Different Kinds of Offerings, What do you offer the spirits? Options

Chinese culture has a yearly family ceremony tradition to honor their anchestor. The ceremony is quite elaborate as there will be paper money burning, for richer family they'll also burn paper luxury houses, handphones, cars etc and a various dishes and fruits, water and rice on the altar along with joss sticks. Family members will take several joss sticks and make their prayers in front of the offering altar and ask the anchestor for protection, health, wealth and whatever they desire. And then wait for a few hours after that to let the spirits to feast on the offerings. They'll "dispose" the abundance of food afterward by eating it themself unlike the practice of other traditions.

In Indonesian culture, especially the Javanese and Balinese, making their offerings consists of 7 types of flower - usually called "Kembang Setaman" translated roughly as "Whole Garden Flowers", a coconut, rice and incence. The offerings and amount of it usually differ depending on the purpose of a ritual or ceremony.

That's mostly what I know about offerings, and their practices. I'd be interested to learn more on what knowledge can you share or what do you offer the spirits (in necromancy/evocation/worship practice)

I have yet to find an entity that would turn down a fresh strawberry or 2 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Athena

Kinjo, what is the name of that ceremonial day? I have read of one which translates (poorly) as 'Grave Cleaning Day' where one burns paper offerings for the departed. We have these calenders at work which list a lot of different religious and cultural days but gives no details as to what they are so we end up Googling them. It annoys me a bit that they list Shinto days as 'Japanese'.

I'm not sure what they're called in chinese or japanese since that's about 20 years ago since my family left buddhism and became devout Catholics ;p But as I remembers it, there is anchestors grave cleaning day and spirit offering day almost annually. Both involves a lot of cooking - I mean a LOT of dishes and cakes + offering papers to fold.

Anubis likes dark chocolate, steak, and spiced rum. To trees, I'll make offerings of origami (my way of returning to the soil what was taken). For the fair folk, leaving a bowl of milk out at night is customary (I've only done this once, but it was immediately appreciated).

Anubis likes dark chocolate, steak, and spiced rum. To trees, I'll make offerings of origami (my way of returning to the soil what was taken). For the fair folk, leaving a bowl of milk out at night is customary (I've only done this once, but it was immediately appreciated).

*jots down notes* (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif)

Honestly, I've little of practical use to contribute to this thread--though I _do_ have a question.
If this is not the applicable place for such, then by all means, remove this message. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

How do such offerings--of food and the likes--appease spirits, generally?
Is it the "thought that counts"? Or is there some manner of actual interaction ("consumption") between the spirit and the offering on another level? (i.e. Astral)

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but I'm most curious about this.

yes, i am curious about this also.

We grow food in large fields. If there is some energy interaction between the food and the spirit, then do spirits also roam in large apple tree-yards and such?

just wondering, i never thought of offering food to spirits before.

My old mentor had explained to me that deities and beings soak up the essence of the offerings. From my understanding and belief, offerings given from mother nature are of a much more precious value than what you have asked for (in most cases, not all!), and that you thought of giving something back to them of that which sustains you in life, is a gesture of respect and appreciation.

I've offered tobacco before when I made my wand from an apple tree in my parents back yard. Milk and honey I've offered on many occasions to the fae and dragons. Home-made incense, flowers, stones, and ashes are my normal offerings to deities and gaurdians. Prayers have also been accepted heartily.

I've found that the Fae love chocolate and occasionally booze. When I slog into NYC I always carry mini candybars for the little ones...they thrive on it! Also, fruit is appreciated. In the big city you will still find Fae! Just a ramble... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Anubis likes dark chocolate, steak, and spiced rum. To trees, I'll make offerings of origami (my way of returning to the soil what was taken). For the fair folk, leaving a bowl of milk out at night is customary (I've only done this once, but it was immediately appreciated).

*jots down notes* (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif)

Honestly, I've little of practical use to contribute to this thread--though I _do_ have a question.
If this is not the applicable place for such, then by all means, remove this message. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

How do such offerings--of food and the likes--appease spirits, generally?
Is it the "thought that counts"? Or is there some manner of actual interaction ("consumption") between the spirit and the offering on another level? (i.e. Astral)

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but I'm most curious about this.

Well, in my ChM paradigm, offerings really are more about the thought than what's offered. Prayers and acts of offering are sustenace for divinities, prayers are refined into ambrosia for the gods to actually eat. Prayers sent on incense are, therefore, even more delicious.

Anubis likes dark chocolate, steak, and spiced rum. To trees, I'll make offerings of origami (my way of returning to the soil what was taken). For the fair folk, leaving a bowl of milk out at night is customary (I've only done this once, but it was immediately appreciated).

*jots down notes* (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif)

Honestly, I've little of practical use to contribute to this thread--though I _do_ have a question.
If this is not the applicable place for such, then by all means, remove this message. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

How do such offerings--of food and the likes--appease spirits, generally?
Is it the "thought that counts"? Or is there some manner of actual interaction ("consumption") between the spirit and the offering on another level? (i.e. Astral)

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but I'm most curious about this.

Well, in my ChM paradigm, offerings really are more about the thought than what's offered. Prayers and acts of offering are sustenace for divinities, prayers are refined into ambrosia for the gods to actually eat. Prayers sent on incense are, therefore, even more delicious.

Ah-ha.

Salt and seasoning for the diets of the deity, then. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Nice.
Thanks, Rin.

I read about offering tobacco before. I never really understood where it came from. Tobacco is poisonous it is not good for trees or herbs.
I can't see how trees would enjoy poison at their roots. Still many sites claim trees love it.

Well, i can see how offerings are useful. I offered fertilizer before, when i used part of a tree to make something, but that was not really a magical offering, i just assumed the tree would enjoy some fertilizer...

Tobacco offerings are fairly new world. Tobacco itself is a pesticide but not really very poisonous to other plants. It is of the nightshade family (as are tomatoes, potatoes, belladonna, jimsonweed, etc.) When passed around/smoked as a peace offering it was highly regarded as a bonding between brothers. The smoke brought visions (from the spirit world) and it was considered a sacrament. (the Indians didn't use it like modern man and puff at it continuously) According to Culpepper it has Martial influences. Making a decoction from its leaves will yield a liquid pesticide (Do Not Ingest). It makes for a good offering! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Not really very poisonous? It still is poisonous to plants, sure they do not die from it, but it harms their health to a very small degree. Still a small harm is still not something positive to its health.

A pesticide is not so good an offering for plants, you will not only harm the plant a little, you will also cause the death of ladybugs and others that eat the bugs that eat your plant. Then birds in your yard suddenly have a decrease in food, and their numbers also decrease.
By spraying pesticide you are in fact destroying the natural balance in your yard. It is called the food chain, pesticides are not part of the food chain, they break the chain, think about it...

While it may make a good pesticide when the order is already destroyed, like when you have a plague of bugs eating away at the plant. That does not mean that it is a good offer for a plant that does not have such problems.

And it still is not healthy or beneficial for the plant itself, it only kills of some of its predators.

Do you take antibiotics when you are completely healthy, just to make sure? Or would you like your mother to feed you antibiotics to keep you healthy? It wont kill you, but does that mean it will do you good?

Just saying, is it really appropriate to give offerings that have consequences for the health of the Eco system in your yard?

That is the way i think about offering things like tobacco.
It may be a bit harsh so forgive me...

Well now... it appears that you have an axe to grind...
Tobacco, like many other plants, dwell quite harmoniously with other plants.
You may have some issues with it and, for you, so be it. The use of tobacco as a pesticide amongst organic farmers is well documented. I totally agree about Mankinds use (misuse) of certain substances as being wrong/harmful to the ecosystem. I was merely pointing out various uses of tobacco. The list of its attributes is lengthy. You're not trying to tell me that it needs expunging from the ecosystem, are you?
There are numerous plants that yield toxins, some of which are poisonous to other plants! In your infinite plan, pray tell me which you don't care for.....?
The common field buttercup will render a very effective arrow poison to enable the hunting of small game...it acts like curare'. Shall we now get down on the buttercup?
We owe it to the world to discourage the use of manufactured poisons and try to live in harmony with the planet. Death is a part of Life. You may be of the belief that all Life is Sacred, yet even tho' you try REAL hard, you just wiped out whole colonies of cheese mites that feast on your body. Life has a way of balancing itself out. Nature has destroyed many species over its tenency here on the planet and will continue to do so, without Mans intervention! Lighten up.

Oh, and to add something else...in the magnaminous USA it is illegal to grow tobacco for consumption without a permit. And from what I've seen in my own backyard, the moles are killing everything they can...sans poison! Would you care to lecture to them? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/7.gif)

I've actually used tobacco to kill spider mites in my most precious plants. Steep used cigerette buts in warm water for 3 hours, and mist away. I've used it on dragon plants (even the revered Dragon's Blood Tree), and the plants have not recieved any harm.

Deifenbacia's, mugwort, rue, salvia, I can go one forever, are all poisons. I actually didn't know about the buttercup though! That's somethin interesting.

I agree with you completely bym, it is a useful pesticide.
I never said it was really wrong to use as a pesticide, when you use it on an existing 'pest'.
It can only disturb balance if there is balance. Mostly when you use pesticide that balance is already destroyed and the plants life depends on the introduction of the pesticide.
Spraying pesticide on a healthy growing plant seems just useless to me.

I have no problem with tobacco, as i am a pipe smoker myself.
I have various kinds of pipe tobacco, and a few good briar pipes.

I was merely pointing out, that as an offering towards a plant as reward for a piece of the plants wood, it may not be a very effective offering. Unless the plant is infected with a large quantity of bugs. In that case i would spray the plant and still offer it something else. You don't reward a sick child by giving it medicine and nothing else?

I am well aware of the poisonous properties of various plants, i have no problem with any of those plants. I can take a walk outside and harvest about 10 plants that i know of that could kill a person with just a few drops of its extracts. Among them the beautiful digitalis purpurea, which grows at the side of a forest nearby. There are probably more poisonous plants nearby.

I thought the point of offerings where to give the tree something it can use. Like fertilizer.

A healthy tree has not much use for tobacco, the nicotine in it probably does not allow tobacco to decompose well, so it can not fertilize the tree.
If given in the woods it probably harms the decomposing humus around the tree also by a small degree. It certainly will not provide the tree with something useful when it is laying at its trunk.

Anyway normally there is no need for pesticides in forests anyway, since they are quite self preserving.

So i am just saying that i don't think tobacco makes a good offering for plants. Since the plants do not gain anything positive from it, they can't feed on it, they are only marginally aware of its presence. Even when defending it against pests it does not affect the plant directly but the bugs around it.

In the end, i am not sure whether or not the tree could like the tobacco, perhaps on a spiritual level of some sort.
But i always tend to think, when in doubt do the sure thing. And i am sure plants like fertilizer, in small quantities.

off topic:

salvia is consumed i believe by shamans. It is more a drug than a poison, but drugs and poisons tend to lie close to each other on some occasions.

Moles can be killed by placing large rat traps next to their holes.
It may not be humane, but my grandfather used that tactic, i think he also placed flower jars upside down above the rat trap and hole.

I googled for dragon plant, but i did not find anything.
Do you have the Latin name for this plant, so that i can search for it. I might buy such a plant, i would like some more plants to make thee from, for the moment i only have some kind of mint shrub.

This post has been edited by A_Smoking_Fox: Jul 7 2005, 03:29 PM

The Dragon's Blood Tree is called Dracaena draco. It takes years for it to grow. Out of the five seeds I started, only one grew a root. For it to even start producing resin, would take at least 10-12 years, and that's if you allow more than adequate root space if growing indoors.

One of the other varieties I have is known as either the Yucca, or Joshua Tree. It's a dragon variety, comes from another slow growing variety of the Dracaena, only it's the top bunchs that you can grow indoors (The full plant reaches to at least 20ft, and it's mostly all stalk).

The most common variety of tree I have, which you see pretty much everywhere, is the Dracaena marginata, or Red Edge Dracaena. They are the easiest to grow, and faster than the other two varieties.

The latter two do not produce resin or flowers, strictly leaf varieties.

All dragon trees are Mars dominated, so they offer quite alot of protection. And be careful you show each equal amounts of affection, because they WILL kill eachother. They do come with resident dragons, non that I have ever seen of the larger kind, mostly little whelps and fire dragons.

If you would like any help with growing those, or pretty much anything else, totally feel free to ask. Plants are my speciality. Magickal, healing, and otherwise.

Oh, and if you want to grow the Dragon's Blood, I suggest starting from seed. You gain a much better relationship with the plant if done that way. You buy them already grown (usually you can find them about a foot tall), and the relationship will be slightly stinted, due to the bond they had with either the previous grower, or nature.

This post has been edited by DollHouseKitty: Jul 7 2005, 04:56 PM

The idea of offering tobacco to a plant seems rather counterproductive. Giving fertilizer or water is much, much better. I was saying that it (tobacco) is used to appease/attract spirit entities when either seeking their help or cementing a friendship bond. Tobacco will become dirt just as fast as any plant material left out to the elements...only manmade additives/preservatives would prevent that. I no longer smoke. When I did it was from an organic source (I'm a macrobiotic hipster of the sixties). The moles will continue to build mole heaven on earth because I can't bear the idea of killing them. I do, however, take grave exception to cutworms and Japanese beetles, etc. I use organic methods to control them.

Quite often, when communing with a plant ally/deva, they will refuse offerings of a material nature. They respond very well when we (as people) are attuned to the natural cycles, our 'light' comingling with theirs...(If you have a chance, read up on Findhorn Experiment) It looks like we were talking peaches and apples before. I'm glad that it has been cleared up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

interesting, i will search for the findhorn experiment, seems interesting.

The Dracaena draco seems an interesting plant. I'd better start growing it then, if i want to have a usable plant.
I have a ficus, its a good friend, it was almost dead when i took it under my protection. I'm a big plant lover actually.

I often offer energy to plants. But i tend to not see it as an offering, more like an interaction. I send some, they send some back. It can get me high at occasions. The energy seems to purify itself by the constant exchange.

Ever read The Celestine Prophecy?

yes, before i was into magick, and i have reread it a couple of months ago.
It probably shaped much of my magical belief system. Its a good book.

That interaction does seem a lot like the things the author in the book describes.

Your actions seem very similiar with those in the book, which there is absolutely nothing wrong with at all.

That book is utterly amazing, as far as I'm concerned. It points out such simple truths.

yeah, its a good book, i like it.
But as always it also has a lot of crap in it.

The first and second scripture don't seem important to me. And the 9th is probably just fantasy.
I like the ones on connection to nature and the universe, i especially love the part where the main character comes into that monestary, after being chased on the mountain, and after he has that profound experience on the peak. That part of the book, and the events on the mountain leading up to it is my favorite part.

Sorry mods for going of topic, but it truly is a good book.

on topic:

This tread got me thinking about offering something for some servitors i have lying around, i haven't feed them decently in a long time, and i am looking for a shortcut to a long ceremony like i usually do.
perhaps i could just set a plate with some food on it, and the later trow it away?

The servitor is very closely related to the element air, i should probably give it something that associates with that element. What do you guys suggest i give it?

I'm new to this, so how should i do it? Just put down a plate somewhere, i was wondering how to make sure the servitor knows it is for him..

Well, air would be incense, which is not food related. For food related air stuffs, I would have to suggest searching into macrobiotics, because it does delve into elemental eating (part of the internal Feng Shui). I wish I could give you some suggestions, but I'm pulling up blanks.

Servitors should not be left offerings.
Servitors (yours) are created by you to perform a specific task...and then are to be destroyed. They are mental (and sometimes astral and or physical) machines. If you have created a servitor with life essence (and spirit) then, yes, you have created a child, which needs to be nurtured. Do not make the mistake of confusing the two! Servitors may be 'empowered' by you, the creator, by any number of methods. Physical food is not suitable. If you have gained the maturity to create a servitor you should already know this... I'll not start this rant. Please read up on the material. Bardon has some good ideas and our Library has many articles concerning servitor construction (and maintenance)! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/7.gif)

I noticed no ones touched the idea of blood as an offering? I find that a little strange, what are your opinions on its use?

I noticed no ones touched the idea of blood as an offering? I find that a little strange, what are your opinions on its use?

Even though my knowledge of spirit evocation is close to nothing, I believe the act of giving blood has a tremendous magical signification and shouldn’t be left unanswered. There is too much symbolism around this act, so I thought digging some information about it.

Blood symbolizes all the interdependent values of fire, heath and life connected to the sun. At these values join all that is beautiful, noble, generous and elevated. Blood is of course attached to the general symbology of the color red.

Blood is universally considered to be the vehicle of life. Sometimes even taken to be the principle of generation. From a Chaldean tradition, it is the divine blood mixed with earth that gave birth to beings. According to various myths, blood gives birth to plants, even metals.

In the ancient Cambodia, the effusion of blood during tournament or sacrifices was giving fertility, abundance and happiness. At some point rain was presaged.

Blood was raining after Cheou-sin sent arrows in the sky to bore Houen-touen. (It was an animal without a head or openings, representing the Chinese primordial chaos. Told by Tchouang-tseu, his companions wanted to bore seven openings, one a day, but it died on the seventh day.) Houen-touen is red like fire and is linked to the forge’s bellows. The latter is an image of the intermediate world, but also being a cosmogonic instrument.

In the Grail is collected blood mixed with water, dropping from the Christ’s wound, becoming the beverage of immortality. This attribute is reinforced in the case of Eucharistic transubstantiation. One will notice a similar usage for blood oath during the Antiquity, including secret Chinese societies.

Blood correspond to heat, vital and corporeal, opposed to the light, represented by the breath and the spirit. In the same perspective, the corporeal blood is the vehicle of passions.

Blood is considered by certain people to be the vehicle of the soul. This would explain, according to Frazer, the sacrificial rituals in which great carefulness is undertook so the victim’s blood is not spilled on the ground. (e.g. Ritual of the Salomon islands.) In New Zealand, any object touched by the blood of a great chief would become sacred. Here we found the symbolism of communion by blood or the link of infeodation by the blood oath.

Some “end of the world” myths from the Ural-Altaic people of central Asia show in a striking way the celestial blood-fire association. In one of those myths (from the Iourak of Obdorsk’s circle) the world perish in a fire set by the death of a sacred tree spreading its blood while falling, and this blood streaming on the ground change itself to fire. For the Tatars of Altai it is a hero sent by the supreme Good who, fighting against the Devil, spreads on earth his blood that transforms itself into fire. In a German poem of the IXth century, including in the Russian “Révélations” of the Pseudo-Method it is the blood of “Élie”, fighting the Antichrist, ignite itself and devour the earth.

Some beliefs about blood

Due to its importance to life, blood is associated with a large number of beliefs. One of the most basic is the use of blood as a symbol for family relationships; to be "related by blood" is to be related by ancestry or descendance, rather than marriage. This bears closely to bloodlines, and sayings such as "blood is thicker than water" and "bad blood", as well as "Blood brother".

Blood and blessing:

I invite the readers to learn more about the Blóts. They hide crucial aspects of the symbology of blood (as a transporter and agent of liaison in sacrifice). The number nine is often present during blóts. Every ninth year, there was a nine-day blót, a common feast for everyone in Sweden. Then, they sacrificed nine males of each species, even men (totaling 72 corpses), and the bodies were hanged from the branches of a sacred grove near the temple.

The German historian Thietmar of Merseburg wrote that the Daner had their main cult centre on Zealand at Lejre, where they gathered every nine years and sacrificed 99 people but also horses, dogs and hens. However, there is no archaeological support for this. (Refer to numbers in Norse mythology.)

Among the Germanic tribes (such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings), blood was used during the sacrifices. The blood was considered to have the power of its originator and after the butchering the blood was sprinkled on the walls, on the statues of the gods and on the participants themselves. This act of sprinkling blood was called bleodsian in Old English and the terminology was borrowed by the Catholic Church becoming to bless and blessing.

Judaism:

In Judaism, blood cannot be consumed even in the smallest quantity (Leviticus 3:17 and elsewhere); this is reflected in the dietary laws. Blood is purged from meat by salting and pickling.

Other rituals involving blood are the covering of the blood of fowl and game after slaughtering (Leviticus 17:13); the reason given by the Torah is: "Because the soul of every animal is [in] his blood" (ibid 17:14), although from its context in Leviticus 3:17 it would appear that blood cannot be consumed because it is to be used in the sacrificial service (known as the korbanot), in the Temple in Jerusalem.

Ironically, Judaism has historically been the religion to be most affected by blood libels.

Jehovah's Witnesses:

Jehovah's Witnesses take very literally the Biblical injunction against deriving benefit from blood ("Because the soul of every animal is [in] his blood", Leviticus 17:14). The religious movement maintains that apart from consuming blood, it is also forbidden to receive blood transfusions. Some Witnesses, though, allow autologous transfusion (own blood removed before surgery).

Vampires:

Vampires are thought to cheat death by drinking the blood of the living. Porphyrias, a group of inherited or acquired disorders, may have been the source of vampire legends. There is so much surrounding vampirism that I will leave the reader to find more. Just keep in mind the possible aspects of alien blood. In this case blood cold be seen as a dependence of the ego. And since it represents the vehicle of the soul, the vampire becomes a receptacle filled with different personalities; a matrix of souls being consumed in the search of more victims to contaminate so they become vampires themselves.

This is a vicious circle of persecutor-persecuted, swallower-swallowed. It symbolizes the appetite to live, but by transmitting on the other this devouring hunger, whereas it is only a self-destructing phenomenon. This being torments itself and is eating itself until he understands, accept his failures, instead of accusing the other. When mastering itself, the vampire vanishes. It represents an inversion of psychic forces against ourself.

Chinese culture:

In current Chinese culture, it is often said that if a man's nose produces a small flow of blood, this signifies that he is experiencing sexual desire.

Blood as food

Drinking blood is a strong social taboo in most countries often with a vague emotive association with vampirism, despite that being the consumption of human blood.

The Maasai and Batemi people of Tanzania drink cow's blood mixed with milk as a major part of their diet. In Kenya, camel blood is drunk.

A special dish called Dinuguan (literally meaning "of blood") is eaten in the Philippines. It consists of pig or cow intestines, liver, and other organs stewed in pig or cow blood.

Some thoughts (“Got blood?”)

I’d like to add the strong symbol of liaison from anything written or signed from blood. Obviously blood is a visceral representation of ourself, even our ego.

To conclude, blood is universal. Let’s not forget that other beings have different kinds of bloods: the blue-green blood plasma of marine fish, the insects, reptiles, sap for plants, etc. They show us that there is more than a red-fire relation with blood, but also a blue-water one for example. (the fluid in the fluid, the blood in the blood.) At some level, water could be seen as the blood’s Earth. (Water is the blood of some animals: the sponge, for example, instead of blood, circulates water through a network of small canals. The living parts of a jellyfish are in a thin outer layer in close contact with the water while its inner jelly is practically lifeless.) Even mythological creatures such as the dragons have an important role with blood.

I guess this should be taken into account when evoking spirits. Sharing blood is creating a link with the soul. It’s sharing strength and personality. Blood is viable while moving, but if left outside and stagnant, it will coagulate, and this could be a negative aspect, excluding in case of protection, e.g. on a wound.

There are so many aspects to blood that it’s hard for me to stop here.


P.S. I would love if some of you could show some graphical symbols of blood. I couldn’t find any good symbols representing blood. (Astrologic: Mars, Egyptian: only “liquid” and “flesh”, Native American: possibly the sacred fire – Desena and finally the heart.)


Sources:

- Jean Chevalier & Alain Gheerbrant, Dictionnaire des symboles. Paris, 2000.
- Wikipedia.org
- Danses et légendes de la Chine ancienne, 2 vol., Paris, 1926.
- Granet M., La civilisation chinoise. Paris, 1929.
- Cadiere L., Croyances et pratiques religieuses des Vietnamiens, Saigon Paris. 1957, 1958.
- Eliade Mircea, Forgerons et alchimistes, Paris, 1957.
- Guenon R., Le roi du monde. Paris, 1927.
- Guenon R., Symboles fondamentaux de la Science Sacrée. Paris, 1962.
- Poree-Maspero E., Étude sur les rites agraires des Cambodgiens, Paris-La Haye, 1962.
- Saint Martin L. Cl. de, Tableau naturel des rapports qui existent entre Dieu, l’homme et l’Univers. Rochefort-sur-Mer, 1946.
- Frazer J.-G., The Golden Bough, A Study in Magic and Religion, 3rd ed. Revised and enlarged, 12 vol., London, 1911-1915. (1, p. 358)
- Harva Uno, Les représentations religieuses des peuples altaïques, translated from German by Jean-Louis Perret, Paris, 1959. (99-100)
- Forest Preserve District of Cook County , Nature Bulletin No. 584-A December 6, 1975

This post has been edited by + Kinjo -: Jun 13 2006, 12:14 AM

When collecting wood, I leave fruit at the base of the trea from which I took, or nearest I've found a fallen piece of wood. (all of my wands except my pocket wand are from fallen pieces of wood with still alot of kick left in them.)