Hildegard von Bingen as a Source of Continuous Inspiration

Hildegard von Bingen is a central inspiration for me and for The Polymath. The profile picture of Polymath shows a stained glass depicting Hildegard, and the cover photo features one of her music sheets.

She was born in 1098, in Bermersheim vor der Höhe, Germany, and died September 17, 1179, in Bingen am Rhein, Germany.

Hildegard von Bingen was a true polymath: musician, composer, writer, and visionary. She wrote about philosophy, music, medicine, botany and a range of other subjects, creating knowledge that continues to resonate centuries later, including with me.

She authored books, developed a new language — Lingua Ignota — and undertook preaching tours when women were not meant to speak in public. She followed her own path, creating space for her voice to be heard.

Hildegard is a source of deep inspiration. She created from her own insight and vision, refusing the limitations imposed upon her by society. She was never content to merely fit in.

Her music is luminous and transcendent, full of strange, moving harmonies that carry both mystery and joy. Listening to it is like walking in a cathedral of the mind and heart. She wrote with her hands, her voice, and her spirit, and that integrated way of creating resonates deeply with me.

A friend of mine jokingly calls me “The High Priestess of the Saint Hildegard Fellowship” — a nod to the way her energy and creativity continue to inspire exploration.

Hildegard's music is still performed today, a reminder of the enduring power of original expression.

In a modern echo of her legacy, Hildegard von Blingin’, a Canadian singer and illustrator, brings Bardcore interpretations of contemporary music, including her popular medieval-style cover of Chappell Roan’s Pink Pony Club.

Hildegard has inspired countless other artists from Julia Holter to David Lynch. - this The Guardian article shows her continuing resonance. And, of course, me.

Her life and work are a reminder that creation can be radical, gentle, mystical, and precise all at once — and that is the horizon I want The Polymath to explore.