Two Visions of Hildegard about Original Goodness, Original Blessing

Hildegard shares an amazing vision she had in which she ascribes the work of creation to a woman named Love. In doing this she is advancing the biblical teaching that Wisdom was present at creation.  And creation was and is an Original Blessing.

“The Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven’s Symphony” Illumination by Hildegard of Bingen, Scivias III.13 Rupertsberger MS, Folio 229r. From Fides Quaerens Intellectum by Nathaniel M. Campbell

She writes: “I heard a voice speaking to me: ‘The young woman whom you see is Love. She has her tent in eternity… It was love which was the source of this creation in the beginning when God said: ‘Let it be!’ And it was. As though in the blinking of an eye, the whole creation was formed through love. The young woman is radiant in such a clear, lightning-like brilliance of countenance that you can’t fully look at her… She holds the sun and moon in her right hand and embraces them tenderly…

The whole of creation calls this maiden ‘Lady.’ For it was from her that all of creation proceeded, since Love was the first. She made everything… Love was in eternity and brought forth, in the beginning of all holiness, all creatures without any admixture of evil. Adam and Eve as well were produced by love from the pure nature of the Earth.”[i]

On another occasion Hildegard painted a picture (shown at left) of a fetus contained within a golden kite.  What could be a fuller celebration of our original blessing, our royal personhood (thus the gold), our divine origin, than this picture of our holy birth?  She actually says that we are born in “original wisdom.”  Yet the painting also depicts along the right hand side the difficult struggle of “setting up our tent” of wisdom.  Hints of demonic forces occupy the background, our origins are beautiful but life is a fierce struggle. 

“Where am I, a stranger?” her soul asks.  “In the shadow of death.  And by which way do I go?  In the way of error.  And what consolation do I have?  What strangers have.”  The soul wanders and struggles to set up its tent and to make a home for Wisdom.  Hildegard teaches that this Divine Tent came from heaven to each of us in our birth, but folded up.  Our journey through life is a gradual unfolding of this Divine Tent of Wisdom in our lives amidst struggles and obstacles.


[i] Fox, Hildegard of Bingen’s Book of Divine Works, 308-310.
Adapted from Matthew Fox, Illuminations of Hildegard of Bingen, pp. 76-79.
Banner Image: “Sunset Valley of Golden Light, Hřensko, Czechia” Photo by Artem Sapegin on Unsplash

For Deeper Contemplation


What does it signify to you that we are born, according to Hildegard, in “original wisdom”?  Meditate on the deep meaning of that phrase.  Chant it if you care to.  Make a mantra of it.

Since Hildegard is now a declared “doctor of the church,” she represents, by her teaching of original wisdom, a direction away from the original sin ideology that has long dominated patriarchal religion as well as consumer capitalism.

“Love made everything.”  How does that make you feel?  How does that contextualize the new creation story from science?

Recommended Reading

An introduction to the life and work of Hildegard of Bingen, Illuminations reveals the life and teachings of one of the greatest female artists and intellectuals of the Western Mystical Tradition.  At the age of 42, she began to have visions; these were captured as 36 illuminations–24 of which are recorded in this book along with her commentaries on them. “If one person deserves credit for the great Hildegard renaissance in our time, it is Matthew Fox.”  – Dr Mary Ford-Grabowsky, author of Sacred Voices.

Author Matthew Fox writes about Hildegard as abbess, healer, artist, musician, reformer, and more… and what we can learn from her. This gathering of her work includes 1) her final and most mature book, “Book of Divine Works” and 2) 42 of her most important letters and 3) 12 of her wonderful songs with translations of her lyrics and Gregorian chant annotations.

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2 thoughts on “Two Visions of Hildegard about Original Goodness, Original Blessing”

  1. Your meditations have made me renew my spirituality and my love of mysticism. I am now nearly 84 and I began this journey at 16 when I purchased Merton’s “Seven Story Mountain” . When I took my first degree at university {St. Thomas More College in Saskatoon , Saskatchewan} I majored in philosophy .This study has assisted me in my life-long search for God and I will always be grateful for its importance in my life.. Thank you for helping me as I face serious illness and still search for God’s will for me. By the way, your “Sermon on the Mount” is one of my special books also- And Hildegard has been a favourite because of her musicality. Thank you and God bless you.

    1. Gail Ransom

      Dear Noreen,
      Thank you for sharing your powerful story with us, from the fresh discoveries of your youth to the challenge of your aging body. Through it all, it seems your have stayed inquisitive and grateful. May the wisdom you have gathered continue to serve you as you search for God’s will for you now. We accept your blessing and send more to you in return.
      Gail Sofia Ransom
      For the Daily Meditations team.

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