Interesting, never heard of this theology but my mind went straight to pantheism when I read how you explained it. Didn’t realize there are some dramatic differences.
I don’t know which is truer based off the first experience I had with a rock. Made me truly a believer that there was something within it beyond tangible that I could not express properly. So I’d say I believe they have essence, what kind of essence would be difficult to understand without walking a mile (or 2-25 million years in the case of the stone I experienced a connection with - a moqui marble) in their shoes.
For others wondering the difference between pantheism and animism:
Pantheism and animism are two distinct spiritual or philosophical beliefs, each with its unique perspective on the nature of the universe and the things within it.
Pantheism is the belief that the universe and everything in it is essentially divine. In pantheism, God or the divine is not seen as a separate entity from the universe but is synonymous with it. This means that everything that exists, including stars, mountains, animals, and even humans, is a part of God or the divine essence. Pantheism suggests a form of unity of all things within the divine, emphasizing the sacredness of the entire universe.
Animism, on the other hand, is the belief that all things, including inanimate objects, animals, plants, and even natural phenomena like rivers or mountains, have a spiritual essence or consciousness. Animism perceives the world as being full of spiritual beings and entities. It suggests that non-human entities are animate and alive, each possessing its own spiritual essence. This belief is often associated with various indigenous and shamanistic cultures, where every element of the natural world is seen as having a spirit or a soul.
In summary, while pantheism views the universe as divine and equates all of existence with God, animism sees the world as filled with individual spirits inhabiting both living and non-living entities. Pantheism is more about the unity and divinity of all existence, whereas animism is about the individual spirits and consciousness present in all parts of the natural world.