Colors in the Wind

The season itself takes its name from the striking event that captures everyone's attention for a few weeks each year: Fall. The cool leaves that have shaded our picnics all summer suddenly turn their coats and fly away. Their deep green kindles into flames of crimson, orange, gold. Caught up in the rising winds, they swirl across the sky like so many hands waving goodbye to summer. Currents and eddies of air sweep them up against walls, pile them high in corners, and spread them in bright lacy blankets over lawns. And what do most people do the first morning they look through a window to see the trees standing bare and black in the center of their cast-off cloaks?

Reach for a rake.

All they see is a nuisance to be swept out of sight as quickly as possible, another chore to cram into an already busy weekend. In fact, fallen leaves don't necessarily need to be raked out of the way. They can be put to a variety of uses. Unless they completely cover the lawn, leaves will naturally decay into fertilizer for the grass. A thicker layer of leaves can be shredded to speed the process. Finally, if you must rake your yard -- try to think of the rake as your magic wand. Use it to gather up all the emotional garbage lying around.

In some areas, you can burn piles of leaves. As the sweet blue smoke spirals into the sky, let it carry your prayers to the Goddess. Cast your troubles into the flames, watch them turn black and shrivel away. Build huge bonfires of fallen leaves and invite your friends to dance around them. Roast marshmallows and hold a Harvest Feast. At Samhain, stare into the glowing coals of the old year to remember past challenges -- then kindle the fire of the new year and search its leaping flames for hints of challenges to come. I love autumn nights because when the wind is right, the sweet smell of burning leaves carries for miles.

If you don't have a yard of your own, gather a handful of colorful leaves to scatter on your altar. Many covens use leaves to mark their autumn circles. Try to find leaves from different kinds of trees. For instance, Oak, Ash, and Thorn are associated with Faerie. Apple, the fruit of life-in-death, represents the island of Avalon. Sweetgum, as you can tell from the name, releases a rich spicy smell. You can even crumble leaves onto burning charcoal, using them as incense. Different leaves produce different scents; experiment until you find a combination you like. It makes a lovely smudge for an autumn celebration, by yourself or with friends.

Children, of course, know exactly what to do with leaves: play in them. I think the gods roll their eyes in disgust every time somebody walks past a pile of leaves without jumping in. Every time I see a great heap of butter-gold leaves piled up in a corner, I run through laughing and grinning. Wade through a pile yourself; kick the leaves into the air and watch them come fluttering down. Chase the little whirlwinds that dance in the corners. If somebody frowns at you -- smile and invite them to join you. I have, and sometimes people do.

Leaves make beautiful art when pressed between two sheets of heavy waxed paper. A little wax shaved from old crayons will add color and help the sheets stick together. You could even work this into a spell, using wax curls from your altar candles instead. Arrange a few pretty leaves on a sheet of waxed paper and cover them with another sheet, making sure none of the leaves touch the edges. Cover the waxed paper with an ironing cloth and press with an iron set on the lowest heat. These lovely arrangements work well when propped or hung behind the altar for background. They also make wonderful decorations for All Hallows' Eve.

The symbolism of autumn leaves makes a perfect meditation focus. Think of how the leaves show their true colors only at the end, how they reach their greatest beauty just before they die, then float away in freedom. A leaf lives its life in the course of a single summer -- yet a tree can live hundreds of years. When the leaves settle to the ground and decay, they return to the earth, and nourish the tree as it prepares to send out the new leaves of spring. The cycle repeats itself in each turn of the seasons, careful as a clock that winds itself.

This fall, watch the leaves as they turn around you. The Mother casts off her beautiful cloak, giving the bounty of harvest to Her children, then She stands bony and bent as the holy Crone. In the forests and fields, the God lays down his life. The grain falls to the reaper, the stag lowers his crown of horns at the hunter's touch. Autumn winds sweep away the leaves, painting the sky with flame in honor of the Lady and Her Consort. Look for Their presence when you see the colors in the wind.

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Art on this page is from the "Whiteflower" set, at Winter's Pages

The URL for this page is http://www.worthlink.net/~ysabet/spirit/colors.html and it was last updated on October 13, 1998.