Pagan Studies - - Bringing Autumn Magic In 
Adapted from Witch in the Kitchen, by Cait Johnson (Inner Traditions, 2001).

There's nothing more luscious than inviting nature indoors in the Fall: the
brilliant colors of Autumn make our homes feel deliciously warm and cozy as
the weather turns cooler. Changing leaves, swags of grapevine, and
vibrantly-colored apples and squashes make gorgeous, inexpensive decorations

Find out how to connect with the abundant bounty and beauty of this harvest
season with these fun, easy tips for decorating with nature:

1. Preserve some colorful leaves. You can iron them between sheets of waxed
paper, microwave them for a few seconds, put them in a solution of glycerin,
or press them between the pages of a heavy book. Then you can apply them to
backsplashes, place them artfully in a vase, mound them around a pile of
gourds or squashes, or even use them as coasters for your favorite beverages


2. Food is art. Find a local Farmer's Market or roadside stand and load up
on apples, pears, pumpkins, decorative squashes, nuts, gourds, and Native
American corn. A simple wooden bowl loaded with these treasures makes an
abundant centerpiece. You can parade them in a line on a mantel-piece or
pile them in a basket. What you don't eat, you can enjoy looking at.

3. Other treasures. Bring in grapevines to twine along the
countertops, or make wreaths for doors or cabinets (see our article on
making your own Inner Harvest Wreath). If you live in an area where
bittersweet is not a protected plant, harvest some to put in an earthen vase
Corn shocks are traditional to stand beside a door, but broom corn makes a
beautiful and less usual alternative with its graceful russet fronds.

4. Beeswax candles. The amber color and honey-sweet aroma of these safe,
all-natural candles just evoke the golden glow of autumn. As the days get
shorter, it can be a soothing ritual to burn a beeswax candle at dusk.

5. Echo Fall colors. Bring in the Autumn hues of russet-red, vibrant shades
of orange, deep greens, mellow golds, wine-reds, and vivid scarlet with
cushions, towels, scatter-rugs, or other decorative accents. My family has a
brightly-colored autumn leaf potholder and a set of pumpkin-shaped mugs that
we use with pleasure year after year. Find the simple treasures your family
will enjoy.

6. Try this creative and relaxing Leaf Meditation. Find a perfect autumn
leaf and spend some time really looking at it, noticing the variations in
color and shape. Trace its outline on a piece of paper, then try your hand
at coloring it in with colored pencils, markers, or paints. Slowing down and
taking time to savor the beauty of something as simple and commonplace as a
leaf opens our eyes and hearts to nature's magical variety. You may want to
cut your colored leaf out and glue it on the cover of a journal to keep you
company throughout the autumn months. Or do several leaves to decorate your
cabinets or walls!

7. Think water. Western European traditions often associate Autumn with the element of water, since it is a time of deep feeling and flowing away: birds migrate, trees shed their leaves. Honor this ancient idea with a bowl of water in a special place. Notice how water evaporates. As you refill your bowl throughout the autumn months, give a little thought to your own feelings, and the things that you are in the process of releasing from your life.  

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