Earth religion or nature worship is a system of religion based on the veneration of natural phenomena.Encyclopædia Britannica It covers any religion that worships the earth, nature, or fertility deity, such as the various forms of goddess worship or matriarchal religion. Some find a connection between earth-worship and the Gaia hypothesis. Earth religions are also formulated to allow one to utilize the knowledge of preserving the earth.
Origins Origin claims by earth religion sources According to Marija Gimbutas, pre-Indo-European societies lived in small-scale, family-based communities that practiced matrilineal succession and goddess-centered religion where creation comes from the woman. She is the Divine Mother who can give life and take it away. In Irish mythology she is Danu, in Slavic mythology she is Mat Zemlya, and in other cultures she is Pachamama, Ninsun, Terra Mater, Nüwa, Matres or Shakti.
In the late 1800s, James Weir wrote an article describing the beginnings and aspects of early religious feeling. According to Boyer, early humans were forced to locate food and shelter in order to survive, while constantly being directed by their instincts and senses. Because their existence depended on nature, humans began to form their religion and beliefs on and around nature itself. It is evident that humanity's first religion would have had to develop from the material world, he argues, because humans relied heavily on their senses. In this sense, the worship of nature formed, allowing humans to further depend on nature for survival.
Neopagans have tried to make claims that religion started in ways that correspond to earth religion. In one of their published works, The Urantia Book, another reason for this worship of nature came from a fear of the world around primitive man. His mind lacked the complex function of processing and sifting through complex ideas. As a result, man worshiped the very entity that surrounded him every day. That entity was nature. Humans experienced the different natural phenomena around him, such as storms, vast deserts, and immense mountains. Among the first parts of nature to be worshiped were rocks and hills, plants and trees, animals, the elements, heavenly bodies, and even man himself. As primitive man worked his way through nature worship, he eventually moved on to incorporate spirits into his worship.
The origins of religion can be looked at through the lens of the function and processing of the human mind. Pascal Boyer suggests that, for the longest period of time, the brain was thought of as a simple organ of the body. However, he claims that the more information collected about the brain indicates that the brain is indeed not a "blank slate." Humans do not just learn any information from the environment and surroundings around them. They have acquired sophisticated cognitive equipment that prepares them to analyze information in their culture and determine which information is relevant and how to apply it. Boyer states that "having a normal human brain does not imply that you have religion. All it implies is that people can acquire it, which is very different." He suggests that religions started for the reasons of providing answers to humans, giving comfort, providing social order to society, and satisfying the need of the illusion-prone nature of the human mind. Ultimately, religion came into existence because of our need to answer questions and hold together our societal order.
An additional idea on the origins of religion comes not from man's cognitive development, but from the ape. Barbara J. King argues that human beings have an emotional connection with those around them, and that that desire for a connection came from their evolution from apes. The closest relative to the human species is the African chimpanzee. At birth, the ape begins negotiating with its mother about what it wants and needs in order to survive. The world the ape is born into is saturated with close family and friends. Because of this, emotions and relationships play a huge role in the ape's life. Its reactions and responses to one another are rooted and grounded in a sense of belongingness, which is derived from its dependence on the ape's mother and family. Belongingness is defined as "mattering to someone who matters to you ... getting positive feelings from our relationships." This sense and desire for belongingness, which started in apes, only grew as the hominid (a human ancestor) diverged from the lineage of the ape, which occurred roughly six to seven million years ago.
As severe changes in the environment, physical evolutions in the human body (especially in the development of the human brain), and changes in social actions occurred, humans went beyond trying to simply form bonds and relationships of empathy with others. As their culture and society became more complex, they began using practices and various symbols to make sense of the natural and spiritual world around them. Instead of simply trying to find belongingness and empathy from the relationships with others, humans created and evolved God and spirits in order to fulfil that need and exploration. King argued that "an earthly need for belonging led to human religious imagination and thus to the otherworldly realm of relating to God, gods, and spirits."
Encompassed religions The term 'earth religion' encompasses any religion that worships the earth, nature, or fertility gods or goddesses. There is an array of groups and beliefs that fall under earth religion, such as paganism, which is a polytheistic, nature-based religion; animism, which posits that all living entities (plants, animals, and humans) possess a spirit; Wicca, which holds the concept of an earth mother goddess as well as practices ritual magic; and Druidism, which equates divinity with the natural world.
Another perspective of earth religion to consider is pantheism, which takes a varied approach to the importance and purpose of the earth and to the relationship of humans with the planet. Several of their core statements deal with the connectivity humans share with the planet, declaring that "all matter, energy, and life are an interconnected unity of which we are an inseparable part" and "we are an integral part of Nature, which we should cherish, revere, and preserve in all its magnificent beauty and diversity. We should strive to live in harmony with Nature locally and globally".
The earth also plays a vital role for many Voltaic peoples, many of whom "consider the Earth to be Heaven's wife", such as the Konkomba of northern Ghana, whose economic, social, and religious life is heavily influenced by the earth. It is also important to consider various Native American religions, such as the Peyote Religion, Longhouse Religion, and Earth Lodge Religion.
Around the world April 22 was established as International Mother Earth Day by the United Nations in 2009, but many cultures around the world have been celebrating the Earth for thousands of years. Winter solstice and Summer solstice are celebrated with holidays like Yule and Dongzhi in the winter and Tiregān and Kupala in the summer.
Africa Animism is practiced among some Bantu peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa. The Dahomey mythology has deities like Nana Buluku, Gleti, Mawu, Asase Yaa, Naa Nyonmo and Xɛvioso.
Europe In Baltic mythology, the sun is a female deity, Saulė, a mother or a bride, and Mēness is the moon, father or husband, their children being the stars. In Slavic mythology Mokosh and Mat Zemlya together with Perun head up the pantheon. Celebrations and rituals are centered on nature and harvest seasons. Dragobete is a traditional Romanian spring holiday that celebrates "the day when the birds are betrothed."
India In Hindu philosophy, the yoni is the creative power of nature and the origin of life. In Shaktism, the yoni is celebrated and worshipped during the Ambubachi Mela, an annual fertility festival which celebrates the Earth's menstruation.
Taiwan In Taiwan, Tudi Gong (土地公, lit. Earth God) is considered the busiest and most "close to the people" deity in the island’s spiritual framework. Tudi Gong operates like a cosmic community patriarch who can be petitioned for everything from passing school exams to family harmony.
Singapore In Singapore, the Earth God is primarily worshipped as Tua Pek Kong (aka Tu Di Gong), a highly revered Taoist deity of the land, wealth, and local protection. From small community altars to large-scale historical temples, the Earth God's image is enshrined in thousands of places on the island.
China In Teochew culture of Guangdong, China, Bogong (伯公) is the most affectionate folk title for the Earth God. Bogong is a grassroots deity who protects the land, blesses the harvest, and ensures the safety of people and livestock, and holds a very high position of faith in the lives of Chaoshan people.
Popular culture Although the idea of earth religion has been around for thousands of years, its presence in popular culture became more pronounced in the early 1990s. "The X-Files" was one of the first nationally broadcast television programs to air witchcraft and Wicca (types of earth religion) content, particularly in episodes like "Die Hand Die Verletzt" and "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose". On average, Wiccans—those who practice Wicca—were more or less pleased with the way the show had portrayed their ideals and beliefs, though they found it to be a little "sensationalistic". That same year, the movie "The Craft" was released, also depicting the art of Wicca. Unlike "The X-Files", this cinematic feature faced mixed reviews from the Earth Religion community due to its sensationalized portrayal of witchcraft.
A few years later, programs such as "Charmed" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" became widely popular, further introducing audiences to Earth Religion themes. "Charmed", although focused mostly on witchcraft, portrayed magic that closely resembled Wiccan practices. Meanwhile, "Buffy" was notable for casting a Wiccan character, Willow Rosenberg, albeit within a fantastical context given the show's focus on vampires.
The genre of Earth Religion in popular culture expanded with films by director Hayao Miyazaki, like "Princess Mononoke" and "My Neighbor Totoro", which delve into human interaction with nature spirits. These films were lauded for their respectful and intricate depiction of Earth Religion themes, both in Japan and internationally.
Disney films such as "The Lion King" and "Brother Bear" have also been identified with Earth Religion themes due to their exploration of the "interconnectedness" and "Circle of Life" between animals, plants, and life in general. These films illustrate the consequences when the harmony between humans and nature is disrupted, resonating with Earth Religion principles.