Simple practices to root your writing into the wisdom of nature

Our current systems of working, whether on our creative projects or whatever else, separate is from the natural world, divorcing us from our own natural rhythms and from our knowledge that we (like everything else in nature) move in cycles and are interconnected with the rest of the Earth.

I root all my work with creatives within natural systems and cycles, and in particular, in building your own creative ecosystem. I’ve created this series to show you how some of the practices I rely on every day might nourish your creative ecosystem and help you tap into the energy of different elements in your creative practice, based on what you need in a given moment.

Many of these practices might already be ones you do: But when practiced with intention, and with space for reflection on how the practice supports your creativity, they can powerfully transform and nourish your creative ecosystem over time.

Working with Earth to support your writing

The element of Earth is a good starting point because it allows us to feel grounded and resourced: Whoever or wherever you are, you know that spending time in nature leaves you feeling grounded, calm, and supported. Few of us leave a nature walk feeling the same as when we went in.

If you work with the chakra system you’ll know this connection nourishes the lower chakras, allowing energy to move up through the system. But whatever your current practice looks like, and however its rooted in tradition, adding simple connections to the element of Earth can bring an incredible depth and richness to your writing practice.

Working with Earth offers a strong foundation that makes the work flow more fully: When you’re supported and energized, you have what you need to write from a resourced, rather than depleted place. Think of how nourished plants are when they have access to the teeming life found in healthy soil: their roots (and every other part) are stronger, healthier, and more resilient.

I’ve outlined some practices below that help me work with Earth as an element to support my writing, to help you feel grounded and supported as you write.

How I use these practices:

There are two ways to work with this list. The first is to choose one from the list by letting your intuition guide you. What feels good that particular day? Pick a practice based on what you need in the moment.

The second is to commit to a practice over a period of time: Take daily nature walks for a week, for example, and notice how you feel at the beginning and end.

In both cases, it’s helpful to reflect on how your chosen practice has impacted you: in general and in terms of your creative work.

Do you feel energized? More calm? Do your ideas flow more smoothly and easily? Do you suddenly have new ideas, or new connections between ideas, after working with this element?

I like to journal about what I learn, but even just a few moments of reflecting can be a beautiful intentional practice. You’ll likely notice shifts over time, and if you work with growing your creative ecosystem for long enough, you’ll look back and be amazed at the progress you’ve made.

Practices for Earth-inspired creativity

I divide these into a few categories, so you can choose a practice depending what you need in a given moment.

Grounding practices:

For when you are feeling scattered or anxious, or like you have an excess of energy that you need to release.

Grounding practices include: spending time in nature, standing barefoot on the earth, gardening, basically anything you can do to connect with the planet and nature itself.

Grounding is also a sensory practice: Notice where your body is in contact with the floor/your chair/whatever you’re sitting or standing on and let yourself feel supported. Take a few deep breaths and just anchor into that feeling of support.

Or, try tree breathing, a simple exercise I do any time, any where when I need a bit of grounding, calm, and connection.

Clearing and cleansing practices:

For when you feel like there’s a weight on your chest, the world feels heavy, or you feel stuck or overwhelmed.

Healthy soil requires old life to compost in order for new life to emerge, and the metaphor of composting old energy (or whatever else: old projects, relationships or habits that don’t serve you, etc.) is one I prefer to just cutting and discarding, because it gives that old energy somewhere to go to be repurposed and reimagined.

Try this composting visualization practice: imagine your anxiety, excess nervous energy, old habits, or whatever else pouring into the earth through your feet. I imagine it going down to the core of the earth and being recycled back to nourish earth systems.

Then, I imagine fresh, new energy flooding into my body up through my feet: For me, that earth energy looks like rich soil full of dandelions, but everyone has their own visualization that works here (most people see light or color). This latter practice can also be a good energizing and nourishing practice.

When I need some good nourishing Earth energy around, I also will clear and cleanse my space: Bringing in Earth elements to my home (like lining up favorite cool rocks from my hikes on a windowsill). Or, I’ll garden, literally plunging my hands into the Earth around my home.

Or I might burn incense, simmer herbs, or burn herbs to clear the air in the space (I do this with other elemental practices too, particularly for air). When working with Earth in this way, I simmer or burn grounding, earthy plant material: roots, barks, resins, or mushrooms for example.

I also make decoctions (essentially a strong tea) from roots, barks, and mushrooms, which I verrrrry gently simmer then let steep until it’s cool enough to drink. If you make mushroom coffee, it can be a nice intentional practice to have a cup while imagining yourself being filled with the nourishing energy of Earth.

Meditation is always a good practice, and I especially like doing mycelial meditations when I want some nourishment and connection.

Energizing and nourishing practices:

For when you feel sluggish and unmotivated, or when you have lots of ideas but are struggling to make focused time to work on them.

When I think of energizing practices connected to Earth, I think of gentle movements that build up some momentum and energy, but in a grounded and intentional way. Some of my go-tos are Qi Gong, running or walking outdoors, or doing 1 pomodoro (I use this timer) of focused creative work with a grounding or movement practice immediately before and after.

Other favorites are doing a taproot guided meditation, or eating root vegetables, mushrooms, and grains with the intention of letting that food deeply nourish and ground you.

And of course, there’s rest. And I mean real, meaningful rest here: Not watching Netflix while you scroll social media. Getting good sleep is part of it, but also just having down time without screens or without having to “do” something (I make crafts often in my down time, but many of them are just about the experience of working with my hands than they are about output). Give yourself some restful down time to just daydream and let your mind wander.

How do you connect with Earth in your own creative practice?

If you want to work deeply with grounding and creative expansion practices in community, join me for Symbiosis: Where we commit to simple, regular practices that nourish our creative ecosystems, build new skills, and expand our creative practices in new ways.

Or, join the Mycelia Writers’ Coven (which, while it says writers in the title, we welcome all creatives!) where we weave seasonally-inspired rituals and community connection into our creative lives.

It’s a space that’s nourishing, playful, and will transform your relationship to your creativity so you can move past feeling stuck, and have a space to really fully expand into your creative potential in a guided, supported way.

If you want a taste before you dive in, try Pleasure Practices for Creatives, a self-guided course to help you weave pleasure through your writing life.

Use the code ELEMENTS for 20% off any or all of them.