By guest contributor Niantiel
As someone who offers blood (both my own and that of others) and works with ghosts, I want to speak from my personal viewpoint. In praxis there are multiple reasons for blood offerings and not all are the same. Blood is the life-force, it is filled with the fire of living vitality which adds to a deity’s power, both in the cases of calling forth or spell casting. This is particularly prevalent in traditions across the globe when it comes to primarily chthonic deities and the dead. Some examples being in Thai Occultism, Greek and Roman traditions, and famously in many African Diaspora religions. The dead love and thirst for life-force, almost like a high if you will. It inflames them, it heats up your sorcery and adds great power to whatever you are casting. It may be requested because extra power is needed to fulfill what the devotee desires. There are examples of devotees of Santa Muerte coming to them in dreams requesting a blood offering to fulfill a task at hand.
Death deities also love it as you are spilling the elixir of life in their honor, and it lessens the barrier between them and the world of the living. While she is wonderful and compassionate, Santa Muerte is still a deity of death and is no different. Though she does not demand it, in most cases she will not shun such an offering though her more Catholic followers may find the practice distasteful and offer other gifts, which she is amenable to. Offering your own blood is an act of devotion along with pain as the trials one is willing to go through to prove one’s loyalty. I have had tattoos done and offered the resulting ‘lymph’ leakage.
It also needs to be clarified acts of devotion versus necromantic practice when it comes to blood offerings as they are not one in the same. A deity such as Santa Muerte is of a ‘higher’ status and nature. She has power over the dead and keys to gateways between this world and the next which she can cross to her own leisure. This may be a gift granted by the Abrahamic God or of her own power, depending on what one’s personal view of her is. The dead are her children whom she shepherds, guides, and if need be….restrains. Blood offerings of devotion to her are safe as it is the devotee reaching out to bond and link with her current to build a long-lasting relationship. She does not need to feed on anyone and will not act aggressively for a devotional sacrifice to her.
When it comes to the dead, offering up your own blood is akin to jumping into a river of crocodiles. There is praxis where one is bonding with a spirit that this may take place, but that is only for very advanced people who have a lot under their belt already with an incredibly strong foundation or working in a lineage. Otherwise, the dead will ‘feed’ off you, and they can be insatiable. In more malefic practices and workings, some entities who are bound to the practitioner may need to be given blood as a necessity to prevent them from breaking their chains or as payment for fulfilling a contract. As it is said, the dead love blood as it holds the echoes of vitality that they are drawn to it like moths to a flame.
There is a tendency in the West to dismiss blood offerings as barbaric and unnecessary but when it comes to necromantic workings nothing will work faster than blood. Not tobacco, not orgasms, not liquor but. Blood. The danger lies in the performance and control of the spirits because it can drive them into a frenzy where they will demand more and try to take it. Blood taken through sacrifice no matter from what should not be regarded lightly as it is always meant to be quick, and painless as possible. Prolonged suffering from poor performance can harm what you are doing as you are now adding pain, fear, and agony to things which too can attract very malevolent and chaotic forces and can create a ‘grudge’ that will destroy everything.
If one is unsure or has no desire to shed blood when it comes to their devotion that is also perfectly fine. It is not for everyone. As I stated above, the beauty in her is that she does not require it, though she may demand it depending on the needs and workings of the devotee who is petitioning her. This of course falls onto the responsibility of the individual and it is wise to not make bargains with her that one has no intention of keeping. Plenty of stories abound on the consequences of refusing to keep your word to Santa Muerte, and all I will say on that is that a person should reflect on the foolishness of playing with Death herself. Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful.
Most Holy Death 