FRIEND OF ARQ FEATURE : Veladya Chapman
Journal
01.24.20

friend of arq feature : veladya chapman

A true Renaissance woman, Earthmamamedicines Veladya Chapman has explored many lifetimes of work in just this one. From her formative years as a pupil of the arts to becoming a full-fledged broadway actress, Chapman has become a champion of reproductive health, a holistic powerhouse, and a practitioner of nutritious veganism. Above all, though - Veladya Chapman is a container of unconditional love who so elegantly models the integration of our many selves.

You have inspired so many people to adopt a plant-based lifestyle (which we LOVE!). If you had the ability to choose your greatest influence upon others, would you choose it to be a plant-based diet or something else entirely?

What a great question. This one had me thinking for a while. If I had to choose one topic to be my greatest influence it would be the lesson of unconditional love. As time has passed, I have moved further away from teaching about food and closer to teaching about the power of our minds and how important intention is. This is an energetic world and we are capable of creating so much just by having good intentions fueled by unconditional love for all beings. When I started practicing unconditional love for myself and others, my entire world flipped upside down. Id be on the train in NYC, and see someone behaving rudely and begin to judge them; sending them negative energy. Now, I look at that person with love and compassion; wondering how their lives have played out to lead them to behave in this way. Sending them energy of love and acceptance. Its incredibly healing. Imagine if we all did this. How would our world shift?

Reproductive health is a passion of ours, and we admire the way you so gently incorporate it into your core nutrition values. Where and when did your passion for reproductive health begin?

My passion for reproductive health began with the ancient practice of yoni steaming. Right after I completed nutrition school, I was moving through a deeply transformative time; abandoning my life and career as a broadway actress in NYC and moving towards a lifestyle and career that felt more fulfilling to my heart. A friend of mine invited me to her apartment for a 3 day womens slumber party/retreat. We danced, sang songs, made food for each other and someone brought herbs and taught us yoni steaming. I had never heard of it, but the ritual caused a shift within me. I felt so physically, spiritually and energetically renewed afterwards that I had to learn more. After months of studying the practice and doing it at home, I decided I wanted to teach about this myself. The feedback I received from people all over the world was inspiring enough for me to desire to dive deeper into other alternative ways to nourish our reproductive systems. Down the rabbit hole I went and now I have numerous Youtube videos, IG posts, blogs and even herbal products I share with the world. Modern medicine has lead many astray and it feels good to remind people that earth and nature has everything we need.

You are an incredible source of information and inspiration for young women and girls. Did you see yourself fulfilling this type of role when YOU were a young girl? As a kid, what did you want to do as an adult?

Haha not at all. My only goal for the majority of my life was to be a star. I performed in plays, musicals, dance/vocal recitals and competitions since age 10 and it was all in preparation for Broadway. Immediately after graduating college with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theatre/Acting, I booked 2 Broadway shows and was given the privilege of choosing which one I wanted to perform in. It was an unbelievable dream come true. I spent 2 1/2 years performing on Broadway and in 2 National Tours before I began to itch for something else. It makes me laugh now to think of all those years of preparation and focus only to want something else after 2 years. But life is about riding the wave! I am extremely unpredictable and Ive learned to love that about myself. I left NYC to travel the US while living in a van with my partner and that blossomed into the beautiful life I have now. A life of adventure, curiosity and no expectations. 

We loved learning that you are an alumni of the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University. How does your foundation as an actor influence how you inter-act with clients and humanity at large?

I created my Youtube channel with the intention of merging my love for being in front of the camera/having an audience with my love for holistic living. I knew that I had a talent of getting people to listen and engage organically and it worked out so beautifully. Acting taught me how to analyze people, behaviors and cultures in so many different ways in order to be able to imitate them. But now I use those analytic skills to be able to connect deeper with my audience and clientele. There is not a shy bone in my body so I am able to communicate with so many different types of people with ease and as my audience grows larger and larger, I feel I am able to handle the volume with grace.

Your work with clients and followers on social media is super important, but so is time alone. Can you tell us what your very favorite thing to do when you are all alone is? How do you unwind and come back to yourself?

This is so important and its been the hardest part about being a public figure. Ive stretched myself too thin way too many times so no I prioritize alone time and unwinding. This pregnancy has helped immensely because I have no choice but to honor what my body and baby asks for; which is usually rest. My favorite self soothing activity is watching The Office. Its such a silly, simple show that Ive seen a hundred times but I will never get tired of it. My favorite self-care practices are meditation, taking warm magnesium baths, and eating nourishing, delicious food. Drinking homemade herbal infusions is also a big self love practice for me. I can sit in silence in front of a teapot for an hour just meditating on the medicine and drinking cup by cup :)