For example you don' believe in Spirits, but their there. See sprites are just like spirits, if you look for them you will find!

I love the feeling of connecting with the earth, sending all my negative emotions downwards to her core and replacing it with her positive energy.
Yes there is a benefit to doing this and I would not call it a religious endevour. I can feel her pain as I know she feels mine and in that moment of compassionate wisdom we are one. Then the feelings of pain and sorrow ease the longer I can stay focused and a flood of positive feelings are introduced. I believe this to be a good practice no matter who you are or where you are from. The fact is that the earth is a living entity just like us and she feels just like us so lets all show her a bit more compassion.