Panentheism

[Vinternatt]

I was just curious as I was browsing through here, if there might be anyone else on the board who subscribes to any Panentheistic point of view. I saw Pantheism in the Path Specific board, but that comes with the fundamental difference of there not being a sentient higher power.

In my personal case, I believe in a Greater Spirit, but also with that having different aspects similar to the Hindu avatars. (To give specifics, Goddess of the Night, Fate, Father of the Forest, Avatar of Human Spirit, etc. are how I personify/relate to them.)

There's also an element of Mysticism to it, but for this, I just wanted to see what other people's views might be.

If you subscribe at all to Panentheism, would you consider it strictly as one single higher force, or as a kind of single whole with different aspects?

Do you gravitate toward a certain religion, while maintaining a Panentheist mindset?

[Gaudior]

Good questions.

I consider myself to be a panentheist, rather than a pantheist; Pantheism states that, basically, "God is in the whole" while panentheism states, "the whole is in God". It's something I learned about whilst studying Hinduism. Even though I feel myself moving away from it, it's something I still believe.

I see it as a single whole with different aspects (something else found in Hinduism!) And that would include everything, not just Deity. Does that make sense?

[Vinternatt]

Good questions.

I consider myself to be a panentheist, rather than a pantheist; Pantheism states that, basically, "God is in the whole" while panentheism states, "the whole is in God". It's something I learned about whilst studying Hinduism. Even though I feel myself moving away from it, it's something I still believe.

I see it as a single whole with different aspects (something else found in Hinduism!) And that would include everything, not just Deity. Does that make sense?

That makes sense; I think Hinduism is really what helped me kind of sort all that out for myself. In the basic sense of what you said it seems similar to my own ideas; an all-encompassing whole with different aspects, including pretty much everything that exists. (I think possibly I should have included that detail in my original post.)

[BlackSwan]

Good questions.

I consider myself to be a panentheist, rather than a pantheist; Pantheism states that, basically, "God is in the whole" while panentheism states, "the whole is in God". It's something I learned about whilst studying Hinduism. Even though I feel myself moving away from it, it's something I still believe.

I see it as a single whole with different aspects (something else found in Hinduism!) And that would include everything, not just Deity. Does that make sense?

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I also recognize a "single whole with different aspects," but I never really thought pantheism encompassed that. Then I had read a little about panentheism and thought that it made a bit more sense, however all the information I tried to find that compared the two did a very poor job and simply ended up confusing.

I've never really researched Hinduism, but i'm interested now in doing so. I wonder if it might bring a bit more light to what I believe "makes sense."
I know that making sense of what I think is one of the hardest tasks there is. :P

Anyway, since i'm still researching the philosophy and history behind panentheism, I would be curious to know if anyone has some good suggestions.

[Vinternatt]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I also recognize a "single whole with different aspects," but I never really thought pantheism encompassed that. Then I had read a little about panentheism and thought that it made a bit more sense, however all the information I tried to find that compared the two did a very poor job and simply ended up confusing.

I've never really researched Hinduism, but i'm interested now in doing so. I wonder if it might bring a bit more light to what I believe "makes sense."
I know that making sense of what I think is one of the hardest tasks there is. :P

Anyway, since i'm still researching the philosophy and history behind panentheism, I would be curious to know if anyone has some good suggestions.

The problem with researching Panentheism can be in the fact that it's such a general and open concept that it's hard to find a specific analysis on it. There are a lot of different religions that can encompass a Panentheist mindset. Hinduism has aspects of it, some Jewish and Christian ideologies can though Abrahamic religions tend to be more closed to it because they consider it Nature worship. For me, it basically is Nature worship, but that's because it means that the higher power is everything.

Aaaanyway, it's kind of a blanket term on average wherein you can create the specifics for yourself. I incorporate a lot of different ideologies into mine, with Nature being the base of it.

Wikipedia is a decent starting point, but past that I don't have a whole lot for ya. XD

[Gaudior]

Christian ideologies can though Abrahamic religions tend to be more closed to it because they consider it Nature worship.


True, though if I am not mistaken, some Eastern Orthodox Christians accept it. It's not very widely accepted in the Western Church though.

[citrinedream]

I consider myself a panentheist and polytheist. I believe all gods exist as seperate individuals, and also a universal power that encompasses everything and has aspects. Hope this makes sense. :)

so are you also polytheists or animists?

[Gaudior]

An animist with duotheistic leanings (though I suppose it's a little like "soft" polytheism, or inclusive duotheism, or what have you). I believe that there are male and female energies that make up our world (think back to Carl Jung and the animus/anima idea) and those energies are all manifestations of one God and Goddess...it wouldn't only include the deities, but all things, you and I, the outdoors, to the mundane stuff like doorknobs, this computer that I am using to communicate with you, my cat sitting next to me, the pillow I lie my head on, etc...

[citrinedream]

An animist with duotheistic leanings (though I suppose it's a little like "soft" polytheism, or inclusive duotheism, or what have you). I believe that there are male and female energies that make up our world (think back to Carl Jung and the animus/anima idea) and those energies are all manifestations of one God and Goddess...it wouldn't only include the deities, but all things, you and I, the outdoors, to the mundane stuff like doorknobs, this computer that I am using to communicate with you, my cat sitting next to me, the pillow I lie my head on, etc...

I also agree, mostly. The universal power/deity or what-have-you can be personified by male and female energies, so the God and Goddess are part of this. However I look at the cultural pantheons of gods as being transcendent individuals (they're not omnipresent, we have to pray or meditate to connect with them), yet they're also connected in a spiritual way via this greater force- kind of like how you and I are connected, but I am not your literal sister or I am not an aspect of your sister. So when I say "The God" or "The Goddess" I'm thinking more of a higher universal entity rather than saying "all gods are one God" type of idea.

I suppose that all things are spiritual in a sense, but to me personally a tree or a rock would be more sacred than my TV or microwave. lol.

Edit to add: I suppose I should include that I don't believe that The God and The Goddess are exclusive from each other, since they're a part of the universalness they're also part of a whole.

[Gaudior]

Well, see, I suppose I would be a little bit of a soft polytheist, but I tend to have other beings and spirits that I believe in fit into the mold that a God would fill (I believe these days in the Archangel Azrael, a psychopomp and death angel, for instance, rather than a death deity). Deity emcompasses everything from my worldview, and I just tend to...at best, not really care if other deities exist. I certainly don't denounce it entirely, but I believe in one supreme God and one supreme Goddess, so all others to me would be an Aeon of them, if you will (or avatar, depending on whether you are feeling Gnostic or Hindu).

[Vinternatt]

An animist with duotheistic leanings (though I suppose it's a little like "soft" polytheism, or inclusive duotheism, or what have you). I believe that there are male and female energies that make up our world (think back to Carl Jung and the animus/anima idea) and those energies are all manifestations of one God and Goddess...it wouldn't only include the deities, but all things, you and I, the outdoors, to the mundane stuff like doorknobs, this computer that I am using to communicate with you, my cat sitting next to me, the pillow I lie my head on, etc...

I definitely agree with you on the concept of energies. I tend to mostly think in terms of just general energies more so than specifying male and female, but it does make sense. I personally believe that energy is what makes up the spirit. One thing that kinda helped me solidify that idea was when I was sort of enlightened to the fact that a lot of times after someone dies and everything else is accounted for, there is a small deficit that can't be taken into account, which I would believe to be the energy of the "spirit". I think it was that it's there if they get the weight soon enough, but after a while if they reweigh everything it's gone. Can't remember for sure right now.

I can understand the point of literally all things being held at least with respect because they're all encompassed within the scope of those energies, although I hold some bias in favor of naturally occurring things over man-made or altered things.

[airmist]

It is nice to find others talking about pantheism (as well as panentheism) along with the belief in some type of deity. I've been a follower/contributor, maybe lurker might be more accurate, of the pantheistic / specific paths forum for a long time. It has members who, like those who have posted here, have some connection or recognitiong of a deity, however, that board has an overwhelming humanistic/scientific bent.

I call myself pantheistic because I'm not monotheistic and don't believe in an "other". Yet, like Selah, I am very animistic and I, too, have polytheistic leanings. I think that is inconsistent with true pantheism. None the less, I have a spiritual connection with all that is and I believe it "listens", even if I am not a theologian and can't explain how. My polytheism is probably less about deities and more about surviving spirits. I'm not real coherent or consistent, but I wanted to contribute. Thanks for "listening" :)

[antiquitas]

I think I've felt I was Pantheistic since I was in highschool. Such thoughts were still developing back then.... but I realise now that that is what I felt. Like, all prayers go back to the same ears, but maybe directing said prayers to one specific deity, etc might help better channel the energy.

ETA:
I also am a bit animistic. I always said, you can't really define my 'religion'. Sometimes I just say my religion is nature.