Vivien Vilela: Upholding Ancient Wisdom to Heal the Planet

The biggest problem in the world is our disconnection from nature. How do we solve this?

This Time of the Feminine episode features spiritual healer, philanthropist, and activist, Vivien Vilela, as she reveals her journey from the dehumanizing world of modeling to the Amazon jungle. As a successful model, Vivien felt life wasn’t that hard until she woke up to the grim realities of her industry and, later on, to her father’s suicide. Lost and empty, she sought comfort in self-destructive ways – drugs, mindless materialism, meaningless relationships.

But what saved her from oblivion isn’t mere therapy. Having connected with indigenous elders in the Amazon, Vivien faced her demons with an ancient shamanic vision quest. She tapped into a sacred world that surpasses all understanding and from then on, she dedicated her life to saving others and the planet through the preservation of indigenous culture and wisdom.

Here, she talks about how to harness the energy of nature into your being, where dark energy comes from, and why she doesn’t believe in charity. She also addresses the issue on commercializing spirituality and gives tips on manifesting a fulfilled life!

Vivien Vilela is the co-founder of the Boa Foundation, a non-profit organization collaborating with indigenous communities to preserve and protect sacred land, culture, and ancient wisdom. Aniwa Gathering, one of her projects, is an annual 4-day event where indigenous leaders convene to give workshops to international community and discuss the world’s most pressing issues.

What we discuss…

2:00 - Growing up with atheist parents and dealing with her father's suicide

7:20 - How an immersion in ancient shamanic practices saved her life

10:35 - "Every meditation was an expansion": How to harness the energy of nature

15:32 - Realizing her new purpose in the world

20:00 - The birth of the Boa Foundation

25:00 - Where dark energy comes from, and how to deal with it

28:30 - What's the Rainbow Prophecy and the Aniwa Gathering?

35:00 - Why indigenous communities don't need charity

42:00 - On commercializing spirituality: Do healers always need to be poor?

56:00 - What does it mean to be a shaman?

1:03:20 - Powerful tips and practices to reconnect with nature and ourselves

1:06:10 - How to live in gratitude even when you don’t have much in life

1:11:00 - What's the message of the Divine Mother to us?

Learn more from Vivien: 

Website: https://www.aniwa.co/
https://www.theboafoundation.org/

Instagram: @aniwa.co @theboafoundation

Mentioned Resources:

The Global Sisterhood: https://www.globalsisterhood.org/

Aniwa Gathering: https://www.theboafoundation.org/completed-projects/aniwa-gathering