Finding Gaia in the Compost

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Astrea Taylor, author of several books, including Intuitive Witchcraft, Air Magic, and the new Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods.

Composting is one of my favorite pagan practices. You might think it’s not a pagan activity at all, but I can assure you that it is. I treat the earth as if it were the living embodiment of Gaia, the Greek goddess of the earth. When I scoop my food scraps into her heap of soil, leaves, and trimmings, I feel a connection with her that makes me feel grounded and peaceful.

My compost practice started during the pandemic. I was stuck in my home more than ever, and I noticed that every time I went outside, it was refreshing to my very soul. This was a time when I had more vegetables than ever before thanks to a co-op subscription box. Of course, those vegetables produced scraps, it made sense to go outside with them and give them to the earth rather than put them in the garbage can.

I had no designated compost pile at first—I didn’t even have a connection with Gaia in those early days. When my bowl was full, I simply dug a hole, deposited the scraps, and covered it up with soil. It was simple and satisfying, and I’d always pause to observe the season in its splendor.

I realized I was interacting with a deity because it was more than just burying bits of food. The activity felt special, as if I were burying a secret or returning raw energy to its original source. I took more pleasure in this activity than I ever had while gardening, landscaping, or weeding. After a few weeks, I realized it was because I felt a connection with Gaia. I touched earth, and her energy reached out from the earth and touched me back. It felt peaceful and soothing.

After a few months of this, winter arrived and the ground froze over. Since it was too cold to dig a hole, I created a special area in my yard for compost. At first, it was like any other spot, but I arranged some wooden planks to give it bones. Then, the addition of coffee grounds, fallen leaves, and kitchen scraps gave it flesh.

Soon, my compost heap became a sacred location in my yard where Gaia lived. I often went there to observe the changes in the pile and to say hello to Gaia. She always looked so different. She changed, evolved, and recycled matter. She was always at work.

These days, whenever I take scraps to the compost heap, I feel how much Gaia is alive beneath my feet. She is the rich earth as well as the microscopic fungi and bacteria that break down organic material. Her body feeds the beautiful pink worms that deposit riches back into the soil through their castings and wriggle when I turn the compost twice a year. Gaia is at the very bottom of the food chain—and she feeds so many plants and creatures. She rests, happily, as the cycle of life goes on all around her.

Gaia is the reason why anything planted with my compost (once it’s fully decomposed) is more likely to grow, bloom, and fruit. She can help you grow, too! She’s always just a few steps away, and she loves it when people

For more composting tips, check out https://www.planetnatural.com/composting-101/tips/

If you’re interested in reading more about Gaia, including her myths, history, magickal practices, and a passage from one of her devotees, check out my forthcoming book Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods, which I co-wrote with Jason Mankey.

Our thanks to Astrea for her guest post! For more from Astrea Taylor, read her article “5 Lessons About Self-Love from Aphrodite.”