Animism: Asking for Permission
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2023
- When dealing with entities of place (other-than-human persons), from the point of view of Animism, asking for permission is a sign of respect.
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This video comes as a wonderful reminder of a lesson I learned the hard way many years ago. Came across a clearing in the woods while out exploring with my young daughter and emediatly knew I'd entered a place I shouldn't be almost like I'd walked into someone's living room and now had a bow aimed right at my head. That night I had a horrible dream of drowning in the earth like water with roots wrapped around my throat. Needless to say I've never returned. Never occurred to me to ask about permission when I'm out foraging for herbs I always make sure I'm welcome but never about taking anything...I've taken much and returned little. I have much to meditate and think on thank you
it is even more important to ask before taking
I have practiced animism all my life, even before I understood the meaning
I have also always asked permission of vibrational energies
I feel them deeply whereever I go and occasionally it can be overwhelming if I didn't prepare myself
I have tried to remember to ask permission from picking up a baby, asking aloe plant for healing, and walking around the lake in a park by my father’s house. When walking , I almost always clean up trash left by humans and thereby have been gifted stones and feathers. Once I didn’t accept the 4 crow feathers and felt chastised by the spirits there, so went back the next day and was only able to find 2 of the feathers. Lesson learned. Always give and graciously receive what is offered. Be a part of the exchange of energies that I perceive as love.
Thank you for reminding me of my connection to the land and the spirits and entities of the land.
More importantly thanks for helping me reconnect with myself. I used to ask permission to enter sacred landscapes. As I get older I find I have to remember to do this and I think it’s because I’ve forgotten my place in the world.
It’s interesting that I’ve fallen into a sense of ownership over things that I don’t own. It is because I’ve forgotten my place in the world. I used to know better, but I’ve become spiritually lazy. Your post has told me to “pull my socks up”, and think - just use both my mind and brain. Blessings,❤, stay safe and well.
ever since i was a teenager, i ask permission for things in nature. for example, do i need a leaf or a branch from a tree? i walk up to the tree, place my hands upon its trunk and request what is needed. permission is not always granted, but usually it is. a small gift is also good to give in return...even just some water at the trunk or removal of a pest.
Whoa! This was a hard hitting video!. Thank you for reminding us of our duties regarding "the other" I have been collecting rocks most of my life and never asked permission.....I am so ashamed. Me with my colonial syndrome. I will do better, thank you Arith.
Me too, I also love foraging for edible mushrooms. I always liked something Don Juan said in one of Castanedas books. He told Carlos that he always apologized to the plants he picks and promises that he will give his body to the Earth when his death comes. That is one way I pay that debt when I cannot--for whatever reason imaginable--bring a gift or offering to leave for that place that gives me the environment to connect to nature on an intimate and coincidental magic/intuitive level.
@@iankenney6602 thank you for making me feel better. Visited a nature reserve today and felt much better after asking permission to enter the wildness, I did not pick up any stones this time, saw a lot of animals, birds and animal spoor. Greetings from South Africa 🇿🇦
In my Hmong culture, we have to be humble when entering the forest, out of respect for the natural things that have been there before we were. And when camping before every meal we give a part of our meal, to the spirits of the forest, before we can eat ourselves. It is a respect for the souls who currently reside in these places that we come to seek refuge in and when we leave, we thank them and call our own spirits back into our bodies before we go home.
Our house was here before we bought it, and I doubt the builder asked permission, but there's plenty of non-humans hereabouts and I feed them and let them roam the area to their hearts' content. My neighbor keeps bees, and the little buzzers are busy in my gardens all summer long. In the fall I buy her honey, which has my garden in it. So, I feed them, they feed me. That's a mutual thing, perhaps?
Decolonize ourselves, yes!
yeah!!! it's Arith Day ! and my favourite subject Just came in from the pines. yes, my friends always thought i was weird because i will approach a tree very slowly and ask if it's okay to sit there. I never waver from that and will ask the same tree even if i've felt an okay prior. I always say thankyou when i leave too. Just this week i pulled a stolen bike out of one of the Hawthorn ladies - made me so angry , i mean it was high up (some people are more than asshats) Looking forward to this vid. and later, after watching this I have to admit that in the last year or two i have become so impatient with humans they do not get a fraction of my care that the grove in the cemetery does
Thank you, Arith, for your excellent content. I hope you are thriving and feeling better now.
Hello friend. I'm feeling much better now, thank you for asking. All the best to you! :D
I have been trying to make this more of a habit in my pagan practice and everyday life. As I often forget to asking to enter a place. When it comes to taking things from nature. I try not to take much from nature. As I prefer to leave things alone and to just observe and admire them. I do this because I feel this way everyone can enjoy it. Where as if I take the item home with me sure I can enjoy it but everyone else no longer can. So I try my best to leave them were I found them. The only time I really take things out of nature is if I need it for a spell or some other kind of magical action. The other time I take from nature is when I go hunting. Which in that case I always ask for permission to enter the woods I am hunting in from the gods and goddesses as well as the local spirts. I also like to say a thank you whenever I am successful in take any game. I usually thank the animal and thank not only the gods and goddesses but also the local spirts for allowing me to be successful. I also make sure to do my absolute best to use as much of the animal as I can. Or to find someone else that can use it if I can't. I have never and will never hunt solely for sport. This was a great video full of awesome information. I have learned so much from your videos. So thank you and keep up the great work. Blessed be to you my pagan brother.
It's always a dilemma if we should or shouldn't take things from nature, and: what should we take and when? There's a particular point I've talked in one of the episodes of my "White Wand Series", in which we take pieces of the environment we are trying to engage with (and with its inhabitants - "invisble others") to recreate that environment at our own private space in order to incorporate elements that are more familiar to the spirit entities we are trying to invite, in an attempt to share spaces. Asking for permission is an important step in cases like this. However, there's also the type of material you have pointed out, which we can use for a spell or something else within our own magical crafts, and although many of us can easily become attached to such materials, in my own experiential perception, it's good to return such objects to where they belong once the "thing" is done. Of course, these momentary objects have to be taken care of and "cleaned" in order to return them to their original environment, but that's a whole other matter hehehe. Thank you for your feedback and for sharing this information. Thank you for watching. Take care!
@ I completely agree this is why early on in my practice I made it a habit to bury or return anything that is of a natural origin that I have used in a spell or magical craft once the spell is complete or once I no longer have a need for the object that I created with said material. When doing this I always make sure as you said to cleanse the item or items of any energy that they have collected while in my possession so that they do not carry any unwanted energies back to the place I am returning them. And if I know for sure that an item that I will be taking will be staying with me for a long time then I like to leave a bit larger of an offering and I also say a thank you to the spirts for making said item available to me. I am not sure if leaving a bigger offering actually does anything more but it makes me feel better about keeping the item for a longer time lol. This is also a big reason why I have been trying to do more of my magical works outside in nature. As this allows me to not have to take as much stuff out of nature. I am fully aware that this is not always an option for everyone. But I think more people should try to do this whenever they can do it. Thank you for your reply and for all the great work you do.
I am so thankful for you 💌
31:44 Id like to say that the "when you know - you know" is one of the most important aspects.
I have always asked for permission. Even as a child, it felt "right" to do so. It is respect and gratitude. Thank you for explaining this topic so clearly. It's so good to see a video from you. All the best to you.
I always ask for permission and leave a gift or offering of spirits or mead to the spirits of the land before I leave to thank them for letting me come into their space and if I foraged a plant or branch or etc. I also ask permission and leave a gift. Also if they provided a gift to me such as a special stone I also leave a gift. This has always been an important part of my practice.
This is a very timely video, as this is something I have recently become conscious of myself... I have started working with my own life force, and connecting with the life forces of the Others in Nature. I always ask permission first, only through approaching the Others with love and respect can we even start to build a real relationship with the Others. Even with these baby steps, I have started to make progress in my connection to my own life-force. I try to 'see', with the Others permission, Nature through their Being. And I have 'seen' glimpses of Nature in a way that was never before possible.
Parabéns pelo vídeo. Sobre pedir permissão, eu lembrei dos cemitérios e também algumas regiões do Brasil, os moradores mais velhos levam tabaco( oferenda) e pedem permissão para entrar na floresta.
Já fiz rituais em áreas abertas próximo a florestas. Já percebi criaturas observando o ritual. Pedir permissão, é importante e o agradecimento também... Nada que um pouco de Mel, não ajude😅
Muito obrigado! Pois é, ultimamente (estes últimos dois anos) tenho falado bastante com brasileiros de vários pontos do Brasil, e tem sido muito enriquecedor todos estes entendimentos sobre a interacção que têm - não só com os povos indígenas - mas também com os próprios habitats naturais. Também uma excelente fonte de informação tem sido o antropólogo brasileiro Eduardo Viveiros de Castro.
Aqui nos Estados Unidos, vários povos indígenas também acostumam dar oferendas de tabaco. No estado onde eu moro, há muitos sítios antigos deles (tipo Mesa Verde). Um homem indígena falou-me que eu (um branco) podia e deveria fazer isso ao visitar esses lugares e desde então eu sempre faço isso. Ponho tabaco numa bolsa de juta (ou algo que seja biodegradável) e deixo isso aí. Mas também ao usar um lugar natural para um ritual ou levar algo da natureza que quero usar, faço isso tmb. Parece ser algo que os espíritos da natureza em todas as Americas reconhecem.
As a young gal was always taught you not only ask but you also bring a gift to show respect. Tobacco is sacred. A good gift but bird seed, water anything of that nature. If you have a picnic you leave food for them as well. And never do we take anything without permission but even if given you must give in return. Always leave a place as you found it and always say thank you for their hospitality. Problem is few are taught these ways any longer.
I wouldn’t use birdseed personally, it can germinate and risk becoming invasive, bird pellets are a better option imo. Thanks for sharing in any case.
I recently moved from a rain forest to a desert. It is a new world I feel myself in, many plants have thorns, and rain is precious. I am learning, slowly, and I think the understanding that I have come into a new part of the world, with new living things, which at first frightened me, but now I am learning to be a part of them too. It is about respect.
Thank you.
It’s uncanny yet very reassuring the way these revelations come to us in these special places. It is the place and it’s inhabitants talking to us, it feels like a lightbulb moment and that we knew it all along at the same time. Your videos are wonderful.
Hi Arith, Great Video! I have a feeling You can see, Scrying. The trees around You are alive and full of faces, after I ruptured My globe in My R Eye in 2015, I could see. I jokingly call it My Odin eye. Thank You for discussing Animism, took Me awhile to even find out what was happening, no one to speak to. I feel lucky now. Thank You !
Taking the time to be mindful as well as demonstrating reverence. Willingly creating a space. Offering! Offering or giving away something that is yours to give.
It's even better if you give something special or dear to you.🔥 Respect is almost nonexistent anymore. Nature has its ways of humbling.
The stones, bones, trees, etc. know you are there. Consider your intentions, motives, purpose, and what they serve. 🌱 Thanks for bringing this up. Good man!
People speak of lessening their footprint, yet forget the basics. Thank you for sharing yet another great video. I wish to see more of your music.
Oh wow your comments on ancestors and descendants and that generational cycle…hit home for us. We are working on some tough deep, old, generational trauma currently. It dawned on us while watching that at its core this trauma we personally are dealing with is all about forced will and precisely not asking permission under the assumption that one’s will takes precedence over another’s ( wether human or nonhuman). This idea that success, in life and in magical practice, is about domination…well that is rather shortsighted isn’t it? Missing the power and beauty that asking and giving permission holds, that is a dire oversight I think we all are collectively experiencing the consequences of in modern society. Well timed message for us this morning, appreciate you!
The other day I asked a tree if it would like me to pick up a piece of plastic garbage that was stuck under it, tree said yes. So I picked it up and a minute later the tree dropped a beautiful rose shaped pinecone right in front of my feet. I loved this video Arith, think it's one of your most important videos. Really appreciate all the topics you brought up.
Inching us back to our primordial roots, your video invokes introspection. Who knew that rock has feelings too! Thanks for this soul-stirring narrative on Animism. If we seek permissions from inanimate objects too, at least, overstuffed wardrobes would be less cross with us!
Thank you Mr Harger (sorry spanish keyboard) for sharing this valuable and important lesson of how to ask permission to mother nature with the not limited belief of colonialism. You put it out in simple words, but without the appropriate perception or mind state it can be even disrespectful for all your mentioned reasons. I will apply your wisdom in my next encounters with the others and the spirits of the sacred places we visit, making conscious the fact that we show and share respect with all visible or invisible entities. Thank you very much, wish you all the blessings and bests of luck to keep on teaching us what previous civilizations already know!!
Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Thanks so much for bringing in the subject of colonialism and the Indigenous peoples. 💪💪💪👏
When dealing with animism, but also when expressing the root of the problems of our societies, we should really talk about these subjects. I don't think there can be a real positive impact, when fighting for the wellbeing of our world, if we do not include methods of decolonisation and if we also do not include indigenous knowledge and perceptions. To take care of the land we must take care of indigenous peoples. Thank you and be well! Many blessings to you and yours!
Hey Arith, I completely agree with you on almost everything you mentioned, especially the belief in the existence of unseen spirits and the importance of acknowledging and respecting the other. I also would like to add my two cents because I believe that there is a deep ecological connection to spirituality.
For instance
In the past, when tribes would venture through territories inhabited by fearsome creatures like saber-tooth tigers, there was a practice of animal sacrifices. This practice stemmed from the understanding that if you were passing through tiger territory, you would unwillingly intrude on the tiger's domain. Especially in Arctic regions, some tribes still hold onto this practice to a certain extent. They would willingly sacrifice one of their animals as a sign of respect and acknowledgment that they were in the tiger's territory. It wasn't just a sacrifice to an invisible force, but rather a sacrifice for the tiger itself. By making this offering, they sought to establish a peaceful relationship with the tiger, demonstrating their respect. In return, the tiger would respect them as well. Once the tiger had eaten its fill, it would no longer pose a threat to the tribe, and the entire forest would relax because it knew the tiger was satisfied. This act of sacrifice aimed to create a moment of peace and harmony within the tiger's territory.
I believe that a lot of the respectable ecological and spiritual practices of true pagans and nature worshipers have been misinterpreted from real ecological instances such as this. These instances serve as a reflection of the deep interconnectedness between nature and spirituality. However, in today's world, where our ecosystems are damaged and out of balance, we struggle to truly understand and restore that deep connection. It is crucial for us to work towards ecological equilibrium and cooperation rather than dominance, in order to regain the vastness and richness of the natural world. Only then can we hope to fully comprehend and experience the spiritual aspects that come with it.
I’ve been researching some of the tiger shamans in I believe inner Mongolia or China. We’ll the northern regions perhaps Korea as well but it seems very bazaar at first to read this understanding of their world but the more you can put yourself within a past world the more it becomes clear. If you or anyone wants the link to the Tiger Shamans research just shoot me message . Awesome work Arith also really loved the floating wooden totems ” of the Vikings Anyways you are the talented speaker and I am just the sideline know it all LOL 😂. Humbled by sone of your stuff especially lately again. Great topics
I never esplicitly asked for permission but always spoke to the spirits of places, plants etc. Often i felt uneasy, a sensation of hostility even in beautiful and safe enviroments. Next time i'll try with asking permission, you made a very important point about relationship with non human personhoods.
Great video, and a great reminder to be more mindful of where you are "stepping". In our modern world, we are using the products of the natural environment constantly, but at many times, without realizing it.
That is a fantastic reflection on the topic.
I have been developing the habit of asking permission and learning to hear with all senses for their reply. Recently, I had an experience. I did ask permission before picking up some berries. Suddenly, I felt drawn to grab a particular berry that almost jumped to my hand. The flavour was amazing, this was repeated a couple of times more. I had enough, but I wanted more. I felt the resistance of the berry on my fingertips, but I pushed over as the berry looked as ripe as the others had. Turns out the flavour was awful. I felt scolded by the bush for being greedy.
In french, sorry :
Merci pour cette vidéo et ce partage.
Elle m'a permis de me rendre compte de certains actes que je faisais sans m'en apercevoir. Dans un sens tu m'as encore plus ouvert les yeux.
Je procédais de la sorte pour les lieux où je ressentais une présence et ne pensais pas trop aux autres malheureusement.
Mais tu as totalement raison.
Il faut nous détacher des ces réflexes immoraux qui nous enracinent et nous empêchent d'évoluer spirituellement.
Un grand merci à toi l'ami et je te souhaite une bonne continuation dans ta vie. 🙏
As a 66yo Australian I recently spent 5 yrs travelling the interior outback Oz solo other than 2 dogs . Every night was a true camp stop , a fire had to be made in order to cook ..warmth etc . But . On every new location I asked to be welcomed with no ill intent and may the surrounding spirits protect me .. not once did I ever feel unsafe , sure I had my encounters with venomous snakes , wild scrub cattle feral pigs and even crocadiles up in the tropical north .. but my dogs and myself were always kept safe simply by stating we are not here to cause harm ... we are mere visitors to this country and we seek your blessing .
* ... colonial ? .. never once did I feel I was part of that . The whole country was at my disposal.. I was never a trespasser although legally I guess I may have been at times ... my goddess kept me safe . I asked for her protection and she responded ... Christianity is a sick society in my opinion ...
Onya Arith enjoy your vids 👍
Another gem you have dropped. I'm just as guilty as most about asking, and this video has inspired me to be more conscientious about it. I would like to think that intent is picked up upon by Others. That maybe even if I am so rude as to trapse without asking first, they feel that I shall step with a light and quiet foot and treat their home with respect. I feel that maybe that action (or inaction, depending on what I am doing or not doing) speaks more volumes than tripping over my clumsy words in my crude and clumsy tongue.
It's a good thought about consent of action, and I appreciate the video :)
First thing's first, as one enters into a natural realm, as Arith mentioned, we must surely put out our shoes or footwears.
I believe by doing that , we humans can show our sensitivity and care for flora and fauna, surrounding us.
In my town, most of the countryside temples wete built, near amazing natural landscapes, with diginified mindset towards native land and indigenous culture, however, generations today have forgotten and as he mentioned, the colonial mindset had a set of adverse affects on this culture of Respect towards local deities and other entities.
Thanks for the video bro. 👍🇮🇳
Wonderful video, dear Arith! It is such an important and difficult topic and (as always) you made it so clear with your beautiful way of thinking. I personally struggle with finding a good balance with this. As a child I always just followed my feelings when wanting to go somewhere. I was not aware of what I was doing, of course. But I remember how I always just knew if it was ok to be at a place or not. When growing up, these things got lost and other aspects occupied my existence (like struggling to manage everyday life of an adult, hehe) A few years ago, I tried to reconnect with the animistic way of thinking and it was a very overwhelming experience in the beginning! Places, I usually went to to be alone, suddenly where overcrowded with not human persons and I really didn't know where to start! Going for a walk in the forest was almost impossible because it felt like standing in a crowd at a concert.. It became really weird to be in nature and I really struggled with it. So I tried to reduce the amount of contact and limited it to the plant spirits that I work with. Asking for permission to harvest is a necessary step of course. But it has to be ok to walk through the energy circle of a tree in the forest without asking because otherwise you will be totally exhausted after the walk. I know that I tend to overthink things and fall into extremes, but I found (and still find) it difficult to keep a healthy balance between respecting the other persons who live around me and also my own right to be here. How do you deal with this? Do you know that struggle too? I would love to hear your thoughts about it. All the best to you. Greetings, Julia
Thank you Arith!! I needed to hear this. I was walking in a forest yesterday and I could SWEAR I heard it say in a whisper "leave"
When I ignored it, it gave me a second chance further in, then threatened me.
So i needed to know this, and that I when I chose to verbally acknowledge and apologize, it understood it was being heard, and that the emotions I felt after were honest frustration and my own mental and physical exhaustion.
Could you speak aboout the Good Neighbors, specifically, forest dwellers and the expressions of trees/those whom live within them of the, and this is one of my favorite phrases you use, other than human persons, in another video?
I have had many experiences with things that have led me to dig deep. While a lot was hallucination and delusion, I am convinced I have touched something, spoken without words to it. If I can learn how to respect it, I would again.
My experience was in a culture where indigenous populations are still relatively large and retained significant animist faith and culture (but also very impacted by colonizer religion, culture, and oppression). I saw animals asked for sacrifice but the cutter would trickle water on the animal's head so it would nod. Basically the colonizer culture impacted by animism but warped.
That’s sad. ❤
adorei esse "my girl here asking the right questions" hahaha tás no bom caminho meu menino
This is huge in my culture the African and Native American traditions of Rootwork, Conjure, amd Shamanism. We are connected to this spirits and Energies through my Ancestors.
Your videos make me really think. Thank you!
I feel you may have brought me a newfound humility towards other beings! Hopefully! I’ve been walking around angry more than half the time the last decade became I feel “God” I’d against me and I’m not getting any thing at all I wasn’t out of my life. I feel you’ve changed me for the better by seeing/hearing this today. I 🙏🏽 it sticks!
I have been wondering the same thing for a while now. Thanx for saying it out loud!
Thank you Arith. It is a very good concept to grasp. You explain things so well. You have gift to share and we are grateful that you do.
I have never asked permission to be anywhere within nature i have always felt that I was part of it , however , when i am interacting with nature in any place i always thank the beings of that place for being with me and allowing me to be with them . I have always had the habit of talikng to all living things in nature , I find it makes my life that much more fullfilled , a bee on my hand a spider in its web a favourite tree , a beautiful stone the birds of the air the fish in the sea , I think you get my point . most humans would see me as crazy talking to all these other beings , however i try hard to not let them see me or i suspect i would be locked up as mad . it is sad that they do not understand how much they are missing out on.There is life force in everything and humanity is guilty of slowley destroying that life force for as you say Arith humans believe that they have the divine right to take whatever they want from this world and crueley use all animals for their own benefit and sick pleasures ! maybe we are in one of the lands of hel were beauty and horror happiness and suffering surround us and we have to make sense of it and work our way through it . On a lighter note kiddo I am loving the hat it really suits you !
Thank you for this. It makes me want to give pause and consideration, not for the first time, of where and when I walk. Of where I live and what I do here. I’m still not sure I believe it’s totally true but, that’s also something to consider more.
Thanks foraning me see the rivers i have and do live by. Its easy to forget
Thank you for this informative video on asking and receiving. Like you said, we all seem to have an entitlement mentality and it goes from way back. Since this video I do hope that I will stop and think of you and what you have said, while out in nature and most definitely ask more often. Thanks again.
Hello Arith. I know you made two videos about thursatru but I'm looking for more information. Can you introduce some books or other sources of information? I'd be grateful.
Hello there. Well, since Thursatrú is quite the recent phenomenon within the modern Nordic-related spirituality, there isn't much to dig in, aside from doing these studies by interviewing people of such a religious/spiritual branch. There are, of course, some websites, the sources of the creator of Thursatrú itself, and online chat. Like all religious approaches, it may have a specific core, let's say even a philosophy to it, but each person will end up including in it their own approach, so it's something quite volatile
@ Thanks a lot 🙏
This was a great topic that you covered in this video! I have always felt the need to ask permission of the nature and my children do the same. That was great question that that girl asked..how do you know what they say? And in shirt, you had said earlier inthis video, 'you will just know' ..that isn't so easy sometimes, in my experience. However I do concur, and encourage anyone whom reads this comment, to try it out, because, for lack of a better phrase ' it does work' 💫
Very, VERY important topic to handle ❤ thank You Arith 👍
Thank you so much for the gentle reminder❤❤❤I recently got into a body of water and forgot to ask first. Next time I go there I’ll have to apologize for invading the space without permission. Again thank you!😊
I think you will be alright a long as you are not destructive 😂. We belong here just as much as any other living thing and I don't think they ask to take a dip. Just have to mindful of our actions.
Ive never thougt about this much. I will from now on. Taking without asking is never okay. Also, giving back is important. We can live with nature harmoniously.
I am originally from the Philippines and I grew up asking for "permission to pass by" whenever I see a mound in the woods. I used to hunt spiders with my elder brother so I had an appreciation with folkloric beliefs. I thought it was fun and added excitement in going to the woods; it was like visiting grumpy relatives who would lighten up the moment you greet them. I learned this from my mother's rural village where I was told by the elders not to destroy these mounds or any structure made by animals. The worst thing a child could do, I heard, was to vent anger on these natural structures. An old relative would give my second cousin as an example. She had a wound on left ankle that wouldn't heal. She also died in her late teens. I remember her saying these Nature Entities as nonsense and humbug.
I received a nasty elf-shot months ago, which I am still suffering from, at a brook which runs through my small property. I neglected to make an offering to the land-wights, which I started to do years ago but became relaxed in doing so. Even in my house I used to leave wine offerings for the house wights, and haven't lately and it shows - they are angry. It may be called "colonialism", but if kids are not taught, and grow up with the knowledge of "others", they would not know.
Thank you Arith! Your observations, and especially the care you take in explaining them, are refreshing to someone like me who has been painfully aware of my "conditioning" and wrestling with it since childhood. I am grateful to have had proximity and access to gardens and natural environments throughout my life so I could hear the views of everyone else ❤
PS, this isn't my native language either and you are really good at it.
Thank you very much for sharing this important video Arith🙏🙏
Even though I've learned from my shaman teacher to ask permission before enter into a forest in the mountains (from the mountain spirit) I forgot to apply it every time I'm outside.
I'm thanking immediately for everything as I'm there, but I forgot to ask for permission before. I thank the spirits for giving me the permission to be there, for protect me, for everything I take with me (meaning flowers, stones and driftwood that I like very much).
But I forgot to ask permission before.
And I think that for me is a beautiful reminder to try leaving everything as I find it, meaning - as a friend above said- to take as less as I can. Even the smallest beautiful stone can inspire someone else too!
You remind us something so important as is to respect everyone, ask permission and let this magical places as they are for more people to experience them.
One more time, thank you very much🙏🙏
Thank you. I have rented and travelled for years and it is so refreshing to hear you speak in such a grounded and informed way about a subject I've noticed for years. I strongly believe it is an important way to better respect and care for our world. Giving and taking should be informed by being aware the whole Earth is alive.
This is the ideology or philosophy I have developed, that we need to speak to and ask of the spirits, not just take. Also, I think that there is no good and bad but whether it is suitable for us at the time versus what we can handle or what we "gel" with and what we do not. Its all about the journey....
Hello Arith is a pleasure to watch your videos, for me are lessons, learning and moments of inspiration, this is magical! Thanks 🌷
Enxergar o ambiente como pessoas passivas de interação e não como materiais a serem explorados, acho que é a principal lição desse vídeo. Particularmente não vejo capitalismo como problema como sistema econômico, mas não o enxergo como meio de interação pessoal.
I try to always ask permission when I take anything. Most of the time the answer is yes, but it happens sometimes that I instantly feel the "no". But this No is always for a good reason, in the way I feel it. And we have to accept it. I feel it a lot with plants and mushrooms especially. When I first started working with Amanita Muscaria, during my first harvestings, I felt I wasn't "alone" in the forest. I felt one of the spirits of Amanita Muscaria, like it wad spying on me just to make sure I wasn't destroying anything. I felt like as soon as this spirit understood I had good intentions, it made itself undetectable. I felt that spirit many times, but it doesn't make itself notice on every picking. I've heard amanita has 3 archetype spirit around it; an old man, a trickster and a sort of mother. The one I felt was definitely the trickster. I felt watched in the forest, and it felt like every time I was watching behind me cause I felt almost like a human or big animal presence, it hid behind a tree. Pretty funny.
A very nice reminder of gratitude and humility and respekt. Kisses for you and thank you
This goes back to something that stuck with me a long time ago when I was watching a presentation on communicating with animals like pets. That the first question should always be "are you willing to communicate with me?" and getting consent before just assuming it's okay.
Thank you for this video. Such an important message!
Ask for Permission, and be Thankful. ❤
what a refreshing discussion. i nearly just drowned in the quarterhearted glamours of my neighborhood wiccans.
Such insight.
Thank you very much.
Loved this, thank you 🙏
Great vid.....Love your stuff kick on love it 👍 ❤
Hi Arith,
I really enjoyed listening to your conversation about Animism vs. the "colonizer" mentality. Recently, I've had lots of questions as I am going along this path. I feel like I'm diving into subjects; each one more revealing than the next (referencing some places on the internet where people talk about witchcraft, animism, and similar subjects related to magick... then I have to zoom back and look at life in general, and how people/human beings actually are as a general rule...) I believe your video arrived just at the right time as I am looking into these things. Just as a side note, I read on the internet somewhere about people who actually allow entities to "ride" them, and then there are other people who just absolutely hate this practice and will do anything to prevent it. So I guess it depends on who you are. In addition, hearing you talk about restriction vs. permission helped illuminate this subject, too. "Restriction cannot be forever because it does not allow evolution, and evolution of spaces and life comes precisely from engagement and creation of cooperative relations." I will argue in favor of the restriction in order to continue healthy growth. You mentioned viewing the Earth as Mother Goddess, which is a personal view of mine. It's also an authoritarian view, but I think if one is viewing the Earth as Mother Goddess, one is also viewing all her citizens on it as part of this greater whole. Though in practice it becomes more of an exercise of self and action and on that note I can agree that human beings need a lot of work.
A last thought, you mentioned the bible verse Gen 1:27. As a person with a background in Christianity I can agree that from the onset that "dominion" and "fellowship with God" is given to man, but I also like to refer it (in the more modern sense) to meaning that human beings are given a responsibility to be caretakers of the Earth.
I've run afoul of spirits a couple times. 😅 I was young and ignorant, and I have always been oblivious to the presence of spirits - some people can feel them, and I believe it when someone says they can sense them, but I'm just dumb that way, my antenna is just broken. 😂
Once, on a canoe trip with my family, we stopped along the river to take a break. I walked down a path to go take a pee in privacy, and as I'm relieving myself, I look up at the rock face in front of me and see a very old and faded petroglyph. I was clearly in someone's "house" but, yeah... oblivious. I ended up throwing up and running a fever for the rest of the vacation.
Another time, visiting the pyramids at Uxmal and Chichen Itza, I stubbed my toe ON A LITERAL ALTAR OF SACRIFICE. 😱 Thankfully, the old Mayan gods didn't take my blood offering too seriously, and let me off lightly with, again, some mild intestinal trouble and a fever.
To any ancestors spirits reading this, I promise I meant no harm. I grew up oblivious to other worlds, and I apologize for my ignorance.
Thank you💕
This is such a great video and it puts everything into perspective.
Absolutly agree! When you come to another home, be as a guest, ask permitions and give gifts... after all you can work...
This is Excellent. Thank you!
Thank you. 🙏
While I do like the idea of asking for permission in the places where you are a stranger, and I generally agree with the ideas you're sharing, I would like to share another viewpoint from my own experience and culture. A common practice here is not asking for permission, but paying in advance - you take a plant, a rock, a stick, you leave something from you (most often a coin, some grain seeds, a thread from your clothing). But many times a magical worker, be it a healer or a witch (understood as a bad, malevolent witch), would take things they need without either - a fallen feather, a stone, etc. Now, it is easy to ascribe this to colonialism, because it is quite trending in scholarship, too, but for me this feels quite egocentric on its own. In my humble opinion, a good idea is to use context and try and place ourselves in the shoes of the people before us. Now, while we do feel estranged from nature, because... well, we actually are, that was not the case for them. In my culture, which is quite animistic, people perceive themselves as part of nature, as part of the whole world, every bird is a sister, every big rock is some petrified relative. Everyone is one whole, in a way. Thus, being part of this whole, you need no permission to engage with it. Basically you need no permission to engage with yourself. It's an interesting idea to ponder upon. :) And as always, thanks for the video, Arith!
Great content. I was able to do a light meditation to listen better.
Thank you sir.
Greetings Arith! I found your channel not long ago, and you do a wonderful job articulating things I believe many of us have difficulty putting into words. Regarding this video, I was wondering what ideas you can provide for giving back to a particular environment. My wife and I always do our best to take trash and rubbage others leave behind on my way through the woods, but beyond that I am wondering what other types of benefits a human can provide to a forest.
Thanks for your content brother, I've been sharing it around. Here in the bible belt of America, even those of a monotheistic persuasion are slowly beginning to long for what came before. Many are just afraid to take the leap and do the legwork to understand and embrace that which many of us here on this channel have already come to realize.
Cheers.
-James
It was beautiful talk.
I once was walking through the woods in Pennsylvania and found a great old tree surrounded by young saplings, just as if the old tree were teaching the saplings. At first I sat down among the saplings and attended. This was very nice, so then I decided to go up to the big elder tree and give it a hug. Well. That was NOT nice. That tree rebuffed me with a malevolence I have never forgotten.
Always ask permission. Always wait for the answer.
Beautiful
It comes down to respect
You are wonderful and amazing and I love you more every year....
It´s never be wrong, to be right, with the Genius Loci of any space.
Humility.
Peace!
Great video
I am big on giving thanks to the Spirits which inhabit a place. But I see that asking permission is different from giving thanks, and it’s because of this video. Thank you for that.
Is there a discussion of the relationship between Asking Permission and Giving Thanks on your channel ? And if not, what do you think about making a video about that relationship?
Thanks!
Hmm. This is quite interesting. As a Thai, I was taught to pay respect to the spirits of the land, especially when entering the wild. We should at least ask for permission before pissing there.
16:00 when you mentioned Genesis, now I’m thinking of all of the allusions it has on your topic. I tried being a Christian just to kind of fit in even though when I was a small child I seen myself as much different. More like a good witch…the main point is the humans got kicked out permanently from the garden when they failed to obey Him. Maybe they should have ask Him permission.
Awesome
I feel that we do not ask permission in nature for everything because it would almost make us less free, and spirit wants all creatures to have freedom. If we are constantly asking permission to the things around us, it would change our inner perceptions to needing permission from the world in order to travel upon it...which is in direct conflict to a free nature. However, asking permission when spirit is felt or otherwjse, only on certain occasions and not always, actually ends up as the greater central action.
How do you go about asking for permission and how do you know whether it was granted? Do you just imagine a dialogue in your head? Or do you get a bad feeling if it was denied? What do you go by when you don't feel anything at all?
I'm asking in good faith. As an agnostic I often have a hard time grasping some concepts but I genuinely want to understand.
think of it like flexing a long unflexed muscle in the mind - listen/ feel/ sense for a No - it gets clearer
The video gives false concept on this.
from a more materialist standpoint it would also help keep oneself mindful of the impact on their surroundings, and slowly the west is staggering towards a more systematic world view.
I leave tobacco, cornmeal, or a few strands of my hair.