When the words come, they are merely empty shells without the music. They live as they are sung, for the words are the body and the music the spirit. Hildegard of Bingen More Quotes by Hildegard of Bingen More Quotes From Hildegard of Bingen We cannot live in a world that is not our own, in a world that is interpreted for us by others. An interpreted world is not a home. Part of the terror is to take back our own listening, to use our own voice, to see our own light. Hildegard of Bingen voice light home 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. Hildegard of Bingen speech silence long Don't let yourself forget that God's grace rewards not only those who never slip, but also those who bend and fall. So sing! The song of rejoicing softens hard hearts. It makes tears of godly sorrow flow from them. Singing summons the Holy Spirit. Happy praises offered in simplicity and love lead the faithful to complete harmony, without discord. Don't stop singing. Hildegard of Bingen heart song fall Humanity, take a good look at yourself. Inside, you’ve got heaven and earth, and all of creation. You’re a world—everything is hidden in you. Hildegard of Bingen humanity heaven looks Glance at the sun. See the moon and the stars. Hildegard of Bingen stars moon thinking We shall awaken from our dullness and rise vigorously toward justice. If we fall in love with creation deeper and deeper, we will respond to its endangerment with passion. Hildegard of Bingen falling-in-love passion justice The mystery of God hugs you in its all-encompassing arms. Hildegard of Bingen hug arms mystery Even in a world that's being shipwrecked, remain brave and strong. Hildegard of Bingen strong brave courage Holy Spirit, the life that gives life: You are the cause of all movement. You are the breath of all creatures. You are the salve that purifies our souls. You are the ointment that heals our wounds. You are the fire that warms our hearts. You are the light that guides our feet. Let all the world praise you. Hildegard of Bingen light healing heart Everything that is in the heavens, on earth, and under the earth is penetrated with connectedness, penetrated with relatedness. Hildegard of Bingen charity earth heaven All living creatures are sparks from the radiation of God’s brilliance, emerging from God like the rays of the sun. Hildegard of Bingen sparks radiation rays Every creature is a glittering, glistening mirror of Divinity. Hildegard of Bingen divinity creatures mirrors I am the fiery life of the essence of God; I am the flame above the beauty in the fields; I shine in the waters; I burn in the sun, the moon, and the stars. And with the airy wind, I quicken all things vitally by an unseen, all-sustaining life. Hildegard of Bingen flames stars moon Glance at the sun. See the moon and stars. Gaze at the beauty of the green earth. Now think. Hildegard of Bingen stars moon thinking The Word is living, being, spirit, all verdant greening, all creativity. This Word manifests itself in every creature. Hildegard of Bingen greening creativity spirit Be not lax in celebrating. Hildegard of Bingen lazy offering peace I, God, am in your midst. Whoever knows me can never fall. Not in the heights, nor in the depths, nor in the breadths. For I am love, which the vast expanses of evil can never still. Hildegard of Bingen spiritual evil fall The marvels of God are not brought forth from one's self. Rather, it is more like a chord, a sound that is played. The tone does not come out of the chord itself, but rather, through the touch of the musician. I am, of course, the lyre and harp of God's kindness. Hildegard of Bingen musician self kindness Listen: there was once a king sitting on his throne. Around Him stood great and wonderfully beautiful columns ornamented with ivory, bearing the banners of the king with great honour. Then it pleased the king to raise a small feather from the ground, and he commanded it to fly. The feather flew, not because of anything in itself but because the air bore it along. Thus am I, a feather on the breath of God. Hildegard of Bingen ivory kings beautiful When a woman is making love with a man, a sense of heat in her brain, which brings forth 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 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. Hildegard of Bingen making-love strong men
