Many of you are aware of how much inspiration I gain from the life and stories of St. Hildegard of Bingen! And so I am delighted to announce that my next offering of the online course, Master Your Creativity, will begin this November. Discover and join a supportive and creative community on a journey with St. Hildegard and me. Find out more here. 

As an abbess in the 12th century, St. Hildegard was truly ahead of her time. Throughout her life’s journey, she became a renowned mystic and healer as well as a scientist, writer, preacher, composer, and even an artist. 

Sometimes, I wonder what it was like for her trying to bring her gifts into the world at that time – her music, writings, visions and ideas. Did she ever feel all alone? Like she was different from those around her? That she wanted to give up? 

​I’m sure she did. Some of her words that we can read today give us a peek into her challenges and resistance. However, we also know that she had a good confidant and friend in her life, the monk Volmar, who supported her in following her divine calling, even when she felt incapable of doing so. She became acquainted with him while living at the St. Disibod Abbey.

At that time, she had kept silent about the unique visions she was experiencing.  It was Volmar who was the first person to validate her visions as divine experiences. He soon recognized her rare spiritual gifts and became a good friend and mentor for many years in her life.

St. Hildegard often doubted herself and her abilities. So, at 42, when she felt God commanded her to write down and share what she had seen and heard in her soul, she did not respond joyously nor immediately move into action. She felt insecure and inadequate. She felt fearful and anxious. Women did not write in medieval society. Only men did. So, she resisted this call.

She writes:
 “… a voice from heaven was saying to me: ‘O weak person, you who are both ashes of ashes and decaying of decaying, speak and write what you see and hear.  But you are shy about speaking and simple in explaining and unskilled about writing those things. So speak and write those things not according to human speech or human inventiveness but according to the extent that you see and hear those things in the heavens above in the marvelousness of God. 
Bring to light those things by way of explanation. Be like a listener who understands the words of his or her own teacher but explains them in one’s own way of speaking, willingly, plainly and instructively. 
So, you too a woman, speak those things which you see and hear. Write those things not according to yourself or by the standards of another person, but according to the will of the one knowing, the one who sees and arranges all things in the secrets of His own mysteries.”  (Scivias)

Hildegard turned to her teacher and friend, Volmar. She shared her experience and her self-doubt, and he strongly encouraged her to write. And she did, sharing her experiences in the texts that would become her visionary work, Scivias and The Book of Divine Works. Volmar became her secretary, writing down the words she dictated. 
​
We can see the meaningful role Volmar played in her life as she portrays him in her painting, A Self Portrait. ​

Recognition and validation of her work by the Church was vital to St. Hildegard’s ability to share her work with the world. Her friend and mentor, Volmar actively advised her to have her visions recognized by the Church as a divine message of God.

It’s clear that St. Hildegard greatly valued and appreciated her dear friend Volmar, who supported and encouraged her. She was not alone in navigating the unprecedented path for a woman to share her visions with the public.

Their relationship is an inspiration to us today! We can see how the steps on our journey are a lot easier to follow when we have someone in our community that supports and encourages us. We don’t have to do it alone! 

Over the last year and a half, I’ve come to appreciate how important community and friends are in these unsettling times of the pandemic. It’s been incredibly supportive to connect with many online at a time we have had to shelter at home.  And then what a joy it has been to be able to go out this summer and greet friends and neighbors, sometimes without masks, in-person!
 
Recently, one of my students who was in my Master Your Creativity online course, shared her appreciation of the course with me and said, “Thank you for making the worst year of my life the best year of my life”. She felt this way because she was connected to the community in the course and gained inspiration to engage her creative side.  

I’m so grateful that I am able to help others in this way! 
 
And so I invite you to explore my next offering of my online course, Master Your Creativity! We will be beginning again this November. If you’re looking for a supportive and creative community to join on a journey with St. Hildegard and me, find out more here. I hope to see you in the course.

​When I was a little girl, I loved spending hours at the piano playing song after song as my fingers danced upon the ivory keys. My soul was nourished by the beautiful sound.
 
When my family vacationed at the Atlantic shore, as my bare toes wiggled around in the cool, wet sand, I sang or hummed songs to my heart’s content letting them drift out onto the gentle waves of the ocean.
 
I had a dream of being on a stage one day and singing, letting the power of my voice ripple out to those in the audience like waves in the ocean. Although this idea terrified me, I still would dream about it! 

 ​As I grew older, I held on to my dreams. But I soon discovered that door after door seemed to be shut to women, even if they were open to men. 
 
Then one day, I learned that in the 12th century, St. Hildegard of Bingen was incredibly courageous for a woman of her time. She persevered in sharing the visions she had with the world. This was unheard of at the time! Women weren’t part of the clergy. Women didn’t preach, speak publicly, or write. Certainly not on controversial topics such as visions from God!
 
And yet, she persisted, mustering her courage, guided by the Divine.

Then there was a day, one particular moment in a day of my life when I was singing a certain song of St. Hildegard’s with others in a class. That was a turning point for me. It helped me shift my fear of singing alone in front of others to faith. Faith in the Divine.
 
I felt a deeper knowing that I am whole and I am love. A deeper trust that I have everything I need to manifest the longings of my soul, including my dream of singing on stage alone. You can hear more about this moment in my life in this video where I tell the story in greater detail
​

​In the years that followed, inspired and empowered by St. Hildegard, there was a wave of creativity that flowed, bringing strength, healing, and joy into my life.
 
Today, I’m not shy about the fact that I’m a singer. And yes, I’ve even sung on stage many times and continue to do so!
 
What dream do you have that you still long to make happen in your life?    
 
Imagine that you could manifest it right now. What’s standing in your way?
 
What often stands in our way again and again is FEAR.
 
Maybe you’re so fearful that you feel frozen and can’t even take the first step towards manifesting your dream. Or you think, “I can’t do that.” or “I don’t have time for that.”

Are you ready to let go of that fear? Do you long for something more?
 
I know you can move out of fear and into faith!  To finally manifest the longing of your soul. Yes, you can!
 
I invite you to learn a song and body prayer with me that’ll fill you with the deep knowing that you are part of the Divine. You are whole. You are love. You have everything you need to manifest the dream you have.
 
Come and join me here and discover how to Move out of Fear into Faith, Key #3.
 

​St. Hildegard called this the “spice of life.” That’s how important it was to her! It appears in many of her recipes for healing.
 
She wrote, “Whoever has pain in the heart area or is suffering weakness due to the heart, should immediately eat enough galangal and he will recover. A person with a burning fever should drink galangal powder in spring water to relieve the burning fever.”
 
But what is galangal exactly?  It’s not a spice that everyone is familiar with.
 
Lesser galangal, or Alpinia officinarum, is a plant that is in the ginger family and grown in Southeast Asia. It can grow to be about 5 – 6 ½ ft. tall with long leaves and reddish-white flowers.
 
The rhizomes of the plant are known as galangal which have a sweet, spicy flavor and are used in cooking and healing remedies.

​St. Hildegard of Bingen was one of the foremost authorities on the benefits of herbs and spices in her day.  She used galangal for treating fever, heart failure, respiratory illnesses and mucus in the nose and throat.
 
It was the main spice in Hildegard’s cure for heart problems including heart pain. She regarded galangal as a potent aid to digestion and quick reliever of pain, such as the pain associated with angina pectoris, heart attacks, and gall bladder symptoms. Today, galangal continues to be used as a healing remedy worldwide particularly as a heart medicine. Physicians in Germany who use Hildegard Medicine in their practice have reported that galangal is as effective as nitroglycerin, but without the harmful side effects. 

​Health Benefits of Galangal
Today, we know that galangal has many benefits when used as a healing remedy. Galangal and ginger are closely related, so the health benefits of galangal are very similar to those of ginger. Here are some of the known healing properties of galangal:

• Antioxidant
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-bacterial, anti-viral
• Lowers blood sugar levels
• Lowers blood pressure
• Anti-cancer
• Pain reliever

Never had galangal before?  Give it a try!  Usually you can find it for purchase at Asian supermarkets or sometimes even at Whole Foods. Here’s a recipe that I love that includes galangal. 

                                                                      CREAMY ZUCCHINI SOUP
(from Saint Hildegard’s Kitchen: Foods of Health, Foods of Joy by Jany Fournier-Rosset)
2 lbs zucchini, unpeeled and thickly sliced
3 tbsps oil
4 cups water
1 tbsp heavy cream
mint leaves for garnish
galangal, salt, pepper to taste

1. Sauté the zucchini slices in the oil. Season with the galangal, salt, and pepper.
2. Add the water and cook for about 15 minutes.
3. Purée the mixture in a blender or food processor. Return to pot and heat gently.
4. When ready to serve, add the cream and garnish with the mint leaves.

 
Come and join me for more creative adventures with St. Hildegard. My online course, Master Your Creativity, will begin again this fall. You’ll join a supportive and creative community on a journey with St. Hildegard and me to open the door to explore the longings of your soul. Find out more here. I hope to see you there! 
 
 

 

Are you longing to manifest a creative dream that you’ve had for a while but are not sure if you can really do it?  
 
Maybe it’s something that you’ve yearned to do, that’s an expression of your soul’s purpose in the world, but you just don’t seem to be able to find the energy and confidence to get started.
 
Access a guided meditation to Move out of Limitation into Motivation in my 3 Keys to Master Your Creativity.  Through this meditation, you’ll find the confidence and strength to move forward with your creative dreams.
 
Sometimes we can feel crippled with self-doubt, fear creeping into our minds. You may think, how can I realize this dream I have? It’s unrealistic and impractical. I’m not good enough. No one will be interested in what I want to manifest. I don’t have the time or the money. On and on, the negative thoughts circle in your mind.

​There have been moments in my life when I’ve had thoughts like these and haven’t felt fully confident in myself. I’m sure most people feel like this from time to time. 
 
Sometimes, old stories and negative voices from our past sabotage us. 
 
Sometimes, we have fear and anxiety about putting ourselves out there in the world and taking the next steps to manifest our creative dream.  We feel vulnerable to being judged or criticized.  
 
Sometimes, we just feel weak and anything but courageous. 
 
If you’re feeling like this and it’s getting in the way of you manifesting your creative dream, take steps to begin believing in yourself again. That’s the key!
 
The very first step is simply to shift your thinking to believe that what you want to accomplish is actually possible! Your thoughts have great power.
 
Think back to a time in your life where you did something you thought was really difficult at the time or maybe even impossible. How did you feel when you accomplished it?
 
It was possible to accomplish, and you did it. It’s happened before in your life and can happen again! Everything you have created or accomplished in your life is a result of your belief in yourself and the belief that it’s possible.
 
No matter what it is that you’re longing to create now in your life, you can do it! 
 
Whatever your creative dream is, I know you can make it come true. The truth is that there are as many beautiful things to create as there are people on this planet.
 
Don’t you think it’s time to listen to the quiet voice inside that’s nagging at you, telling you that there’s more for you to create in this world?
 
It’s time to let go of any sense of limitation or fear that’s standing in the way of what you long to create.

Here are three important steps to help you let go of limitation and cultivate positivity and confidence to manifest your creative dream.
 
1. Be mindful of those negative voices in your head!  If they’re making awful comments about you or your abilities, change that tune. As soon as you notice the negative voices, stop them, fill yourself with compassion for YOU, and shift those voices to positive, kind, compassionate words.  
   “Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”    Lao Tzu

 2. Spend a few moments sending love to yourself. Imagine warm, golden light in your heart. Feel this light warm and expand your heart. Feel it reach out beyond your heart and encompass your whole being. Speak those compassionate and kind words to yourself in your head. Do this every morning or several times throughout the day, as needed. 

3. Seek support from the Divine. The Divine has wonderful ways of supporting us and moving us along our journey in life, as long as we put forth our own effort. So, offer up your creative dream to the Divine for further guidance. Trust that Divine support will come to you and maybe even in unexpected ways! 
​
As you begin to take the first steps forward in realizing your vision, you’ll discover the sweet nectar of the Divine is being birthed upon the Earth through you. And where this divine energy flows, a powerful healing force can arise.  For yourself. And for the world.

In the words of St. Hildegard:
 
 
I am the one whose praise
Echoes on high.
I adorn all the earth.
I am the breeze
That nurtures all things
Green.
I encourage blossoms to flourish with ripening fruits.
I am led by the spirit to feed
The purest streams.
I am the rain
Coming from the dew
That causes the grasses to laugh
With the joy of life.
 
I call forth tears,
Th aroma of holy work.
I am the yearning for good.
 
 
To support you further in this work, I invite you to try a guided mediation that I offer for free to Move out of Limitation into Motivation (key #2) in my 3 Keys to Master Your Creativity.   Through this meditation, you’ll come to appreciate who you are as a unique individual, and you’ll find the confidence and strength to move forward with your creative dreams.
 
This meditation will support you in giving voice to your unique soul’s purpose, helping you to focus on what you’re meant to create and giving you the guidance to move forward with a clear vision. Give it a try!  

​Are you in the midst of making a change in your life? Maybe you’re trying something new to improve your health and well-being like exercising regularly or eating healthy foods? 
 
Or maybe you’re trying to create a regular meditation practice?
 
Or longing to realize a creative dream you have? 

​When I consider making a change in my life, I always remember these words from John Assaraf. 
 
“The first step to getting anywhere is deciding you are not willing to stay where you are.”                                                                                            -John Assaraf  
 
Once I truly decide I’m not willing to stay where I am and I DO want a change, then I often want to jump in full steam ahead and try to do it all at once? Do you do this too?
 
Speaking from experience, that doesn’t work very well! It can lead to frustration and a sense of failure.

Making a change isn’t easily done. Changing your habits and mindset takes time.
 
I’ve learned that these 3 essential steps are needed to unlock your inner power to successfully make the changes that you wish to see in your life.
 
1. Break Your Goals into Smaller Parts
Take that goal that you have to make a change and break it down into smaller parts. Then you can begin to work on one step at a time. You’ll be much more successful in taking these baby steps on the path to accomplishing your goal.

For example, if you want to begin a regular meditation practice, a first step could be to commit to meditating 1 time a week for this month.
 
Remember making a change takes time. Be patient. Your habits and mindset don’t change overnight. Sometimes it takes days, weeks or even several months.
 
Be kind to yourself, while still staying committed to keeping yourself on your path to success. 
 
2. Check on Your Progress
Review your goal regularly to check on your progress and keep yourself motivated.  Check-in each day and then at the end of the week.
 
How’s it going?  What milestones can you celebrate?
 
Enjoy the journey of learning and transforming along the way. Celebrate what you’ve accomplished!
 
It’s tempting to only look at the accomplishment at the end as a sign of your success. But, it’s important to notice your smaller ones on the journey.

.These little moments in time will remind you how much closer you’re getting to your final goal. 
 
Don’t get stuck on any little missteps along the way. Don’t let those negative voices of failure flow into your mind!  
 
Celebrate your accomplishments on the path and adjust a goal or a plan that appears to be unrealistic. Then continue forward with positivity and passion for your goal!
 
 
Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to remain the same.                                                                                                                     -John Assaraf
 
3. Ask for Spiritual Guidance
Remember you have support available to you! Offer up your goal to your spirit guides and ask for support.
 
Be open and attentive to receiving in those quiet moments of inner stillness. But, also be open in the middle of your normal day. Support sometimes comes in surprising ways!

Do you have a creative dream that you are longing to manifest? Get support… find out more about my course "Master Your Creativity”.