Whether you call it a bad mood, a bad day, or even a bad life, a feeling of complete desolation and despair has you in its grip—all seems bleak. This isn’t to suggest that your feelings of hopelessness are without cause. Genuinely difficult situations may be causing true anxiety, but it’s more likely that your fears are exaggerating things way out of proportion.

Fortunately, your Nature Spirits are on hand, luring you out of your inner despair and rerouting your attention back to nature. They urge you to stop dwelling on problems for the time being and go outside. Breathe the air. Smell the grass. Take a walk. Notice the wind. Come back to Earth, back to the moment, back to the beauty and bounty your Divine Mother offers. If you’re feeling trapped in an emotional maze of fear and drama, your only way back to balance and clarity is to get grounded in the moment and return to the natural world. Let your Nature Spritslead you to Mother Earth, as she will calm and comfort your soul. The message for you is: “Get back to nature.”

Our culturally perverse notion that “doing, doing, doing” is the correct use of time, and that “doing nothing” is a complete waste of time, has indeed made us a sick society. Your overwhelming desire to back off from this whirlwind of activity and take a break—even throw in the towel altogether—isn’t crazy or unrealistic. It’s a direct summons from the Holy Spirit to withdraw your attention from the outer world and reconnect with your soul. Your life is not to be frittered away in meaningless and unexamined activity. You came in with a purpose, and specific soul intentions that are being neglected. They’re now knocking at the door of your attention, reminding you that you have commitments to keep. If you don’t heed this call and begin to self-examine, you may even enter a dark night of the soul, a time where nothing feels meaningful.

Listen to the Holy Spirit and open your heart to its direction. Take lots of time to be alone, and get in touch with your soul. Write in a journal, seek counseling, and pray. Allow yourself to be in direct contact with the guiding wisdom of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. Withdrawing from the world—whether through contemplation, meditation, or even a sabbatical—is the most powerful way to use your time right now. The Holy Spirit is guiding you in your quiet moments. Its message: “Make time for yourself.”

Gaia, the Divine Earth Mother, is present, making you aware of your marvelous physical body, her great gift to you. Be grateful for her gift; it’s a wondrous temporary home for your spirit. She asks that you give it the respect and attention it deserves and needs, so take care of it with love and attention. Give it adequate rest, a proper diet, and a calm and peaceful environment. Spend time with nature, as the earth is the true mother to your body and will restore it.

The better you care for your body, the more it will serve your spirit. Listen to your body—its gut feelings, its flutters, its impulses—as Gaia speaks to you through it. This is the Earth Mother cradling you, protecting you, and guiding you through each day. She advises you not to live in your head alone and ignore your physical self. Without a strong connection to your body, you’ll be weak and unable to achieve your goals. Gaia’s message: “Pay attention to your body.”