Nature Nurtured is a little sprout of a thing, half-realized and vulnerable, and I’m recognizing that it can withstand some experimentation with placement and light. For the first few months of its existence, the site has been organized into a quasi-magazine format with monthly issues and grouped posts standing in as articles. That has been lovely, but perhaps not fully sustainable with my busy life and the days of sparse submissions. I wonder, then, if daily/individually spaced posts would be more doable?

What if, instead of monthly issues, we had some writing prompts that contributors could use as a basis for their submissions? We could curate, through your responses and personal experiences, a collection of rich diversity over time. For example, maybe have a series on the poetry of ritual–with individuals sharing some part of their ritual language and spoken invocations. It doesn’t matter when they are contributed and posted–they become the inspiration of that day and part of the whole searchable collection on the website from then on.

My intention with Nature Nurtured has always been simple: to give back to pagan community through paid writing and art publication, through gift giveaways and shop spotlights, while banding together to promote a culture of joyful, magickal living. It isn’t a business model. (If it was, it would be a terrible one!) The shops I spotlight don’t pay for the privilege and the gifts I give away each month are bought, at full price, from my own personal funds. My site creates no profit, features no advertisements, seeks no contributions–but is a way for me to use my personal money as an offering in the world.

Nature Nurtured is a pet project of mine. I want it to succeed. I want it to grow and flourish and be a beautiful place. But I may need to experiment, to sail off the map, to do some thoughtful pruning and replanting to ensure that it has the best chance possible of flourishing.

I hope you’ll be patient. I hope you’ll let me know, as changes are made, what works best for you. I hope you’ll consider joining the conversation and our community culture.

Blessings,

Rachel Melcher