What do I do with the food I give to spirits?

[Gho the Girl]

So I've started setting aside part of my meals for the spirits. I pray, name the ones I feel would be the best guides for the coming day(s), and then set aside a relatively small portion ((which is not to say I skimp out on them.)) and I leave that for them.

I only do this at sit-downs, where I'm sitting and eating with others/myself or as an actual meal as opposed to just a snack. It's sort of like communion, and it makes me feel like the spirits are welcome at my table as is my family and friends.

But what do I do with it afterwards? Do I throw it away? Is that rude? (seems so, to me at least). Do I feed it to the dog? Bury it somewhere? What do I do?  

[Tsuzuki]

You could let them posses you while you eat it.  

[Gho the Girl]

Celeblin Galadeneryn

Is there a particular tradition this is tied to?

Ecclectic paganism. Shamanism of sorts.  

[Gho the Girl]

Tsuzuki

You could let them posses you while you eat it.

I don't think I could properly enter a state to allow them to posses me while I eat it, especially when my family's around.  

[Collowrath]

Personally, I don't do anything in particular with it. I picked up the tradition from a friend's family - they always leave a little in a cup or a little on their plate when they eat. The idea I think is that it's the thought that counts - that you remember your ancestors and leave food in honor of them.

That extends to what they and I call Spirit Plates. On special occasions, like holidays, an entirely separate plate is made in honor of the ancestors and left somewhere outside in the open for them. I make up a paper plate and leave it in the same portion of the yard where I dispose of my offerings. If squirrels get to it, that's great. You never know who you might be feeding!  

[Tsuzuki]

Gho the Girl

Tsuzuki

You could let them posses you while you eat it.

I don't think I could properly enter a state to allow them to posses me while I eat it, especially when my family's around.

Doesn't have to be full possession. Just give the experience of eating the food over to them.  

[Wrath of Ezekiel]

Likewise, in the Hindu traditions I was taught, the food, if offered is blessed and thus it is okay for people to eat it afterward. I know with the temple my family goes to, they take some of the food (they serve after service), bless it during the service, and then dump it back in the pot right before they start serving so that the blessedness spreads.

I think it varies more from tradition to tradition.  

[TeaDidikai]

Gho the Girl

Shamanism of sorts.

Shaman is a title for a specific religious group in the same way the title of Druid was, just a heads up.

As for Eclectic Paganism, seems to me that it would depend on the spirits. As Tsuzuki suggested, there's possession, the Asatru I know offer the spirit of the food and then consume the corporeal portion, some place it on moist soft earth, others leave it for animals who act as emissaries.  

[Tsuzuki]

TeaDidikai

...the Asatru I know offer the spirit of the food and then consume the corporeal portion...

Is that what is meant by something having empty calories?  

[patch99329]

You could burn the food if possible, or bury it/leave it somewhere oustide.
Thats what I do. ^_^  

[`Blaise]

i put mine outside among the plants.  

[too2sweet]

I have a little spot out by a tree that I take all my offerings to, that way the Gods can consume them in anyway they choose.  

[TeaDidikai]

Tsuzuki

TeaDidikai

...the Asatru I know offer the spirit of the food and then consume the corporeal portion...

Is that what is meant by something having empty calories?

I don't know.

Metaphysically speaking, in all seriousness I would say yes. But then, my understanding of food and spirituality may be a bit unusual.

However- I think we need to revisit an earlier discussion- did we ever figure out how many calories those spirits you eat have?