Ritual of thanks giving

I mentioned in my post about giving thanks that I was going to hold a rite of thanks to the Theoi. As I was writing the rite down for another reason, I figured some of the readers of this blog might also appreciate reading how I perform this rite. For privacy reasons, I have omitted the actual words of thanks.

• Procession to the shrine
• Strewing of barley groats on the altar
• Preparation of khernips
• Ritual washing with invocation to Okeanos

"Okeanos whose nature ever flows, from whom at first both Gods and men arose; sire incorruptible, whose waves surround, and earth’s all-terminating circle bound: hence every river, hence the spreading sea, and earth’s pure bubbling fountains spring from thee. Hear, mighty sire, for boundless bliss is thine, greatest cathartic of the powers divine : earth’s friendly limit, fountain of the pole, whose waves wide spreading and circumfluent roll. Approach benevolent, with placid mind, and be forever to thy mystics kind."

• Purification – water sprinkled from a bay branch

"Blessed Okeanos, may your bright waters purify this space, and prepare both me, and it, for the rites that are about to unfold."

• Lighting of Hestia's candle (if not yet burning), as well as the ethanol to burn sacrifices in
• Homeric Hymn 24 to Hestia

"Blessed Goddess Hestia, you who tend the holy house of the lord Apollo, the Far-shooter at goodly Pytho, with soft oil dripping ever from your locks, come now into this house, come, having one mind with Zeus the all-wise—draw near, and withal bestow grace upon my song."

• Libation of honey sweet wine to Hestia
• Lighting of the incense burner with Frankincense and Storax
• Invocation to Zeus, King of the Theoi
• Homeric Hymn 23 + part of Callimachus hymn 1

"Of Zeus, best and greatest of the gods, I will sing, the wide-sounding ruler, the one that brings to fulfillment, who consults closely with Themis as she sits leaning against him. Be favorable, wide-sounding son of Kronos, greatest and most glorious."

"Hail! Greatly hail! Most high Son of Kronus, giver of good things, giver of safety. Thy works who could sing? There hath not been, there shall not be, who shall sing the works of Zeus. Hail! Father, hail again! And grant us goodness and prosperity. Without goodness wealth cannot bless men, nor goodness without prosperity. Give us goodness and wealth."

• Libation of honey sweet wine
• Prayers of thanks

"Blessed Zeus, King of the Gods, accept my prayer, and if it was not to You, I should address my prayer, carry these words forth onto snowy Olympos, and let not my prayers and sacrifice fall upon deaf ears."

[Actual words of thanks]

• Offerings of wine, incense, and a pankarpia of dried fruits
• Invocation to Hestia

"Blessed Goddess Hestia, Goddess of home and hearth. To you, I offer last of all, as a pious mortal should. Tend to those whom I love, and guard the houses of the pious. As the Gods will it, so shall it be."

• Extinguishing of the candle (if so desired)