I'm an eclectic witch and don't really adhere to Wicca or any form of religion, but I have been recently drawn to Ogma. I was wondering what sort of offerings I should make to him in order to make contact and see if he accepts me as a follower. You seem to be the only real person who is attached to him and so I would love to know about him and about you.
hi there! happy to help, and iām always glad to hear about peopleās interest in ogma.
so first iāll give you a quick rundown on making offerings within an irish polytheist context (i generally hold that thereās nothing wrong or offensive about an eclectic practice but that one should make oneās best effort to adhere to the traditions each deity originates with). probably the most important thing, in my view, is that in the irish tradition (and the celtic traditions generally) one does not eat oneās offerings after they are made. the thinking is that once the offering is made, itsĀ āgood essenceā is consumed by the deity or spirit offered to, and that to eat it yourself, or knowingly allow an animal to eat it, would be harmful to yours or the animalās health.
traditional places to leave an offering include the hearth or the windowsill, or you can leave it on your altar/worship space if you have one. common offerings in mythology include milk products (often cream or butter), grain products (often porridge or bread), or meat (pork is especially associated with hospitality). i have also had good experiences generally with sharing my alcoholic drinks with deities. any of these would be solid traditional offerings for any irish deity, and fairly straightforward.
now, in the case of ogma specifically: i, as a bardic devotee of ogma, offer him the composition of verse, as well as all my writing more generally. i also have fairly substantial upg connecting him with bees and honey, so i have frequently offered honey, or foods incorporating honey, and i burn beeswax candles for him. red wine, ale, flowers, pastries, cookies, sweets, tea, oats, and yeast have also been well-received.
after the offering has been set out for whatever period of time is sensible, it would then traditionally be disposed of by burning, burying, or drowning. in the case of modern apartment living, the compost bucket or trash disposal, or rinsing a liquid down your sink (or other plumbing), can also be perfectly acceptable.
really, when it comes to making offerings, i donāt think there are really any wrong answers, so long as itās something meaningful to you. you may want to stick with one of the more traditional offerings, or you may want to give something that has a personal association for you. go with what feels right.
i hope that helps, and please do come back again if you have any more questions or just want to talk! iād love to have another ogma devotee around.
