There is this funny thing about offering food to the gods. We know it in the west from the middle ages to give 'the Twelves' to the church. We see it our days all over the place in the asian countries. In India the people give food offerings to the temples when they go and pray. The monks are collecting those offerings at the end of the day. In Thailand it is even more obvious. Gods are believed to live in plants and trees. All over the country you can find random food and drink offerings placed around a tree, a pot plant, a flower … particularly around everything you can assume as nature. To give food to the gods is common custom. In Nepal there give a spoon of food from their plate as well as a sip of water out of their cup into the fire, the house and home of the gods before, their started to take their food.
Remembering this habit gave me finally my reasonable explanation about this custom of offering food to those non physically existing beings we label as gods. It is not the food itself that nourishes the gods and the spirits, it is almost literally the fact, that we keep them in our minds. The gesture that we offer food is just a physical act that shows simply thankfulness in a moment we rest and remember them. Our thinking about them and trusting in them, our believe is needed to bring, make and keep them alive.
It's an interdependent relationship. Our believe in the gods to guide us through life, is fundamental to make it possible for them to guide us. Without our believe it's more difficult for them to reach us and make us understand there signs and language. The loud world we are living in is even supporting our unawareness of their present. How stronger our believe, how better they can reach out towards us. Your believe is their nourishment, their food, their energy. While we offer our energy to them, to thank them to guide, protect an be with us, we allow them to do so and even better. The gods and spirits come and show themselves to those who truly trust, believe and fully surrender.
But the coin is double sided and something very important we forget about so often. Our gods and spirits are protecting us. Ot just protecting. They guide us, they help us, they support us. Carelessly if we are aware of them or not. But … But it takes fucking energy out of them. Don't forget that … and how unaware most of us are it takes so much energy out of them to some how guide and support you through the wild loud jungle of modern life. They need our believe to become stronger and be more present. Keep them in mind in every single action and moment of your day. Live each of those actions, moments even thoughts and words and feeling fully. Fully present with the gods in your mind. Embrace them to be (with) you.
… and because in the spiritual world the coin is triple sided, another side of the story. The funny side** …
*** *** ***
* I just love this title in german. There is no other phrase, no way with english terms to get it that pointy like I feel it in those simple words in German. I won't even try to translate the heading or describe what it means. If you reading this here already, I hope you just have finished the story, you know what I am talking about and you can come p with your own translation of the heading that feels right for you. At the end there are just some ink on paper, we call letters and combined words, which form sentence, meaning, communication, understanding, life … Ahhhh! Carry away Alarm!!!
** Ähm … hust … oh … cough … cough … work in progress. A hint? Some keywords? I just can say banana, a cigarette, a white lonesome traveler and a dramatically aghast sadhu. I wish I could say ironically funny, if there wouldn't be this true fade aftertaste after embarrassment an disrespect. Well, I acted with pure thoughts, feelings and intentions. I just was thankful and wanted to share the most 'I am' that I was in this moment.