This is a continuation of the thesis I am writing for my Master Herbalist certificate on St. Hildegard of Bingen. Snippets are available to all, but please consider becoming a paid subscriber to read the full pieces. This week, I introduce the woman herself. With such a long and complex life, I do not do her justice here. I hope this brief introduction starts to give a picture to the amazing woman she was, and why her legacy has lasted to the modern age. I am limited in my current time and resources, however, I do hope to expand all of this research someday, including the basic biography of this amazing woman. For now, enjoy this little introduction to Hildegard.
Abbess, composer, herbalist, saint, and just an overall tenacious woman, St. Hildegard of Bingen lived an amazing and (amazingly) long life. Even by modern standards, Hildegard was a powerful woman that stood her ground and stood strong in her beliefs. Despite her strong faith in God, she did not refrain from speaking out against poor practices of the Church. When things became too cramped and messy between her sister nuns and the brother monks, she gathered her resources and built her own abbey from the ground up. Perhaps it was the hand of God that put her on the earth at that particular time to do her work — if she was born just a couple hundred year earlier or later, or even in a different place, she likely would have been persecuted and burned as a witch. Inspiring for feminists and herbalists alike, Hildegard’s work and impact is timeless.
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