Autumn is here in my part of the world, and that means gorgeous falling leaves! Leaves are such a great resource for magic, and with the colors changing for fall, there are even more options available to us. Not only do we have the variations in shape and species, but now we have color options as well...just one more variable to play with.
One of the first practices I remember that involves leaves was simply using them as a way to release things that no longer serve us. So many trees loose their leaves each year, and that is a lesson we can learn, that no matter vital a thing may seem to us, we may find a time where we have to let them go and trust that when we need them again, we will have them. But even for things that are clearly not a benefit to us, we can sometimes cling out of fear (the foe I know versus the unknown) or simply out of habit. Find a leaf that feels like it fits what you want to release, and charge it with your intention (you can whisper to it, write on it, or just hold it between your hands and visualize transferring the thing you are releasing into it), and then hold it up and let the wind take it away.
For a bit more of a punch, you can burn leaves to really remove things from your life. For this, I like writing one thing on each leaf, one thing that I want gone. It can be really liberating feeling to sit down with a pile of leaves and just do a bit of a mental inventory, to see what in your life you would want free from. Keep writing things until you run out of ideas, and then sett up a fire source. Remember, dry leaves are both light and flammable so make sure you take the appropriate fire safety precautions, and then one by one burn your leaves.
Leaves can also be used as messengers (along with any number of seeds that are designed to float on the wind, like maple seeds or dandelion puffs). Speak your message into the leaf, and then think about who you want to send the message to. The nifty thing about this is that fallen leaves can be thought of as being in a limbo state...they are dying, and thus can also cross the barrier between worlds, so you can use them to send messages to people who are no longer with us. When you have the one you want to communicate with firmly in mind, release the leaf and let it carry it's message away.
I really enjoy utilizing the features of an object to enhance my magic, and one feature that leaves have is veins. These veins can represent a lot of things. You could use leaf veins to do family work, using them as a representation of your family tree. We also have veins, so you can use them for healing work (especially anything to do with blood flow in your body, or our nervous system). The veins fork and branch, so they can be used to help navigate situations where you have a lot of choices (consider writing different options on different parts of the leaf and then casting onto the leaf to see how different options will go for you).
Which leads us firmly into leaf divination. You can divine with leaves in all sorts of ways. You might like to gather leaves from a variety of plants around your home, and keep them in a bowl. When you want some guidance, you can pick a leaf from your bowl, and then look to the plant it came from for your answers (which is also a great way to become more familiar with plants local to your area!). You can toss a leaf in the air and interpret how it falls, or light part of it on fire and read the burn patterns, you can crumble a leaf and scatter the bits and read how they land, and you can always look for images and signs in the colors of the leaf.
Leaves can be a unique starting point for intentional art! Especially with the wide range of colors, shapes and unique properties that make each leaf different. You might gather a bunch of leaves and use them to create collage art. Or you might search out individual leaves and trace art in the patterns of color found in each leaf. You could trace leaves and use those shapes to be creative (turn the leaf outline into funny animals or whimsical houses). If you apply paint directly to a leaf, you can use it as a stamp! You can even pound the pigment from leaves onto paper or cloth (lay out wet leaves in a pattern on the paper or cloth you want to pigment, put another piece of paper over them to cover and use a hammer to transfer the pigment). And with any of these art projects, you can set an intention as you work on them, write out an issue and art over it, or simply play with the process as a way to sink into sacred space.
If you want to create meaningful fall decor, consider using leaves as a way to celebrate gratitude. For this, you can use real leaves, fake leaves or make leaves out of paper or cloth (or anything you like!). You can string them on garlands and hang them in your home, or keep/attach them on branches and arrange them like a bouquet. On each leaf, write something you are grateful for. This can be a great activity for a family night or friend gathering, letting everyone contribute and share the things they are grateful for.
And we can also tap into our childhood by playing with leaves! Make a small pile and kick it about or jump into it. Make patterns in fallen leaves, or use fallen leaves (and other natural bits) to make mandalas. Use sticks and leaves to make little people and create scenes with them. Have a leaf fight with a friend! Just allow yourself to tap into your inner child and play!
There are a ton of things we can do with leaves, and so many ways to fold them into our practice. And you may find, that by trying some of these activities, you think of new ways to work with leaves! Embrace the season and see how you can use leaves in your practice.
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