Menu Soul of the Living World 4021.03

NB The concept of a 'Soul of the Living World' is in the Zoroastrian Gathas. It is regarded as something that needs protection as a cattle-herder looks after his herd:

Unto Thee, O Lord, the Soul of Creation cried:
"For whom didst Thou create me, and who so fashioned me?
Feuds and fury, violence and the insolence of might have oppressed me;
None have I to protect me save Thee;
Command for me then the blessings of a settled, peaceful life."

The Soul of the Living World lamented to You: Why did You create me? Who fashioned me this way? I am oppressed by fury, rapine, outrage, and aggression. I have no one to rehabilitate me other than You. Lead me to true civilization.

"To all of you the soul of the (world) lamented: 'For whom did ye shape me? Who fashioned me? (For) the cruelty of fury and violence, of bondage and might, holds me in captivity. I have no pastor other than you. Therefore appear to me with good pasturage".

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Anima Mundi
"Look at the animals roaming the forest: God’s spirit dwells within them. Look at the birds flying across the sky: God’s spirit dwells within them. Look at the tiny insects crawling in the grass: God’s spirit dwells within them. Look at the fish in the river and sea. There is no creature on earth in whom God is absent his breath had brought every creature to life God’s spirit is present within plant as well. The presence of God’s spirit in all living things is what makes them beautiful; and if we look with God’s eyes, nothing on earth is ugly."
Pelagius
An Animistic worldview is something distinctly lacking in today's cosmopolitan and materialistic culture, at one time it was a common belief that the Anima Mundi (platonic psyche or world soul) flowed through all of creation.
Animism holds the everything is imbued with the spirit of the divine from animals to the trees everything has it's own essence and to a certain extent sentience.
But does this mean that animals and nature are in any way equal to us? No of course not se are ourselves apart of nature that surrounds us but we are here to to more, we are the stewards of our world and with that comes the responsibility of any good steward which is to manage and make greater the garden we are charged to tend.

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BE) very interesting Gathic reference; it points to a significant void in our contemporary Western conception of the world and in our theological understanding. Nature’s life-energy or, as Bergson called it Élan vital, is a divine emanation, constantly refreshening the living world.