Derek is demonstrating "animism" in his thinking.
Animism is the conviction that everything has a spirit or soul, an anima in Latin, including creatures, plants, rocks, mountains, waterways, and stars. Animists trust every anima is an effective soul that can help or hurt them and are to be adored or dreaded or somehow took care of. They utilize enchantment, spells, charms, superstitions, special necklaces, charms, charms, or anything that they accept will shield them from the malicious spirits and assuage the great spirits that are discovered wherever in everything.