Product Description
"This book is an ideal companion for those who search for imaginative ways of spiritual growth, and challenging friend for those yearning for a prayer-centered, scripturally based, contemporary spirit-uality"..... German' Martinex, OSB, professor, FU. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Praying with Hildegard of Bingen
This is a simple introduction to some of the major themes of Hildegard of Bingen, and an invitation to take some of those themes and internalize them in daily prayer and meditation.It is not for the reader looking for a translation of Hildegard's writings, or for an in-depth study of her writings, music, etc. The author instead has excerpted a few passages and uses them as a means for the reader to reflect on his or her own life in reflection and prayer.If this is what you are looking for, it succeeds admirably.

Praying with Hildegard of Bingen
Gloria Durka has written other books within the "Praying With" series which are very good (notably the one on Julian of Norwich), but this effort on Hildegard of Bingen was disappointing.While the introduction is a very good summary of Hildegard's life and times and some of the major themes of her writings, the actual chapters are quite shallow.There is simply not enough "meat" for prayer and reflection.More excerpts from her writings would have been welcome.However, for some, it may be a non-threatening introduction to this major figure. ... Read more

Product Description
Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was one of the most remarkable women of her day. From early childhood she experienced religious visions, and at the age of eight she entered a cloistered religious life in the Benedictine monastery of Disibondenberg. Eventually she not only became abbess of the community, but presided over the establishment of an important new convent near Bingen. All but forgotten for hundreds of years, Hildegard was rediscovered in the 1980s and since then her visionary writings have been widely read and studied. Even more surprisingly, music that she composed has been performed and recorded to great acclaim. She has come to be seen by some as a proto-feminist icon -- a woman of great accomplishments who made her own way in a man's world and exerted extraordinary influence over some of the most powerful figures of her time. Much of Hildegard's correspondence has been preserved. It reveals that for more than 30 years this cloistered nun was an unflinching adviser and correspondent to all levels of church and society, from popes and kings to ordinary lay persons, from Jerusalem to England. With the 2004 OUP publication of Volume III of Joseph Baird and Radd Ehrman's translation, the complete correspondence became available for the first time in English. For this new abridgement, Baird has selected 75 of the most interesting and revealing of the letters from Volumes I, II, and III. Freed from the organizational restraints of the Latin edition of the letters, he has arranged them in roughly chronological order and provided greatly expanded, accessibly written introductory notes that contextualize the letters and explain their significance. As a result, this fascinating collection serves as a kind of life in letters that makes an ideal introduction ot this exceptional woman, her world, and her work. This book is the first to give a thorough and definitive illlumination of the personal life of Hildegard of Bingen as viewed through the defining lens of her personal correspondence: her early, hesitant bid for recognition of her spiritual gifts; her courageous, and ultimately futile, fight to retain the companionship of her close personal friend and the poignant outcome of that struggle; her vehement defiance of the male hierarchy in her bid to establish her own communities under her personal governance; her impudent challenge to contemporary conservatives views by the dress and customs she established in her community; her paean of praise for the power of music; and her adamant refusal, even at the advanced age of eighty, to give in to the demands of the male authorities even in the face of excommunication. ... Read more

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As revealed in these writings, Hildegard's mystical ordering of the universe involves a profound connection between the divine and the material planes, serving to reunite with science in a dynamic, holistic cosmology.Amazon.com Review
Mysticism has a long history in Christianity, and 12th-centuryHildegard of Bingen is one of Christianity's most admiredmystics. The Book of Divine Works is her record of visions fromGod. Included are a number of letters and sermons that she wrote tovarious figureheads of the time, along with 15 songs, complete withlyrics and medieval notation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Anyone but Fox. Please.
It is an insult to one of the greatest
of the spiritual masters and moral theologians
in the history of Christianity to have her work
promoted and misrepresented by a disgrace like Matthew Fox,
whom she would have condemned as a heretic had she known him.
Find a different source for information
and analysis of the work of Hildegard of Bingen.
Please.

Close but....
Sometimes new agers like to take someone's work and usurp it for their own purposes such as "creatrix".Blessed Hildegard was a CATHOLIC; You can't take the fun mysticism and spiritual gifts and leave out the belief system.The belief system Hildegard literally espoused includes Jesus Christ as revealed in Holy Scripture and Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus, declared several times Ex Cathedra.I suggest you find a translator who preserves Blessed Hildegard's Catholicism and get the true perspective.

Decent Book
I was looking for a book on Christian mystics when I bought this, but it isn't for anyone who isn't a die-hard St. Hildegard fan (which, luckily, I happen to be). Her descriptions of her visions are confusing and vague at best, but if you are willing to put a great deal of time and energy into the book, you will be rewarded for it. But I do feel it prudent to say that this is not for the faint of heart - or someone looking for a light read.

Giving your soul a chance.
What Fox illustrated for me is that we are all blessed and that if we learn the mythologizing process of creating that sacred place,- music, art, meditation, adventure - by following our deepest instincts and intuitions,we can actually evolve ourselves to become our true selves which is in itsown way a miracle and magic. We can have inspiration! and we can receivegifts and guidance and assistance from the Unknown and the IneffibleCreator/Creatrix. It is a part of our capacity to become whole and genuineand full of grace. Work. Study. Take risks. ... Read more

Product Description
A gift set includes an illustrated biography of the twelfth-century abbess and visionary, accompanied by a guide to understanding medieval music and a compact disc of her music, the sequel to the double platinum album, Chant. ... Read more

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"I stretch out my hands to Godthat I might be sustained by him,just as a feather lacking all force of its own strengthflies upon the wind."Hildegard of Bingen in a letter to Guibert of Gembloux

Hildegard of Bingen, who lived nine hundred years ago, was a remarkable woman--a writer, healer, diplomat, traveling preacher, philosopher, administrator, composer and naturalist--all at a time when most women did few of these things. Today, scholars and historians study her writings, and musicologists study and perform her music. Centuries later, her achievements still inspire us.In this biography, the first in English for young readers, explore Hildegard's life through her words and those of her contemporaries, the people who wrote to her and about her. Perform one of her songs. Recreate one of her remedies. See the places she lived, the alphabet she invented, and experience life from a twelfth-century perspective. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fascinating book, nothing else like it out there
There's been a lot written about Hildegard of Bingen lately, but this is the only book - and it's a wonderful book - that is suitable for older elementary and middle schoolers. My daughter and her friends have really enjoyed this book - the stories from Hildegard's life are very interesting, beautifully written and inspirational (whether you are religious or not). Hildegard was an amazing woman and this is the only book that will allow young readers to discover that for themselves. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
Rooted in the Earth, Rooted in the Sky is a detailed study of the medicine of Hildegard of Bingen, a medieval mystic, theologian and composer, who also wrote a practical medical text. Although there has been an explosion of interest in Hildegard's music, theology, illuminations and medicine in the last two decades, this is the first book to use her remarkable text to revise not only our conception of Hildegard but also of premodern medicine itself. It does so by contextualizing her work with primary and secondary historical sources, unedited manuscripts, anthropological and archeological evidence and linguistic analyses. Its surprising conclusion is that the premodern body was more like a plant than a machine or a computer program, and the physician more like a gardener than a mechanic or a computer programmer. ... Read more

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Hildegard of Bingen, the first German mystic, is one of the most influential women in European history. Born in 1098 in Bockelheim on the Nahe River, Hildegard had her first vision at the age of six, a phenomenon she would continue to experience the rest of her life. At the behest of the archbishop of Mainz, Hildegard set upon recording her visions in writing. Her writings soon propelled her from Benedictine abbess to celebrity as determined reformer, castigating seer, theoretical musician, patient adviser, and exorcist. A woman of extraordinarily energetic and independent mind, Hildegard wrote profusely throughout her life as a prophet, a poet, a musical composer, a dramatist, a physician, and a political moralist. Indeed, her musical compositions have reached new heights in popularity, highlighting the revival of Gregorian chant currently sweeping the United States. Hildegard communicated with popes and princes, with people of both influence and humble status, always standing above the corruption, misery, and ruin--both spiritual and temporal--of the twelfth century.

The second of Hildegard's three books of visions, The Book of the Rewards of Life (Liber Vitae Meritorum) is a study of the human weaknesses that separates us from God. Written with remarkable visual clarity, it stands as one the most subtle and fascinating works ever written on the relationship of various sins to their corresponding virtues. Divided into six parts, this compelling work focuses on our moral flaws, seemingly inherent in human consciousness, and the role of repentance and the virtues in re-establishing our union with God. The first and only complete English translation of this important medieval work, The Book of the Rewards of Life is indeed a handbook of life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Everyone should read this book.
This book deserves to be found in every library, and especially in every home of devout, mature persons.I regret it took me so long to search out and locate a copy.

Reminds me of my Austrian nanny.
First of all, Hildegard was not the first German mystic. She was, perhaps, the first published German Christian mystic.

I admit this was my first time reading any of her works. Perhaps I chose a non-representative one, orlack appropriate perspective.

Her visions, a weak imitation of thebiblical Samuel,come off like the imperious Tuetonic finger wangling rantof someone cooped up too long in the convent. Reminds me of aAustriannanny I once had.Had Hildegard been a Harold, I doubt she would enjoy thestature she holds today. ... Read more

Product Description
Hildegard scholar Nancy Fierro transports listeners through space and time, to the medieval cloisters where Hildegard struggled to express her spirituality. How she succeeded in a world open only to men holds lessons for every woman in every age. This moving portrait brings Hildegard's world into focus as it never has been before. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent Primer on Hildegard of Bingen's life and times
I recently purchased this tape in the hopes in increasing my knowledge of women leaders and role models, especially from medieval and renaissancetimes. The tape is excellent.Fierro's grasp of Hildegard's life isinspiring.She weaves the story of Hildegard's life as a woman religiousand a woman searching for creative and spiritual development in a worldthat would just as soon she didn't exist.In my search for materials onHildegard, including a trip to Bingen, I found numerous books on her lifeand vast array of talents, most in German, unfortunately, and very few thatfocus on her music.Fierro's tape provides a wonderful bridge from thescholarly world to everyday life.Her voice resonated through my carspeakers as did the beautiful and haunting flute music based on Hildegard'swritings.I would recommend this tape to everyone interested in learningabout Hildegard of Bingen, especially those who are time stressed.My onlycomplaint about the tape would be that it wasn't long enough, but I supposePart II is being worked on as we speak.Great tape!!!

An Inspired Life is Brought to Life for Us
The extraordinary life of 12th century German nun Hildegard of Bingen, virtually unknown until recently, is presented by Nancy Fierro with clarity and a sense of expansive generosity.Hildegard was a gifted woman, anulti-dimentional artist, whose mystical visions became manifest in a vastbody of work that encompassed music, writing, medicine, art, and spiritualleadership.Fierro, whose research into Hildegard's legacy has obviouslybeen extensive and detailed, invites the contemporary listener to not onlylearn intriguing details about this amazing visionary, but moresignificantly, to be magnetized to that field of ongoing contemplativeinsight which was Hildegard's true home.Colorful, inspired, and decisive,Fierro's fluid, engaging presentation reflects both scholarship and avibrant reverence for her subject.For those seeking a comprehensiveoverview of the life of Hildegard of Bingen, this is an excellent resource.

Complex material made clear an easily understandable
I have practically worn out this tape listening to it over an over again. It gave me a great deal of information about Hildegard and made me hungry toknow more about this medieval phenomenon. I like the way the authorpresents what could be very complex material in an easy and understandableway. Her voice is unobtrusive and lets me concentrate on the content. Fluteinterludes put me in a relaxed state of mind. I would without questionrecommend this tape to anyone who wants a basic introduction to Hildegard,and her world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Hildegard von Bingen
The collection is not large, but the essays were of a high quality and very informative.The book is a great resource for the library of any serious music historian. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is an invitation to experience the light of God's wisdom through the visions of Hildegard of Bingen. Let the power of her insights lead you out of the darkness and into the light of divine love. ... Read more

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The acclaimed fictional diary of the medieval abbess, visionary, composer, healer, and "feminist" writer--now available in paperback. Although it is a work of fiction, this rich, exuberant account of one liturgical year in the life of this great 12th-century mystic is firmly rooted in the facts of Hildegard's life. Two-color interior. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The reality of a saint
At first blush, this book is a difficult read.The inclusion of commentary by the author had you jumping across the page.After adjusting to this style, you start seeing the real Hildegard.There is much to learn from these writings, the pains, trials and thoughts help to realize the difficulty of Hildegard's path. This seems to be a common message as you look at the lives of all the saints and martyrs of the early church.Nothing worthwhile comes easy.I would reccomend getting this book! ... Read more

Product Description
This volume offers a comprehensive view of Hildegard of Bingen's achievements, her intellectual background and her reception in the later Middle Ages. It brings together, with full documentation, the contributions of an international group of medievalists, from diverse disciplines, to the colloquium held at the Warburg Institute on 17-18 November 1995. The book both pays tribute to the 9th centenary of Hildegard's birth (1098) and complements Hans Liebeschutz's study of Hildegard, which the Warburg Library in Hamburg, published in 1930. ... Read more

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The HarperCollins Spiritual Classics series presents short, accessible introductions to the classic spiritual writers of the West. Abridged from Paulist Press’s distinguished Classics of Western Spirituality series, which boasts the best modern translations available, this new series seeks to find new readers for these dynamic spiritual voices--voices that have changed lives throughout the centuries and still do today.

Customer Reviews (1)

Just Wonderful!!!
Mystical, profound, Just seat , contact your inner self and hear. Contact God within you. ... Read more

Product Description
The astonishing freshness and variety of this selection from the work of Hildegard of Bingen demonstrates triumphantly why this twelfth-century Benedictine mystic has come to be reconized as one of the most remarkable and versatile women of the middle ages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

the interaction between Hildegarde's spiritual and eartly life
157 pages, well annotated, illustrated. A summary of the key events in the Saint's life with selections from her various works that reveal the key aspects of her theology and visions. ... Read more

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This volume explores the extraordinary life and work of Hildegard of Bingen, the 12th century abbess and prophet whose interests ranged from music to theology to zoology to medicine.These essays-written specifically for this volume-approach Hildegard from a variety of perspectives including gender theory, musicology, art history, the history of science, and comparative studies. ... Read more

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Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), an important figure in her own time, has come increasingly to critical attention in recent years. Cause et Cure, attributed to Hildegard, is both a cosmological text and a medical handbook; it is a densely layered work woven together from diverse threads. It begins with a chapter on cosmology which leads to consideration of the human being as a small-scale copy of the universe. From here the focus shifts to the diseases and disorders which afflict human beings. The sections on treatment which follow provide information on medieval pharmacology and herbal healing. The text discusses the differences between male and female, human sexuality, embryology, sleep and dreams, signs predicting death or survival, astrological influences.The Introduction sketches Hildegard's life and career, and describes the cultural context with emphasis on medieval medicine. The Interpretive Essay discusses the selections presented in translation and alerts the reader to the benefits as well as the limits of medieval health care. ... Read more

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Your directors for this retreat,Turning Pain Into Power, areJesuit priest-poet Gerard Manley Hopkins and abbess Hildegard ofBingen.Hopkins, a profound appreciator of life, suffered frequentbouts of melancholia and depression. Without benefit of worldy successfor his poetry, the consolation of family life or the elation of fullyinvesting his gifts, Hopkins remained hopeful, often cheerful and everfaithful to Christ. Hildegard, gifted with visions since childhood,recorded her wisdom, guiding readers through the mysteries of theBible, the complexities of the moral life and the narrow gate into thekingdom. She became prophet, teacher, preacher and diplomat. LikeHopkins, she produced poetry and also music, medical and herbalguides, and scientific writings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Retreat with Gerard Manley Hopkins and Hildegard of Bingen
I've used several of the books in the "Retreat with..." series, and find this one of the very best!Thank you. ... Read more