Altar offerings

[Luna Moon 1]

Recently I have been reading Teen Witch by SilverRaven Wolf. In the book there is a section about altars and offereings. She uses the example of her youngest daughter placing a roll on her altar for the goddess. However, during my reading of the book I do not see any mention of what happens to the roll offered to the goddess.

Prior to reading this book I was doing some research about holidays. When reading about Halloween I found that one traditions requires that families set extra places for the dead. In the reading it was said that the essecence of the offered food is eaten by the spirits of the deceased relative(s). Afterwards a certain family member or (in some cases) any family can eat the food of the deceased person.

I was wondering if the essecence of an offered food is eaten by the god/goddess to whom is given and than the physical food eaten by the person offering or eaten by a certain person.

[skyewindflower]

There are several ways u can do this.....here are a few that I have come accross being said in different books.....
One is to imagine a offering in your mind and
proceed imagining giving it to the deity.

Or....Have the offering on the altar and then eat or drink in honor of the god/goddess

Or....Have the offering on the altar and then eat or drink in honor of the god/goddess and the rest taken to the woods for the animals, taken to a shelter in need, etc. in honor of the god/goddess.

Or Have the offering on the altar and give it back to nature just by pouring the contents back into the ground in honor of the god/goddess....

It is really up to you ....what u feel is right or the traditions of your branch of witchcraft.

Hope this helps some...
BB Skye

[Luna Moon 1]

Thanks you BB Skye that answered my question perfectly.

[Aidron]

Here are some devotional practices I do:

Place the offering upon the altar, and then when I feel ready for its physical embodiment (in this case, it has to have one), I burn it. Such as a small poem, affirmation, or thank you.

I mentally give a devotional, such as a thank you, or a entirely visualized gift (like flowers if there are none in season that I wish to give at the time.)

I place the object on the altar (if it's not edible) and wait until I feel it is time to dispose of it, or it has wilted (in the case of a plant). I dispose of it outside, burying it.

For food, I place it upon the altar, and often some will be missing when I return if I leave it unchecked for awhile. If it is not, and it hasn't been forever (I'm not eating stale food), I will eat it. Otherwise, I bury it or set it outside somewhere for animals (most common for me).

For honoring the dead, I place pictures of those who meant a great deal to me or I wish to simply honor and never met upon my altar, or objects of theirs'. After a certain period (whatever I feel is appropriate) I place the objects back where I normally keep them.

[Ahautenites]

In ritual, I frequently allow the Divine to borrow my body, for eating and drinking and stuff. :)

[Aidron]

Oh, another note, when it comes to eating things, I personally believe that the god/goddess, spirit, divinity, etc. is present within all things, so when I eat it, I am essentially offering it up to the god/goddess, spirit, divinity, etc. within me.

[LittleRhiannon]

Hmm I have been wondering the same thing...I've read that you can burn inscence as offering, if its a kind that you don't normally use or somthing. Thats what I was planning to do next full moon at least. I like the burying idea though.

[CalliopeHellice]

I don't usually leave an offering, except at Sabbats or "special" holy days (ie. Procession of the Witches). If it's an Esbat, which I use for workings, I don't leave offerings.

When I DO leave offerings, I take it outside and bury it.

[tensen]

I tend to send out my libations to nature. Let the animals eat of it and all the material to return to the earth.

But the aspect of the divine eatting the essence of the item and allowing you to deal with the physical form is just as valid.