When spirits do work for you, or when you feel the need/impulse to say thank you, there are some great things you can do:
- Light a vigil candle for them (in their color, with their saint picture if they have one, etc)
- Read the Bible or another holy book to them
- Pay them with food or drink. General catch-all things you can offer are alcohol, coffee, plain water, sliced fruit (avoid lemons and limes; they’re too harsh), flowers (yeah, it’s not a food, but still a good idea). Different spirits may take different types of food; if you’re dealing with lwa from Haitian Vodou, ask a manbo or houngan what specific foods a spirit takes
- Have a Mass said for them at a Catholic church. In Catholicism, dedicating a Mass to a person or saint is common. Call your local parish and ask. You will probably need to pay a small amount of money; usually it’s around $10 U.S. Try to attend the Mass if you can.
- Write them a poem or song and present it to them.
- Give them something for their altar. I have a few toy soldiers on my altar for Ogou, and some toys for Legba.
- If they did something REALLY big for you, ask a manbo or houngan to give them what’s called an “action de grace”. This is a small feast or feeding for your spirits.
These are the most common things you can do to say thanks to your spirits. If you can think of any more, leave a comment!
