In the morning, when I make my pot of coffee, I usually pour out a second cup and leave it out on the table. I try to be specific about who it's for- some days I'm leaving a cup out for an ancestor as I believe they visit and watch over us. It's nice to think of a loved one sitting at the table in spirit, and enjoying the coffee in whichever way they can. Sometimes it's for the house wight, those land or nature spirits who like to take up residence in a home. I usually leave those offerings by the stove, and I know that if I scratch their backs, they'll scratch mine. Maybe our house won't be too badly hit by a storm for example. Rarely do I leave these types of offerings for the gods. It's too simple almost, in my opinion. It's not always coffee; if Mr. Berry picks up apple cider from the store then I'll pour out a cup of that, or I'll see a bag of honey roasted nuts at the store that I think someone would like. What I find interesting is that after awhile you sort of get a sense of what they want and are in the mood for.
After a few hours I take the offering outside for the land wight and place (or pour) it at the base of our grapevine. (Which is huge and grows up the patio like a tree). I was leaving these offerings by the rose bush, but after my third time doing so I was walking back to the house and my grapevine 'shivered' in a particularly meaningful way (to me, at least). Later, when I was sitting on the patio, I got the very strong sense of something by the grape vine and realized the land wight was making his home known. So now my offerings go there.
As for the gods; Close by our house is a wash ( what we call a dry creek bed in the desert) and a tall desert oak grows there. This is where I leave my offerings to the gods. It's definitely a different energy than with the wights or ancestors. It's something...darker, more powerful, more intimidating. Historically, heathens were known to worship in groves and would hang the heads of sacrificed animals from the branches of a particular tree. I don't do that obviously, but I do leave something by the base of the tree.
Aside from my offerings, I take the time at night to read whatever material I can find on the myths and history of the gods and ancestors. Sometimes I'll find a UPG confirmed by something in a book, which is always exciting and really evidence for me that I'm becoming familiar with something real. I also take time to sit out on the patio and watch the clouds. Frigga weaves this and I like to meditate on her and her roles and mythology. It was through watching the sky one night that I had my first serious experience with the gods. A dust storm was blowing in and the clouds were flying over the house and I really sensed Frigga in that moment. There was thunder and lightning behind me in the distance and there went Thor. As time has gone on I've felt other gods coming to take a look at me, or showing themselves to me. Just quiet moments. Sometimes when I'm out on the patio star-gazing I get the sense that there is a whole group of people watchign and moving around in the dark and these are my ancestors.
So, that's about it. Reading, leaving gifts, reaching out- pretty much sums it all up.
(It's weird how you can feel completely silly and embarassed to be admitting these kind of things, but at the same time know the truth of them.
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