Mystic Women Saints 5, St. Hildegard of Bingen 3

Scivias was St. Hildegard’s major work, written over a period of ten years, as she recorded the messages and visions she received from the Holy Spirit while enclosed in her cell. The title means “Know the ways of the Lord.” She was assisted with writing in Latin by her collaborator monk Volmar, who also brought these materials to the attention of his superiors in the church. By this means, many people, including those in positions of authority, came to hear and learn from the messages and visions St. Hildegard was receiving.

Scivias consists of three books, each chapter inspired by a vision, with 35 visions in all. Many of the chapters contain messages for contemporary society at the time, some scolding the clergy or imparting lessons for the laity. Yet St. Hildegard was able to write these critiques with impunity, because her writings were understood by church authorities to be the result of her taking dictation from God or more specifically the Holy Spirit.

The visions are often cosmic and mandala-like. Here is one vision she had of choirs of angels, the heavenly host surrounding the throne of God. Initially the paintings were believed to have been created by St. Hildegard, but scholars now believe she sketched or guided another person to expertly paint the visions. These visions were not hallucinations, but rather images seen vividly with the spiritual eyes, that is, the mind’s eye. The Holy Spirit communicates not only through words and promptings, but also through imagery that conveys a meaning.

In Christian contemplative centering prayer, the practitioner sometimes uses a sacred word to center and re-center, simply making note of thoughts that pass by like clouds, treating all ideation the same, whether sacred or profane, inspiring or depressing or neutral. Father Thomas Keating also notes that a sacred image may be focused on in centering prayer, in place of a sacred word. But in mystic prayer, the disciple is longing for God, while open to and listening for whatever the Holy Spirit wishes to impart. (But see the warnings in the post on “What is mysticism?”)

In Book Two of Scivias, each vision’s chapter ends with: “Let the one who sees with watchful eyes and hears with attentive ears welcome with a kiss my Mystical words, which proceed from Me Who am life.” Seeing with watchful eyes and hearing with attentive ears can well describe the practice of mystic prayer. Amen.

To see more images of St. Hildegard’s visions, a Bing or Google search will bring up many sources.