Birds And Animism In Ancient Egypt
Egypt
It is possible to prove that the Ancient Egyptians believed in the possession of a "soul" or animism. For example, the Ancient Egyptians had a name for "soul" (the ba), which artists depicted as a human-headed bird. The association of a bird to the soul is rather interesting in that, to the Ancient Egyptians, birds had a magical power that humans did not: flight. It has also been in very recent times that humans have been obsessed with flight: the Wright Brothers and others like them, for example. To the Egyptian, the ability of flight allowed birds to soar as high as the realm of the gods. Other winged creatures appearing in Egyptian religion include the scarab, the beetle connected with the rising sun and rebirth; the sun, an astral …show more content…
and ubiquitous image that signified life, among other things; and the falcon, a bird of prey whose image personified Ra, Hewer, Horus, and Horus of Edfu.
One can further conclude that the Ancient Egyptians believed in animism due to their worship of the tree (tree worship is a branch of animistic belief). One example of the significance of the tree in the Ancient Egyptian religion is its existence in the myth of the death of Osiris. In this tale, Osiris, after his brother Seth locked him in a chest and threw him out to sea, was wound inside the trunk of a tree, which provided a vessel for the dead ruler in which he could be reborn.
Japan
In Japan, Mi, Chi, and Tama, were kinds of natural gods.
Those names indicate that Animism was an ancient religion in this country. It can even be found in recent history. Ancient history in the Kojiki and Manyoshu (8th century), state that there was a Sun God, a Moon God, a Mountain God and a Sea God. The Moon God's name was Tsukiyomi, which is the name of Susanoo's brother. He was born after their father, Izanagi, escaped from "The Land of the Dead." If the word Mikoto, or Kami, were attached to the name, the god was a very important one indeed. I have not included them, to save space. For instance, Amaterasu Omikami, Okuninushi no Mikoto, Susanoo no Mikoto, etc. These gods and goddesses were thought to have control over all natural and human …show more content…
actions.
All of them are called Yao-Yorozu no Kami, or "the Eight Million Gods." Stories of these gods, showing their origin and geneology in relation to the Emperor, were collected from the Fudoki's, and used to unify the nation. These Animistic beliefs and their association with Shamanism, gradually developed into Shintoism, and even today, those beliefs still reflect the close relationship of the Japanese to all of nature.
Malaysia
There are different types of animism practiced throughout Malaysia.
Shamanism is practiced especially by the Malays in Peninsular Malaysia by people known as bomohs, otherwise also known as dukun or pawang. Most Orang Aslis are animists and believe in spirits residing in certain objects. However, some have recently converted into Islam. In East Malaysia animism is also practiced by an ever decreasing number of various Borneo tribal groups. The Chinese generally practice their folk religion which is also animistic in nature. The word "bomoh" has been used throughout the country to describe any person with knowledge or power to perform certain spiritual rituals including traditional healing —and as a subtitute for the word "shaman". Generally speaking, Malaysians have deep superstitious belief, especially more so in the rural
areas.
Thailand
Sanitsuda Ekachai cited Dr. Suwanna pointing out that "the Thai cosmic order... is characterized by such words as chaatphop (lifetimes), phromlikit (fate), choke (luck), duang (astrological power), phee (supernatural powers and spirits). kam (karma, action in previous lifetimes), sawan and narok (heaven and hell)... According to Thai cosmology, what happens to us in the present life - which is within the continuum of lifetimes - is determined not only by our actions in previous lives but also by external powers and supernatural forces which are beyond human being's control."
Indonesia
Animism has existed since Indonesia's earliest history, around the first century, just before Hindu culture arrived in Indonesia.[38] Furthermore, two thousand years later, with the existence of Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and other religion, Animism still exists in some parts of Indonesia. However, this belief is not accepted as Indonesia's official religion as the Pancasila states the belief in the supreme deity, or monotheism.[38] Animism, on the other hand, does not believe in a particular god
It is possible to prove that the Ancient Egyptians believed in the possession of a "soul" or animism. For example, the Ancient Egyptians had a name for "soul" (the ba), which artists depicted as a human-headed bird. The association of a bird to the soul is rather interesting in that, to the Ancient Egyptians, birds had a magical power that humans did not: flight. It has also been in very recent times that humans have been obsessed with flight: the Wright Brothers and others like them, for example. To the Egyptian, the ability of flight allowed birds to soar as high as the realm of the gods. Other winged creatures appearing in Egyptian religion include the scarab, the beetle connected with the rising sun and rebirth; the sun, an astral …show more content…
and ubiquitous image that signified life, among other things; and the falcon, a bird of prey whose image personified Ra, Hewer, Horus, and Horus of Edfu.
One can further conclude that the Ancient Egyptians believed in animism due to their worship of the tree (tree worship is a branch of animistic belief). One example of the significance of the tree in the Ancient Egyptian religion is its existence in the myth of the death of Osiris. In this tale, Osiris, after his brother Seth locked him in a chest and threw him out to sea, was wound inside the trunk of a tree, which provided a vessel for the dead ruler in which he could be reborn.
Japan
In Japan, Mi, Chi, and Tama, were kinds of natural gods.
Those names indicate that Animism was an ancient religion in this country. It can even be found in recent history. Ancient history in the Kojiki and Manyoshu (8th century), state that there was a Sun God, a Moon God, a Mountain God and a Sea God. The Moon God's name was Tsukiyomi, which is the name of Susanoo's brother. He was born after their father, Izanagi, escaped from "The Land of the Dead." If the word Mikoto, or Kami, were attached to the name, the god was a very important one indeed. I have not included them, to save space. For instance, Amaterasu Omikami, Okuninushi no Mikoto, Susanoo no Mikoto, etc. These gods and goddesses were thought to have control over all natural and human …show more content…
actions.
All of them are called Yao-Yorozu no Kami, or "the Eight Million Gods." Stories of these gods, showing their origin and geneology in relation to the Emperor, were collected from the Fudoki's, and used to unify the nation. These Animistic beliefs and their association with Shamanism, gradually developed into Shintoism, and even today, those beliefs still reflect the close relationship of the Japanese to all of nature.
Malaysia
There are different types of animism practiced throughout Malaysia.
Shamanism is practiced especially by the Malays in Peninsular Malaysia by people known as bomohs, otherwise also known as dukun or pawang. Most Orang Aslis are animists and believe in spirits residing in certain objects. However, some have recently converted into Islam. In East Malaysia animism is also practiced by an ever decreasing number of various Borneo tribal groups. The Chinese generally practice their folk religion which is also animistic in nature. The word "bomoh" has been used throughout the country to describe any person with knowledge or power to perform certain spiritual rituals including traditional healing —and as a subtitute for the word "shaman". Generally speaking, Malaysians have deep superstitious belief, especially more so in the rural
areas.
Thailand
Sanitsuda Ekachai cited Dr. Suwanna pointing out that "the Thai cosmic order... is characterized by such words as chaatphop (lifetimes), phromlikit (fate), choke (luck), duang (astrological power), phee (supernatural powers and spirits). kam (karma, action in previous lifetimes), sawan and narok (heaven and hell)... According to Thai cosmology, what happens to us in the present life - which is within the continuum of lifetimes - is determined not only by our actions in previous lives but also by external powers and supernatural forces which are beyond human being's control."
Indonesia
Animism has existed since Indonesia's earliest history, around the first century, just before Hindu culture arrived in Indonesia.[38] Furthermore, two thousand years later, with the existence of Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and other religion, Animism still exists in some parts of Indonesia. However, this belief is not accepted as Indonesia's official religion as the Pancasila states the belief in the supreme deity, or monotheism.[38] Animism, on the other hand, does not believe in a particular god