Book 3: Feast with Nestor at Pylos

After traveling across the sea, Telemachus landed on the shores of Pylos.  It was there that the search for Odysseus began. As he left the ship, Telemachus found the villagers standing on the shore, burning the thigh bones of large black bulls as gifts to Poseidon, the “blue crested god who shakes Earth.” As they made these sacrifices, they danced and sang, feasting next to the crashing waves.  There were nine guilds with five hundred men standing upon the shore, and nine bulls were offered for each guild.

Working Method: Focused Offerings

Needed offerings:

Water

Barley

Fish

Salt

Mint

Incense

Horse Cookie

Bull Cookie

Personal offering

For this working, we’ll make nine offerings of our own to Poseidon and ask for his guidance on this journey. Use your preferred method to enter light trance before beginning this work. You can perform this as the working section of a Core Order of Ritual, or on its own.

Begin by saying ‘Poseidon, I chose these gifts for you, good gifts from my heart, for any gift your heart bids to offer, will lead to good in return.’

‘I give to you this water, which brings the gift of life to the land, plants, and animals.’

Offer water

‘I give to you this barley, purifying grain of Kykeon, filled with growth and sustenance.’

Offer barley

‘I offer you this fish, creature of your realm, which bring us nourishment and joy.’

Offer fish

‘I give you this salt, coarse ground mineral from the earth, and coursing through your waters.’

Offer salt

‘I offer you mint, cool green leaves that refresh like the waters of your realm”

Offer mint leaves

‘A gift of incense for you, burning high. Although your realms are in the waters, we honor the chair you hold on Olympus as well.

Offer incense

‘I offer you this gift of a horse, gift you gave to man, now returned to you.”

Offer horse cookie

‘And finally, as they offered to you in Pylos, so do I offer to you today this bull of highest quality. May its shape please and sustain you.’

Offer bull cookie

Here you will make one final, personal offering of your choice.

Once all offerings have been made, speak or write out the journey that has brought you here, and the path you hope to take in the future.  

Take several more deep breaths and allow your trance to deepen.   Listen for the guidance of Poseidon.