How to Do a Libation for Gaia

That great mundane divinity, the Earth, is the common Hestia of Gods and people. This divinity, on whose fertile surface reclining, as on the soft bosom of a mother or a nurse, we ought to celebrate with hymns, and incline to with filial affection, as to the source of our existence.

Theophrastus, tr. Thomas Taylor, VII of Proclus’ Platonic Theology (slightly modified)

1. Put water, wine, or another beverage in a reusable container.
2. Wash your hands.
3. Go outside or set out a bowl for yourself on a clean table or floor.
4. Pray to Gaia and give thanks for her steadiness and support. Recite a poem or read a hymn if you like.
5. Pour some of the liquid onto the ground or into the bowl.
6. Close your eyes and breathe.
7. Say thank you and go on with your day/evening. If you used a bowl, pour liquid out in a sink (preferably a clean one) or outside later.

Beyond doing a libation, because it is Earth Day, think about treating the world around us like the temple that she is. Consider reducing your plastic use and putting pressure on brands you love to commit to zero unrecycled plastics in their products and shipment packaging. Put pressure on companies to offer spray bottle refills or sell an option without the sprayer that you already have on your old bottle. Use the comments section on your grocery store site to request plastic bag recycling (yes, you can recycle a lot of shipment plastic) if the store doesn’t already do it. Consider switching from bottled shampoo to shampoo bars (they’ve come a long way in the past few years) and to more sustainable moisturizing products, like bars, concentrates, and puddings. Go for containers made of thicker plastics that are more easily recycled rather than flimsy ones that are often harder for recycling companies to handle. Stop using glitter.

Happy Earth Day. 🌎🌍🌏