Ancestors

[irondoe]

So, for the people that do ancestor worship, especially those of you from a European background, what kind of things do you offer them (besides fresh water)? Is it strictly stuff they liked during life, or a set of things you offer to all ancestors, or a mix?

I'm asking from a Euro background because that's my own background and I do not want to take practices that aren't mine. Looking especially for Celtic, Northern European, and Eastern European practices (but not specifically Slavic or Scandi)

Comments

[blueberry_ash]

I do tea - usually in tea leaf form, because I have cats and a young child, and liquid tea everywhere when there's a boo-boo gives me a headache. Usually black tea leaves, but I mix it up with other herbal teas when we have them, or on special occasions. For me, the tea is because all of the ancestors that I knew loved it, and also because I feel like I can 'sit' and spend some time with them while I drink tea as well. It's probably not strictly what I 'should' be doing, but the other things I would like to offer - especially alcohol -- again really don't work with a small person in the house.

[irondoe]

Oh yeah, I've got similar reasons for not doing most foods and keeping it to water right now. My family wasn't big on tea, but fresh coffee grounds sounds like a good idea.

[mtoddweb]

My default is also cold water, and that's what most of them get. There are some I would make tea for, especially my maternal grandmother, who drank it every morning and made me a cup. The other day it was Doreen Valiente's birthday, and I offered her a cup of regular tea; I happen to have a British variety, PG Tips, and I think that was well received.

Toward the end of last year, I opened up relations with my mother, who's been gone over thirty years; we had a contentious relationship in life, and I've never let it go. On the urging of a friend I trust, I went to her, and she gets included in the daily water offering and gets a small glass of Smirnoff vodka once a week. That's what she drank, and on the very rare occasions I drink liquor, I also drink vodka.

[mdehners]

I divide my Practice into Personal, Familial and General Ancestors. On my Altar there are photos of my parents and their parents. Unfortunately, while I do have pics from my Mom's Mom's family, none are labeled.
To the Disir in General and my family's in particular I have a Lady with a Drinking Horn figurine(with Thorr and Frigg) on the mantle of my fireplace. I have no physical representations of the General Ancestors but offer Them libations at every High Day.
I offer Thanks to all of my Ancestors each day as part of my general Devotion. My personal ones I usually offer Them Libations(and maybe food) at Samhain/Winter Finding and the Disir with a Disablot, which depending on the yr is at Samhain or Modranacht(Winter Solstice.
The general Practice is to enter Sacred Space(or make if=t if you don't have a permanent place) Call Them and Toast to Their Memories;pouring Theirs on the Earth or in a Blessing Bowl which I empty at a very large Oak in my yard. Interestingly, I found the older the Ancestor the easier to Contact in general. Recent ones who've Passed seem to be too busy to answer;>....
Cheers,
Pat

[irondoe]

A Blessing Bowl, that's a good idea. I've been using a mug on my altar but a bowl for libations is a good one for temporary offerings.

[mdehners]

Esp since you can hold more in a bowl;>! Even with that, I still have to watch myself during long Rites when there's many to Offer to;>.
Cheers,
Pat

[notreallystars]

I usually offer tea, and then depending how much time I have I can either leave it out for them or sit down with my own tea and spend some time with them.

[lenyberry]

If I'm calling to someone specific, I'll try to tailor the offering to something I know they liked in life. When I do an offering intended for a group of ancestors rather than just someone specific, or a specific ancestor whose preferences while alive I don't know, I usually put out at least three cups with different liquids. One will be fresh water, the other two some combination of tea/coffee/juice/wine/hard alcohol depending on what I have on hand; this way they can choose which they prefer. I'll also light a candle and incense. Tobacco also tends to go over well I've heard, but that may also be un-ideal in your living situation (I don't smoke so I just don't have it around and while I would be able to get some for offering purposes and keep thinking about doing so, I haven't gotten around to making a special trip) -- as one reference I saw said, odds are very good that *someone* in your ancestry smoked, probably many of them.

I'm not sure this is at all European tradition; I don't really HAVE a tradition, in the standard sense. But my ancestry is dominantly European and this seems to work out alright. What I do is sort of a compilation of suggestions aimed at general ancestor work (written for general use rather than being a specific tradition's practice) and personal intuition.

Also, I generally dispose of food and drink offerings by consuming them, though sometimes I'll dispose of the water in a plant (and obviously if I've forgotten about something long enough for it to spoil, I throw it out). Enough of my ancestors lived through lean times that I highly doubt they'd want me deliberately throwing away perfectly good calories on their behalf.

When I offer food, it's usually either a portion of whatever I'm cooking for myself, or sweets.

[hrafn]

When I did regular offerings, I lit a candle and offered tea (with a tiny bit of milk and sugar or honey), 'cause that's what They asked for.

I also used to bake bread, and on offering days I'd share bread out among all the altars (gods, spirits, ancestors). I should probably add that I started baking bread as a general offering to my ancestors - that is, the act itself was a devotional one.

[mdehners]

Quite true. here's nothing more Elemental than the act of Baking Bread. It was Magic, Life from inert ingredients. And with Bread, there is less problem with attracting unwanted critters than other food offerings(at least in the house;>!).
On the subject, I can't think of a better offering bread than a Sourdough which is the kind of bread the Ancestors ate before the 19th Century and the discovery of Yeasts.
Cheers,
Pat

[northernsoul]

I offer incense and alcohol (most of my ancestors liked to drink). For a specific ancestor that liked coffee, I'll offer coffee.