Animism

Animism is the world-view or perception that all types of natural phenomena, including non-human organisms and often even landforms and inanimate objects, may possess distinct spiritual essences, souls, or personhood. Animism assumes a wide view about which entities may be considered animate, thus typically perceiving animals, plants, rivers, weather systems, and other natural entities, plus in some cases human handiwork and words, as all having some degree of agency, life, and will. Animism is used in anthropology of religion as a term for the belief system of many indigenous peoples in contrast to the relatively more recent development of organized religions.