Hildegard von Bingen was a 12th-century abbess with an exceptional track record. Philosopher, theologian, composer, naturalist, scientist, poet? They say it was the forerunner of opera and that it laid the foundation for sexology. If there is a figure that is often overlooked in the history of science, it is probably this woman who shone with her own light in the Middle Ages.
Known as the Sibyll of the Rhine, as a child it already showed an unusual passion for knowledge and all kinds of knowledge, his mind, his curiosity, almost comparable to that of Leonardo da Vinci, was always oriented towards the understanding of nature. In addition, it should be noted that Hildegard von Bingen has always had the support of political and religious elites to carry out her work as an academic, something unusual not only for being a woman, but also for the time she lived.
- Although she was sent early to the Church by her parents.
- She found in this context the ideal resources to cultivate her intelligence.
- Promote the thoughts.
- Visions.
- And mystical messages she received throughout her life.
- He’s written books on medicine.
- Natural sciences.
- Etc.
- Physiology?.
The legacy he left us was incalculable. This is a clear example of how women, despite the obvious obstacles they have always faced in society, have also managed to promote the advancement of our modern science.
“In the same sense I understood the writings of prophets, the gospels, and other saints and some philosophers. I did it without being brought up by anyone. I was exposing a few things based on them, although I had little literary knowledge, because I was educated as an unedestional woman. -H. von Bingen-
Hildegarda was born in 1098 on the Nahe River in Bermersheim, Germany, her family was noble and they already had nine children when she was born, so, as was customary at the time, the tenth offspring was to be given to the Church. And so began his particular destiny.
From an early age she was in delicate health, in her early years she was frequented by an abbess, Jutta von Spanheim, who conveyed her love of music and taught her to read in Latin, but not to write, which Hildegar von Bingen eventually learned on her own.
At the same time, there are written documents, such as those written by the theoderic monk of Echternach, which speak of the mystical visions and experiences that the girl had already had at the age of eight or nine, never lost her mind or wine In ecstasy, what she experienced were very intense visual and auditory hallucinations, which would be repeated throughout her life in many other ways.
Currently, it is said that perhaps what Hildegard von Bingen had was migraine.
When Hildegard von Bingen reached adulthood, her illnesses disappeared, it was an awakening, because when she finally ceased to be trapped in her own body, she had the opportunity to focus her mind on what aroused her passion: knowledge.
She was lucky because, as a Benedictine nun in a German monastery, it was common for many books on Greek cosmology to be translated. Did you have volumes of science, natural history at your fingertips?Diving in these worlds of knowledge has allowed you two things. The first is to educate yourself; and the second, develop a scientific vision.
At the same time, although their illnesses have disappeared, their visions have not been, they have intensified. However, only The Abbess Jutta and her mentor, the monk Volmar of Disobodenberg, were aware of these experiences, it was at 38 that Hildegard von Bingen had her greatest revelation, in one of these visions she could see herself surrounded by lights. An inner voice told him what his goal should be: to write, to transmit knowledge to the world.
Shortly after this vision the abbess Jutta died and took over Hildegard von Bingen, at the same time that the Pope was finally informed of the mystical experiences of Hildegarde, who must have been so moved that he was granted the right to write, the opportunity to record everything that had been revealed to him in the 16 visions he had throughout his life.
Hildegarde wrote his first book in 1141. C was Liber Scivias, in which he spoke of a type of cosmology based on Greek tradition, the Earth was a sphere composed of four elements: wind, fire, air and water. The celestial body was surrounded by different layers of air and water, all this is very surprising and at the same time revealing.
In addition, it is interesting to note that after receiving papal permission to write these treatises, she was able to get rid of being accused of heresy. The abbess Hildegard von Bingen was, for many, the voice of God. In a society always driven by superstition, she had an exceptional opportunity that others did not have and that she certainly took advantage of.
The support of the Catholic Church has helped to make the work done by Hildegard von Bingen appreciated throughout Europe. Thus, her fame extended in a short time to the point of being known as the “Sibyl of the Rhine”. However, his zeal because knowledge and his need to transmit it do not end there.
She was a woman with very clear personality and ideas about what she wanted. He aspired to leave the monastery of Disobodenberg and create his own, so this determination came true when the Benedictine convent of Mount Saint Rupert, located near Bingen, Germany, was erected.
From 1150 Hildegard von Bingen delves into the study of natural medicine and becomes a healer. At the age of fifty he began to travel around Europe with a noble and high goal: to defend peace and, at the same time, his ideas about science and medicine.
His most prominent work was Physica (Liber Simplicis Medicinae), this encyclopedia details a wide range of information about diseases and medical applications of plants, while describing the importance of boiling water in the treatment of diseases and cleansing of the body. wounds.
It was also one of the first historical references in which we talk openly about sexuality, orgasm is described as something beautiful, sublime and fiery that men and women must enjoy, in their medical books, such as Causa and Curae, offers information about menstruation. and conditions such as amenorrhea, which indicates that poor diet can affect women.
Hildegard von Bingen has died at the age of 81 after an intense and full life, she was a demanding woman, defending even people excommunicated by the Church, but she has always had the approval and admiration of popes, kings, nobles, too. like more humble people.
In fact, in 2010, Pope Benedict XVI called her prophet and Saint Hildegarde von Bingen, so she later received the title of Doctor of the Church; as you can see, he was an extremely important figure who deserves to be remembered.