Do Pagans sacrifice things in ritual?
Usually when one thinks of ritual sacrifice, they think about an animal (or small child!). In reality, ritual sacrifice is usually much less dramatic. During ceremony, wine or milk is often poured on the ground, as well as bread being broken, as a offering to the god/ess or to show appreciation for the harvest. Often, unproductive or bad habits are sacrificed to clear a path for new growth. There are still some groups that perform animal sacrifices during ritual, in which case the animal is blessed, sacrificed, and the eaten after ritual ( a far more humane and respectful way to kill an animal for food than the more common “slaughter-house method”). This practice is still relatively rare in modern pagan practice. Most Pagans tend to be very animal, plant and Earth friendly and some even refuse to eat meat at all.
