Journey with us to Hildegard’s wisdom well, her cosmology, spirituality and healing practices.
Join us on this 5 month long journey to Hildegard’s wisdom well. Learn in a tiny online group setting about the many facets of Hildegard as a scholar, Benedictine teacher, gardener and healer, and explore more deeply her philosophy of health and healing, her healing practices and remedies, and what it can provide for your own nourishment. This inaugural Seminar will be taught by Dr. Almut Furchert, a German American scholar, practitioner, teacher and retreat leader, who will bring to you Hildegard resources which have not been available yet in English and her accessible teaching combining European seminar style with times for sharing and spiritual practice.
About the Hildegard Seminar
Hildegard of Bingen was not only a remarkable woman of her time but also a monastic leader, an inspiring theologian, philosopher, composer, and naturopath. Though finally declared a Doctor of the Church in 2012 (almost 800 years later!) she is still rarely taught in academia to this day. Thus this seminar aims to gather her radical thinking from the isolated pockets of scholarship and bring it to those people longing to participate in her knowledge and wisdom.
In this live taught Online seminar you will gain an overview of the many facets of Hildegard as a scholar, Benedictine teacher, gardener and healer, as well as explore and experience more deeply her philosophy of health and healing and what it can provide for your own nourishment.
You will find nourishment in this Hildegard Seminar whether you are a beginner or some one who has already visited several Hildegard seminars or retreats before, whether you have only a little time to invest or if you want to dive deeply into her writings and world. Study materials will be provided for those who hope to dig deeper in-between class meetings as well as a private online space to continue and deepen conversation for those who wish for more companionship.
The Hildegard Seminar invites you to
Learn and mingle in a tiny group setting of kindred spirits where every one matters
benefit from your teachers’ knowledge of Hildegard texts and sources which have not been translated into English yet
Explore and deepen Hildegard’s view on humanity, the world, and God and how it speaks to your current longing for healing and wholeness.
Take a closer look at Hildegard’s concept of health and monastic healing practices
Find out how they integrate naturopathic, ecological, psychological and spiritual aspects.
Join our intimate group of wisdom seekers who enjoy both, a deep learning experience and a time for practices, journaling, and sharing.
Get immediate access to our private online gathering space to deepen the conversation and find companionship
Receive study materials fine tuned to your specific interest at every step of the way
This Seminar offers a 5 month long deep learning experience consisting of Seven Saturday morning zoom sessions and a online conversation in-between. Save the dates: Oct 16, 30; Nov 6, 20; Dec 11 2021; Jan 15, 29 2022 10am-1pm CT
The Seven Modules Preview
Module 1) A remarkable woman. Introduction
Module 2) God hugs you. Hildegard’s cosmology
Module 3) The soul and its tent. Hildegard’s theological anthropology (or more simply said: her view on human nature)
Module 4) On Health and Healing I. Soul and Soul Care
Module 5) On Health and Healing II. Healing Practices
Module 6) On medicinal gardens and gardens as medicine
Module 7) The wholesome life. Summary and applications
(more about each module below)
Hildegard has called us to live in harmony with all creation, and to tend to the the world around us as wisely as to the world within us. We live in an age which has become alienated from Mother Earth and in which we have become alienated from our own self. Hildegard's grand vision of the soul and the world in mutual interdependence thus becomes a necessity our world requires and the therapy our souls need.
The Hildegard Seminar will be live taught by Dr. Almut Furchert via zoom on seven Saturdays stretching from October 2021 into Jan 2022 in a tiny group setting. Thus you can participate from all corners of the globe and help us create a community of learners and wisdom seekers longing for a wholesome learning experience.
Almut will introduce you to the newest research on Hildegard von Bingen from Germany and beyond in a light hearted, accessible and tender way, so that the academic mind, the spiritual seeker as well as the spiritual practitioner can feel comfortable and well-nourished in this seminar.
Your teacher
Dr. phil. Almut Furchert, Dipl. Psych. is a German American philosopher of religion, existential counselor, teacher, retreat leader, Hildegard scholar and mother of a toddler. She is an expert on existential philosophies and European wisdom traditions. For the last years she has worked and published on Hildegard of Bingen, and enjoyed teaching her to a wide audience. Almut is also the co-founder and director of CloisterSeminars and shares her interest in monastic and contemplative practices with her husband Chuck. Together they enjoy long walks with their little daughter.
More about Almut
PS: There are three price options to join, (as 5 monthly payments to make it easier on all). As always a reduced option for all who need it, a regular price point to sustain the program, and for the first time a Mentorship option for some of you who want to work with me in personal ways during this journey.
If you need further assistance or prefer to send a check instead let us know. We will make it happen.
The link below brings you right to the enrollment page at our online community The Cloister, where the seminar will be hosted.
Those of you who are not members yet, will be prompted to create an account.
update Sept 22: We only have few places left. Please enroll now to save yours :-).
Program Preview
We begin this journey with an introduction into Hildegard’s world, her cosmology, philosophy and spirituality. This will help us understand her view on humanity, the world, and God and how it speaks to our current longing for healing and wholeness. Then we will take a closer look at Hildegard’s concept of health, her monastic healing practices and how they integrate naturopathic, ecological, psychological and spiritual aspects. The program will be accompanied by times for practices, journaling, and sharing.
You will find nourishment here whether you are a beginner or some one who has already visited several Hildegard seminars or retreats before, whether you have only a little time to invest or if you want to dive deeply into her writings and world. Study materials will be provided for those who hope to dig deeper in-between class meetings.
The Seven Modules
Each live meeting consists of a teaching presentation, time for dialogue, personal reflection, time for sharing, and some practices, e.g. meditating on Hildegard’s texts, or illuminations or music. All can be deepened beyond each live meeting in our online gathering space.
Module 1) A remarkable woman. Introduction
The first presentation will introduce you to Hildegard’s voluminous work, how it is approached by scholars and how you can approach it as a lay person. You will get a glimpse of the complexity of Hildegard’s philosophy, her life and context, and how it connects with current themes like eco spirituality, Feminine Theology and issues in medicine and Healing Sciences. There will be also space for personal introductions and to share what you already know about Hildegard and what draws you closer to her. This will help fine-tune further teaching presentations to the needs and interests of each member. No stump speeches here :-)
Module 2) God hugs you. Hildegard’s cosmology
We will dive deeper in some of Hildegard’s beautiful illuminations and see, listen and taste what it tells us about her understanding of our human nature held in Divine embrace. We will look at Hildegard’s view of macro and micro cosmos, the green life force and how it all comes together in a grand vision of a wholesome life mirroring Divine knowledge and love.
Module 3) The soul and its tent. Hildegard’s theological anthropology (or more simply said: her view on human nature)
We will deepen Hildegard’s view on human nature and go right into her multi layered understanding of the human soul and its pilgrimage through time, again helped by a great illumination of Hildegard herself. We will read parts of her original texts together and ask how this relates to our current concerns of our soul’s journey.
Module 4) On Health and Healing I. Soul and Soul Care
Hildegard’s underlying focus on a healthy soul in a healthy body now comes into focus (it has been there all along). We will speak about the seasons of the soul and how Hildegard invites our soul towards greening and flourishing.
Module 5) On Health and Healing II. Healing Practices
We will see how Hildegard’s healing philosophy is embedded in her Benedictine spirituality and medicinal traditions of her time. We will explore the many layers of healing practices in her work, from music to eco therapy. We might try some out just then :-)
Module 6) On medicinal gardens and gardens as medicine
Time to get our hands dirty :-) We will look at everything gardening, how it is deeply connected to Hildegard’s philosophy and theology and how her naturopathic practice is part of what is called in Europe “Klostermedizin”, monastic medicine. And yes, it comes mostly from the gardens. So if you do not know medicinal herbs yet, you will surely learn about some now :-)
Module 7) The wholesome life. Summary and applications
You made it. You have dipped into Hildegard’s wisdom well. Now is time to look what to take with you on the way. We will wrap up open threads, take time for your questions, meditate on some more Hildegard texts and music and send you off with a blessing :-)
You will find a more detailed description and study material for each module in our online gathering space in time to read into before live meetings if you like to. You are free to respond or converse with others about learning materials as well as to share materials of your own.
I am excited to start this conversation on Hildegard soon :-) Almut
Lastly, A personal word from your teacher
Friends and fellow travelers,
I am excited to introduce a unique opportunity to dive deeper into the wisdom well of one of the most remarkable women of times, Hildegard of Bingen.
When ever I taught Hildegard in retreats I was asked for a deeper learning opportunity where I would share my insights from my years of Hildegard studies on both continents. Finally, as day care has started for our little one, and freed time up for her philosopha mama, here is my invitation to all who asked, to all would love to to learn about Hildegard in new ways, and all who would love to invite a friend:
Join me for this first format that you cannot find elsewhere:
A 5 month long journey into the heart of Hildegard's teaching with a focus on health and healing in a tiny group setting. You will learn what has not yet been taught in retreats or even in college or university programs. Together we will explore Hildegard sources, some of which are not available in English yet and get a glimpse on how she is being newly discovered in her German homeland and beyond.
This Seminar is for the intellectual mind, the spiritual seeker, the spiritual guide and practitioner and certainly for all kindred spirits who try to hold all these together :-)
You can be new to Hildegard, or longing to deepen your knowledge, or hoping to find nourishment and a healing balm for your seeking heart. You are welcome if you have only a little time to invest or more. You can just concentrate on the live meetings or continue the conversation in our private online gathering space. You can screen the unique resource library I will provide or dig deeper in what interests you most. You can even be part of the journey if you cannot make all the live meetings (my presentation part of the meetings will be recorded).
In all cases, I would love to welcome you on this new adventure!
Love and Blessings, Almut