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Author Topic: Mistake made after evening ritual  (Read 2228 times)

Hunthjof

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Mistake made after evening ritual
« on: October 29, 2013, 08:05:37 am »
I am embarrassed to say what happened this night and to ask this question.  After finishing my nightly offerings to the gods I was cleaning up the alter and in my klutziness knocked the vessel holding my offerings of incense over spilling the incense on the floor.  I cleaned them up off the floor.  I placed additional incense into the vessel offering them up to the gods and asking for forgiveness in my clumsiness.  Is there more I should have done?

Dark Midnight

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Re: Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2013, 08:12:24 am »
Quote from: Hunthjof;127429
I am embarrassed to say what happened this night and to ask this question.  After finishing my nightly offerings to the gods I was cleaning up the alter and in my klutziness knocked the vessel holding my offerings of incense over spilling the incense on the floor.  I cleaned them up off the floor.  I placed additional incense into the vessel offering them up to the gods and asking for forgiveness in my clumsiness.  Is there more I should have done?

 
I don't think so. Deities are kind of used to human clumsiness and the fact that you immediately apologized and added more incense should be enough to make up for it. Everyone has days like this, believe me!
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Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2013, 08:17:08 am »
Quote from: Hunthjof;127429
I am embarrassed to say what happened this night and to ask this question.  After finishing my nightly offerings to the gods I was cleaning up the alter and in my klutziness knocked the vessel holding my offerings of incense over spilling the incense on the floor.  I cleaned them up off the floor.  I placed additional incense into the vessel offering them up to the gods and asking for forgiveness in my clumsiness.  Is there more I should have done?

Oh hun, I have made so many mistakes before, during, and after ritual in my 10+ years that I should have been striken down long, long, ago if they minded. You cleaned up the mess, replaced your offering, and said sorry. You're good.
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Hunthjof

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Re: Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2013, 08:28:52 am »
Quote from: Dark Midnight;127432
I don't think so. Deities are kind of used to human clumsiness and the fact that you immediately apologized and added more incense should be enough to make up for it. Everyone has days like this, believe me!

 

Thanks to the both of you.

Sage

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Re: Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2013, 12:23:42 pm »
Quote from: Hunthjof;127429
I am embarrassed to say what happened this night and to ask this question.  After finishing my nightly offerings to the gods I was cleaning up the alter and in my klutziness knocked the vessel holding my offerings of incense over spilling the incense on the floor.  I cleaned them up off the floor.  I placed additional incense into the vessel offering them up to the gods and asking for forgiveness in my clumsiness.  Is there more I should have done?

 
Let me tell you about the time I set my hair on fire during ritual! Or the time I literally fell off my bed onto my altar for Bast! Or the time my incense triggered my brother's reactive airway disease ("asthma lite" he calls it). Or the time... ;)

Mistakes happen, and sometimes they happen a lot. We're just humans after all and I like to think the gods understand our humanness. There might be some rituals where it's necessary to do and say things exactly right, but it sounds like your nightly rituals aren't so formal. Giving extra offerings and an apology was good instinct on your part.

I used to be part of ADF, a pan-Indo European group in which members can focus on whichever culture(s) they like, including Roman. I'm linking you to this ritual because it includes a "piacular offering" toward the end. This is a type of offering and prayer that serves as a "if we screwed up, please forgive us" sort of thing. Some people include piacular offerings with every ritual, some only if they feel the gods require it. Might be something to consider!

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Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2013, 05:09:45 pm »
Quote from: Hunthjof;127429
I am embarrassed to say what happened this night and to ask this question.  After finishing my nightly offerings to the gods I was cleaning up the alter and in my klutziness knocked the vessel holding my offerings of incense over spilling the incense on the floor.  I cleaned them up off the floor.  I placed additional incense into the vessel offering them up to the gods and asking for forgiveness in my clumsiness.  Is there more I should have done?

I have dyspraxia, poor motor skills, and wrists that dislocate. Pretty much every time that I do an offering or longer ritual, something goes wrong. Most nights I spill whatever I'm offering. At least weekly, candles get knocked over, or wax drips everywhere, or someone's shrine items fall off the table, or the sacred flame from Kildare gets chucked down the back of the altar cabinet and I end up on my hands and knees in the dark (because the candles fell over) trying to feel for it... My gods know this about me. I usually sense something akin to amused eye-rolling, but I don't believe in making extra offerings to make up for it, personally. I think whether you need to 'make up for' mistakes depends on your religion, and the gods you honour and what they expect. I'm a Celt, and there's a fair bit of down-homeliness and ordinariness in our practice. But even if that weren't the case, I suspect my gods wouldn't make demands on me that they knew I couldn't manage.
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Enid

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Re: Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2013, 06:04:02 pm »
Quote from: Hunthjof;127429
Is there more I should have done?

 
I am fairly clumsy, and have knocked things over before, during and after ritual. It's okay. In my experience, my gods are more worried with intent. An accident is an accident. As long as you weren't intentionally trying to knock everything over, it's fine.
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Re: Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2013, 07:03:06 pm »
Quote from: Hunthjof;127429
I placed additional incense into the vessel offering them up to the gods and asking for forgiveness in my clumsiness.  Is there more I should have done?

I think you did just fine. Few gods expect perfection from humans -- and those few who do are probably used to being disappointed. :)
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Laveth

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Re: Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2013, 09:28:17 pm »
Quote from: Sage;127459
Let me tell you about the time I set my hair on fire during ritual! Or the time I literally fell off my bed onto my altar for Bast! Or the time my incense triggered my brother's reactive airway disease ("asthma lite" he calls it).
Sage

 
I lol'd... haha

But yeah, we've all been there. Can't say I've ever set my hair on fire yet.. *knocks on wood*

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Re: Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2013, 09:30:26 pm »
Quote from: Laveth;127539
I lol'd... haha

But yeah, we've all been there. Can't say I've ever set my hair on fire yet.. *knocks on wood*

 
Be very. Very. Very aware of where lit candles are and where your head is in relation to them when attempting any bows, or leaning into the altar to pray, or.. anything. In fact, just shave your head before ritual, that'll save any worries at all. Can't burn what's not there :D
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I shall embrace the light. I shall weather the storm.
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What you have created, no one can tear asunder.

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Hunthjof

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Re: Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2013, 04:36:23 am »
Quote from: Sage;127459
Let me tell you about the time I set my hair on fire during ritual! Or the time I literally fell off my bed onto my altar for Bast! Or the time my incense triggered my brother's reactive airway disease ("asthma lite" he calls it). Or the time... ;)

Mistakes happen, and sometimes they happen a lot. We're just humans after all and I like to think the gods understand our humanness. There might be some rituals where it's necessary to do and say things exactly right, but it sounds like your nightly rituals aren't so formal. Giving extra offerings and an apology was good instinct on your part.

I used to be part of ADF, a pan-Indo European group in which members can focus on whichever culture(s) they like, including Roman. I'm linking you to this ritual because it includes a "piacular offering" toward the end. This is a type of offering and prayer that serves as a "if we screwed up, please forgive us" sort of thing. Some people include piacular offerings with every ritual, some only if they feel the gods require it. Might be something to consider!

Sage

 

Oh thank you for the guidance.  that and forgive the slight chuckle I got from your intro.  Gladly being military hair to short to catch on fire.  That and being 39 it is migrating to places like my nose and ears(haven't figured that out yet why it is doing that but will get back too you).

Hunthjof

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Re: Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #11 on: October 30, 2013, 07:32:15 am »
Quote from: Sage;127459
Let me tell you about the time I set my hair on fire during ritual! Or the time I literally fell off my bed onto my altar for Bast! Or the time my incense triggered my brother's reactive airway disease ("asthma lite" he calls it). Or the time... ;)

Mistakes happen, and sometimes they happen a lot. We're just humans after all and I like to think the gods understand our humanness. There might be some rituals where it's necessary to do and say things exactly right, but it sounds like your nightly rituals aren't so formal. Giving extra offerings and an apology was good instinct on your part.

I used to be part of ADF, a pan-Indo European group in which members can focus on whichever culture(s) they like, including Roman. I'm linking you to this ritual because it includes a "piacular offering" toward the end. This is a type of offering and prayer that serves as a "if we screwed up, please forgive us" sort of thing. Some people include piacular offerings with every ritual, some only if they feel the gods require it. Might be something to consider!

Sage

 
 :ashamed: Well leave it to me to do it again. two nights in a row.  I have to wonder if it is because I am not centering myself properly prior to the ritual.  My mind and in this case body do not seem to be focused on the ritual at hand.  Again I offered up new and more incense re-lighted my Vesta lamp and started again from the beginning but also had to remove part of my garb and had to improvise with covering my head.   Any assistance would be most welcome.

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Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2013, 09:25:31 am »
Quote from: Hunthjof;127574
:ashamed: Well leave it to me to do it again. two nights in a row.  I have to wonder if it is because I am not centering myself properly prior to the ritual.  My mind and in this case body do not seem to be focused on the ritual at hand.  Again I offered up new and more incense re-lighted my Vesta lamp and started again from the beginning but also had to remove part of my garb and had to improvise with covering my head.   Any assistance would be most welcome.

Could it be you're nervous about making mistakes and psyching yourself out? It sounds like this really concerns you. Do you meditate at all? Perhaps including some quiet contemplation before shrine time would help settle nerves.
Maker, though the darkness comes upon me,
I shall embrace the light. I shall weather the storm.
I shall endure.
What you have created, no one can tear asunder.

-Canticle of Trials 1:10

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Join the Emboatening Crew over on Kiva! Emboatening the boatless since Opet 2013.

Hunthjof

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Re: Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #13 on: October 31, 2013, 01:40:38 am »
Quote from: Sage;127582
Could it be you're nervous about making mistakes and psyching yourself out? It sounds like this really concerns you. Do you meditate at all? Perhaps including some quiet contemplation before shrine time would help settle nerves.



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Re: Mistake made after evening ritual
« Reply #14 on: October 31, 2013, 08:34:11 am »
Quote from: Hunthjof;127688
That andd 15 days from now my military life ends and a whole new one begins.

 
Well hell, if all you're doing is knocking stuff over in that state, you're doing better than I would be!  I'd've probably set MYSELF on fire a few times at that point.

Move a little slower and relax.  :)

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