Many of the Multitude of Pagan traditions center around animism and/or pantheism.
Animism is the belief that everything in nature has a unique spirit or soul; every plant, river, mountain, rock, animal, insect, even our planet itself, while pantheism is the belief that the Divine is present in the world and resides within every aspect of nature, including Earth as our Sacred Mother.
Both beliefs, sometimes coexisting within a single tradition, speak of humanity as being one equal, integral part of earthly life.
As part of, not dominant over, the natural world, it is humanity’s duty to help keep a balance of care so that all forms of life may thrive, either as children of Mother Earth or fellow living spirits within Earth’s grasp, not by just saying the right words, but actively working toward that goal. This is one of our most basic tenets.
At different points in time, one species or another has over-populated and damaged aspects of our planet and right now, as we all know, humans have taken that to an extreme through pollution and carelessness.
I was told in no uncertain terms while meditating on Earth as Sacred Mother, ”These are My wetland woods you love so much. None of this would be here if not for Me. You would not be here if not for Me. Now go clean your room!”
