Offerings

Offering to gods and spirits was an integral part of beliefs before Christianity (and after it, too, depending on where you’re looking). I’ve mentioned offerings in my previous posts, but I feel like I may have glossed over some things in the interest of keeping it short that new heathens might have questions about. With that in mind, here are some of the questions I’ve heard/seen online (and answers to them):

“What kinds of things should I offer?”

Well, that depends on the situation, who you’re offering to, and who you are, but I can give you some pointers.

Imagine you’re having a visitor. Who is it? Is it someone from your family who you respect (an ancestor), an acquaintance from the neighborhood (a wight) or the Actual President? (Ok, this is supposed to represent the gods, but, well, a few of us wouldn’t be so hot on having their president over right now *cough Americans cough*. That’s alright. Just imagine it’s your favorite head of state or ruler from history, instead 😉

Now, imagine that that person is in the room with you and you want them to feel welcome. You might ask if they want a drink – a cold beer from the fridge or a cup of coffee, or maybe just some ice water. But you also might know that Mom doesn’t drink this early in the day, so you wouldn’t even ask – you could just bring her coffee the way she likes it (black with sugar, of course). If you’ve made something in the kitchen recently or are about to eat a meal, you might ask if they want to partake, and set aside a plate for them. If it’s a really special day, you might have made or bought something just for them, as a gift, something you know they’ll enjoy based on what you know about them.

This is the same way you offer to the gods, and by learning more about them historically and honing your instincts, you will get a better feel for what they like. Most heathens start with mead, because we know from the lore that the gods drink it, but there are other things that are always appropriate, like fresh clean water (which some of us take for granted nowadays, but was precious to our ancestors) or salt (another precious material turned mundane by modern distribution). Despite not being rare anymore, certain materials like these still maintain their sacred character because of their history. So, if you’re too young to buy alcohol, or you’re someone who is recovering from alcoholism or other practical concerns like that, don’t feel that you’re left out of the process of offering. You have other options.

If you get an idea to offer something really non-traditional, I say go for it. Obviously, this is subject to opinion and common sense, but if your instinct says that Thor might enjoy some beer-flavored jelly beans (yes, my instinct totally did, and I totally put them on the offering plate, and I totally got the impression that it was well received, thanks for asking), then I don’t see any reason not to. As a general rule of thumb, think, would I feel welcome if someone offered me this at their home? If the answer is yes, then you’re probably fine.

I also would like to mention incense. While the group of northern European religions generally looked at as a basis for reconstructionist or revivalist modern heathenry don’t appear to have offered incense smoke to the gods (or burned their offerings in general), many other Indo-European cultures did. I think it’s perfectly fine to burn incense or nice smelling candles as an offering to the gods, and I’d do it a lot more if I didn’t have birds in the house.

“How do I offer these things? What do I do?”

If you have an altar or shrine that’s appropriate, you can leave it there – in a glass, in a bowl, on a plate, or just carefully placed, depending on what’s most appropriate for what it is. Many heathens have offering bowls that have been consecrated and used specifically for offerings, but I’ve found, personally, that any vessel will do as long as it’s clean and left with reverence. Look at what you’re leaving and ask yourself: would I drink/eat from this? If the answer is no, try again.
When offering to certain beings, you might feel like a different place is more suitable. Maybe you decide to take your offering to the land wights to a particular spot that seems holy in the landscape, or throw it into a local body of water (please make sure whatever it is, it’s safe to leave behind!), or give it to the roots of a tree that have grown in the shape of a bowl.

“So … Then what?”

Yikes, it’s like I’m writing a blog about this or something.
Well, then you perform the ritual that this offering was for. Maybe you just want to thank your ancestors for watching over you – thank them and leave your offering, add a short period of reflection, bada bing bada boom. The same goes for wights and gods – Address them directly, either out loud or in your head (though I encourage out loud, I’m still not 100% there yet myself), thank them for what they do, and ask that they accept your offering. If you’re asking for a favor from the gods (I don’t really recommend asking for stuff too early on, but hey, emergencies happen), make clear what you want and what you’re willing to do if it comes through.
Praying isn’t against the rules, though depending on your religious background, you might not feel like you’re doing it right (just keep going, it gets better). Despite what some people like to claim, kneeling is also not against the rules, but you don’t have to, either. Be respectful, be kind, speak from the heart, and you’ll be doing great. Make sure you save some time to reflect on the ritual and assess your feelings, maybe write in that journal I keep telling you to start but haven’t actually started myself.

“What do I do with offerings afterwards?”

There are different takes on this, including simple situations where libations are poured directly out onto the earth and don’t have to be fussed about afterwards.
For things left on an altar or shrine, leave them for a while. Some things obviously have more of a shelf life than others – a plate of cooked ham is going to become a nuisance much sooner than a glass of water – so you have to use your judgement for this one. I try to leave the offering, and any candles lit, for at least a couple of hours, and continue my business in the house. I find it’s nice to have a reminder that the ancestors or gods are present with me, even when I am not in an entirely spiritual state of mind.
Don’t worry about “dismissing” the gods, by the way. You might have seen this done in more Wicca-inspired ceremonies, if you’ve gone to pagan events, but I don’t believe that it’s necessary. These Powers are certainly capable of leaving whenever they feel like it.

When you’re starting to think that it’s been long enough, collect your offerings (again, respectfully and thoughtfully) and dispose of the perishables, either outdoors, or in the normal way (i.e., put them in the trash). Some things seem natural to dispose of outside, but others I’d rather not give to the local squirrels and birds (for their own good).
I do like the idea of disposing of food offerings outside, as a way of returning what we have taken to the earth, but if you live in an urban or suburban area (like me) you might find your neighbors don’t appreciate it as much as you do, or alternately, you might be living in a situation where going outside and reverently leaving half a loaf of bread could lead to some uncomfortable questions or accusations and trouble. In these cases, it’s perfectly fine to throw out the offering the same way you would normal food or drink – it has been used, and the god (or ancestor or wight) has done what they want with it, and it is now again a mundane item.

On Drinking with the Gods

Many ceremonies you’ll find (online and in books) include everyone partaking of an offering as well as portioning some out for the honoree. You don’t have to drink with (or for) the gods, but I think that it’s a lovely experience to sit and share something nice with them. Mind that you drink or eat your own, though, and don’t take things off the offering plate. There are some cultures that eat offerings after they’ve been used, but generally speaking, heathens do not.

In conclusion …

I think this covers most of the general ‘offering’ related questions I’ve seen from newbies. I know I introduced some concepts here that I need to write more in depth about, but we’ll get there one step at a time. In the meantime, let me know if this clarified anything, and if you have more questions, please send them by!