Offerings connect us with the energy of the other side, drawing close spiritual beings and helping us receive their energy. They are an active exchange of energy, a circle of blessed energy; karma in action. This following information will help you create this in your spiritual practice.
What Is An Offering?
An offering is something given to the other side to show respect and appreciation for what it is you call upon. It connects our energy with the other side. Many people will leave offerings and ask for something in exchange, but this isn't required in order to properly do this.
An offering can be something you made or grew; it can be something foraged, like a beautiful leaf, stone, or shell. It can be as simple as singing a song or lighting a candle.
Offerings are so much more than giving a gift; this is only part of it. The true offering is your energy and essence while leaving it. Share your love and gratitude with a clear heart.
Who do I leave an offering for?
You may be familiar with the practice of leaving food on your altar and lighting a candle for an ancestor. You can leave offerings for humans and even pets on the other side, for fairies, dragons, or mermaids, for deities or goddesses. You can leave offerings to other planets, the sun, or Mother Nature herself! I have even left offerings for the spirit of the soil and the spirit of water. Whatever resonates in your heart that you wish to connect more deeply to, or that you are asking for something from, go for it.
Is There Anything I Need To Worry About?
Some people may feel intimidated or nervous to leave offerings because they're worried that something negative will come out of it. It's important to remember that the base energy of reality is love, and that you are safe. Leaving offerings should be a source of comfort, not a source of fear.
When leaving an offering, always do so from a positive place. Keep in mind that what you put out returns to you (the law of karma). So long as you're not putting out intentions to harm others or the environment, you have nothing to worry about!
How To Leave Your Offering
Leaving an offering is simple, and you can do this however way feels right to you. Some people like to meditate before or while doing so.
Call in who or what the offering is for. Let them know you come in peace, and wish to offer them this gift. Share your love and gratitude as you place it. Ask for their trust in return. Let them know you will protect nature and honor the spirits that live there.
If there's something you're hoping to get their help with, ask when you leave this offering. You can ask spirits and fairies for guidance, inspiration, hope, or good luck. It's a good idea when choosing your offering to keep in mind who/what you'd like to attract and what the intentions are in the connection. For example, you might leave wildflower seeds to attract flower pixies. Or, if you're honoring the goddess of love, you might choose rose petals or jasmine incense.
Sometimes we will have strange coincidences or a tangible knowing that their offering has been accepted. Other times we have no indication, and must trust that we are reaching who or what we're trying to reach.
Where To Leave Your Offering
Place offerings on your altar for ancestors, spirits, deities, fairies, or any spiritual energy that you're trying to connect with. You do not need an altar to properly leave an offering.
If you're leaving something for an ancestor, you can place your offering on their grave.
Out in nature, on trails or at the beach, place your offerings on a stump, rock, or shell. You can also choose a special tree to leave offerings at the base of.
You can dedicate a special place in your yard, garden, or even in a flower pot that plants are growing in. You can set up a special area just for offerings, or as its own offering! Fairies enjoy circles; you can arrange a circle of stones or set up fairy houses in a safe spot where they will not be disturbed. Spirits enjoy plants like lavender, basil, rose, mint, rosemary, thyme, marigolds, and peonies. If you do not have space in your yard for a garden, a container garden on your porch, in your windowsill, or even inside your home will do just as well.
If you want to invite fairies into your home, start leaving offerings on your front or back doorstep. After a few times, leave them inside your door. Then, keep moving it each time closer and closer to wherever you're inviting them to reside.
It's important to note that even if your offering doesn't disappear, it doesn't mean that the offering wasn't accepted.
Types Of Offerings
Certain offerings will be better suited for certain intentions or spiritual energies/beings. You can choose between simple or more complex offerings.
1) Something natural and organic is easy and well suited: berries, nuts, seeds, flowers, (natural) rose or other flower petals, herbs, honey, even wine. Sprinkle wildflower seeds in your yard. Fairies enjoy all of these things very much! You can create a bundle or basket with natural twine with multiple elements in it. I have a grandmother on the other side that loved to smoke, so sometimes I will leave tobacco on her grave. Saffron is especially potent for inviting fairies into your life or space. Sprinkle some onto your offering dishes or brew a tea that you can offer.
2) Crystals deserve their own category! You can choose the proper offering based on the frequencies of the stone. For example, you may choose rose quartz with the intention to call in benevolent, loving spirits and fairies. Or, perhaps amethyst if you want to attract allies to help you with your intuitive abilities. Leave your crystal on your altar, in a window sill, or even place it in your garden. (You may want to double check first that it will be okay if it gets wet, as some crystals can be damaged by water).
3) Shiny things, like coins, sea glass, or shells are attractive especially to fairies. Set them somewhere you know they will find them, like on your porch, in your flower pots, or on your altar.
4) Burning incense or a candle is wonderful for spirits and ancestors. They appreciate sweet scents! This is also works to quell any negative spiritual energies that might be present.
5) Make sun water by filling a jar with water and setting it in the sunlight. Envision this water being charged and infused with light, love, and joy from this celestial body. When it is complete, pour the water out where you would like to leave your offering. This is really great if you garden or have house plants! By sharing this with them, we share purity and life force energy.
6) Share music as an offering! Spirits and fairies appreciate songs played on instruments or sung by you. If you're not musically inclined, don't worry; there are many songs that would be wonderful as offerings that you could play directly from your phone. You can place wind chimes on your porch or in your window as well, they love the twinkling sounds!
7) Spirits and beings in parallel realms enjoy food just as much as we do! By sharing this with them we share nourishment and gratitude. You can leave a treat or meal on your altar for ancestors or spirits. Wait ten minutes, then consume the food yourself. It will be charged with spiritual energy that helps connect you more deeply. Smaller portions of food can also be left in nature for fairies to enjoy. They most appreciate homemade sweets and breads made with organic or homegrown ingredients. They would love something like honey cake.
8) Create a sigil charged with your own intentions. You can draw this on a piece of bark or a leaf to leave as your offering. You can also draw this into the dirt or sand, with the same effect.
Using any of these methods will make your already present spirits and fairies happy, as well as call in the ones that are aligned with your present journey.
What happens when I leave an offering?
Your offering calls out to whoever or whatever you’re leaving this for, a message that you acknowledge their existence. Offerings can simply be a message of gratitude. They can also be an exchange, where you receive something in return.
When you leave offerings for ancestors and loved ones on the other side, you welcome them to visit the Earth plane where you’ve left your gift. You are likely to notice signs of their visitation. They will share their love and guidance with you, and can usually provide protection if you ask.
When you leave offerings for Spirit Guides or your Spirit Team, they will begin to come in more clearly with guidance and wisdom. They will also share protection if you ask.
When you leave offerings for fairies, mermaids, gnomes, brownies, any of the fairy realm beings, they usually return a small gift or grant you with something you need, whether you ask for it or are unaware you need it!
When you leave an offering for Mother Nature, she is drawn to the land to assist in healing the environment. She can help your garden grow big and strong.
These are just a few examples. Positive connection with a higher realm comes of leaving offerings. This is a regular part of my spiritual practice, and I’ve had miraculous experiences that cannot be explained by the logical mind occur not only to myself, but to those around me.
When should I leave my offering?
Your offering will reach the other side any time that you leave it! I try to make this a weekly practice, whether I leave an offering on my altar or visit nature. However, you may choose to align your intentions to certain days or times of the year.
Important dates: If you’re connecting with a loved one on the other side, perhaps you may choose to leave an extra special offering for them on their Earth birthday or a special anniversary the two of you shared. Their energy will already feel more close by, so this will be a potent time for experiencing a connection with them through dreams, visions, or synchronicities.
Assistance: If you’re asking the other side or the fairy realm for assistance in bringing something to reality, you may choose to leave your offering either on a new moon for cultivating your vision to reality, or on a full moon for releasing anything that you no longer need. Season changes will also be good times to leave offerings; for example, the spring equinox for rebirth, the autumnal equinox for release.
Holidays: Another popular time that people like to leave offerings would be holidays, such as Day of the Dead (Halloween time) and Yule (Christmas time). The energies when we cycle around to a certain time of year are always celebratory, with many gatherings and parties, which the other side is attracted to! A final thought: Have you ever thought about how much a gingerbread house resembles a fairy house? When we bake one with love, we welcome elves and magic into our home when!
