How a 12th century saint of soul put female sexuality in words
For me, one of the most inspiring artists comes from 12th century Germany, a time rich in Christian ritualism and emphasis on morality.
At such a time, Hildegard of Bingen or Saint Hildegard was revered as a saint and a musician, and also as a writer, playwright and scientist. She is the first music composer whose biography is known, and the first time anyone in history describes the female orgasm.
“When a woman is making love with a man, a sense of heat in her brain, which brings with it sensual delight, communicates the taste of that delight during the act and summons forth the emission of the man's seed. And when the seed has fallen into its place, that vehement heat descending from her brain draws the seed to itself and holds it, and soon the woman's sexual organs contract, and all the parts that are ready to open up during the time of menstruation now close, in the same way as a strong man can hold something enclosed in his fist.”
Saint Hildegard was a German abbess, writer, composer, philosopher, mystic, visionary and polymath. She was consulted by kings and popes for decision-making. She is said to be among the most powerful women of her time. And even now, some 800 years after her death, her musical chants are liked and sung.
My interest in her comes from my interest in music and the absurdly popular field of mental health. Through NGOs and friends I meet people who are unable to express freely, often stuck in the monotony of anxiety and even paranoia. I am often asked about "healing music", like a medicine that will dissolve the problems.
In this respect I find Saint Hildegard's works and words very interesting. She suffered from doubts and had this to say about the visions she received from god:
“But although I heard and saw these things, because of doubt and low opinion of myself and because of diverse sayings of men, I refused for a long time a call to write, not out of stubbornness but out of humility, until weighed down by a scourge of god, I fell onto a bed of sickness.”
These are pertinent thoughts for an age when stress, anxiety and mental health are reigning topics.
In my talks with a few wise friends, some of them doctors, I have understood that her "bed of sickness" is the modern day phenomenon of depression.
Her humility and lack of confidence prevented her from listening to the "call to write" - both music and words.
And "the scourge of god", in my estimation, is the depression and anxiety that hits us when we refuse to listen to the stirrings of the soul.
In essence, she suffered from the suppression of her soul, a condition I feel many today will understand - the struggle between adhering to public opinion and expressing freely.
Interestingly, philosopher Bertrand Russell had said public opinion must be respected to avoid starvation and prison, but any submission to society beyond that leads to an unhappy spirit.
With the hoopla around political correctness that is ruling over the western world, I find Russell's and Saint Hildegard's words very pertinent. And coupled with her music available freely on the internet, I find in her an exceptional personality who faced life with strength - even by admitting her failings.
Whenever anybody impresses upon me the "darkness" of the Middle Ages, I am reminded of this saint and the fact that she wrote about the female orgasm and sexuality in a very religious age. And that she scolded a ruling emperor and was unkind to the Pope.
Perhaps in her life we can find a cure for some modern world afflictions.
“Dare to declare who you are. It is not far from the shores of silence to the boundaries of speech. The path is not long, but the way is deep. You must not only walk there, you must be prepared to leap.”