The Humors

constitutions of the body and the plants

This week on our journey through the times and practices of St. Hildegard of Bingen, a word on the system of body constitutions used during the Middle Ages. Humoral medicine and the humors of the body was a way of understanding the general state of a body and what is off balance. As I discuss, this idea of hot / dry, cold / damp, etc is seen across the world in traditional healing systems. Galenic Humoral medicine had its roots in ancient Greece and Rome, which eventually found its way to central Europe via the Holy Roman Empire. When looking at the body and the plants, this idea of general aspects to assess for balance is helpful when determining what is needed. In the case of herbalism, this can help the herbalist to decide which plant to use for a person, when there are generally many different plants indicated for a specific condition. Just because a plant may be indicated for a specific condition, this does not mean it is the right fit for every person; in this way, the constitution of a person can aid us in deciding the proper plant for a specific person.