I am fond of using physical components to perform the spell, as well as each magical discipline having multiple takes on and variations on the same sort of spells and abilities.
Earth Shock, by my Orc Shaman here, revolves around using a nugget of unrefined iron ore that slowly absorbs the electrical charge from the lightning that Gen is throwing around, and when Gen feels the nugget has absorbed enough of a charge, he’ll throw it at the target.
In RP, that means it flies really friggin’ fast towards the largest clump of metal near the target, courtesy of developing a magnetic charge thanks to all the elemental lightning it has been absorbing, hits the target like a bullet and then explodes, and that’s how Earth Shock works as far as Gen uses it.
Chi Healing, Druidism, Shamanism and other ‘natural’ forms of healing magic work on accelerating the body’s natural healing methods, sort of like time-lapse photography, whereas healing from the Light, the Arcane, the Void and the Fel literally warp and twist the flesh, blood and bone back into position.
That’s not to say that the ‘natural’ forms of healing can’t also do extreme acts of restoration or that the Light and the Void can’t do little, small-scale healing, but one discipline of healing works on natural methods and the other says “Screw the rules, I have money.” as it does the job.
The healing received from a Priest varies in sensation dependant upon race and/or belief system. Healing from a Human or Dwarf who practises the Light can feel like being bathed in the warm sun of a spring day, while the healing from a Draenei can feel like being suffused in pleasantly cool silk and a Night Elf Priestess might give the sensation of being exposed to the icy-cold waters of a Moonwell coursing through the injury. The healing sensation may also vary depending upon the recipient’s compatibility with the spirituality of the Priest, the Priest’s feelings towards the recipient and the conflict with other forms of energy the recipient may have within them, noticeably the Fel or the Void, although those Arcanists healed by a staunchly anti-arcane Night Elf Priest might find their healing comes with a sensation of the Priest’s magic agitating against their own internal arcane reserves.