how do you make an offering...

[whiporwill-o]

to deities and/or to ancestors?

what do you offer? does it depend on the season? the person? the deity? or perhaps just what you have available?

once the offering is made, how long does it stay out (if at all), and afterwards, what do you do with it?

is your method a personal preference or is it religiously/culturally specific?

i have not officially made an offering as of yet due to the facts that i do not have a set path or set deities at the moment and i do not feel that i know my ancestors well enough yet, though my mother is helping me with that on her side of my family.  

[Kuroiban]

I'd post something intelligible if I had something...but unfortunately I'm rather in the dark here as well... sweatdrop  

[Doc Dillamond]

i usually sit under a tree or plant and dig a small hole than give my offering and say a prayer  

[whiporwill-o]

gemherbal

i usually sit under a tree or plant and dig a small hole than give my offering and say a prayer

care to elaborate a bit more, such as by answering the questions in the original post, for the sake of education and the discussion. 3nodding  

[TeaDidikai]

whiporwill-o

what do you offer? does it depend on the season? the person? the deity? or perhaps just what you have available?

Depends on all of those, and on personal states of purity.

Quote:

once the offering is made, how long does it stay out (if at all), and afterward, what do you do with it?

Depends on the above. Some of it is left for good. Some of them have been buried, though that's rather rare- more common than that us burning it.

Quote:

is your method a personal preference or is it religiously/culturally specific?

Tradition specific.  

[Ainwyn]

Tea, what do you mean by left for good?  

[TeaDidikai]

Ainwyn

Tea, what do you mean by left for good?

Some of my offerings are not "discarded", but are placed and remain there indefinitely. I suppose the elements will eventually make them unrecognizable, but for pieces such as my first cast jewelry, that is a long time off.  

[whiporwill-o]

TeaDidikai

Ainwyn

Tea, what do you mean by left for good?

Some of my offerings are not "discarded", but are placed and remain there indefinitely. I suppose the elements will eventually make them unrecognizable, but for pieces such as my first cast jewelry, that is a long time off.

i take it that you leave them outside then? in any specific place or would you prefer not to disclose?  

[TeaDidikai]

whiporwill-o

i take it that you leave them outside then?

Some of them. Some not.
For example, I have a hearth offering that remains on my hearth. I also have left offerings at gateposts and the base of trees.

Quote:

in any specific place or would you prefer not to disclose?

Depends on the offering.  

[whiporwill-o]

TeaDidikai

Some of them. Some not.
For example, I have a hearth offering that remains on my hearth. I also have left offerings at gateposts and the base of trees.

oh, i get it idea thanks

(i wish i had a fireplace emo )  

[TeaDidikai]

whiporwill-o

(i wish i had a fireplace emo )

For the moment, I am without a proper "hearth", I merely have a standin.

I intend to fix that soon.  

[whiporwill-o]

TeaDidikai

whiporwill-o

(i wish i had a fireplace emo )

For the moment, I am without a proper "hearth", I merely have a standin.

I intend to fix that soon.

i hope it turns out well 3nodding

may i ask what you use as a stand in?  

[TeaDidikai]

whiporwill-o

i hope it turns out well 3nodding

may i ask what you use as a stand in?

I guess "a" standin isn't as accurate as it could have been.
I have several- and they change depending on what I am doing.

Examples include:
My stove
A portable fire pit
My mortar
My threshold
A brass
A small corner of my apartment

And last but not least, a "mini mantel" that I bought when I was living down town.

I have only ever inhabited two places that didn't have a hearth. I bought the mini hearth from Barns and Nobel when I first moved to my apartment which didn't have a fireplace.  

[whiporwill-o]

TeaDidikai

whiporwill-o

i hope it turns out well 3nodding

may i ask what you use as a stand in?

I guess "a" standin isn't as accurate as it could have been.
I have several- and they change depending on what I am doing.

Examples include:
My stove
A portable fire pit
My mortar
My threshold
A brass
A small corner of my apartment

And last but not least, a "mini mantel" that I bought when I was living down town.

I have only ever inhabited two places that didn't have a hearth. I bought the mini hearth from Barns and Nobel when I first moved to my apartment which didn't have a fireplace.

those are wonderful ideas, thank you for sharing! i have never lived in a home with a fireplace, but i hope to one day.  

[TeaDidikai]

whiporwill-o

TeaDidikai

whiporwill-o

i hope it turns out well 3nodding

may i ask what you use as a stand in?

I guess "a" standin isn't as accurate as it could have been.
I have several- and they change depending on what I am doing.

Examples include:
My stove
A portable fire pit
My mortar
My threshold
A brass
A small corner of my apartment

And last but not least, a "mini mantel" that I bought when I was living down town.

I have only ever inhabited two places that didn't have a hearth. I bought the mini hearth from Barns and Nobel when I first moved to my apartment which didn't have a fireplace.

those are wonderful ideas, thank you for sharing! i have never lived in a home with a fireplace, but i hope to one day.

I hate being without one. So much so that I am going to learn how to build one myself just so I know I will always be able to have one.