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Author Topic: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?  (Read 2844 times)

Emerald

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Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« on: March 22, 2014, 10:56:47 am »
I've been wondering lately: what do our offerings do for Deities?

I've read that they take the essence out of the food offerings. What about other kinds of offerings like alcohol, art, poetry, incense, energetic offerings?

What do they use the energies for?

HarpingHawke

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2014, 05:10:33 pm »
Quote from: Emerald;143318
I've been wondering lately: what do our offerings do for Deities?

I've read that they take the essence out of the food offerings. What about other kinds of offerings like alcohol, art, poetry, incense, energetic offerings?

What do they use the energies for?

 
While I wouldn't say I'm an authority on the subject, I would think they just enjoy it. At least, that's what I've been told...

Also, they could want it because it creates a certain atmosphere for ritual or worship.
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kiarakapow

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2014, 05:57:07 pm »
Quote from: Emerald;143318
I've been wondering lately: what do our offerings do for Deities?

I've read that they take the essence out of the food offerings. What about other kinds of offerings like alcohol, art, poetry, incense, energetic offerings?

What do they use the energies for?

 
Well my offerings (to my Guardians, not sure if they are deities but don't know what else to call them and they seem to enjoy the name) are pretty much just thanks for them being with me and guiding me through life. So I think they just enjoy it, like HarpingHawke said, they appreciate the gesture. You could say that the joy they get from it brings them energy. Like they're more willing to work with me, help me, and what not. If that makes any sense to you @_@

veggiewolf

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2014, 02:23:07 pm »
Quote from: Emerald;143318
I've been wondering lately: what do our offerings do for Deities?

I've read that they take the essence out of the food offerings. What about other kinds of offerings like alcohol, art, poetry, incense, energetic offerings?

What do they use the energies for?

 
I give offerings to the netjeru and to my ancestors with the words, "May your ka be refreshed."  The ka that is being refreshed in these cases is the essential spark, the source, and the sustaining power that makes them them.  All of my offerings do this same thing, but in different ways, in the way that I am refreshed differently by food and drink than I am by hearing a symphony or smelling my favorite perfume.
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Breeze

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2014, 04:27:58 pm »
Quote from: mokshagarbatti;145178
It is prerequisite that you should worship God with the utmost faith and devotion. This is important that any kind of offerings.


Wtf? :confused:

No one is "required" to "worship" anything or anyone, with or without the "utmost faith and devotion", nor are offerings an absolute requirement for all paths.

kiarakapow

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2014, 04:41:36 pm »
Quote from: Breeze;145210
Wtf? :confused:

No one is "required" to "worship" anything or anyone, with or without the "utmost faith and devotion", nor are offerings an absolute requirement for all paths.

Thanks for that. I was kind of lost trying to think of a response to this....

DavidMcCann

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2014, 06:35:55 pm »
Quote from: Breeze;145210
Wtf?

As you see, Mokshagarbatti, manners are rather different in the USA than in India or Britain! I presume you mean that the offering is less important than the devotion that it represents? Gods do not need worship, or anything else: it is we who benefit from, as it brings us into alignment (as it were) with them.
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Breeze

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2014, 07:27:27 pm »
Quote from: DavidMcCann;145216
As you see, Mokshagarbatti, manners are rather different in the USA than in India or Britain! I presume you mean that the offering is less important than the devotion that it represents? Gods do not need worship, or anything else: it is we who benefit from, as it brings us into alignment (as it were) with them.


I see what you did there.  When someone makes a completely false statement (one that is wide-sweeping and claims to be true for all paths, as occurred here and in your response), I see "Wtf? + clarification" as a valid response.  I guess I could say that apparently our logic here must be different too, but ya know, *manners*.

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2014, 06:03:19 am »
Quote from: mokshagarbatti;145178
It is prerequisite that you should worship God with the utmost faith and devotion. This is important that any kind of offerings.

*Which* god?

I can think of some for whom the idea that they need to be worshipped would lead to much laughter.
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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2014, 06:51:45 pm »
Quote from: Breeze;145210
Wtf? :confused:

 
And now everyone is probably even more confused, since the post Breeze is responding to is gone. This is because mokshagarbatti was banned as a spammer - by Randall, using our nifty Spam-o-matic tool since he has a crappy Internet connection and little time to spare. The drawback to this (and the reason we don't usually use it if a spammer has made posts that have been replied to) is that it makes the spammer vanish without trace from TC.

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Scales

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2014, 11:01:18 pm »
Quote from: Emerald;143318
I've been wondering lately: what do our offerings do for Deities?

I've read that they take the essence out of the food offerings. What about other kinds of offerings like alcohol, art, poetry, incense, energetic offerings?

What do they use the energies for?

 
Did you ask this on tumblr? It sounds really familiar. I might have just read this thread before but I know I answered something like this.

Emerald

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #11 on: April 16, 2014, 11:38:48 pm »
Quote from: Scales;145398
Did you ask this on tumblr? It sounds really familiar. I might have just read this thread before but I know I answered something like this.

 
Wasn't me, I don't use tumblr.

Scales

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2014, 12:17:51 am »
Quote from: Emerald;145406
Wasn't me, I don't use tumblr.

 
I found the one I was thinking of, it was actually stemmed from someone talking about people going 'here's an offering now do stuff for me.' I must have just read this thread sometime around when I replied to that.

This is what I said, since it's relevantish to this thread and I'm posting anyway:
--
I see offerings rather like hostess gifts. It’s polite and respectful to bring one, even if you’re not expecting steaklobster brulee for dinner. And giving an awesome one doesn’t mean they should make steaklobster brulee for you, though they might give you a nice part of the meal they’re already serving. And in the future, they’ll remember ‘that person was always a great guest, it would be pleasant to do something for them.’

It also extends to it being okay to just bring whatever is in your means (a bottle of wine for dinner, a couple flowers, a dessert, soaps), or occasionally nothing but just being a good visitor. And that with some hosts, it’s fine to be like ‘hey while I’m here I’ll trade you this batch of cookies for some of yours if you want’ and both get something new, but with others that you keep it formal.
--
And continuing to more relevant on this topic and having a food metaphor still, your hosts probably don't need wine/chocolates/soaps and could get it for themselves anyway, but it's still proper to bring something.

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #13 on: April 28, 2014, 04:47:41 pm »
Quote from: Scales;145412
I see offerings rather like hostess gifts. It’s polite and respectful to bring one, even if you’re not expecting steaklobster brulee for dinner. And giving an awesome one doesn’t mean they should make steaklobster brulee for you, though they might give you a nice part of the meal they’re already serving. And in the future, they’ll remember ‘that person was always a great guest, it would be pleasant to do something for them.’

And continuing to more relevant on this topic and having a food metaphor still, your hosts probably don't need wine/chocolates/soaps and could get it for themselves anyway, but it's still proper to bring something.


That's pretty much my thought. I wouldn't know if the Gods need offerings, per se, any more than we need people to bring gifts when coming to see us, but it sure seems to leave a good impression. (Of course, that leaves me wondering what/if Gods do need to eat, but I actually suspect they can take care of that Themselves.)

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Re: Offerings, what do they do for Deity?
« Reply #14 on: July 13, 2014, 05:43:13 pm »
Quote from: Balticdragon;146384
That's pretty much my thought. I wouldn't know if the Gods need offerings, per se, any more than we need people to bring gifts when coming to see us, but it sure seems to leave a good impression. (Of course, that leaves me wondering what/if Gods do need to eat, but I actually suspect they can take care of that Themselves.)

 
Well I sort of see it that way, though I lesson out for when they would like to have some thing. Some times its just a feeling or they will tell me in some form or way. I know a few that I have worked with told me they didn't really want offerings because they said by me just wanting to be friends and working with them was good enough, while others like to have an offering or two once in a while. My mother told me once when she use to work with Bastet she would want offerings often and would want her to do things more for younger people like my self.
So I really think its all up to the deity and the person whom the deity is working with. Because I can serenely safely say, I had different experiences from Anpu or Usir from another who also works with them.

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