In rituals both formal and informal, we make offerings to the gods, to the spirits, and to the ancestors. I usually use rice, cornmeal, fruit, bread, oil, incense, and alcohol (preferably wine or good Irish whiskey). Different entities like different things. Sometimes I offer money, especially to give thanks for a good business month. That money gets anonymously donated to a local women’s shelter. I recently offered a silver bracelet to Ixchel during my travels. But why do we do this? I think making offerings benefit us on two levels.

First is the “religious” or literal level: the gods like it. We know this because our ancient ancestors knew it. We also know it because we can feel it in our bones when we make our offerings — the fact that gods have wants and maybe even needs; likes and dislikes. When we see the world as the ancients saw it, we realize the importance of exchanges in our relationships. They are about reciprocity; give and take. Even though we can’t truly repay our debts to the ancients we offer to, we feel they appreciate the jesture, at least, and it strenthens our relationship to them.

But I think it helps us on a psychological level as well. Performing the physical acts of ritual has a way of driving home philosophical messages to the deepest parts of our psyche. Its a way of talking to our deeper self in a language it can understand. We understand more deeply by doing rather than just by thinking about abstract concepts. Performing offering in ritual expresses, and at the same time, develops our sense of gratitude.

To realize how blessed we are (no matter who you think is doing the blessing), how much we have to be thankful for, and how indebted we are to those around us and who have come before us to make our very existence possible is an important spiritual experience. One of my favorite triads says there are three debts which can never be fully paid: to our parents, to a good teacher, and to the Shining Ones. That sense of indebtedness is one of the strongest motivators we have to live honorably and do what is right out of respect for those we are indebted to.