How To Use The Rhythms Of Nature To Heal Yourself—And The Planet

Nature has a healing rhythm and as the leaves finally begin to change, I’m watching it all happen from my home in upstate New York. But, I’ll be honest, it hasn’t been as peaceful and nourishing as autumn tends to be for me. Usually, by now, the leaves are well past their peak colors and have started to drop. But this year, fall has been way more than just fashionably late. She’s almost three weeks late. But, regardless, we can still use the rhythms of nature to heal. And, we must.

A few extra weeks may not seem like a big deal—you may even be celebrating the extended summer sesh—but the shift in seasons has personal, astrological, and global implications. Human activity and consumerism on this planet have warmed our climate, polluted our water sources, and put our future in serious danger. And as our planet tries to find equilibrium, we have to take into consideration how we can do our part to aid in this critical, mass healing.

Rediscovering #selfcare With The Spirit Almanac

I strongly believe the Earth is a living, breathing reflection of our collective energy. Her illness and suffering is only a reflection of our own. Considering the number of record-breaking hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, and rising acidity levels in the ocean, and you get a pretty clear picture of how we feel about ourselves and our place on the planet at the moment. And while acknowledging how we got here and taking responsibility for our role in this crisis is essential, we can’t hole up in our shame spiral forever. We won’t be able to solve a problem this daunting until we realign with nature and start caring for ourselves with the same divine love that Mother Earth offers us.

Enter: The Spirit Almanac: A Modern Guide to Ancient Self-Care by mindbodygreen editors Emma Loewe and Lindsay Kellner that teaches us how to use the rhythms of nature to heal. This guide is a straight-up lifesaver for modern mystics trying to heal a polluted world. When Emma and Lindsay talk about self-care in The Spirit Almanac, they really mean self-care for your soul. Instead of facials and catnaps, think forest bathing and lunar rhythms.

The Almanac is divided into four seasons. Each section is devoted to radical self-care by tapping into the rhythms of the natural world as a way to access your own healing magic. (Hello, tapping into the rhythms of nature to heal!) And what’s completely unique about it is there’s a mash-up of both science-backed techniques and more esoteric rituals to help all of us realign with the Earth. With offerings from breathwork to meditation to astrology, there’s something for everyone here. And besides the soul-stirring content, the artwork within the guide is potent and stunning.

As autumn finally arrives, it asks us to let go of all that is not serving us. Emma and Lindsay make this point, too, and offer several powerful ways to activate this process. One of my faves is a humming ritual, which asks you to accept what this year has brought, lean in, and let go now so that you’re ready to plant new seeds in winter. Like this ritual, all of the insights and activities are well-researched, concise, and explained with raw compassion for your healing.

Your Health As An Act of Resistance

Let’s be real—self-care can feel like a luxury in the age of climate crises and social inequality. But please know that we won’t be capable of the exhaustive work of healing our planet unless we fill our cups with radical self-love first. As Audre Lorde famously stated; “self-care is an act of resistance.” And I’ll add that so is aligning with nature’s rhythms to heal, even though—and especially because— the Earth is undergoing deep abuse.

It’s also important to understand that our work doesn’t stop here. As we actively heal ourselves, we must do the same for our Earth. We have to show up for groups promoting climate justice and stand up to politicians who don’t have our planet’s best interests at heart. We have to make our voices loud enough for Mother Earth to feel the depths of our devotion to her, our collective, and ourselves.

Now I’d love to hear from you. How are you caring for yourself and the earth this time of year? What are your favorite ways to give back to earth? Leave me a comment below.

Also, want to work together on building more self-care and consciousness into your life? Join the Moon Cycle Embodiment Challenge. Learn more about it here.