Spirit Offerings: A (Fairly) Comprehensive Guide [REPOST]

12/10/2023

Hello again dear readers! I do apologize for the delay in this post. I decided on my last post that Sundays would be my day for Grimoire posts, however last Sunday I was sick in bed. This week has been rather busy, as I'm essentially working two jobs; one as a regular human with gainful employment and the other as a starving artist, selling my nonsense at flea markets. This week I aim to have two posts to make up for lost time, this one and another one on Sunday (October 15th).

Tonight's episode of Sigrid's Grimoire is about spirit offerings- everything I have learned from both personal experience and books. It is very important that I am transparent about the fact I usually write these in one go- somewhat stream of conscious. I will proof read a few times to myself, pass it to my partner or a friend to proof read once, and make a few minor changes.... but usually these posts are written, edited, and posted in one night. Maybe that's lazy of me, I don't know (I also don't care right now). Only reason I bring this up is that I may forget things here and there. If I missed anything, please comment below! I love talking to other passionate folks about these topics. 

So without further ado, lets get into it. Below is a sort of table of contents of what I plan to write about in this post:

• What/how/why we leave offerings

• Some historical info on leaving offerings

• How to dispose of offerings/how to know WHEN to dispose of them 3a. Environmental impacts of disposing offerings in the wild and how to do so safely

• Whether or not you can eat them yourself and when that might be appropriate

• A list of offerings for commonly known dieties (including my own experiences, thoughts, opinions, and results)

So what are spirit offerings? Who practices the leaving of offerings? Why is it practiced and how? If you are at all familiar with witchcraft, neo-paganism, new age spirituality, etc. you will have likely heard of this at some time or another. It's a common practice held by a wide variety of folks who follow alternative spiritualities, but it is something observed in more mainstream spiritual practices and religions as well. Hinduism, Buddhism, and Catholicism (among others) also practice spirit offerings. 

Within modern witchcraft communities, spirit offerings are a way to build a relationship to the divine but also serve as a sort of transactional system. You give to receive and receive to give. It is a powerful way to enhance spell craft, as it serves as a method to feed the energies. Offerings come in many varieties, the most common tending to be food, libation, physical items, or acts of service. Blood, bodily fluids, energy transfer (such as reiki), incense, and even social media posts can be offerings as well!

Generally, offerings are made in some sort of ritual setting- both formal and informal- and usually at an altar. The frequency at which they are given varies from tradition to tradition and practitioner to practitioner. 

In ancient Greece, offerings to the gods were usually done in the form of live animal sacrifice. To the Gods of Olympus (who resided in the heavens), the tradition was to essentially host a barbeque. An animal (usually a bull) was sacrificed at an altar in front of a crowd and the meat butchered and cooked over a flame. The spectators would feast on the meat of the animal, leaving the bones, marrow, fat, and gristle to smolder. The belief was that the gods could not eat human food, but enjoyed the essence of the food so the smoke from the fires would carry the essence to them. For oceanic deities such as Poseidon, it was common to throw live offerings (horses or sometimes people) directly into the ocean. Similarly, sacrifices would be buried alive or placed in caves for deities associated with the underworld.

In other parts of ancient Europe, offerings were made at special sites in nature such as rivers, trees, or stones. Temples or other man-made spiritual sites (like tombs or barrows) were another common place to leave rituals.

For the Greco-romans particularly, home altars were another very common space to leave offerings such as water, herbs, or incense.

In modern times, live sacrifices are very frowned upon by the general society. It is still practiced by some, but in my opinion, people who still do this in neo-pagan and witchcraft communities of the modern world are no friends of mine. Of course, I can not speak to communities in places like Africa or South America where this practice is still observed. I am not familiar enough with these cultures to make any sort of commentary on the matter and thus do not condemn them for this practice. I only speak for the culture and community that I am part of- the two are just not comparable.

So how does a modern mystic leave an offering? Generally it is believed offerings are specific to deities and holidays- which I will be discussing a bit later in this post. 

Generally there is specific dishware designated for offerings that are only used for giving offerings. Offerings are placed in the appropriate dish, designated as offerings, and and left out for a time so that the energy may be absorbed. These are given at the beginning or end of a ritual. Practitioners sometimes will create whole altars as part of the offering, which they deconstruct once the working is complete. This is a very common practice with Wiccan Sabbats.

There is some debate on the length of time offerings are left out as well as disposal, especially when it comes to food and drink. Some believe you should clean it up immediately while others leave it out until it begins to mold/spoil. Others still will say you should leave it out for a specific time period (i.e. three nights, 24 hours). The general consensus is to feel it out for yourself or listen to your intuition. If you are sensitive to energies, you will know when the offering has been accepted. If 'feeling it out' is too vague, it is okay to set a specific time to clean it up. The spirits aren't that picky, I promise. For non food items such as crystals, artwork, etc. the time they are left out does not matter so much. Often times, these things become permanent fixtures of the altar space itself.

Disposal of offerings is also hotly debated as some believe it is disrespectful to throw things in the trash. This really boils down to the individuals beliefs, I've not had any issues with throwing things in the trash personally. It all goes back to the Earth one way or another.

Another common practice is to compost or leave the offerings outside to be absorbed by nature- arguably one of the better disposal methods in my opinion. However there are some things to keep in mind with this route.

Not everyone has access to compost and not everything is safe to compost. Salt and chocolate, for example, are very dangerous to the environment as they are both toxic to animals. Things like cigarettes (yes, cigarettes are a very common offering) should not be buried as they are also deadly to the environment. Another consideration is if you live in an area with wild animals. Racoons, Bears, Coyotes, and even feral dogs and cats can pose certain dangers and health risks (like rabies). Consider also that wild animals are not meant to eat human foods. Our foods can make them sick and/or affect migratory patterns. So be mindful of where you are leaving your offerings and WHAT you are leaving. Do no harm is a very common tenant of pagan/witchcraft belief systems.

Eating the offerings yourself or feeding them to a pet/family member (as long as its species-appropriate and human consent is given) is also an option for disposal. However, sometimes this is not a good idea. When I was first learning the ropes and working with Hekate, I had made Ghee for her as an offering. I asked if I could eat it, and got no discernable response. I had a moment of doubt where I felt I should not eat it, but ended up eating it anyways to see what would happen, if anything. I kid you not, the second I ate it, I immediately got sick and vomited everywhere. Was it a bad batch of ghee, or was the goddess teaching me a lesson? Who's to say! Let it be a lesson, however. Not all spirits want to share, and why should they? We as humans don't always want to share our gifts and that's valid. Listen to your guides/gods, listen to your intuition, and don't be afraid to mess up. You won't be damned, cursed, or shunned by your gods. Just have the ability to apologize when you go wrong.

Sharing a meal offering with spirits is sometimes encouraged, however. Samhain's Dumb Supper comes to mind, specifically, when I think of this. The Dumb Supper is a ritual associated with Samhain, the final harvest festival and the Celtic 'new year'. It is believed that during this time the space between the human realm and the spirit realm is thin, thus allowing spirits to mingle freely on the earth. The Dumb Supper is a ritual in which you dine silently, in candle light, eating a meal with your deceased loved ones. Sometimes this is done in the cemetery after sundown. 

I know I have not spoked much on the specifics of leaving an offering in ritual up to this point. I did that on purpose because I feel like it looks different based on the context of the ritual. There are daily rites that involve offerings and there are special occasions like the Dumb Supper. The general formula that I use is this:

•  Determine what you want to offer, acquire it, and decide when you want to offer it. Avoid leftovers if possible. Imagine you're giving a gift to a guest in your home.

• When you are ready to make the offering, go to/make a designated area like an altar or special place. Speak words out loud to let the spirits know this is an offering for them.

• Dispose of the offering however you want.

Boom baby, it's really that simple.

Finally, I would like to wrap up this post with a list of offerings I've given and the deities/contexts I have given them. I have a feeling this last part is really what you're all interested in. Keep in mind, this is based on my experiences. Let me say again, please trust your intuition and listen because my way is not the only way. You'll figure it out as you go, these are just some suggestions. Also keep in mind, we are getting into UPG (Unverifiable Personal Gnosis) territory so my experiences with these energies might be different from yours. That's okay!

General offerings that go over well for all occasions:

• Fresh, pure water

• Honey or honey comb

• Vaguely addictive things (alcohol, tobacco, sweets, etc.)- though be mindful these sorts of things tend to excite or rile up spirit energy so use mindfully.

• Crystals- these are sometimes deity specific but who doesn't love a shiny thing???

• Incense- Again deity specific, research before hand because some incense will work well than others

• Artwork, poetry, or original prayers made by you for your specific deity or spirit.

Greco-Roman Deities (that I have personal experience with)

• Hekate

She's really not that picky with timing and, while she may seem intimidating, she's actually a very patient and kind deity. I've had the most luck offering home made food items like ghee, bread, cakes, soups, potato or egg based dishes, and even vinegars. Traditionally she likes black coffee or tea, herbs (bonus points if home grown), eggs, potatoes, garlic, dog food or dog treats especially if given to a dog afterwards (she's very closely associated with dogs), pomegranate, bones, keys, special candles designated for her, red wine, or incense.

• Hermes

 It's common knowledge that Hermes and Thoth are associated with one another. I primarily work with Thoth but have in the past worked with this energy in the Hermes aspect. He's associated with travel and mercantile subjects so old coins and maps work well. I find he's more of a service-oriented guy so donating time or money to community programs like schools is a great choice. I've also had good luck with feeding birds, offering feathers, silver objects like rings or spoons, playing cards, dice, musical instruments, learning/playing musical instruments, singing, divinatory items like tarot cards, magick wands, meat-based dishes (but not bird meat in my experience), learning a language, invoking him when you travel, hanging his image in your car, and rabbit feet. Also consider turtle shells and phallic symbols.

• Hades

Hades is a recent acquaintance of mine, so I don't know much. Strong liquor in general, black coffee, lamb or goat meat, cheeses, certain herbs like peppermint.

• Dionysus

I have not worked much with Dionysus but in my experience he really enjoys wine(no duh), marijuana, dance, and sex magick. If you feel like you need a bit of spice in your life, Dionysus is your man. I find him to be very queer friendly as well, write praise to him on the wall in the club bathroom.

• Artemis

Artemis is a family friend of mine, one of the first deities I ever worked with. I didn't work deeply with her and after I lost my virginity, we grew a part a bit (side note, you do not have to be a virgin to work with Artemis. She's very much not a fan of sex magick in my experience. I feel like she would probably be more likely to work with someone who is chaste or asexual, but that is my opinion!) The offerings I gave to her were learning archery for her (I dedicated my bow to her- one of my first ever ritual offerings!). I also fed the wild deer by my house and learned about them (I do not recommend feeding wild animals, best to leave them alone). She is also a fan of chastity and symbols of the moon. I didn't really leave offerings to her during my time with her so I cannot speak much to that.

Egyptian Deities (that I have personally worked with)

• Osiris

Osiris was actually the first deity to ever reach out to me directly. I believe in hindsight that other were there before him, but he was the first to outright introduce himself to me. Beer, pumpernickel bread, and dried fruits like raisins or dates are great food offerings for him as well as clove flavored things (I'm honestly hearing clove cigars right now as I'm writing this). Anything death related and linen cloth (or any white cloth) are all good.

• Isis

Isis is very intense to work with. I've not had much experience with her. From my experience, she adores sapphire- the blueish colour and the stone itself. I've also had great luck offering her gin and blue lotus flowers. I also feel I should point out that I've heard she doesn't get along well with other deities (except her canonical husband and children) so if you set up an altar to her, consider giving her her own space.

• Thoth

Thoth is my best friend. He's my pal, my rotten solider. He's my sweet cheese. My good time boy.

What We Do In the Shadows references aside, I have a very deep love and reverence for Thoth. He has been with me from day one and some of my most beautiful experiences have happened with him. Like his Hermes/Mercury aspect, he's more of an acts of service kind of guy and he tends to like a lot of the same things as Hermes. If you are a writer, invoke him while you write, especially if you write by moonlight. He's never been particular about food offerings from what I've noticed. I've had the most success with hearty meat or fish dishes (no poultry, though). Paint pallets, writing utensils, ink, and pens are great offerings. Just meditating and offering your time is great. Studying, going to college, reading non-fiction books and articles about medicine, mathematics, and science are up his alley as well. He is associated with the full moon, ibis, and baboons so any of these images work well also. 

• Bastet

Bastet is also one of my day one deities and I owe a lot to her. I work very closely with cat deities in general but Bastet is one of my favorites. She can be a bit picky (like a cat). Things I've had the most luck with a makeup, body oils, perfumes, soaps, and essential oils. Sometimes I have dedicated makeup looks to her or dressed in a way to invoke her energy. She's very closely associated with perfume so making your own perfume or buying one to offer for her is something I strongly recommend. Cisterns and rattles are also a good offering as well as anything to do with cats. Even adopting a cat into your family as a pet is a great offering to her. Feeding/caring for stray cats and volunteering at the animal shelter are great acts of service as well. She's associated with mothers, children, and pregnancy also so if you're trying to get pregnant she's a good ally to have.

• Sekhmet

Sekhmet is one of the few deities that actually scare me a little bit, not going to lie. I find she and Isis have been the only two I've actually worried about pissing off! I haven't actually done anything to piss them off yet, so perhaps that fear it a bit unfounded. I wouldn't recommend testing your luck though! Sekhmet is similar to Bastet as they are both cats, but Sekhmet is definitely a warrior. She was a helpful energy for me while fighting cancer. I have offered her a lot of the same things that I have offered Bastet, but I also include beer as it ties in closely with her main story in mythology. Anything that looks like blood is great, you could even use your own blood but do this with caution. Using blood in magick can really screw things up for you if you're not careful. Menstrual blood is an easy one if you have a period. Something you can do for both Sekhmet and Bastet is whisper your prayers to them to cats. Sekhmet also enjoys fire (bonfires or special candles just for her), and spicy foods.

• Anubis

I don't have much experience with Anubis but I find he has similar vibes to Hekate. I've had good luck offering him anything to do with dogs- make no mistake, though, he's not a dog. He's a jackal! Star imagery is also good (he's associated with Sirius), as well as SUPER dark chocolate (kind of ironic).

Norse and Celtic Deities (that I have worked with)

I'm combining Norse and Celtic because there's only one Celtic deity I've worked with so far and consolidating them is easier, as historically there's a bit more crossover.

Side note about this category, I've got some very specific UPG beliefs wrapped up with my Norse gods experience that probably do not apply to the broader community. I personally believe Ragnarok already happened in 2020 (this was revealed to me in vision) and that these gods are officially dead. I feel like, to me, this is evident in the rise of fascism/white nationalism and Trump. This does not mean they won't reach out if you call for them, I still work with them occasionally. Its confusing, hard to explain, and kind of a touchy subject so eventually I will make a bigger post about it. Just know for now my perception of them is unique to my practice. 

• Odin

Odin is the only fatherly type God I have any real experience with. He's always been around me but rarely can I contact him. He shows up when there's something he needs to tell me. It's like a one way pay phone sort of relationship. Some offerings I've made to Odin are body modifications, anything that causes a wee bit of pain (tattoos, piercings, surgery, etc). He's a great companion through prolonged painful experiences like recovering from surgery. I've dedicated my pain to him. Invoking him before painful experiences is very helpful when I remember to do it. Of course military imagery and ravens are great symbols for him. In my experience, he's very trans-friendly (I feel he favors trans women and there's even some archeological evidence that can argue this). 

• Thor

Thor was the God of my household growing up, he was my gateway into this lifestyle. I have not worked much with him directly as I tend to gravitate more towards feminine, chthonic, and trickster types. I've had good luck offering a variety of home cooked and home grown meals. If you offer him meats with the bones in do not break the bones so that they splinter. He's associated with storms and thunder, as well as fishing. Hang thistle above your door way to protect from his lightning strikes and place acorns in your windows to protect your home. He's definitely an acts-of-service God and favors those who work with their hands.

• ​Freyja 

I really don't get much of a response from her, or any of the norse gods for that matter. They come to me when they need to tell me something and I've not had much luck in forming a connection with them on my own terms. Learning runes for Freyja is something I did for her that worked well.

• Loki

Loki is the only Norse deity that I can reach out to still and I personally believe he is another facet to Hermes/Thoth. This is something that I have not heard others express so take it or leave it. I find he tends to prefer items to food offerings, but he really likes whisky and tobacco offerings. Pungent and unique aromas are a staple offering, I've had great luck getting/making him scented candles with strong fruity smells. He loves bright colors in crazy combinations (like neon green and hot pink) little plastic toys (I find those cheap little wind-up toys that walk are great offerings). Any sort of prank/practical joke item tends to go over well with him. Games, playing cards, dice, etc. are all good as well. He's also great for sex magick but TRUST ME he's not the guy to go to for love spells. I have a weird relationship with Loki, honestly. Hekate works well with him (she works well with most, honestly) and tends to keep his chaotic energy a big reigned in. Since working with her along with Loki, I've found that this are a bit more stable for me.

• Sigyn

Sigyn is Loki's wife and also partially the inspiration for my own namesake. I prayed to her a lot while in an abusive relationship and I believe she helped get me out of it. Dedicating self-care rituals to her have proven very effective for me.

• Hel

Hel has also been very helpful for me with escaping abusive relationships. I haven't worked with her much since I've found a stable and loving partner. I've offered her bones, molding foods, death plants, and even roadkill! Very gross but it worked like a charm!

• The Morrigan (Celtic)

​She's a newer one. Found that pretty much anything red works nicely; red beans, red apples, red wine, red crystals. She came to me to help me connect with my ancestors.

Catholic Saints, Angels, and Goetic Spirits

Bet you didn't expect this category! As much as I love to rant and rave about my issues with Christianity, I actually respect it at its core. It's Christian culture that I dislike. I find the culture a bit troubling, personally. That's neither here nor there, these guys have actually been pretty cool. The saints in particular are extremely helpful and really don't care that I'm pagan. The Saints and some of the angels do always try to get me into churches whenever I come into contact with them, though, which I don't really care for.... but I suppose that comes with the territory.

• Saint Expedite

First and foremost, Saint Expedite adores pound cake. I've only ever offered him pound cake. I don't even try to offer anything else because he's always like "all I want is pound cake". Honestly, I respect the simplicity. He works fast too! I've called on him mostly for financial spells. He's a bit tricky from my experience though! If you give the pound cake before the thing you ask of him he might not do it at all. If you don't give the offering fast enough after the thing is completed, he will really mess things up for you.

• Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc is such a gem. I find her very similar to Hekate and I have reason to believe I was associated with her in some way in a past life. She was very helpful for me when I was experiencing poverty. Lilies, horse imagery/horse hair, and military imagery is all good. Honestly, I've mostly offered her prayer and she's shown up. She is one that REALLY puts the pressure on to go to church but she has still helped me even though I don't go (though I will say, I accidentally have ended up in churches while I've been working with her).

• Saint Francis

This guy is actually in my garden as we speak. He was another one who helped me through poverty. All I offered was prayer and bread and he helped me find clothing and furniture when I needed it.

• Saint Anthony

I carry a Saint Anthony reliquary with me on my keys. I've prayed to him a few times to find lost items. He's occasionally asked me to go to church or repent but usually reading the bible is good enough of an offering. 

• Archangel Michael

Angels are so tricky for me because I feel like they are VERY literal. You ask for help and they will help you in devastating ways. Reminiscent of the story of Job. I actually asked for help from Michael with finding love and stability in my life and it resulted in me being fired, loosing friends and family members, getting dumped, and even a small house fire. All of which actually ended up being good in the long run, even the fire, but man.... I feel like it could have been a bit easier? What do I know, I'm just a pagan. Needless to say I haven't worked with Michael much since this incident. I did to a spell for someone who was once a friend to find love and I called on Michael for this spell, as this person was catholic. They never found the romantic love they sought but instead found love in a group of QAnon Trump supporters *sad trombone sound*. Michael never asked for much in return, he just wanted me to repent, repent, repent and oh boy did I. It was a rough go. 1 out of 5 star in my book.

• Metatron and Sandalphon

These two came to me as a packaged deal and have mostly been helpful for studying Kabbalah. Funny enough, since working with them I've met and been exposed to a lot of Jewish folks which has been a great experience. There was a time when I unfortunately kept company with some unsavory folks with anti-Semitic views but I credit these two for helping me deprogram and move away from this line of thinking. They've mostly asked for me to read about Judaism, the Bible, Christian mysticism, and to be nice to children and animals (which is an easy one for me).

• Stolas

Stolas is the main Goetic daemon that I have positive interactions with. He really surprised me when I first made contact with him, as he appeared very small and not as I had imagined he would. Through his guidance I learned a lot about astrology and he also helped me find the classical grimoires. He was very closely related to Thoth in my experience and I mainly offered him feathers, incense, and a special candle.

In conclusion, offerings are an immensely important part of spirit work and theurgical practice, whether it be casual or deeply formal. If you wish to work with deities in any capacity, offerings are your first step in the door! I hope the information here has been helpful or at the very least entertaining. As always, I want to remind you all to do your own research, experiment, and follow your intuition! Do no harm, take no shit.

Until next time!

~Sigrid

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