The importance of totems and animism in my work (aka SYMBOLISM)

Animism is one of the central themes in my art. 

Animism (from Latin: anima meaning 'breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, human handiwork, and in some cases words—as being animated, having agency and free 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. Animism is a metaphysical belief which focuses on the supernatural universe: specifically, on the concept of the immaterial soul.

“All art that is not mere storytelling, or mere portraiture, is symbolic, and has the purpose of those symbolic talismans which medieval magicians made with complex colours and forms, and bade their patients ponder over daily, and guard with holy secrecy; for it entangles, in complex colours and forms, a part of the Divine Essence.”

In ancient Egypt, the potency and importance of amulets and talismans during life and in the afterworld was universally understood. The Ankh, combining the creative power of the River Nile, a fish’s mouth and Ru, the hieroglyph meaning “a gateway”, is still in use today as the ultimate symbol of everlasting life. The Menat talisman was dedicated to Hathor and promoted healthy reproductive organs; scarab amulets, often inscribed with good wishes and mottoes, symbolised strength and virility, while the Eye of Horus was worn to encourage good health (Thomas & Pavitt 1914). The eye as a symbol of protection was utilized by many ancient cultures and is still universally recognized today in the form of the Evil Eye. 

This image is my "Yoga-is-Key" amulet, worn to remind me of my Christian heritages and Buddhist influences, and is an example of a totem. You can have me make you your own personal totem with things you hold dear.