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High History: Hildegard von Bingen German Mystic & Saint



Hildegard Who

Today is Saint Hildegard's Feast Day and we had to shout her out because she is a canna-crush and inspiration of ours. If you are asking yourself who is this woman and why should I care, get ready to find out how awesome this bud baddie was!


Ahead of Her Time


Hildegard was born in 12th Century Germany, not a time that was known for embracing female innovators. By the age of three, she was experiencing visions of luminous objects a foretelling of her gifts as a seer and mystic. Despite being a part of a noble family her early education was very rudimentary, however by the age of 38 she was the head of a growing convent.


Hildegard was ahead of her time in many ways from her progressive thinking on the dignity of women, sexuality, and the balance of male and female energy. Hildegard also produced major works in theology, musical composition, and science which was almost unheard of for women during that period. She has been celebrated as a seer, physician, scholar, and abbess.


Canna-Innovator


Hildegard's list of accomplishments would not be complete without mentioning the significant role she played in the medical marijuana landscape. In much of her published work, she spoke of a "green power" that connects all living creatures and fills them with divinity. She learned of this "green power" through her access to indigenous Germanic learnings of hemp.


Hildegard was well known for her healing powers involving the practical application of tinctures, herbs, and precious stones. She grew cannabis in her herbal garden and recommended it against nausea and stomach troubles.


In fact, Hildegard dedicated a whole chapter in her medical work, "Physica" to discuss the uses and applications of medical cannabis, along with information about how it grows. It was in this text that she wrote that cannabis might impact one negatively if they have an empty mind, "but it does not harm the healthy head and the full brain...,"*Preach girl!*


Learn More


If you can't get enough of Hildegard (and we can't say we blame you), we recommend checking out the book, "Sister of Wisdom: St. Hildegard's Theology of the Feminine", BBC's In Our Time feature, and BBC's showcasing Hildgards musical works.

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