⁴ HILDEGARD'S MEDICINE • EYES:The Windows To The Soul

 Chapter One 

EYES 👀 

THE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL 

Powerful is the expression of the soul in the eyes of this person, when the eyes are clear and shining because the soul is energetically living in the body so that it can accomplish many works within. For the eyes of a person are the windows to the soul (CC 220, 6) 

Bright eyes are signs of life. If someone is physically healthy, he or she has clear and sparkling eyes. Dull eyes are signs of death! 

Whoever, on the other hand, does not have shining eyes, no matter what color, even though the person is healthy, bears the sign of death. Also when the eyes are dim like a cloud which is so dense on the surface that behind it the transparent cloud cannot be seen, then such a person wil become sick soon and death will follow. In the look of the eyes of a person like that the soul, namely, is not poverful, because it will hardly create anything there and in a manner of speaking sits there covered by clouds, like a man who is considering and is in doubt when he should leave his home and go out of his house. (CC 220, 11)

 In modern medical terminology, the eye is a complex and delicate structure. The tough outer layer or sclera is visible as the white of the eye. A circle of muscle (ciliary body) supports and controls the lens. The ciliary skin secretes aqueous humor, a watery liquid, which fills the anterior and posterior chambers between cornea and iris. The iris is the colored portion of the eye and regulates the amount of light by adjusting the size of its central opening the pupil. The visual image is focused on the retina. 

The meibomian gland makes the oil that becomes another part of the tear film. Tears drain from the eye through the tear duct.

  It is interesting to compare the above with Hildegard's version: 

The pupil of the eye has a similarity with the sun; the blackor grey coloring around the pupil compares to the moon, and the white, lying outermost, is like the clouds. The eye is made up of fire and water. Through fire it is held together and strengthened, so it can exist; the water, on the other hand, makes seeing possible. If blood spreads on the surface of the eye, it will suppress the vision of the eye, because it dries out the water which bestows vision to the eye. On the other hand, if blood is excessively reduced there, water, which enables the eye to see, will not have enough strength; it should carry strengths in blood like a column. For that reason the eyes of old people become weak in vision, because they are losing their strength and the water with the blood is decreasing. That is why young people can see more sharply than old, because in their vessels the right proportion exists between blood and water. (CC 92,7)  

The layers of the tear film keep the front of the eye lubricated.

  

Moses was 120 years old when he died, and the Bible states that his eyes were not dim, indicating he had clear eyesight and maintained his strength until the end of his life. This detail is found in Deuteronomy 34:7, which emphasizes his vitality at such an advanced age.

Hildegard describes five types of eyes according to their color: blue-grey eyes, fiery eyes, eyes of diverse colors, turbulent eyes, and black eyes. Blue-eyed persons are thoughtless, rash, unwise, mischievous, daring, willful, lazy, and disorderly, but they bring everything to a good ending. 

A person who has blue eyes like water gets them mainly from the air. That is why they are weaker than other eyes, because air shifts often as a result of the diverse movement produced through warmth, cold, and humidity, and such eyes are easily harmed by bad, soft,and moist air as well as by fog. For just like these affect the purity of air adversely, they also harm eyes acquired from the air. (CC 92, 24) 

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), one of Hildegard's favorite plants, is the universal remedy for blue eyes. Even the side effects of modern-day air pollution, very harmful for air-sensitive blue eyes, can be eliminated by fennel. 

If someone has blue eyes, with which she somehow sees poorly and feels pain, she should take fennel or fennel seeds when the pain is fresh, pulverize them, press the juice from them, and take the dew which is found on grmass blades standing upright, add a little fine wheat flour, and knead this into a little cake. This she should place over her eyes for the night, tie it in place, and she will feel better. The mild warmth of fennel, tempered by the dew and the strength of the flour, removes these pains. Grey eyes are the airy kind, and therefore dew is added to this mild medicine. (CC 170, 14) 

  Fiery eyes have a ring around the iris and can be either blue or brown. Those with fiery eyes are clever, hot-tempered, energetic, and keen-minded, and their eyes are healthy. 

Whoever has fiery eyes, comparable to the dark cloud next to the sun, received them naturally from the wrm south wind. They are healthy, because they originate from the warmth of the fire.(CC 92, 32) 

  Fiery eyes are irritated by dust, smoke and other types of air pollution. In Hildegard's words: 

Dust, however, and bad smell injures them, because their brightness disregards dust and their purity neglects the unfamiliar smell. (CC 92, 35) 

  Fiery eyes suffering from all forms of eye ailments are restored to health with rose-violet-fennel wine. The recipe calls for six milliliters (ml.) of violet tincture, twelve ml. rose tincture and four ml. fennel tincture added to enough wine to make fifty ml. medicine. 

Rub this eye water around the eyes before going to bed, being careful not to hurt them accidentally through the strong effect. (CC 170, 27) 

The third type of eyes have a color mixed from blue or grey-spotted eyes, eyes with diverse colors in them. Persons with such eyes are up one minute, down the next, fickle and inconstant; but honesty and respectability characterize individuals with number-three-type eyes. 

Whoever has eyes like the cloud in which the rainbow is shining received them from the air of the various air currents, which are neither constantly dry nor moist. They are weak, because they come into being from the unstable, changing air; and, because they do not originate from fire, they have an obscure vision by warm air, whereas by pure rainy air they can see clearly; this is because they are more of a watery than fiery kind. Everything especially bright light from the sun, the moon, lights and from the splendor of precious stones or metals or something else, is harmful for such eyes, because they come from the air with its changing currents. (CC 93, 1) 

Eyes "like a cloud" are the poor television eyes extremely sensitive to light. Prolonged eye stress from watching long movies, or excessive TV or reading, irritate and pain these eyes, sometimes causing blurring, double vision or seeing flashing lights or floating spots. In persons over fifty, the lens of the eye may cloud, a possible cause of cataracts. Modern medicine relates the cataract to an impaired glucose-utilization due to a loss of enzymes in the lens. The decreased enzyme activity can be stimulated by Hildegard's zinc wine, thereby regenerating vision. Zinc wine can be a prophylactic and therapeutic remedy for cataracts and early glaucoma, as well as a very helpful eye medication for pink eye (conjunctivitis). Even itchy, irritated eyes with excessive tears due to an allergy such as hay fever, or irrita-tion from wind, dust, smoke or air pollution, are soothed with zinc wine. For all forms of acute or chronic conjunctivitis: 

The person should take zinc oxide and put it in pure white wine. At night when this person goes to bed, he or she should take the zinc oxide out again and wet the eyelashes with the wine, being careful not to touch the eyes inside and thereby hurt them through the bite of the zinc oxide so that they become even weaker in vision. Zinc oxide has just as much warmth as cold and, tempered with the warmth of the wine, gets rid of the harmful juices which make the eyes sick. (CC 171,6) 

The eyes of the fourth type are green and rare. Hildegard describes them as cloudy or similar to a storm cloud. 

About turbulent eyes: Whoever has eyes which are like a storm cloud, neither completely turbulent, but rather somewhat greenish-blue, received them from the dark dampmess of the earth that brings forth diverse, useless herbs and even earthworms. They are gentle and have prominent red flesh, which originates from slime. They are irritated by neither moist air nor dust, by bad smell nor bright light from any object, ...although they sometimes suffer from certain other ailments. (CC93, 12) 

  People with green eyes are good craftsmen and very good at learning a new trade. Other characteristics include instability and cunningness. 

  Whoever has eyes like a dark cloud, more greenish in color — and suffers weakness of vision and pain — should pulverize fennel herbs (leaves) in the summertime, or fennel seeds in the winter, and carefully mix them with egg white;when he gets ready to sleep he should put it on his eyes. The gentle warmth of the fennel diminished by the cold of the egg white will reduce the weakness of vision and pain in such eyes. (CC 171, 19) 

  The sharpest eyes are type number five: "black eyes," or brown eyes, as we would call them. 

A person who has very black or dark turbulent eyes, like a cloud, received them primarily from the earth. They are stronger and see more keenly than any other eyes and keep the keenness for a long time, because they come from the energy of the earth. But they are easily injured by the moisture of the earth and the wetness of rain and swamps, just like the earth is also poisoned by harmful moisture and the great wetness of rains and swamps. (CC93, 25) 

  Brown-eyed people are clever and accept good advice, but they often feel cramped. If their eyes hurt or trouble them, the rue tincture compress will bring relief. 

Take rue juice, and twice as much pure liquid honey, and add a little pure good wine. Lay a piece of wheat bread in this mixture, and then tie it on the eyes with the bread overnight.  (CC 171,33-35) 

  Impaired eye vision can be a result of acute glaucoma, a serious disorder caused by increased pressure due to excess fluid inside the eye. Hypertension of the eye, or glaucoma, deteri-orates vision, so that it may eventually lead to permanent blindness. Even without symptoms, like blurred vision and pain in or around the eye, everyone over forty should have a periodic eye examination and glaucoma test. The earlier the treatment, the greater the chance for success. Hildegard suggests very simply: 

  When blood and water decrease the eyes of a person too much because of age or sickness, this person should go to a green grassy garden yard and look at it for as long as the eyes are wet like from crying because the green of the grass takes away whatever cloudiness was in the eyes and makes them clear and bright. One can also go to a river or pour fresh water in a bowl and, leaning over, catch the wetness of this water with the eyes. This wetness re-activates the water in the eyes, which was drying up, and makes them clear. One can also take a linen cloth, dipit in pure cold water, and lay it over the temples and eyes, tying it, being careful not to touch the eyes on the inside,... (CC 169, 30) 

  Grapevine drippings is a universal eye remedy from Hildegard and is excellent for a beginning cataract. A progressive painless loss of vision in middle-aged or older people is charac-teristic of both cataracts and glaucoma and can be helped by  grapevine drippings. 

  Anyone with blurry and cloudy eyes [beginning cataract] should lubricate the eyelids often [daily] with the grape drops, which run out of the vine after cutting, and allow a little to run into the eye. This will clear the eyes without a doubt.  (PL 1244 D)  

  Another good rejuvenating procedure for treatment of early stages of cataract is apple blossom extract mixed in equal parts with grapevine drops. Irritated, itching eyes with too many tears, as typically found in pinkeye, allergic syndrome (hay fever), acute conjunctivitis caused by bacteria, or irritation from wind, dust, smoke and air pollution, can be relieved by Hildegard's apple blossom/grape drops: 

  A person, old or young, disturbed from any kind of clouding of the eyes, should take apple blossoms and leaves in the springtime before fruit appears. When the leaves first come out, they are tender and healthy like a maiden, before she bears children. Squeeze the juice out of its blossoms and leaves and add it to equal parts of grapevine drippings, mix and fill it in a bottle. At night, before going to sleep, moisten the eyelids and the eyes [with your fingertipl, so that nothing penetrates the eyes. Then moisten the leaves with the grape drops and put them on the eyes [as a compress] overnight. If you do this often [dailyl, the opacity will disappear and you will be able to see more clearly. (PL 1215 D) 

Sometimes a degenerative opacity of the lens occurs as a result of an inflammation, senility, effects of X-ray, trauma, or diabetes, as well as ingestion of certain toxic substances or drugs. Vision lost through cataracts can be corrected by surgery, but deterioration due to glaucoma mistakenly diagnosed as a cata-ract may lead to permanent blindness. 

Gold topaz is one of the best remedies for vision loss: 

Whoever has a [progressive] loss of vision should lay a topaz three days and nights in pure wine. Moisten your eyes at night before you go to sleep with the moist topaz, so that the liquid also runs in the eyes. This wine can be used for five days, after removing the topaz. Moisten the eyes every night with the topaz dipped in wine. After five days renew the wine, following the above procedure. This clears the eyes like the best eye medicine. (PL 1255 C) 

  Impaired vision caused by hormone disturbances from the thyroid, which darken and blur vision, may benefit from a rock. 

Types of Rocks Used in Treatments

Common Rocks and Their Uses

Rock Type: Description. Uses in Treatment

Basalt: A hard, black volcanic rock. Used in stone massages for its heat retention properties.

Limestone: A sedimentary rock primarily composed of calcium carbonate. Used in various treatments, including soil stabilization and as a dietary supplement for animals.

Granite: A dense, durable igneous rock. Occasionally used in therapeutic settings for its strength and aesthetic appeal.

Marble: A metamorphic rock formed from limestone. Used in spa treatments and for its beauty in therapeutic environments.

Applications in Therapy

Stone Massage: Basalt stones are heated and placed on the body to promote relaxation and relieve discomfort.

Dietary Supplements: Limestone is processed into lime, which can be used in animal feed and soil treatments.

Aesthetic Treatments: Marble and granite are often used in spa settings for their visual appeal and durability.

These rocks are valued not only for their physical properties but also for their therapeutic benefits in various treatments.

   

Appendix A 

REFERENCES 

AP: Aphorisms 

CC: Causae et Curae (part II of Liber Compositae Medicinae, 

or Book of Healing Methods) 

LDO: Liber Divinorum Operum (Book of Divine Works) 

LVM: Liber Vitae Meritorum (Book of Life's Merits) 

PL: Physica (Liber Simplicis Medicinae, or Book of Com-

posed Medicine) 

SC: Scivias (Know the Ways, or Book of Faith) 

Appendix A 

REFERENCES 

AP:Aphorisms 

CC: Causae et Curae (part II of Liber Compositae Medicinae, 

or Book of Healing Methods) 

LDO: Liber Divinorum Operum (Book of Divine Works) 

LVM: Liber Vitae Meritorum (Book of Life's Merits) 

PL: Physica (Liber Simplicis Medicinae, or Book of Com-

posed Medicine) 

SC: Scivias (Know the Ways, or Book of Faith)

Appendix B 

CONVERSION TABLE 

U.S./Metric Fluid Volume 

1 teaspoon (tsp.) =4/3 tablespoon=% fluid ounce=5 milliliters =.005 liters 

1 tablespoon (Tbsp.) =3 teaspoons=2 fluid ounce= 6 cup = 15 milliliters= ,015 liters 

1 fluid ounce (oz.) = 6 teaspoons=2 tablespoons =% cup=2 fluid quart =29.56 milliliters= .030 liter 1 cup (c.) = 16 tablespoons =8 fluid ounces =236 mil-liliters=.236 liter 

1fluid quart (qt.) = 64 tablespoons = 32 fuid ounces = 4cups=946 milliliters=.946 liter 

1 milliliter (ml.) =.203 or 1/ teaspoon = .068 tablespoon =.034 fluid ounce = .004 cup=.001 liter 

1 liter (1.)=203.04 teaspoons= 67.68 tablespoons= 33.814 fluid ounces =4.227 cups =1.057 fluid quarts = 1000 milliliters 

U.S./Metric Mass (Weight) 1 ounce (oz.) = 28.375 grams 1 gram (gm.) = .035 ounce 

NOTE: European standards of measurement may differ slightly from those in the United States. 

Appendix D 

ENGLISHI ~ LATIN (BOTANICAL TABLE) 

agrimonia ~ Agrimonia spp.

aloe ~ Aloe vera 

arum ~ Arum maculatum 

basil ~ Ocimum basilicum 

bay leaves (laurel) ~ Laurus nobilis 

bedstraw ~ Galium aparine 

burdock ~ Arctium lappa 

camomile ~ Anthemis nobilis 

caraway ~ Саrum саrvі 

celery seed ~ Apium graveolens 

chervil ~ Anthriscus cerefolium 

cinnamon ~ Cinnamomum zeylanicum

clary sage ~ Salvia sclarea

cloves ~ Caryophyllus aromaticus or Syzygium aromaticum

columbine ~ Aquilegia vulgaris 

cubeb cherries ~ Piper cubeba

cumin ~ Cuminum cyminum

cumin pimpernel ~ Pimpinella saxifraga

curled mint ~ Mentha crispa

dill ~ Anethum graveolens

duckweed ~ Lemna minor 

English geranium ~ Geranium anglicum 

euphorbia ~ Euphorbia spp. 

fennel ~ Foeniculum vulgare 

fenugreek ~ Trigonella foenumgraecum

field mint ~ Mentha arvensis L 

field mustard ~ Sinapis arvensis 

fleaseeds (psyllium) ~ Plantago ovata

galangal (catarrh root) ~ Alpinia galanga or Alpinia officinalis 

ginger ~ Zingiber officinale 

hart's tongue fern ~ Scolopendrium vulgare

 herb robert ~ Geranium robertianum

horehound ~ Marrubium vulgare 

horseradish ~ Armoracia lapathifolia

hyssop ~ Hyssopus officinalis

lavender ~ Lavendula officinalis 

licorice ~ Glycyrrhiza glabra 

linseed ~ Linum usitatissimum 

long pepper ~ Piper longum

lovage ~ Levisticum officinale

lungwort ~ Pulmonaria officinalis

masterwort ~ Imperatoria ostruthium

mother of thyme ~ Thymus serpyllum

mugwort ~ Artemisia vulgaris

mullein ~ Verbascum thapsus

myrrh ~ Commiphora myrrha

nutmeg ~ Myristica fragrans

parsley ~ Petroselinum sativum

pellitory ~ Anacyclus pyrethrum

plantain ~ Plantago spp.

primrose ~ Primula officinalis 

psyllium ~ Plantago ovata 

quendal ~ Herba serpylli 

quince ~ Cydonia oblonga 

ribgrass (plantain) ~ (see plantain) 

rose hip ~ Rosa spp. 

rosemary ~ Rosmarinus officinalis 

rue ~ Ruta graveolens 

sage ~ Salvia officinalis 

savory ~ Satureja hortensis 

saxifrage ~ Saxifraga spp. 

stinging nettles ~ Urtica dioica

tormentil ~ Potentilla tormentilla 

valerian ~ Valeriana officinalis 

vervain ~ Verbena officinalis 

violet ~ Viola spp. 

watercress ~ Nasturtium officinale

water mint ~ Mentha aquatica 

wood betony leaves ~ Stachys officinalis 

yarrow ~ Achillea millefolium

yellow gentian ~ Gentiana lutea 

yew tree ~ Taxus baccata 

NOTE: spp. means "species"

Appendix E 

HILDEGARD LANGUAGE 

DISCRETIO-The virtue of discretion. One of the personified virtues listed by Hildegard in Liber Vitae Meritorum. 

DIVERSIS HUMORES-Noxious fluids.

GLAUBER'S SALT-Sodium sulphate, a bitter salt.  

INFIRMI HUMORES-Infirm humor, or disease-related infectious juices. 

JOCULATRIX-A craving for entertainment, one of the vices listed by Hildegard. 

MALI HUMORES-Malicious humor, or bad juices.  

MELANCHE-Black bile. See pages 36 and 77 for descriptions of its effects. 

 

NOXI HUMORES-Noxious humor, or harmful juices. 

SPELT-A grain, Triticum spelta, which has been cultivated and used as a source of food in Europe for over 6000 years. It is robust, allowing it to survive under extreme weather conditions, grow on the poorest soil, and live at altitudes which other wheat cannot tolerate. Spelt's edible kernal is surrounded by a tough, outer husk, which protects it from airborne pollutants, poisons, and radioactive fallout. As it has never been hybridized, spelt maintains an incredible degree of natural resistance, and requires no fertilizers, herbicides,or fungicides for cultivation. These characteristics, plus its superio lutritional properties, are the reasons for spelt's high recommendation by Hildegard. 

VIRIDITAS-A Hildegard term, literally translated as "greening power,"which forms a cornerstone for Hildegard's philosophy. She used it to refer to the life-force inherent in all of creation, the spirit by which all things grow, become fruitful, and celebrate the rich source of their life's power. 

Appendix F 

A NOTE 

ON WHALE MEAT 

During Hildegard's time (the twelfth century), whales were not considered to be the endangered species which they are today. Hildegard mentioned the use of whale meat in several of her dietary recommendations, which the editors felt ethically best to delete from the body of the book. For the sake of historical clarity, however, these deleted references are listed below: 

Page 39. Whale was included in the list of seafoods to increase the intake of polyunsaturated fats. 

Page 39. Whale was listed along with salmon as having the ability to lower cholesterol levels and prevent heart attacks. 

Page 60. Under recommended meats, whale was men-tioned as being "especially good for rheumatoid arthritis and gout."

Whales were first listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Conservation Act in 1970, and this was followed by their listing under the Endangered Species Act in 1973. The International Whaling Commission also implemented a ban on commercial whaling in 1986 to help protect whale populations. 

The Mysticeti or baleen whales, are filter feeders characterized by their baleen plates, which they use to filter plankton and other small organisms out of the water. The diets of baleen whales allow them to accumulate large quantities of blubber, which made them favorite targets of 18th- and 19th-century whalers seeking to boil down blubber into valuable whale oil. Centuries of intensive hunting left most baleen species in shambles, and since they reproduce slowly, scientists worry that they're now more vulnerable to threats like pollution and ship strikes that might have otherwise been minor. Although commercial whaling was banned in 1986 by the International Whaling Commission (IWC), some species like the sei whale are still heavily targeted by Japan, Norway, and Iceland, which dodge or defy the IWC moratorium.

North Atlantic Right Whale 🐳 

Right whales were among the whales most heavily targeted by whalers in the 18th and 19th centuries, as they were some of the most convenient to hunt and also had a high blubber content. Their name comes from the whalers' belief that they were the "right" whales to hunt since they not only swam near shore but also floated conveniently on the surface of the water after being killed. There are three species of right whale, but the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) has suffered some of the greatest population declines, making it the most endangered whale species on the planet and causing the IUCN to list it as critically endangered.1

Today ( since 2022), there are fewer than 500 individuals on earth, with around 400 individuals in the western North Atlantic and a population in the low double digits in the eastern North Atlantic. The eastern North Atlantic population is so small that it is possible this population is functionally extinct. While the species is no longer hunted by commercial whalers, it still faces threats from humans, with entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with ships posing the most significant dangers. In fact, North Atlantic right whales are more susceptible to ship collisions than any other species of large whale.

Over the past decade, there were at least 60 recorded North Atlantic right whale deaths that resulted from net entanglement or ship strikes, a highly significant number considering the small global population size of the species. Furthermore, an estimated 82.9 percent of individuals have been entangled at least once and 59 percent have been entangled more than once, revealing net entanglement to be a serious threat to the survival of the species. Even when entanglements are not fatal, they nevertheless physically damage the whales, which can lead to lower reproduction rates.

....

Critically Endangered 

•••---••• North Atlantic Right Whale

HOLISTIC HEALTH 

$15.00 

"Hildegard's knowledge can help Western herbal medicine return itself to an equal level of sophistication with the Eastern systems that are becoming popular today. Hildegard's medicine, therefore, has a special import today for this regeneration of our own, older natural-healing tradition." 

David Frawley, O.M.D, Co-author, with Dr. Vasant Lad, of Yoga of Herbs 

Hildegard of Bingen, a major twelfth-century mystic and prophet, began having divinely inspired visions at the age of six. These visions continued throughout her life, and were the source of highly honored information on healing through a multi- dimensional approach to the body, mind, emotions, and spirit. Widely accepted by physicians and religious healers of her time, Hildegard's work was lost over the centuries, and has only recently been reborn through the work of the authors of this book. 

Hildegard of Bingen's Medicine is a groundbreaking contribution to medicine and healing. It contains translations of Hildegard text which reflect the high point of medieval, alchemical, and healing science. In addition, these translations are commented upon by authors who have worked clinically with Hildegard's wisdom for thirty years. Many will find this book to contain profound, long-lost spiritual teachings. Hildegard's deep understanding of na-ture-trees, herbs, and animals-inspires a new vision of balance and planetary attunement. 

Dr. Gottfried Hertzka is a medical doctor in Germany, and author of the bestselling book on Hildegard medicine, So heilt Gott. He has worked clinically with Hildegard's theories for thirty years. Dr Wighard Strehlow was a research chemist in the pharmaceutical industry in West Germany, and now works with Dr. Hertzka in the Hildegard Practice at Konstanz, West Germany.