Microbial Animism and Intuition
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The SubStack is a subscription-based extension to this blog, The Holographic Phytomancy Grimoire. It will be a space for me to freely deep-dive into topics while earning some income on the work that I am doing, while in school full time. The content I am sharing is directly connected to the practice I will be setting up after graduation.
Please visit Dr. Siv Watkins’ website, and learn more about Microbial Animism directly from them.
Here’s what we learn in this post:
Defining bacteria
What is Microbial Animism
About the Gut-Brain Axis
How we inherit trauma through our gut flora
Connecting Bacteria to Intuition; The Esoteric of The Smalls
Medical Astrology and Chakras: How do they relate to our gut flora?
“Everything begins and everything began with the microbes.” -Dr Siv Watkins, Ph.D.
Oxford Dictionary defines animism as “the attribution of a living soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena; the belief in a supernatural power that organizes and animates the material universe.” Many cultures across time have revered plants, homes, locations, mountains, animals, and even concepts and emotions as their own respective deity to be worshiped and respected. Many modern pagans, witches, occultists, magicians, and descendants of indigenous people continue to practice animism in their spiritual hygiene, routines, rituals, and everyday life. However, what if we extended our reverence from objects, places, and emotions to the small world of microorganisms? Can we become animists of microbes? What would that look like, and how would that benefit us?
Whether discussing the beneficial bacteria that strengthens the gut-brain axis, or the non-beneficial bacteria that causes gut dysbiosis [1], bacteria is a big topic in the health & wellness industry, and respective communities. Vital to the Earth’s ecosystems, as well our own bodily ecosystems [both internally and externally], bacteria are single-celled living organisms [2]. They should be considered in discussions of maintaining balance in all things, because bacteria can also help our body work optimally, or can cause disruption and dis-ease. Bacteria are so intrinsic to life itself, that it is impossible to uncouple the two. In fact, it has been observed that bacteria may be the ancestors of our ancestors. Eukaryotic cells are cells that make humans, and it may have been these specific cells that evolved from bacteria through symbiosis approximately two billion years ago [3]. The theory is that one microorganism engulfed another, and because this symbiotic relationship became beneficial for both microorganisms, it evolved together with one existing and evolving inside the other [4]. Together, they evolved into the advanced eukaryotic cell, with the membrane-enclosed nucleus [5]. Therefore, it is important to remember that bacteria evolved alongside humans.
What is Microbial Animism?
Microbiologist, Dr. Siv Watkins, Ph.D., coined the term “Microanimism” or “Microbial Animism” after working directly with microorganisms for years. Watkins has researched conservation microbiology, and the use of microbiomes and microbial communities in sustaining extended natural environments. Dr. Siv Watkins is also a ritualist and animist, and is involved in communities with esoteric interests. Through the perspective of an animist, Watkins developed a relationship and a “sixth sense” with “the very smalls”, which she has nicknamed these microorganisms:
“Back in the earlier stages of my career I certainly developed something like a kinship with the organisms I was working with - and many other scientists would tell you the same. There's always one group you resonate with, or one person in the lab who is more skilled at working with a certain strain. Many of the microbiologists I have worked with have spoken of developing a 'sixth sense' - you just know when the bugs are happy and when they're not. You know what makes them tick, you know what pisses them off and causes them to grow poorly. Culturing microbes is an art, and relies heavily on intuition. Where does that intuition come from?”
-Dr. Siv Watkins, Ph.D.
Microbial Animism is the curiosity to get acquainted with the very smalls, and develop a relationship in which one honors and respects them. Even more so, if bacteria are the ancestors of our ancestors, then we could even make a case about ancestral veneration when it comes to these very smalls. Ancestral veneration, different from culture to culture, is a practice where remaining family members venerate, consult, and pray to a family member who has passed on [6]. In many cultures, it is believed that this practice helps deceased family members gain the strength to influence fame, luck, and fortune for the living. As mentioned before, microbes are not bereft of life, and are very much living beings. For many reasons, I think it would be hard to advise anyone to pray to the bacteria in their guts, however, I believe there is some parallel that could benefit and enhance our relationship with the microorganisms we exist with, especially the ones that exist within our bodies.
The Gut-Brain Axis
The topic of the gut-brain axis [GBA] has been popular for some years now. The GBA is the communication between the central nervous system [CNS] and the enteric nervous system [ENS] [7]. Recent studies have observed the significance of the microbiota, and have concluded that it is these very smalls that influence the neural, endocrine, and immune systems [8]. Simply put, there is a link between cognition and emotions with peripheral intestinal functions, and it is the microorganisms that dwell within our gut that are in the center, and impact this connection; they are the driving force behind it all [9]. The main function of the GBA is to regulate the functions of the gut, and connect cognitive and emotional centers of the neural system with peripheral intestinal function [10]. The functions include the following: intestinal permeability, enter reflex, immune activation, and entero-endocrine communication [11]. The networks involved in this communication are the CNS [brain and spinal cord], autonomic nervous system [ANS], ENS, and the hypothalamic pituitary axis [HPA] [12]. There are many functions of the networks previously mentioned such as: hormone regulation [stress hormone cortisol and pro-inflammatory cytokines], memory, emotional response, and immune response [13]. Each person’s gut flora is different from another person’s, and recent clinical and experimental studies have suggested that the microbiota influences ENS through intestinal cells, and the CNS through neuroendocrine and metabolic pathways [14].
The data is further supported when observing the relation between a healthy gut flora and the prevention of mental illness, anxiety, and depression [15]. One study [16] showed that specific strains can influence negative or positive mental health. Moreover, bacteria can even alter the way we think, with some studies correlating an unhealthy gut microbiome with depression, anxiety, and even schizophrenia [17]. Our own microbiome is developed natally through the placenta, amniotic fluid, and meconium [18]. In fact, there have been two animal studies [19] that observed fetuses that were exposed to prenatal stress through the mother, developed a gut microbiota with low levels of Bifidobacterium [20]. So, there is this sense of being influenced by what has come before you, and this brings us back to our ancestors. It is interesting to note that it is the bacteria in our gut that is impacted natally and maternally. Even more recent studies found that the microbiome may actually form earlier, since both the placenta and the meconium have their own microbiomes [30]. Furthermore, babies that are born by Cesarean section have lower amounts of bacteria in their gut compared to babies born vaginally [21].
The first two weeks of the baby’s life when the gut biome is forming is so crucial, and impacts their immune system [22]. The underdevelopment of the gut’s flora has been linked to cardiovascular disease, late onset sepsis, and atopic disease [23, 24]. We continue to develop and have this symbiotic relationship with the bacteria in our gut as we age [25]. Through the use of probiotics and antibiotics, we alter our microbiome signature. One study exhibited that the use of probiotics reduced stress-induced release of cortisol, as well as anxiety and depression-adjacent behavior [26]. Moreover, antibiotics are recognized as having psychiatric side effects [27]. Not all antibiotics have detrimental effects, and it should be noted that the first antidepressant was an antibiotic developed to treat tuberculosis [isoniazid] [28]. Some researchers are hopeful that utilizing beneficial bacteria may have a positive influence on the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia [31]. It has been noted that “The development of new antibiotics is primarily focused on antibiotic resistance, but efforts should be made to reduce off-target brain-gut-microbiota effects resulting in mental health problems.” [Dinan & Dinan, Journal of Internal Medicine, December 29, 2022] [29].
Connecting Bacteria to Intuition; The Esoteric of The Smalls
We now have covered how bacteria can clearly affect our behavior, thinking, and overall immunity. So, if this is true, then can this possibly explain where our intuition comes from? Can these living microorganisms that regulate so much of our wellbeing be a cause, or the cause of our intuitive senses when in balance?
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Resources & Research Citing:
Dr. Siv Watkins, Ph.D., Microbiologist and founder of Microbial Animism
The Master and His Emissary, by Ian McGilchrist
Kira Sutherland, Medical Astrologer
Judith Hill, Medical Astrologer
Chris Brennan, Professional Astrologer
Dr. Deanna Minich, Ph.D, CNS
School of Natural Medicine; Bonny Casel, ND
What is microbial animism? — MICROANIMISM
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[2] - Bacteria
[3, 4, 5] - The origins of life on Earth - Curious.
[6] - Ancestor worship | Britannica
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[17] - How gut bacteria are controlling your brain - BBC Future
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[22] - Oozeer R, van Limpt K, Ludwig T, Ben Amor K, Martin R, Wind RD, Boehm G, Knol J. Intestinal microbiology in early life: specific prebiotics can have similar functionalities as human-milk oligosaccharides. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Aug;98(2):561S-71S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.038893. Epub 2013 Jul 3. PMID: 23824728.
[23] - Mai, Volker et al. “Associations between dietary habits and body mass index with gut microbiota composition and fecal water genotoxicity: an observational study in African American and Caucasian American volunteers.” Nutrition journal vol. 8 49. 21 Oct. 2009, doi:10.1186/1475-2891-8-49
[24] - Mai, Volker et al. “Distortions in development of intestinal microbiota associated with late onset sepsis in preterm infants.” PloS one vol. 8,1 (2013): e52876. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052876
[26] - Bravo, Javier A et al. “Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America vol. 108,38 (2011): 16050-5. doi:10.1073/pnas.1102999108
[27, 28, 29] - Dinan K, Dinan T. Antibiotics and mental health: The good, the bad and the ugly. J Intern Med. 2022 Dec;292(6):858-869. doi: 10.1111/joim.13543. Epub 2022 Jul 12. PMID: 35819136; PMCID: PMC9796968.
[30, 31] - Ho, Pochu, and David A Ross. “More Than a Gut Feeling: The Implications of the Gut Microbiota in Psychiatry.” Biological psychiatry vol. 81,5 (2017): e35-e37. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.12.018
[33] - Role of Soil Bacteria | Ohioline.
[34] - Vagus Nerve: What to Know
[35] - The Gut Microbiome’s Role in Skeletal Health | Harvard Medical School.
[36] - Zhang, Jian et al. “The impact of the intestinal microbiome on bone health.” Intractable & rare diseases research vol. 7,3 (2018): 148-155. doi:10.5582/irdr.2018.01055
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