Old Gods and New Pagans
"Old Gods & New Pagans" is a welcoming space for new and curious pagans, heathens, and animists to explore the basics of paganism. Rooted in an Animist perspective, this podcast takes an inclusive approach, covering topics relevant to a variety of pagan paths. Each episode breaks down complex ideas into simple, easy-to-understand language, with guest discussions, stories, and insights. Whether you're just starting your pagan journey or looking to learn more, join us as we dive into the wisdom of the old gods and the practices of modern pagans.
Old Gods and New Pagans
Ep.10 Offerings & Sacrifices - From Food to Fire
Think offerings and sacrifices are the same thing? Think again. In this deep dive, we explore one of the most fundamental—and misunderstood—practices in pagan traditions: giving gifts to the gods.
From ancient Greek temple ceremonies where entire communities gathered to share sacred meals, to modern pagans leaving apples on kitchen altars, we'll unpack what our ancestors actually did (spoiler: it wasn't all dramatic Hollywood stuff) and how these practices have evolved for the 21st century.
We'll cover the real difference between offerings and sacrifices, explore traditions from Greek thusia to Norse blót, and get practical about modern approaches that won't break your bank or get you weird looks from the neighbors. Plus, we'll tackle the environmental considerations that matter in today's world—because littering isn't honoring nature spirits, it's just littering.
Whether you're looking to deepen your existing practice or just curious about what pagans actually do when nobody's watching, this episode cuts through the mystical jargon to give you practical, grounded information you can actually use.
Topics Covered:
- The crucial difference between offerings and sacrifices
- Historical practices across Greek, Norse, and Celtic traditions
- Modern adaptations for apartment dwellers and budget-conscious practitioners
- Environmental considerations for responsible practice
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Content Warning: This episode discusses historical animal sacrifice in an educational context.
"Old Gods and New Pagans" explores ancient wisdom and modern pagan practices with curiosity, respect, and just enough skepticism to keep things interesting. New episodes drop every [frequency] wherever you get your podcasts.
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Hello there and welcome to the Old Gods and New Pagans podcast. I'm your host, matt Holloway, your guide through the wild and wonderful world of pagan traditions. Whether you're a seasoned pagan, a curious newcomer or just here for the stories, you're in the right place. I'm all about exploring ancient wisdom, modern practices and everything in between. I like taking pagan education and traditions and putting them into easily understandable and accessible formats. So grab a cup of tea, maybe a coffee or beer, get comfortable and let's dive into today's topic.
Speaker 1:Today we're talking about offerings and sacrifices, two concepts that get thrown around a lot in pagan circles, often interchangeably, but they're actually quite different beasts. We'll explore what our ancestors did, what we do now and how to navigate this whole thing without accidentally offending a deity or possibly getting yourself on a watch list. Before we dive in, quick content warning we're going to discuss historical animal sacrifice a little bit Nothing graphic, but I just want you to know what you're getting into. This is educational stuff, not a how-to guide Remember, nobody has all the answers but asking questions. That's where we learn. All right, let's start with the basics, because and I cannot stress this enough because and I cannot stress this enough offerings and sacrifices are not the same thing, despite what that person who read that one book on witchcraft or paganism might tell you. They're not.
Speaker 1:An offering is essentially a gift. I like to see them as a guest gift. You're giving something to a deity, a spirit or nature of the universe itself as a sign of respect, of gratitude or to build a relationship. Think of it like bringing flowers to a dinner party You're not expecting anything specific in return, but you're showing up with good intentions. A sacrifice, on the other hand, involves giving up something of value, and I mean real value, with the understanding that you're permanently losing it. The word literally comes from the Latin sacrificium, meaning to make sacred. You're taking something from the mundane world and consecrating it, often through destruction. Here's the key difference. Offerings can be retrieved, reused or consumed later. That apple you left on your altar, you can eat it tomorrow if you want, but a sacrifice that's gone forever. When our ancestors threw weapons into bogs or burned grain in fires, they weren't coming back for that shit.
Speaker 1:In modern practice, most of what we do are offerings. We've moved away from the permanent destruction model for many obvious reasons, you know, namely it's expensive, it's often impractical and, let's be honest, most of us can't afford to burn money in the literal sense. You know what I mean. But here's where it gets interesting. Some modern pagans practice what we might call symbolic sacrifice. They'll give up something meaningful, maybe a favorite piece of jewelry, thrown into a river, or they may fast for a day or donate money or items that they'd rather spend or use themselves. The key is that genuine sense of loss.
Speaker 1:Now there are many types of offerings, so we're going to talk about a few different things. So much as like the bread and butter of modern pagan practice, you know offerings. These come in different varieties. They come in more varieties than, let's say, craft beer at a Portland festival. So let's break them all down.
Speaker 1:First we have food and drink. They're probably the most common Bread, fruit, wine, milk, honey, mead, beer, etc. Basically, anything you'd serve to a guest. The logic is pretty straightforward If you'd offer it to someone you respect, the gods would probably appreciate it too. Plus, food offerings have this beautiful temporary quality they decay, they change, they become part of the earth again. They can be composted, they can feed wildlife, things like that.
Speaker 1:Another thing is incense and smoke offerings. They're huge across many cultures around the world, because there's really something primal about watching smoke rise up, carrying your intentions and prayers with it. Whether it's frankincense, sage, cedar, juniper, whatever, or just whatever's in your kitchen spice rack, throw some cinnamon sticks on there, you're creating something ephemeral and quite beautiful Fire offerings. Now they step things up a little notch. We're talking about actually burning stuff. Papers with written prayers, small tokens, even hair or nail clippings were common in some traditions. There's something deeply transformative about watching fire consume your offering. Just, you know, don't burn down your house. Your landlord probably won't accept religious practice as an excuse. If you catch my drift, natural items are everywhere Flowers, stones, shelves, leaves, cool sticks. These work especially well if you're working with nature, spirits or earth-based deities. The ocean doesn't care about your expensive crystals, but it might appreciate that beautiful, perfect shell you found on your morning.
Speaker 1:Creative offerings are another type. These are where things get kind of interesting and a little fun for the creative types. Art, music, poetry, dance anything that comes from your creative soul would be a creative offering. I even know pagans who write songs for their deities, fold them up and put them in a fire. I know others who paint portraits of the gods and different things. There's some really awesome Instagram creators out there that do that, and then some who perform just elaborate dances in the living rooms or in their yard. The gods appreciate beauty, and what's more appreciative than human creativity? And here's one that people often forget Time and energy. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can offer is your attention, meditation, prayer, acts of service. These are offerings too. That hour you spend volunteering that counts Now.
Speaker 1:Now let's get into disposal. That's where things can get a little odd. Some offerings are meant to stay put, like on my altar. I have certain items that stay put a bottle of mead and a few other things up there that just keep them as like guests, guest gifts and they stay there constantly. I don't move them, don't touch them. They're just on my altar. For that reason, others need to be disposed of respectfully. Food offerings shouldn't sit around and get moldy. That's gross and not very sacred, if you ask me. Most can be composted, buried or left for animals. Just don't leave anything out there. That's harmful to wildlife.
Speaker 1:Now let's Talk about getting into the elephant of the room. Sacrifices and yes, I mean the kind that involves permanent loss, not just setting your alarm a little earlier on Sunday mornings. That's not much of a sacrifice. Historically, sacrifice was a big fucking deal. We're talking about communities coming together to slaughter valuable animals, burn precious goods or throw weapons worth more than a year's wages into a lake or spring. This wasn't casual Sunday morning spirituality. This was serious business with serious life consequences.
Speaker 1:The historical context is really crucial here. In ancient societies, animals weren't just food, they were wealth. Cattle, sheep, goats these were your bank account walking around on legs. When you sacrificed a bull to Zeus, you were literally burning money. That's a lot of what made it sacred that genuine loss.
Speaker 1:Different types of sacrifices varied widely across cultures. The Greeks had their elaborate temple ceremonies with priests and proper procedures. The Norse had bloats or community gatherings where animals were killed, their blood used in the ritual and the meat shared among participants. Celtic traditions involved everything from grain offerings thrown into fires to more dramatic sacrifices in sacred groves. But here's what's important to understand these weren't just random acts of violence and destruction. They were deeply ritualized, community-sanctualized events with specific purposes ensuring good harvests, victory in battle or divine favor during a time of crisis.
Speaker 1:Modern symbolic sacrifices those are a little different animal entirely. Some contemporary pagans practice forms of personal sacrifice giving up luxuries, fasting or permanently donating something valuable, possessions, things like that. The key is that genuine sense of loss. If it doesn't hurt just a little bit, it's probably not that much of a sacrifice. Ethical considerations are huge here as well. We live in different times with different values. Most modern pagans, and most deities as well, aren't interested in animal sacrifices much anymore. We've evolved past that and thank God for it. But the underlying principle the giving up something valuable to show devotion that part is still relevant. Transforming ancient practices is what modern paganism does best. Instead of burning grain, maybe you fast for a day. Instead of throwing weapons in a lake, maybe you donate money you'd rather spend on yourself, or donate items you'd rather keep for yourself. The form changes, but the intention remains. Let's take a tour through some specific cultural practices, because this stuff gets really interesting when you see how different societies approach the same basic concepts.
Speaker 1:The Greeks were incredibly sophisticated. They had specific animals for specific gods, proper procedures for everything and elaborate temple complexes designed around sacrifice. But here's the thing it wasn't just about the gods. These were community events. The meat was shared, the hides were used, different types of offerings, libations of wine or oils, first fruits from harvests, and what they called bloodless sacrifices pretty much what we would call just basic offerings today. They understood the difference between giving something up permanently and sharing something with the divine Norse bloat is pretty fascinating to me because it was so community-centered. These weren't private rituals, they were public events where the entire communities came together. The word bloat itself means to blood or to strengthen. The idea was that these sacrifices literally strengthened the bonds between the humans and the gods, and they also strengthened the bonds within the community as well. But the Norse were very practical people. The animals were eaten, the blood was used for the blessing and the bones were often carved into tools or jewelry. Nothing was ever wasted. It was sacrifice, but it was also resource management. One thing about the Norse bloat that I find really fascinating is it's believed that they would take the blood and, like, sprinkle it over a field in order to kind of bless that field or giving that blood back to nature or to the gods. But when we look at it with a modern context, sprinkling blood over a field is fertilizer. It's high nitrogen, has a lot of iron, a lot of other minerals that are needed for plants to grow. So not only were they honoring their deities and their beliefs and spirits, they were literally fertilizing their fields with these practices. So when you look at it from this context, nothing went to waste. Again, it was all about that resource management.
Speaker 1:Now Celtic traditions are a little harder to pin down because, well, the Celts weren't really interested in writing things down. They're like verbal culture. But from what we can gather from archaeological evidence and later sources, they had a complex relationship with sacrifice. We've got evidence of weapons thrown into water in springs, animals buried in ritual context and, yes, probably some human sacrifice during extreme circumstances. To be honest, human sacrifice happened all over the world in pretty much every tradition. But the Celts also had gentler practices leaving food at sacred sites, offering crafted goods to nature's spirits and what we might call maintenance offerings or regular small gifts to keep the relationship with the other world healthy. Modern adaptations are where it gets creative. Contemporary Celtic reconstructionists might leave offerings at a sacred well, Norse heathens might share mead in honor of their ancestors and Greek polytheists might pour libations to their household gods. The common threads across these traditions Reciprocity, community and the understanding that the relationship between humans and the divine requires maintenance.
Speaker 1:You can't just show up when you need something. You need to build and maintain these relationships over time, alright, so let's get practical. You're sold on the idea, but how do you actually do this stuff without breaking the bank or getting some weird looks from your neighbors? Well, environmental considerations are huge. We live in a world that's already struggling with waste and pollution. Throwing plastic trinkets into rivers isn't honoring nature's spirits. It's just littering. Stick to biodegradable materials and, for the love of all that's sacred, don't leave anything harmful to wildlife. If you do, you're an asshole.
Speaker 1:Indoor versus outdoor practices Well, most of us live in apartments, subdivisions or just have really nosy, freaking neighbors. Indoor offerings work just fine. That windowsill altar with a cup of water, maybe some flowers and a dish of incense it's perfectly valid and it's okay. You don't need a sacred grove in your backyard like I do. Budget-friendly options are everywhere. The gods don't need a sacred grove in your backyard like I do. Budget-friendly options are everywhere. The gods don't care about your credit score, neither do I. A handful of bird seed, a cup of coffee, a can of light beer, a piece of fruit from your kitchen these are all valid offerings and they're valuable. The intention matters more than the price tag and they're valuable. The intention matters more than the price tag. Digital alternatives might sound a little weird, but hear me out. Some modern pagans create digital art as offerings, compose music or even design elaborate virtual altars. I've seen some really awesome virtual altars out there. If you're working with deities of technology, crafting or communication, this might be exactly what they're looking for.
Speaker 1:Some common pitfalls to avoid Don't leave food offerings out so long they become science experiments. That's gross. Don't assume expensive items equals better it doesn't. Don't feel guilty if you can't afford elaborate offerings and please, for everyone's sake, don't sacrifice your neighbor's cat. That's fucking murder, not religious. Don't do it. The key is consistency over extravagance. Better to leave out a small offering regularly than to go all out once and then forget about it for six months and just don't do it.
Speaker 1:So you may ask what's the takeaway here? Offerings and sacrifices are fundamentally about relationship building, whether you're leaving apples for your household spirits making a more significant sacrifice for a major life change. We are engaging in one of humanity's oldest practices the recognition that we are not alone in this universe. The forms have evolved, but the heart remains the same. We give because we recognize that we've received, we sacrifice because some things are worth more than their material value, and we maintain these practices because the relationship between the human and the divine requires attention, just like any other relationship.
Speaker 1:Personal practice development is going to be different for everyone. So start small, be consistent and pay attention to what feels right for you and your spiritual path. The gods have been around for millennia. They're pretty patient. They'll wait for you to figure it out millennia. They're pretty patient. They'll wait for you to figure it out. Adapting traditional methods does not mean you're doing it wrong. It means you're doing what humans have done, taking ancient wisdom and making it work in the modern world. That's not disrespectful, that's evolution and what humans have done for millennia.
Speaker 1:Next episode, we might be diving into seasonal celebrations, maybe, and how different pagan traditions mark the turning of the wheel and how they honor those different things Should be fun. The exact direction may change, but you may touch on things like bloats, samhain and other spiritual practices. So until then, keep exploring, keep asking questions, question everything around you and remember the best spiritual practice is the one you'll actually do. The small, tiny practices are what build a pagan path. Thanks for joining me. Old gods and new pagans. I'm Matt Holloway and I hope to see you in the next one.
