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Ritual Food Offering and Libation

For drink, go outside- ideally on your own property. If you don’t have property of your own, try to find a secluded spot in a nearby park. You won’t be doing anything illegal, but privacy can help the heart to open.

Optionally, you may wish to dig a hole in the ground. It doesn’t have to be very deep; a small hole made with a gardening trowel will do. Otherwise, use a stick to trace an equal-armed cross on the ground.

Open a new bottle of wine, milk, honey, oil, or spring water. Lift it up and pray:

I offer this libation wholly, without reservation, to [figure]. And should I return home and discover that this was the last bottle of (wine, milk, honey, oil, or water) left on earth, I still would not regret it. Such is the depth of my love.

Pour the whole bottle into the hole, or at the center of the cross. When you are done, refill the hole or cover the cross with fresh dirt from nearby. divider

For food, first, you’ll want to pick the food you’re offering. It’s best if you cook it yourself. It can be a simple recipe, like pasta or roasted vegetables. But if cooking just isn’t an option for some reason, try to do something nice with the plating instead.

Hold the plate up in your hands. At the same time, feel the earth holding you up. See the bounty of the earth, all her support and nourishment, in the food before you. Feel humble, because even though you are making this offering, you didn’t really make this food— they did through you.

Place the offering on your altar and pray:

I offer you this nourishment. May it strengthen and delight you as it would delight and nourish me.

Leave the offering there for at least a day or two, and then dispose of it according to your tradition’s rules for offering disposal.

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