As someone who's never properly made an offering before, (if you don't count those monetary ones at church back when I was a christian) I'd like to know a bit about how they work in a practical way. For instance:
1) Is it okay to leave offerings for a deity if you simply respect them, but are uncertain as whether or not to work with them?
2) What about if you're first trying to get the deity's attention? Is it appropriate to start off with offerings, or should you do a meditation or something else first?
3) Are offerings generally only food? If so, is it more proper to cook the food, or leave it raw? Are they allowed to be eaten afterwards? Or does it depend on the deity?
4) If offerings can be things other than food, what could they be? And could they be used after the offering ceremony?
5) How long do offerings need to be left out on the altar, or sacred space? If food needs to be left out a long time, and eating afterwards is okay, is it appropriate to leave the offering with plastic wrap over it? (I'm kind of wary of doing that one either way, but it's just a question that came to mind.)
6) What sorts of offering ceremonies can be done, and how do you do them, in general?
7) Is there anything else that would be helpful for me, or anyone else reading this, to know about offerings before starting one?
1) Is it okay to leave offerings for a deity if you simply respect them, but are uncertain as whether or not to work with them?
2) What about if you're first trying to get the deity's attention? Is it appropriate to start off with offerings, or should you do a meditation or something else first?
3) Are offerings generally only food? If so, is it more proper to cook the food, or leave it raw? Are they allowed to be eaten afterwards? Or does it depend on the deity?
4) If offerings can be things other than food, what could they be? And could they be used after the offering ceremony?
5) How long do offerings need to be left out on the altar, or sacred space? If food needs to be left out a long time, and eating afterwards is okay, is it appropriate to leave the offering with plastic wrap over it? (I'm kind of wary of doing that one either way, but it's just a question that came to mind.)
6) What sorts of offering ceremonies can be done, and how do you do them, in general?
7) Is there anything else that would be helpful for me, or anyone else reading this, to know about offerings before starting one?
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