee princess or a Viking to be animist. Come as you are. Join us!
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Experiential Online Animism Class

be wobbly

It’s Okay to Be Wobbly

Posted on October 3, 2019
in human nature
by Laura
0 Comments

I’m wobbly. This isn’t the first time that this has happened. Spiritual travel can do this to me. Death, birth, graduation, marriage, divorce, menopause, betrayal, bankruptcy, or disillusionment, can create it. Heck, life can sometimes do it for no particular reason at all. It’s where we go when our world breaks open. The boundaries explode and no longer exist. We free fall. It’s complete and utter freedom. We say we want this, but it feels so uncomfortable. We yearn for the known, for walls to help us feel secure. What worked before doesn’t work now. What we knew before is no longer true. Sometimes it’s because we discover that what we thought was truth is a lie. Sometimes we go wobbly because we gain so much more information that our old ways of...

where the elements meet

Where the Elements Meet

Posted on July 30, 2021
in animism
by Laura
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Hands down, my favorite place to be is the water's edge. It's where the elements meet. The Sun (fire) is high above. Air is all around. The Earth is below, and the water is also right there. It's also liminal space, so there is this amazing completeness, but also a sense of wonder. Like anything can happen. Things can easily end, begin, or burst into being for the first time here. Last weekend while at the water's edge, I got up early. Although I missed the sunrise, it was still early enough that soft yellow of the morning sun wasn't yet warm. It called me out to the water where I floated with my eyes closed, listening to the river lap at the shore. Above me ospreys hunted for breakfast while a...

rite of passage

How to Design Your Own Rite of Passage

Posted on July 23, 2021
in animism, rituals
by Laura
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In a previous article we explained what is a rite of passage. Now that we have that straight, let's talk about how to design your own rite of passage. It's the perfect thing for committing to changing your life and getting out of a rut. Set Your Intention The first thing we have to do is set your intention. What is this experience designed to accomplish? Are you moving from being single to coupled? Do want to you die well? The rite of passage should lead you to your goal. Remember the goal has two parts. You're letting go of something so that something else can be born. For instance, we kill the boy so that the man can be born. It's an irrevocable contract.  Challenge Yourself The Wizard of Oz gave Dorothy, the Tin...

what are rites of passage

What is a Rite of Passage?

Posted on July 16, 2021
in animism, rituals
by Laura
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Loneliness is epidemic in modern society. Many, I believe rightly so, point to the lack of rites of passage as a major contributor to the problem. Rites of passage let us know where we stand and to whom we belong. Without that, we can feel lost. So what is a rite of passage exactly?  Elements of the Rite of Passage If we want to understand rites of passage, we have to identify the elements. Cultural anthropologist, Arnold van Gennep, describes the stages as separation, liminal, and incorporation. Imagine you are standing with your friends in a room and want to get to the next room. You have to walk away from them to begin that process, right? This is the separation stage. Some modern people see rites of passage as things like getting your...

when does a woman become a crone

When Does a Woman Become a Crone?

Posted on July 9, 2021
in animism, archetypes, wheel of life
by Laura
0 Comments

When does a woman become a crone? Does it happen when she stops menstruating? When she reaches retirement age? When she decides she's there?  Everyone knows when a girl becomes a woman. It is a physical thing that happens when her body is ready to reproduce. It doesn't really matter if the girl is mentally or emotionally ready or not. Unfortunately, the Crone stage is not so black and white. In cultures where girls grow up with a moon lodge, it makes sense to time the Crone stage with menstruation. We know that menstrual blood has the power of life. When a woman retains all that energy for herself and no longer has anyone to care for, so she can use her energy for herself - she becomes a force to be...

earthing

Get Close to the Earth with Earthing

Posted on July 2, 2021
in Uncategorized
by Laura
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If you are a nature enthusiast, you know that when you get close to the earth, you feel amazing.   Now science is showing us that earthing, or grounding, is so healthy for us. Earthing: reduces inflammation which is a component of every disease increases circulation normalizes blood pressure improves sleep reduces anxiety relieves pain - even migraines! calms digestion speeds wound healing reduces stress improves mood What Is Earthing? Earthing is simply directly connecting with the earth.  Most of us spend our time indoors in climate controlled environments, wear synthetic shoes, and walk on concrete, and sleep on raised beds - all of which block contact with the earth. Contrast this with our ancestors who wore leather shoes (which keep us in energetic contact with the earth), slept on the ground, and spent lots more...

visit peru

What to Know Before You Visit Peru

Posted on June 25, 2021
in sacred travel
by Laura
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Ah, Peru. I've been all around the world, and read about Peru before taking my first trip, but nothing prepares you for the real thing. Still, it is better to have some idea before embarking on your journey so here are some need-to-know ideas that will help you prepare for to visit Peru. *Peru has three regions: the jungle, the Andes, and the coast. Spiritual travelers are going to focus on the Andes, so this article really pertains to that area only. Never Stop Altitude Sickness Prevention You're going to get sick. Just factor that in. Seventy-five percent of people get altitude sickness at heights over 10,000 feet. That's just about everyone and just about everywhere unless you stay coastal or in the jungle. So, what do you do? Stay hydrated. Take it...

playing with boogie men

Playing With Boogie Men

Posted on June 18, 2021
in animism, duality, spirituality
by Laura
0 Comments

It's time that we talked about playing with boogie men.Animism is a complimentary dualistic spiritual path. That means that light and dark are partners. We only have day because of night as everything exists on a continuum. For example, at the equinoxes, day and night are equal length. At the solstices, day or night are at their peak strength. So, there is never any time when one is ever absent. When we apply this to the spirit world, this means that all spirits are not "good" or "safe." If you flirt with the darker or slower vibration ones, you could get into serious trouble. Now, I hate religions that use fear to control you. This is not that. This is just about shining a light on potential danger so that you learn to...

including the children

Including Children in Animism

Posted on June 10, 2021
in animism
by Laura
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Children are a part of life in animism. There are few things where there are separations based on age or gender, and children go almost everywhere. In fact, it may be a good way to keep your animist lifestyle in check. So why not include children in animism?When we have dances and celebrations, even if they include alcohol, children are there. They learn how to behave appropriately, celebrate, and socialize without getting loud, drunk, or being out of control. It's training for adulthood.During the process of dying and when someone has a funeral, children participate. They learn how to feel, grieve, express, and let go. They learn that life and death are partners. Death isn't something to fear. When this is normalized, the whole way that someone goes through life...

healing protective yews

Getting Acquainted with Healing, Protective Yews

Posted on June 4, 2021
in animism, nature, spirituality
by Laura
0 Comments

I was in Glastonbury, England when I first encountered healing, protective yews. It makes me wistful just to think about it as those majestic, ancient yews don't grow here.  As I wandered around the gardens at the Chalice Well, I suddenly became very emotional. I didn't know why. All I knew is that something (or someone) in the vicinity was putting out such loving, compassionate energy that I felt my guard go down. I felt curiously open, and I began to feel everything inside of me - not in a way that I could speak. It was deeper and went beyond words. It wasn't until my next visit there, the following year, that I realized it was the yew that was responsible.  In the same garden, in the same place, I got another...

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