aphroditiful:

Regardless of heritage a call is valid! Don’t question that. It’s always best to learn on your own, even though a mentor is good. But your path is unique and needs to be forged by YOU! 🌲

Check out these links for a good foundation:

http://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Hekate.html

https://www.goddess-guide.com/hekate.html

http://hellenicmagicalpath.blogspot.com/2010/07/hekate-devotees-view.html

https://hecate-magick.livejournal.com/

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/keepingherkeys/2018/02/a-witchs-understanding-of-hekate/

Aph 🦔

mistsbetweenworlds:

Thanks, Nonny!

I’m actually not near the ocean at the moment either. It sucks, but I try to feel his presence in other ways. For example, our
blood is chemically pretty similar to seawater. Life started out in the
ocean. Our entire biosphere relies on it, even inland. So in that sense,
you could say the ocean is with us wherever we go.

And, of course, Manannán isn’t just literally about the ocean. He’s
about all the things the ocean represents: change and travel and
liminality, peace and passion, sustenance and secrets, life and death. 

The best attested offering is, of course, the Manx tradition of paying the rent at Midsummer with bundles of rushes and, in some sources, yellow flowers. This ties into the legend of Manannán being the island’s first king. Instead of the typical share of the crops and whatnot that feudal lords typically demanded, he asked only for rushes in exchange for his protection.

Another tradition was to take grain and offer it to the ocean, and, in turn, take some seaweed (which was a food source for both humans and livestock) to their homes and fields in an exchange of land and sea. Obviously, this is impossible for those who are landlocked and not farmers, but I make a nod the the tradition by offering oatmeal. In my experience, he seems to really like it, although part of that might be that it’s a cheap comfort food for me and he just likes being worked into my everyday life.

Apples and apple blossoms are are another option. He’s lord of Emhain Abhlach, the Plain of Apples, after all. Apples have a bunch of symbolism tied to eternity and fertility, so it fits. And interestingly, one story says that “And all the food he would use [while he was out among humanity trolling people] would be a vessel of sour milk and a
few crab-apples.“

But back home, Manannán has a magical pig that resurrects every day after being slaughtered. So pork is also an option.

While I don’t think it’s actually attested anywhere specifically in relation to Manannán, bees and honey have a lot of symbolism tied to cthonic gods, knowledge, the underworld, and the afterlife in Indo-European tradition. Also, honey was a traditional offering to the fae in a lot of places. So personally, I’m pretty big on honey as an offering.

I know a lot of people like to offer seafood to sea gods (or, depending on their views, abstain from seafood in their name.) I live in a region where I can’t get decent seafood because of the geography and the culinary traditions of the immigrants who settled here, so it’s kind of a moot point for me.

And while this probably seems weird and pathetic, I’ve also been known to offer my tears. They were part of the ocean at one point and will get back there eventually. You could say it’s a way of communing with him. This is UPG obviously, but I don’t think it’s possible to do the whole psychopomp thing without a whole lot of empathy and a whole lot of grief. I’ve also thought about offering blood, as I’ve done for other deities, but I’ve gotten pretty intense “no” vibes regarding that for some reason. YMMV.

In terms of less temporary things, items from the beach are an obvious choice. Shells, sand, driftwood, etc. Shells in particular are symbolic because they’re the bones of dead sea creatures, which works in Manannán’s necromancy aspect. Just be mindful of the fact that a lot of the stuff from tourist shops and craft stores isn’t ethically sourced, and even tourists gathering shells from the beach on their own has been found to have a negative ecological impact. Buy from thrift stores or environmentally responsible sources when you can, and, on vacation at the beach, don’t get greedy.

Sorry if that went on longer than you were expecting. I don’t get as many excuses to ramble about my favorite Irish sea god as I’d like. Hopefully it gave you some ideas!

mistsbetweenworlds:

Yours is the path I walked without knowing.
Yours is the the whisper that eases my fears.
Yours is the dread shore to which lost souls are rowing.
Yours are my breath and my blood and my tears.
Yours is the gateway that leads to tomorrow.
Yours are the depths and the tide and the squall.
Yours is the music that drowns pain and sorrow
And yours my devotion as long as waves roll.

fireinthesea:

“I know a distant land
Over the sea –
Green hill and cloudy strand
And windy lea;
The White host their banquet keep
There, the desire is rocked asleep
In that hidden Island
Of seas beyond the world. I know a secret land
Where the gods roam,
Dancing, a joyous band,
Through shining foam,
While hills wrapped in mist and flame
Breathe forth the mighty name
Of Manannan, Ruler
Of seas beyond the world. I know a lonely land
Where dreams unfold;
There, up dim lengths of sand,
Strange tides are rolled
From seas more deep and vast
Where life is but foam upcast
The grey Secret Island
Of seas beyond the world.”

— A Singer Tells of a Strange Land, Mona Douglas