Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Pagan
Simple Witchery: Simple Offerings—What You Bring to the Altar

Simple Witchery: Simple Offerings—What You Bring to the Altar

Last updated on: November 14, 2019 at 8:01 pm by Willow Rose

Simple Witchery: Simple Offerings—What You Bring to the Altar 2019-11-14T20:01:11+00:00 Willow Rose

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I often see questions from new witches about what to offer to their deities, guides, and other spirits they work with. My answer to them is that simple gifts well given will be well received.

If you work with a deity, or deities, currying their favor is no guarantee of living a charmed life, but it can strengthen your relationship and open the channel of communication.

I have been working quite a bit with Hekate in the last year. With a bit of research, I’ve been able to readily find gifts that please Her, including food items such as garlic, leek, saffron, almonds, honey, pomegranate and chocolate.

Simple gifts well given will be well received. Image by Andy JARRIGE from Pixabay.

She also accepts plant offerings of dandelions, roses and the poisons—like foxglove, datura, mandrake, and nightshade, sedatives like poppy, and hallucinogens like wormword, or the milder mugwort. Many minerals, gemstones, blood, bones, and animal remains also please Her.

Bekah Evie Bel shares a comprehensive list of offerings to Hekate, in #10 of her 30 Days of Hekate.

The Slavic Goddess, Mokosh, is a goddess of my ancestry that I would like to know better. She is an Earth Goddess, a protector of women and mothers. My research indicates I might connect with her through offerings of mead, porridge, cottage cheese, and spun wool.

I can make a guess, from the heavy-laden tables of holiday feasts when I was a child, that the porridge might be a form a polenta, the cottage cheese could be mixed with eggs and sugar and laden between layers of a phyllo-like dough, or it might just as easily be buttermilk. And not only the wool of the sheep, but the roasted lamb would likely be appreciated. If not mead, honey and fruit will suffice.

In the case of lesser-known deities and spirits, a little detective work and imagination can bring the answers you seek. Ask yourself what traditional foods were eaten, customs practiced, and regional plants grown in the time and locale of the deity. Also what group of mortals did the deity protect? What activities were associated?

What are the traditional foods, customs and plants of your chosen deity? Photo by Luz Mendoza on Unsplash.

The Goddess Ixchel came to me in an intuitive painting and I have since been learning about her. A Mayan goddess of midwifery and medicine, she is a protector of women and mothers. Her legend tells of her sons that were half Jaguar, and that she herself could shape-shift into a black jaguar to go unseen in the night.

I have not found much in the way of appropriate offerings to Ixchel, but good clues abound in her story. Cultural considerations would point to peppers, spices, cocoa, coffee, and sweet potato and morning glory (both members of the ipomoea plant species).

As a goddess of pharmekia, especially ministering to women and mothers, the sacred herbs and plants used in reproductive health would be appropriate, I’m sure. I could spend hours researching native plants and herbs in Central America, but I personally believe that it’s not necessary. Deities transcend time, location and space. Black cohosh, ginseng, cranberry, rue, maca, red clover and fenugreek will likely be well received, regardless of where they grow naturally.

As for her shape-shifting into a Jaguar, raw meat, animal remains, and blood would serve well as gifts. I also fancy that she may like opals, as her skin was described to have an opalescent quality, rainbow tourmaline, since she associated with rainbows, and any gem or stone related to water.

Animal Offerings

Some cultural spiritual traditions may still call for live sacrifice, but most modern-day pagans do not engage in harming or killing living creatures; there are many humane ways to work around it.

The least offensive way to offer animal energy is through naturally shed fur, feathers, skins, and scales. Save the hair and nail clippings from grooming your pets, look for feathers and skin sheds when you’re walking outdoors.

I save the blood from the meat I eat—there’s always enough to be had when I thaw hamburger or steaks. Setting aside a bit of the raw meat is also an option. Or save the fat and bones to use as your offerings.

If you have to pick up your pet’s feces, you may as well make use of it. That, or wild animal scat, might seem a little disgusting but so are sacrifices of blood and guts—the deities who accept those are probably okay with products of elimination too—accompanying spell-work might be releasing, banishing or warding in nature, as in get rid of that s———!

I can’t leave this subject of animal offerings without mentioning the harvesting of road kill as a source. However, far from being simple witchery, processing a dead animal takes advanced knowledge and skill. Even if all you plan is to throw it to the flames, research the best ways to collect the remains and know all the risks. Protect yourself from possible parasites like lice, and ticks that carry diseases such as lyme and ehrlichiosis. Also, be aware of any restrictions regarding protected animals that could result in fines. Be sure to bless the animal’s spirit on its journey to the next realm.

Using What’s Practical and Available

For witches living in rural areas, or suburban neighborhoods with green space, the wide outdoors is your supermarket. Just be sure to forage and harvest responsibly, asking for permission when not on your own land, never taking more than you need or over-harvesting to the point of endangering the plant’s survival. Always leave something in exchange.

I like to leave birdseed where appropriate, but you don’t always have to leave something. Whenever I walk through the county forest park near my home, I bring a bag along to pick up trash in respect of Earth Spirit, and as an exchange of energy.

For Urban witches, the supermarket is your hunting grounds. Image by JaHo from Pixabay.

If you tend your own gardens, weeding, watering and fertilizing with organic matter is a fair exchange. And of course, don’t forget prayers to ask permission, and as thanks, for what is given.

For Urban witches surrounded by pavement and high rises, the supermarket is your hunting ground. Stalk the spice, produce, meat and dairy isles. Don’t forget eggs, coffee, cocoa and chocolate, honey, maple syrup, and nuts and seeds, like almond, sunflower and flax—as oils too, along with olive, grape seed, sesame, coconut and corn oils. Tomatoes, potatoes and bell peppers are nightshades, corn is sacred to many cultures, and grains like wheat and rye, can be had in crackers and cereals.

The Act of Offering

If you take away only one thing from reading this, please remember that offerings do not have to be given in large amounts. A tiny bit is enough and doesn’t abuse resources, nor leave behind unnecessary refuse once the energy has been transformed and accepted.

Be sure to research the particular deities you wish to appeal to. For example, food offerings to Hekate are best left at a three-way crossroad, on a dark moon night.

Leave offerings for Hekate at crossroads on a dark moon night. Image by cocoparisienne from Pixabay.

If you can’t find any guiding information, use what you know about the deity, and the offering. Also, try asking for guidance from the God, Goddess, or Spirit you are appealing to.

To again use Hekate as an example, I might feed an offering of meat to your dog (honoring her hounds). Or for Ixchel, associated with water, I might brew some strong coffee in spring water and then pour onto the ground.

Burning, burying, or flushing are all ways to transform offerings into a form that deities and spirits can receive.

These are the preferred methods if you offer food, plants, bones, or anything that might be harmful if consumed by animals or humans.

If disposing outdoors is not possible, consider flushing (remember, small amounts and don’t flush anything that might clog plumbing). Don’t flush pharmaceuticals, poisoners’ plants, or harmful chemicals that will find their way into the ground water.

If there is a specific call to bury an offering, houseplants work for urban witches, as well as those of us who live on frozen ground in winter months. For gardeners, consider composting your suitable offerings.

If working with elemental spirits, align your method with the element, bury offerings to Earth, let the wind carry away offerings to Air, burn offerings to Fire, and dissolve offerings to Water.

Of course, be mindful of these methods, don’t bury toxins that harm the earth. Don’t pollute air or waterways, and don’t introduce anything that will cause algae bloom in waterways or otherwise disrupt the ecosystem.

Refrain from littering by tossing offerings to the air. Instead, your Air offerings are probably best left to smoke, steam, scent, or sound. Yes—speaking, chanting, singing, laughing, clapping, drumming (or playing any instrument) can be an offering!

Always practice safe burning in covered containers, and don’t burn outdoors during times of high fire danger. Don’t burn anything that releases toxins to the air, or the earth when ashes are reclaimed.

Remember that it’s not what you offer, how much you offer, or which method you use to offer it mindfully and safely, but rather the intent behind the gift. A small pinch of herbs carries your intent just as efficiently as a handful. Offer the best you have to give, with heartfelt devotion or sincere plea, and it will be received.

The Simplest Offering

There are two ways I like to offer gifts that I believe are often overlooked, and which alleviate many of the concerns of what might be left behind.

The first is really a no-brainer—acts of service. Donate to food shelves and charity organizations, volunteer at a food bank distribution, or give your time and skills to a worthy, non-profit organization. These can all be done as offerings to your chosen deities, spirits and guides.

“Ask Hecate whether it is better to be rich or starving; she will tell you that the rich send her a meal every month and that the poor make it disappear before it is even served.” ~ In Plutus by Aristophenes

The second method of simple offering was revealed to me during ritual. I’d lit a fire in the ring at my outdoor shrine, cast my circle, and sat down for an informal chat with whoever might join me in spirit. I’d placed some standard offerings on the altar stone—wine, cakes (probably cookies of some sort), chocolate and a few almonds. I’d brought a cup of rich, dark coffee for myself.

I was soon engaged in conversation with Hekate. I paused to take a sip of my coffee and I heard (I don’t actually hear with my ears, I’m claircognizant so the thoughts or words come fully formed into my head), “I’d like some of that.”

I was a bit taken aback, but I thought, why not? I took a mindful sip of the coffee, appreciating the flavor, the temperature, the feel of it on my tongue and the warming sensation down my throat as I swallowed.

“So good,” she said. “And the chocolate?”

I took a bite of the dark chocolate nugget, feeling the texture on my tongue, savoring the balance of bitter and sweet.

Coffee and chocolates for a goddess? Image by 5598375 from Pixabay.

Why hadn’t I thought of it before? Why wouldn’t the deities and spirits want to experience through our mortal senses, that which they have no body, no physical means, to enjoy?

However you choose to make offerings, find a simple but meaningful method that works for you, do it with heartfelt intent, and rest assured that it will be received.

About Willow Rose

Willow Rose is a wildcraft witch foraging the forests and fields in the northern Wisconsin, where she resides with her husband and resident feline. She is a certified SoulCollage® Facilitator, Wellness Coach, and creator of the Self CARE™ program of personal development. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

November 13, 2019

Living the Liminal: Fear Opens the Gate to Change

Next Post

November 14, 2019 Irish-American Witchcraft: The Dragon Prince - What High Fantasy Can Be

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Lakeside Hearth Adventures in Wortcunning Alone In Her Presence Arts, Crafts & Cooking Birthing Hereditary Witchcraft Book of Blackbirds Book Reviews Born-Again Witch Cauldron, Sword, Spear, & Stone Cermony and Liturgy Columns Community Dandelion Seeds Dear Jasmine Druid Thoughts Editor's Picks Everyday Pagan Family & Household Practice Family Traditions Full Frontal Magic Gateway Goddess Guest Articles Happily Heathen Health and Wellness Hearth of Hellenism Heathen Woman Hills of the Horizon History Holidays Horse Goddesses Interfaith Interviews Irish-American Witchcraft Jewish Witch Lamp & Labyrinth Letters from Midgard Literature, Media, Film, Music Loop of Brighid Love, Sex & Relationships Magic or Magick Making Light Naturalistic Traditions Nature News Outside The Circle Pantheisticon Politics Prayers, Poems, Blessings & Stories Queer Femme Mystic Queer of Swords Recipes Ritual and Practice Science and Research Seekers and Guides Seeking the Grail Socially Responsible Magic Spear of Athena Star Made Witch Syncretic Electric Technology The Blooming Staff The Busy Witch The Cartomancer The Crow's Nest The Dance of Pagan Recovery The Hearth of Hellenism The Lady's Quill The Other Side of the Hedge The Path of She The Rantin' Raven The Witches Next Door The Zen Pagan Theology, Ethics, Philosophy Tree City Witch Urban Earthwitch Wayfaring Woman Witch on Fire Wyrd Words

Select a Month January 2026 March 2025 December 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 August 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which branch of Christianity believes in the doctrine of transubstantiation?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Catholics Protestants Orthodox Evangelicals