The ancient Greeks worshiped their deities primarily through the giving of offerings* and sacrifices*. By giving something to the gods, we express our love and gratitude as well as maintain the cycle of gift giving. The gift cycle is the reciprocal cycle whereby our relationship with the gods is strengthened and maintained. It would be not only unfair, but also frustrating if all we could do was take from the gods without giving anything in return. It is human nature to want to repay kindness with kindness. Offerings are a way to do that.

I will write a separate post about the nature of offerings and all the different forms they can take. For this post, I just want to provide a basic format for a Hellenic offering and discuss the important concepts you need to know before making an offering to a Hellenic deity.

Miasma: Ritual Impurity

The Hellenics have a concept of spiritual dirt which is called miasma. This concept was distinct from sin because it did not imply moral failing, however it does separate the worshiper from the gods. Approaching a deity without first cleansing yourself of miasma has been likened to tracking mud through a host’s home. It is rude and does not incline the gods to look favorably upon you.

Miasma is picked up simply through the act of living day-to-day life but there are certain situations that are said to be particularly miasmic such as being around dead bodies or having sex.

Childbirth, menstruation, and natural death are all processes of generation which divert or disrupt the order of natural life that are tied with minor miasma (Guenther 2012, 250) (Panopoulos, Pnadion & Tsantilas 2014, 74). Other things which are miasmic typically pertain to the processes of generation which disrupt Natural Law, such as human blood, vaginal secretions, dirt, urine, feces, sexual fluids, sickness, etc. Making a mistake while performing a ritual or disrupting a ritual (in Latin called a vitium, or “defect, imperfection, impediment”) can cause that ritual to become void and also produce miasma. More severely, unjust actions that can be deemed hamartia, or sinful, can produce a far more harmful and negative miasma. HellenicFaith.com

In my own practice, I have struggled with the idea of miasma, both because it triggers memory of sin from my days as a Christian and because I find it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. For example, if death is so abhorrent to the gods then why was it OK to sacrifice animals at their altars? Or if sex is so miasmic, then why are the gods so sexual? Why were orgies run-of-the-mill in rituals to honor Pan?

But the most important reason I struggled with miasma is because I felt like it cut me off from the gods, especially when I needed them most. If I could only call on the gods when I was pure then did that mean I was on my own anytime I was away from my altar? And what if I tripped up my words while reading a hymn? Would the gods reject my offering and become even more distant from me? I wanted to be able to call on my gods anytime I needed them, without having to worry about purity or making a mistake.

When I first began making offerings to Pan, I was tempted to ignore the idea of miasma entirely. After all, if there was one god who wouldn’t care about miasma, it would be Pan! His followers worshiped him with orgies and the Homeric Hymn describes him as “unwashed.” But to my surprise, even Pan encouraged me to purify myself before rituals. And so I do.

I still wrestle with the idea of miasma and its connotations of sin and unworthiness, but I no longer feel that it distances me from the gods. The gods still answer my calls for help when I am away from my altar. They still show up even if I forgot to cleanse or a stumble over my words or spill the libation. They have never expressed anger for any miasma I might have accidentally trampled through their space. And yet, every Hellenic deity I have asked appreciates it when I cleanse before I make an offering or perform a ritual. I find that the ritual of cleansing before an offering gets me into a head space of contemplation and quiet, opening me up to the presence of deity. It is also a show of respect.

Katharsis: Ritual Purity

So how does one achieve a state of katharsis (also known as ritual purity)? I think of katharsis as happening on three levels: the physical, the mental, and the spiritual.

Physical katharsis requires physical cleanliness. A shower or bath is optimal but not always necessary. If you have already bathed that day and are still pretty clean, just washing your hands and/or brushing your teeth is usually acceptable.

Mental katharsis simply means focusing your mind to prepare for ritual. When you are cleansing yourself physically, don’t be thinking hateful thoughts about your boss. Turn your thoughts to the deity you will be honoring at your ritual. Try to put yourself in a head space that is honoring to them.

Spiritual katharsis is achieved by use of khernips: holy water. Khernips is made by either cleansing the water with fire or salt. Fire is the most common. Extinguish a burning bay leaf (or even just a match) in the basin of water and state your intention, “may this water be made pure.” If using salt, dissolve sea salt into the water while stating the same intention.

Using khernips: Khernips is used by either washing your face and hands in it (most traditional) or sprinkling it on yourself as well as your altar and area of worship. Personally, I also use it by anointing myself while asking for certain blessings which helps remind me of the purpose of katharsis: My crown – “may I be open to the presence of the gods”; The area of my 3rd eye – “may I see what is hidden”; My eyelids – “may I see with truth”; My lips – “may I speak with truth”; My heart – “may I know what is true in my heart.”

Making the Offering

Now that you are in a state of katharsis, you are ready to make your offering. It is best not to pour or handle the offering until you have achieved at least physical katharsis by washing your hands or taking a shower.

Make sure that you have everything you need for the ritual:

an altar space to set the offering (or a space to pour it if making a libation* outside)

a cup, bowl, or dish in which to place the offering

an image or representation of the deity (optional)

a candle if inside or fire if outside (optional)

incense (optional) – frankincense is the most traditional and a good general choice

a hymn or prayer, either traditional or modern (optional)

a musical instrument, such as a drum (optional)

Indoor Ritual

Approach the altar and set the offering nearby. Cleanse yourself and the altar with khernips if you have not already done so.

Light the candle and then light the incense in the flame of the candle (if you wish to honor Hestia, as is traditional, say “I dedicate the first and last portion of this burnt offering to you, bright Hestia, as is your due”).

Invoke* the presence of the deity by reading a hymn or prayer. Alternatively, you can say the name of the god three times, projecting your intention confidently outward that they be present with you for this ritual. If your deity likes music or loud noise, you can play an instrument at this time. While speaking to a deity, it is traditional to stand with your arms raised, palms up.

Pour the libation into the cup on the altar or set the offering on the altar. Speak to the deity in your own words. If you have never spoken to them before, introduce yourself. Tell the deity what you are offering them (including the incense if you are using it). Tell the deity what the offering is for and why you have called them to be there with you in that moment.

Spend some time listening to anything the deity has to tell you.

End the ritual by thanking the deity for their time and saying goodbye. Snuff or blow out the candle.

Outdoor ritual

Approach the altar (often a large rock), ritual fire, or ritual space where you plan on making the offering. Face East if possible. Cleanse yourself and the space with khernips if you have not already done so.

Invoke* the presence of the deity by reading a hymn or prayer. Alternatively, you can say the name of the god three times, projecting your intention confidently outward that they be present with you for this ritual. If your deity likes music or loud noise, you can play an instrument at this time. While speaking to a deity, it is traditional to stand with your arms raised, palms up.

Pour the libation onto the ground or onto the altar. If making an offering of food, throw it into the fire, if you have one, or lay it on the altar. (If you are making an offering by fire and wish to honor Hestia in the traditional way, reserve two small portions of the offering for her. Offer to her first and last, saying “I dedicate this (first / last) portion of the burnt offering to you, bright Hestia, as is your due.”)

Speak to the deity in your own words. If you have never spoken to them before, introduce yourself. Tell the deity what you are offering them. Tell the deity what the offering is for and why you have called them to be there with you in that moment.

Spend some time listening to anything the deity has to tell you.

End the ritual by thanking the deity for their time and saying goodbye.

A Note on Offering to Underworld Deities

If you are making an offering to a chthonic (underworld) deity such as Hades, there are some minor changes traditionally made to the ritual. When invoking the deity, rather than looking up to the sky and raising your arms, you can get low to the ground and strike the earth gently with your open palms to get the deity’s attention.

Altars dedicated to a chthonic deity are traditionally low to the ground. If outdoors, rather than offering onto a rock as a raised altar, offerings and libations can be buried or poured into a small hole.

Disposing of Food and Drink Offerings

Offerings made on indoor altars can be disposed of immediately after the ritual or can be left until the next day. Unless the offering is non-perishable I do not recommend leaving it on the altar for a long time.

There are several different options for how to dispose of offerings. When food or drink is offered to a deity, the god will accept the spiritual essence of the offering and leave the physical substance behind. This physical substance is now generally considered sacred and must be handled with respect. The following are some possible ways to respectfully dispose of offerings:

Leave them outside or pour them onto the ground: Pouring liquids onto the earth is a traditional and common way of making an offering (libations) or disposing of liquids offered in a cup on the altar. Food offerings, as long as they will not cause harm to local wildlife, can also be left outside in a wild place.

Add it to a compost pile: Composting is a great way to return the nutrients into the earth and continue the cycle

Bury it inside: You can keep a pot of soil inside for making libations or burying small food offerings. Obviously, this soil will need to be changed out regularly unless it is a potted plant you are making libations of water into.

Add it to an oil lamp: If offering oil, you can add it to an oil lamp dedicated to the deity

Consume it: Sometimes it is OK to eat or drink an offering after it has been given to a deity. In my experience, this is particularly true for gods of pleasure such as Pan who do not like to see a pleasurable opportunity go to waste. I generally treat these offerings that I consume as if they have been blessed by the deity it was dedicated to, and I respectfully and mindfully eat it right after the ritual. Traditionally, you do not want to eat something that has been dedicated to a chthonic deity because eating the food of the underworld can tie you to the land of the dead.

Throw it away: While not ideal, it is not always possible to leave an offering outside and in those cases throwing them away is OK. For added respect, some people with keep offerings in a separate trash bag rather than throwing it away with the rest of the trash. A lot of this depends upon your circumstances and ability. If disposing of an offering in a more traditional way is burdensome to you or would prevent you from being able to make offerings to the gods then throwing away remnants is perfectly acceptable and the gods will understand that you are being as respectful as possible.

A Note for Closeted Witches

Keeping altars and making offerings can be difficult for the witch who is trying to keep their practice a secret from others in their household. Here are a few tips and ideas to make it easier:

Do what you can and don’t sweat what you can’t. The gods understand

All ritual words can be spoken in your head rather than out loud

Altars can be passed off as “decoration“

Altars can be very small, portable, and easy to hide

Offerings can be disguised as snacks and eaten afterwards

A glass of water is a perfectly acceptable offering

You can make libations of water into a houseplant that you keep in your room

*Definitions

Offering: something given to a spirit or deity in order to show gratitude, respect, or love

Sacrifice: an offering that really costs you something

Libation: a liquid offering poured out onto the ground

Invoke: to get the attention of a deity