Throughout history, humans have used materials from animals—leather, fur, bones, and more—to craft clothing, tools, and accessories. But in many spiritual traditions, particularly those influenced by animism and energy-based beliefs, there’s a strong idea that these objects may carry more than just their practical use. They might also carry negative energy, especially if the animals suffered in the process of creating them.
Let’s explore this fascinating belief, its cultural roots, and how it ties into modern spirituality.
Animism: The Spirit Lives On
In animist traditions, common among Indigenous cultures around the world, it’s believed that all living things have spirits—this includes animals, plants, and even inanimate objects like rocks and rivers. When an animal is killed for food, clothing, or tools, its spirit doesn’t simply vanish. The spirit remains connected to the materials made from its body, and the treatment of the animal during its life and death is crucial.
If the animal was treated respectfully and killed for necessary reasons, the object made from it might carry a sense of peace or even spiritual power. However, if the animal’s death was unnecessary or cruel, many animist traditions believe the spirit could be angry or unsettled. This negative energy might transfer to the object made from the animal, such as a fur coat or a leather bag, and may even affect the person who owns or wears it.
Shamanic Practices: Power and Ritual
Shamanic traditions, found in many cultures from Siberia to South America, often work closely with animal spirits. In these practices, objects made from animals—such as bones, feathers, or skins—are believed to hold spiritual power. These items are often used in rituals or healing practices, but they are treated with great care and ritualistic respect.
The energy associated with these objects depends on the intention behind the killing of the animal. If the animal was killed as part of a sacred hunt or for ritual purposes, with deep respect, the object might carry positive energy and be seen as a powerful tool for connecting with the spirit world. However, if the killing was thoughtless or disrespectful, the object might harbor dark energy or even bring misfortune to those who use it.
New Age Beliefs: Energy and Suffering
In modern New Age spirituality, there is a strong belief in the energetic properties of objects. Everything is said to carry vibrations, including clothing and accessories made from animals. If an object is made from materials that came from an animal that suffered—such as in the case of industrial leather production or the fur trade—the object is believed to hold onto the negative energy of the animal’s fear and pain.
This belief leads many spiritually-minded individuals to avoid wearing animal products altogether, as they don’t want to invite the negative energy of suffering into their lives. The fear is that these objects could bring emotional or energetic heaviness that could impact their well-being.
Ethical Veganism: Compassion and Energy
For many people who follow an ethical vegan lifestyle, the choice to avoid animal products isn’t just about physical health or environmental concerns—it’s also about the energy connected to these products. Vegans who believe in energy-based spirituality often view animal products as carrying the suffering and exploitation of the animals from which they were made.
The idea is that wearing or using these materials reinforces a cycle of harm and may attract negative energy or even bad karma. Veganism in this context isn’t just a diet but a spiritual commitment to maintaining an energy of compassion and avoiding the vibrations of suffering.
Feng Shui: Clearing Negative Energy
In feng shui, the ancient Chinese practice of balancing energy in living spaces, it is believed that objects can affect the flow of chi (life force energy). Objects made from animal products, like leather furniture or fur rugs, are sometimes thought to bring disharmony into a space if the animal suffered during its life or death.
Some feng shui practitioners suggest cleansing rituals to clear any negative energy from these objects before bringing them into a home. Others might recommend avoiding animal-derived materials altogether to maintain a positive and harmonious energy flow.
Cultural Beliefs: Rituals of Respect
In many Indigenous and African cultures, animal products are used in spiritual practices, but these traditions emphasize the importance of rituals to honor the spirit of the animal. For instance, hunters may perform specific ceremonies to thank the animal’s spirit and ask for its blessing before using its skin, bones, or meat.
Without these rituals of respect, the animal’s spirit might be angered, and the object could carry negative spiritual energy. It’s not uncommon to find stories of hunters or people being harmed or haunted by the spirit of an animal whose life was not respected.
Final Thoughts: Do Animal Products Carry Negative Energy?
The belief that objects made from animal materials hold negative energy is found across a wide variety of spiritual and cultural traditions. Whether it’s the spirit of the animal in animism, the resonance of suffering in New Age spirituality, or the disharmony of chi in feng shui, these practices all emphasize one key theme: how an animal is treated matters.
When an animal is exploited, killed cruelly, or disrespected, the energy connected to the objects made from it is often seen as negative, affecting both the object itself and the person who uses or wears it.
Ultimately, these beliefs encourage us to reflect on our relationship with the materials we use and the animals who share our world. Whether or not we believe in the energetic properties of these objects, it’s clear that treating animals with respect, whether in life or in death, is something many cultures and spiritual traditions value deeply.
