Saint Hildegard Meets Brazil: A Sacred Path to Inner Peace
- Juliani Alves
- Aug 4
- 3 min read
We live exhausted.
Exhausted by too much information, too many demands, too many roles to play all at once.
Exhausted from trying to keep up, from racing against the clock, from feeling that no matter how fast we move — we’re still behind.
The body protests. Allergies, weight gain, restless sleep… our system is screaming for rest.
So we surrender.
We clear our schedules, slow down for a few days, try to catch our breath. But it doesn’t work.
Because the tiredness isn’t just physical — it’s in the soul.
Does any of this sound familiar?
I don’t need a crystal ball to know it probably does.
We’ve learned to rest the body, but no one ever taught us how to rest the soul. I didn’t know either — until I came across the teachings of Saint Hildegard, a mystic who preached healing the body together with the soul.
Although she lived in medieval Germany, her protocols have gained new life in recent years — right here in Brazil. Adapted by holistic doctors, integrative therapists and nutritionists, her teachings are now seen as a grounded, sacred response to the chronic exhaustion of modern life.
Saint Hildegard gave us a clear roadmap to inner peace — and once the body is de-inflamed, it naturally responds with lightness, clarity and faith — Dr. Priscila Antunes, pioneer in Hildegardian medicine in Brazil and retreat facilitator
Brazil, with its abundant biodiversity, its deep relationship with herbs, and its ancestral traditions of self-care, has proven fertile ground for this kind of healing — merging science, spirituality and nature into one living ritual.
The result? A unique experience: a full reset of body and soul, with a Brazilian heartbeat.
Each day begins with spiritual practices at sunrise, accompanied by elixirs made with native herbs like Brazilian mulungu, designed to bring mental clarity and inner peace.
Then, fasting until 2 p.m., combined with guided meditations that take us on an inner journey — helping us identify what’s disorganizing our passions and, through the virtues, discover the antidote that finally leads to peace.
Meals are carefully designed to optimize physical function — without forgetting their higher purpose: to soothe the emotions. Brazilian fennel (homegrown sweet anise), for example, aids digestion and neutralizes melancholy. Wild araçá (red guava), detoxifies the liver and helps modulate anger.
For the first time in years, I slept deeply — no medication, no racing thoughts. And more than that, I woke up with a will to live. — Marina Munhoz, retreat participant, 2024
Throughout the day, there are moments for journaling, silent forest walks, and pauses with herbal teas brewed from freshly harvested leaves — a return to natural time, far from screens and alarms.
Evenings close with breathing exercises reconnecting the physical and spiritual body, followed by a relaxing ritual with prayer, lavender oil massage, and Saint Hildegard’s sleep elixir made with Pitanga Leaves - a sacred Brazilian remedy known for calming the nervous system, regulating emotions, and gently guiding the body into restful sleep.
Each day feels like being gently rocked in a hammock on a long, timeless afternoon…And when we leave, we feel as if we’ve spent days resting in the arms of God — finally ready to live life with more lightness and truth.
If you feel that kind of exhaustion that goes beyond the body and unsettles your soul, I invite you to explore the teachings of Saint Hildegard — and to give yourself the chance to find that inner comfort you’ve been quietly searching for all along.
About the Retreat: For more information about upcoming retreats inspired by Saint Hildegard in Brazil, readers can contact the facilitator directly or follow her on social media for schedule updates.
About the Author: Juliani Alves is a writer and storyteller who loves creating cool, useful content that makes people’s lives easier and more meaningful.
