Scarecrows: Icons of Straw and Spellwork

Among my autumn décor I came across several scarecrows. Like pumpkins, these are quintessential symbols of fall, harvest and Halloween-in my home I keep them out until the Yuletide season begins!

Traditionally used in farmers fields as a ploy to keep birds away from precious crops, these figures, usually comprised of discarded old clothing or feed bags and stuffed with straw, can also be found everywhere in pop culture.

In the Wizard of Oz we met the sweet scarecrow without a brain who was a loyal best friend to Dorothy and terrified of the Wicked Witch and her fire conjuring skills.

As a Batman villain, the Scarecrow used hallucinations brought onto the innocent citizens of Gotham in order to exploit their worse fears and terrorize the city.

And finally, we see the horror scarecrows; eerie burlap figures come to life to hunt and scare the likes of its victims with murder and mayhem. Episodes of Dr. Who and Supernatural both feature such creatures.

As far back as ancient Egypt researchers have found evidence of scarecrows. ( A tunic tossed over reeds by the bank of the River Nile was used to scare cranes away from food crops in that incarnation.)

And the one thing scarecrows always have in common is fear. Scarecrows are used to frighten birds and pests, or in art and literature, sometimes human beings! But the subject matter is always, always fear.

So my overly analytical mind made this connection with scarecrows. They emerge just as we begin the spooky season. That focus on fears begs the question-what scares you?

 As we harvest and reap and celebrate letting go of the old to make room for the new-what is it we can let go of in order to foster growth on a spiritual level?

Maybe it manifests as cleaning or decluttering, and letting go of things we no longer use or enjoy. Holding onto items can stem from fear that we will never get more. But it is only through letting some objects go that I realized I was making room for something better-something more useful. It is the way the universe ebbs and flows. It can take some soul searching, courage, and effort-but the rewards are many!

Fear can strike in many forms-fear of allowing love into our lives, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, even fear of success.
I guess I’m hoping that someone out there needs to hear this message. As we embark on the season of all things scary, What fears limit you right now? It’s certainly worthwhile food for thought! One thing I know for sure, is that I’ll never look at the little harvest time scarecrows peeking out from front porches, potted mums, or cornfields, quite the same again!

May this Harvest Moon light your way and guide you in your Autumn endeavors!

Don’t be afraid to reach out to our supportive staff here at Spellmaker.com! We have a variety of tools to help any situation. From voodoo charms to magical baths to specialized oils and mojo bags, if you need some magical backup we’ve got you covered and our team is always glad to make personalized suggestions for your individual needs! No need to fear, our staff is here! Ya see what I did there? 😉