Offerings, part 2

Week 30 - the letter "O" again

There is another type of offering but this one tends to rub people the wrong way.  It is the offering plate and it may sit out at an event or even be passed around.  It serves as a request for donations.  While there isn't any obligation to donate, you sometimes feel that you may be judged or ostracized if you do not toss in a couple of bucks or more.

When I was growing up Catholic, I always loved having a few coins to add to the offering plate when it was passed around the church.  It was a big deal to me to contribute.  I don't know that I was actually aware of just what it was donating to but everyone else was doing it so it seemed right.

This past autumn, I began attending the Unitarian Universalist (UU) fellowship services offered at the local college.  At one point during the service, here comes the donation plate.  I dropped in a five dollar bill.  I still didn't really know to what my donation would benefit.  It felt right to donate and I really enjoyed the service and what the UU Church symbolized.  I did not feel that it was an obligation at all.

I have never charged for my Pagan "services" because I don't feel right doing so.  I'm also not an expert at what I do so it didn't seem right.  When I perform a wedding, I ask to be reimbursed for the gasoline I use to get there and back.  If someone wants to tip me for my service, I don't turn them down.  I've taught numerous classes and led many rituals and I've read my fair share of cards, stones, and Runes.  Never charged.

And I still don't charge.

But, this past year, the expense of renting space, buying supplies, and making copies started to add up.  It was difficult, but I started putting out a donation plate during the classes and rituals.  It would be set off to the side as to not be super intrusive and I only mentioned it one time.  There was a small sign by the bowl that explained what the funds would be used for.  It wasn't specific but it did say for rental fees, supplies, and copies associated with _______ (whichever group I was representing with that particular event.)

People donated.  Some put in $5, $10, and even $20 and others a dollar or a couple of coins.  Every little bit helped.  We aren't making money and I don't expect we ever will but that isn't our goal.  I tend to break even in regards to the supplies and copies.  It helps and I've noticed that it makes some people take greater pride in what they are doing/learning because they have personally and financially donated to the cause.  

I will continue to put out the offering plate with a note explaining where they funds will go.  I may bring it up once a year or I may not.  I've come to terms with this and don't feel guilty for it. 

What if

Offerings

Week 29 - the letter "O"

Virtually every ritual I have written and/or performed has included an offering of some sort or another.  These offerings went to the Gods and Goddesses, to Guardians, to Ancestors, to Spirits, to the Earth, and many other beings and entities.  It has always felt right for me to give something back to honor and thank those who I ask for aid or guidance.  Perhaps that comes from being raised in Catholicism and having the sacrifice of Jesus being drilled into my head as something to which we should express extreme gratefulness. 

For my entire life thus far, I have been a stickler for giving thanks.  I've written more than my share of thank you notes and have said "thank you" or "thanks" incessantly.  I even ask people if I've thanked them for something because I really like to be certain that I'm expressing my gratitude.  It makes sense that this ties into my spirituality.

It's important to remember that offerings are not bribes or conditional gifts.  You don't give an offering with the mentality of "if you do this, I will give you that," or "I'm offering this so you grant my wish."  Offerings are an expression of thanks that have no stipulations.  You show that you honor and respect that entity and appreciate what is being done on your behalf. 

Many offerings are in the form of food or drink.  You can also offer flowers, stones, or other natural objects.  Herbs are another common gift.  But offerings aren't limited to physical objects only.  You can offer prayers, song, dance, and dedication.  Lifestyle changes are also offerings because you are giving your time and energy to something that benefits more than just yourself. 

For me, offerings need to be from your heart.  They should serve an intention in a sincere manner.  Gifts should be appropriate for the entity who is to receive it.  Think of what that entity stands for and what it all about.  Offering tobacco for your grandfather might be appropriate but offering it for another Ancestor or Spirit may be a bad idea just as offering guns to a peace deity.  Do a bit of research so you don't offend.

Since paganism is earth-based, I feel it is a good idea to consider where your offering comes from and then make selections that are eco-friendly.  Support our local communities by purchasing items from a farmer's market.  Infuse your offerings with your own energies and intentions by making the bread yourself.  Offerings should not disrupt the environment in which they are given.

The Druid's Garden addressed the thought of being mindful as to where your offering comes from:

Where does that offering come from? I think that *what* the offering consists of is usually given a lot of thought in our practices. You can Google information on offerings, or read any earth-based or pagan-focused book, and they all talk about the appropriateness of various offerings. The problem with this approach is that it often ignores the system from which that offering comes. I’d like to propose that, if we want to encourage a sustainable mindest, then druids and other earth-centered practitioners might also want to think carefully about *where* their offerings come from. If we are offering that comes out of the general polluting consumerist system, that offering will reflect polluting/consumerist energy, regardless of what intention that you put into offering it.

Take, for example, the humble bottle of wine you pick up at the supermarket for your next ritual. The supermarket bottle of ritual wine has three potential issues associated with it.  

1) The physical production and transport of the simple bottle of ritual wine has a network of various energies, resources, and pollution tied up in it. Where does the wine come from? Who produced it? How were the grapes grown and processed? How many pesticides were used? How far did it have to travel and how many fossil fuels were burnt on that trip? Chances are, that supermarket bottle of wine is part of the larger consumptive system and has damaged the planet in some way (from pesticide use to the CO2 and other chemicals emitted with its transport). Is this the offering you want to make to the spirit realm?  

2) The spiritual energies associated with the supermarket bottle of wine. How many other people handled it before you? What other energies might be present? How do those energies interfere with your intentions? Again, is this the offering you want to be making to the spirit realm?  

3) The final issue is internal to you–your intentions and energy expended in getting the offering. By doing something so effortless as grabbing a wine off the shelf, paying for it, and uncorking it for your offering, is this really an offering? What exactly is an offering? An offering should be meaningful, it should demonstrate your commitment and sincerity. The effort involved in purchasing something is quite minimal. Is this what you want to be conveying to the spirit realm?

I think that for those of us who have lived our whole lives in consumerist society, going to the store and purchasing a bottle of wine doesn’t really seem like an issue. Its something we don’t even think about–we need an offering, so we go buy one. But not thinking about these issues is exactly what has gotten us into our current unsustainable situation. Instead, I propose that we put more thought and effort into what we use as an offering.

More this...

Less this...

Am I going to condemn you for buying a loaf of sourdough at Wal-mart to use in the Beltane ritual?  Of course not.  Will I cringe when the grape juice is only 10% juice?  Nope.  I do know that I will be much more mindful from here on out as to where my offerings come from, who produced and/or created them, if they truly match my intention, and if I can offer something that isn't physical but helps out the environment and/or my community. 

Gossip is NOT Networking

Sadly, gossip and witch wars are common among those in different Pagan Communities.  Pagans are a minority and can be persecuted for their beliefs.  This is one reason we need to stick together to help abolish the stigma associated with the word "Pagan."  If we are fighting each other - our own allies - we are defeating ourselves before we even get the change to educate and inform a non-Pagan who is presenting an ignorant viewpoint. 

Gossip is not networking.  Networking is not gossip.  Those in the Pagan Community need to start standing up for each other and not tearing each other down.  We need to stick together because there is both power and safety in numbers.

Networking

Week 28 - the letter "N" again

net·work·ing [net-wur-king] 
noun 1. a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest.

For reference - the state of Nebraska

Living in a predominately rural state (Nebraska) and a rural town (Kearney) makes networking a necessity.  You have to actively look for other Pagans and like-minded individuals.  We don't have a New Age/Pagan/Witch store in the town I live and only have a few in the entire state (located in Omaha and Lincoln).  Until the last year, we didn't even have a Pagan Pride Day anywhere in Nebraska.  Initially, social networking is the main way you connect to other Pagans.  Depending on where you live, an online Pagan Community may be the only option you have. Living anywhere west of Kearney, and definitely west of North Platte means little to no opportunities to meet with with other Nebraskans who share in your spirituality/faith/belief system.  

Thankfully there are decent online communities so you don't have to feel so alone.  If you are willing to drive, you can actually meet up with other Pagans.  Kearney, Omaha, and Lincoln have decent-sized communities catering to many different traditions and interests.  Pagan Communities in Grand Island and Hastings have flourished in the past but the interest seems to come and go. 

Many Pagans enjoy a solitary lifestyle in regards to their practice.  But, in my experience, even the most determined solitaire craves some face-to-face time with others who share a same or similar spirituality.  We network to learn from others, to ask and answer questions, to make friends, to feel a connection to someone else.

In Nebraska, the Pagan Communities tend to do well but they are bound to their area.  There has been little sharing of information, knowledge, and experiences.  That is something I would really like to see change and that is one of the reasons I applied to be the Local Coordinator for the Kearney Area Pagan Pride group.  Working with Pagan Pride Day Omaha, we are edging towards a more unified Pagan Community that is state-wide.  This requires the smaller town-based communities to work together.  

Social networking has helped a great deal in Nebraska.  You are able to join different groups that have a face-to-face presence even if you are far away.  There are opportunities to attend the in-person meetings, rituals, and classes, simply because they are open and also because you actually have the means to be informed that such events are occurring.  

Networking is crucial for a Pagan Community in Nebraska to be healthy and to thrive.  I would guess that it is important everywhere but I can only speak to my own experiences.  My personal responsibility to my community means that I do what I can to make those connections with other groups and other Pagans so that everyone can benefit.

Numerology

Week 27 - the letter "N"

Early on when I didn't connect to the tarot, I began to explore other forms of divination.  For some reason, numerology was very attractive and interesting to me.  I say "for some reason" because I have never been a numbers person.  I transpose them and despise math.  But numerology clicked with me.

Using numerology, you can determine your Life Path or Birth number. The Life Path describes the major lessons to be learned in a person’s life. These lessons often determine the central focus of the life. The Life Path also clarifies the environment which is most conducive to learning the lessons involved and describes, as well, some of the major characteristics likely to be present in the individual’s makeup.  This number is the most important number in numerology.

You can also figure out your Expression/Destiny/Personality number.  The Expression is the second most important number in the Core. It describes a person’s potential talents—the natural abilities as well as the related character traits.  For most of us, these talents and skills are there at birth, although they are usually further developed as an individual grows and matures. Very often—but not always—these particular abilities are of primary importance in a person’s work and career. Frequently, the talents described by the Expression form the central feature of an individual’s career.

There is also the Soul Urge/Heart's Desire number.  The Soul Urge is the third most important number in the Core. It describes a person’s inner motivation—what a person wants to be, to have and to do—and the potential abilities and obstacles which accompany that motivation. The Soul Urge is influential in determining a person’s point of view and the principles on which he acts. Although the Life Path and Expression are generally easy to see in a person, the inner motivation is often a very private matter—unless revealed through the use of numerology.

The last core number is the Birthday Number.  The birthday is a supporting influence added to the Life Path. Think of it as a modifier to the Life Path. These are traits that you brought into this life much as with the more important and dominating traits shown by the Life Path.  The Birthday describes some important personality characteristics but it’s the least important of the Core elements.

Those are just the core numbers.  There are also modifier numbers:

• Inner Dreams
• Pinnacle Phases
• Challenges
• Special Traits and Lessons
• Karmic Lessons
• Balance
• Subconscious Self
• Life Path Period

Then you can look at the special letters in your name (Capstone, Cornerstone, First Vowel), use numerology for divination purposes, apply it to your Natal Chart, use a different name other than your birth name, or selecting a name.

I haven't studied it immensely even though I tell myself that I should, but I know the basics with helpers.  I find it to be incredibly insightful and will actually be doing numerology readings for people at the 2014 Kearney Area Pagan Pride Day.  It's time to break out the book and other info and tune up on my numerology skills.

The first aspect of numerology that I loved occurred when I was trying to determine my magickal name.  It was so interesting to me how the vibrations of the numbers influenced you and your life and how having a name with the same value as your life path/birth number was suggested.  I've actually used this application for many aspects of my life.

My life path/birth number is 7.  My husband and I were married on October 8, 2005 and my magickal names Keirah and Jaelan both match with the number.  Before I was married, I went by Shanda J. Hahn which broke down to a 7 when you used Pythagorean Numerology.  I now go by Shanda Hahn Kinkade so I still vibe with my life path/birth number.  (***See the "math" at the end of the post for how everything is figured out and broken down using numerology.)

There is so much you can learn from numerology.  To me, it is simply amazing how accurate much of it is.  You can profile others based off their birth date and name and get to know more about them and how to best work with an motivate them.  And, most importantly, you can learn so much about yourself. In my experiences, most people have found their numerology reports to be very telling and even encourage them to did a little deeper into some of the aspects it revealed.

I am feeling motivated to start digging in to numerology again.  To learn it instead of just putting numbers into formulas and parroting the meanings.  Maybe I can master it.  I would like to think that I can.

***Math time
Here is how each aspect I mentioned earlier in my post were determined.


Life path/birth number is 7.  (month + date + full year of birth)

Married October 8, 2005

Pythagorean Numerology Chart

     10 + 8 + 2 + 0 + 0 + 5 = 25
     2 + 5 = 7

Keirah
     2 + 5 + 9 + 9 + 1 + 8 = 34
     3 + 4 = 7

Jaelan
     1 + 1 + 5 + 3 + 1 + 5 = 16
     1 + 6 = 7

Shanda J. Hahn
     1 + 8 + 1 + 5 + 4 + 1     + 1     + 8 + 1 + 8 + 5 = 43
     4 + 3 = 7

Shanda Hahn Kinkade
     1 + 8 + 1 + 5 + 4 + 1     + 8 + 1 + 8 + 5     + 2 + 9 + 5 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 5 = 70
     7 + 0 = 7