http://www.millersv.edu/~english/homepage/duncan/medfem/hildega.html
Hildegard's Migraines: The Pathological Basis of the Visions
as interpreted by Charles Singer
by dean evans
Sacks,
in his discussion of Hildegard's visions (Migraine),O is quite
indebted to Charles Singer's book, From Magic to Science, 1958,
tells us that for the physical accompaniments and phenomena of Hildegard's
visions, we have three separate lines of evidence: one from her own accounts,
a second from her contemporary biographers, Theodoric and Godefrid, and
a third from the miniatures of the Wiesbaden Codex, which may have been
prepared under her own supervision.
Although Hildegard was blessed with a long and active life, she was
plagued her whole life by numerous illnesses. Her visions and trances began
at the very early age of (?) and she was frequently prone to lengthy illnesses.
God punished me for a time by laying me on a bed of sickness so that the
blood was dried in my veins, the moisture in my flesh, and the marrow in
my bones, as though the spirit were about to depart from my body. In this
affliction I lay thirty days while my body burned with a fever, and it
was thought that this sickness was laid upon me for punishment. And my
spirit was also ailing, and yet was pinned to my flesh, so that while I
did not die, yet I did not altogether live. And throughtout those days
I watched a procession of angels innumerable who fought with Michael and
against the Dragon and won the victory...And one of them called out to
me, "Eagle, Eagle, why sleepest thou?...All the eagles are watching thee...Arise!
for it is dawn, and eat and drink"...And then the whole troop cried out
with a mighty voice, "Is not the time for passing come? Arise, maiden,
arise!" Instantly my body and my senses came back into the world; and seeing
this, my daughters who were weeping around me lifted me from the ground
and placed me on the bed, and thus I began to get back my strength.
But the affliction laid upon me did not fully cease; yet was my spirit
daily strenghthened...I was yet weak of flesh, timid of mind, and fearful
of pain...but my soul I said, "Lord, Lord, all that Thou puttest upon me
I know to be good...for have I not earned these things from my youth up?"
Yet I was assured that He would permit my soul to be thus tortured in the
future life...Thus was my body seethed as in a pot...yet gave I thanks
to God, for if this affliction had not been from Him I had surely not lived
so long. But although I wa thus tortured, yet did I, in supernal vision,
often repeat, cry aloud, and write those things which the Holy Spirit willed
to put before me.
Three years were thus passed during which the Cherubim thus persued me
with a flaming sword...and at lengthmy spirit revived within me and my
body was restored again as to its veins and marrows, and thus I was heeled.
(Singer, 1958)
This one illness that Hildegard endured was not only the longest, but it
was typical of what she faced. There is little doubt, from known records,
that even while she was ill, she was able to carry out her duties as the
head of a religious house. Singer believes that the condition Hildegard
was suffering from was no doubt a functional nervous disorder. This is
theorized by her complete recoveries, her activeness after the attacks
have subsided, and the age she lided to. Hildegard's condition closely
resembles the ailment that Jerome Cardan (who's he?) suffered. Singer states
that books on visions reveal that we are not dealing with a dream-state.
Hildegard's visions were vivid.
These visions wich I saw, I beheld neither in sleep, nor in dream, nor
in madness, nor in my cardnal eyes, nor in the ears of the flesh, nor in
hidden places; but wakeful, alert, with the eyes of the spirit and with
the inward ears, I perceived them in the open view and according to the
will of God. And how this was compassed is hard indeed for human flesh
to search out. (Singer, 1958)
Hildegard's visions display incredible originality and creativity. Singer
writes that a prominent feature of her works is a point of light or a group
of points of light that appear to shimmer and move, usually in a wave-like
manner, and are often interpreted as stars or flaming eyes(see Vision
of the Trinity). In many of Hildgard's work's, one light is larger
than the others and exhibits a series of concentric circular figures in
a wavering form (see The Days Of Creation And The Fall Of Man)and
often there is the presence of fortification figures radiating in colored
areas (see Vision Of The Heavenly City).
Singer points out that many other visionaries also had similar styles
to their paintings, such as Ezekiel (others?). There are also many other
interpretations of Hildegard's works as a result of her visions, however
these examples are more typical. Medical experts and migraine sufferers
may easily recognize the symtoms of scintillating scotoma (?). Singer points
this out from Hildegard's interpretation ofVision Of The Trinity.
I saw a great star most splendid and beautiful, and with it a exceeding
multitude of falling sparks which with the star followed southward. And
They examined Him upon His throne almost as something hostile, and turning
from Him they sought rather the north. And suddenly they were all annihilated,
being turned into black coals...and cast into the abyss that I could see
them no more. (Singer, 1958)
Singer states that this vision, illustrated by the beautiful figures of
stars falling into the waves, is interpreted by Hildgard as the signifying
the Fall Of The Angels.
Hildgard's use of concentric circles appears in numerous visions, especially
in that ofThe Days Of The Creation Of The World And The Fall Of Man.
Hildegard frequntly visions the Almighty in this concentric form. This
idea is reproduced in her painting Vision Of The Heavenly City,
in which she states, "a most shining light and within it the appearence
of a human form of sapphire colour which glittered with a gental but sparkling
glow." This theme is repeated often as is the one where there is a fortification
of figures (see Vision Of The Zelus Deiand Sedans Lucidus
I looked and behold, a head of marvellous form...of the colour of flame
and red as fire, and it had a terrible human face gazing northward in great
wrath. From the neck downward I could see no further form, for the body
was altogether concealed...but the head itself I saw, like the bare form
of a human head. Nor was it hairy like a man, nor indeed after the manner
of a woman, but it was more like to a man than a woman, and very awful
to look upon.
It had three wings of marvellous length and breadth, white as a dazzling
cloud. They were not raised erect but spread apart one from the other,
and the head rose slightly above them...and at times they would beat terribly
and again would be still. No word uttered the head, but remained altogether
still, yet now and again beating with its extended wings.
Singer points out that from the head extend a series of fortification lines.
This peculiar form of Hildegard's visions is repeated several times. This
is a vision that Singer regards as a reconstructed conception of exceedingly
complex stucture. Hildegard claims to see this seperately and interprets
it as the aedificium of the city of God. This type of reconstructed
vision is unique to Hildegard since most visionaries only see shining lights
or groups of lights with are interpreted as a speaking figure. Hildegard
sums up her experiences in the following passage.
From my infancy up to the present time, I being more than seventy years
of age, I have always seen this light in my spirit and not with external
eyes, nor with any thoughts of my heart nor with help from the senses.
But my outward eyes remain open and the other corporeal senses retain their
activity. The light which I see is not locatedbut yet is more brilliant
than the sun, nor can I examine its height, length, or breadth, and I name
it the "cloud of the living light." And as sun, moon, and the stars are
reflected in water, so the writings, sayings, virtues, and works of men
shine in it before me. Likewise I see, hear, and understand almost in a
moment and I set down what I thus learn...
But sometimes I behold within this light another light which I name "the
Living Light itself"...And when I look upon it every sadness and pain vanishes
from my memory, so that I am again as a simple maid and not as an old woman.
And now that I am over seventy years old my spirit, according to the will
of God, soars upward in vision to the highest heaven and to the farthest
stretch of the air and spreads itself among different people to regions
exceeding far from me here, and thence I can behold the changing clouds
and the mutations of all created things; for all these I see not with the
outward eye or ear, nor do I create them from the cogitations of my heart...but
within my spirit, my eyes being open, so that I have never suffered any
terror when they left me. (Singer, 1958)
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