Greening with Life: reflections on flourishing

"I am that great and fiery force

Sparkling in everything that lives

In shining of the river's course

In greening grass that glory gives

I shine and glitter on the seas

In burning sun, in moon and stars

In unseen wind, in verdant trees

I breathe within, both near and far

And where I breathe, there is no death

And meadows glow with beauties rife

I am in all the spirit's breath

The thundered Word

For I am Life"

These words by the twelfth century Rhineland mystic, Hildegard von Bingen, describe her vision of the creative life-force she called 'viriditas' – which translates as 'greening power' – she used it to describe the power of plants to harness the energy of the sun, what we now know as photosynthesis, and to describe the power of the Holy Spirit, who breathes life into every living thing.  It is similar to the archetype of the Green Man.  It is the life-force that pulses through all living beings and connects us with each other. At this time of year, we see it strongly in nature all around us – it is the lushness and abundance in field and forest. In terms of human well-being, it is the vitality and vigour that enables us to flourish and thrive. 

Although she lived and wrote many centuries ago, in a time that was in many ways very different to our own, I believe Hildegard has much to teach us about human flourishing. Hildegard was born in 1098 in the Rhineland area of Germany and died in 1179. During her long life she ran two abbeys, wrote nine books, in which she recorded her visions and her holistic healing system, composed over 70 liturgical songs, undertook several preaching tours, and wrote over 300 letters to leading political and religious figures of the day. In 2012 she was made 'doctor of the church' by Pope Benedict XVI, one of only four women to hold that title. 

Hildegard spent most of her life in a Benedictine abbey, following the Rule of St. Benedict, which prescribes a balance of work, rest, prayer, and study. Unsurprising, much of her work is concerned with balance. 

Throughout her works, Hildegard emphasizes that God created order in the cosmos and balance in the human body. This original harmony between humankind, God, and the universe represents our ideal state of being. When we live this harmony we experience viriditas. When we fall out of balance and harmony, we experience the opposite of viriditas: ariditas – dryness, barrenness, shrivelling up, which causes disease. In her healing work, Hildegard's aim was to restore balance, in order to restore a person's 'viriditas' or vitality or vigour.

At the heart of Hildegard's holistic healing system is interconnectivity – of spirit, mind and body; of human, earth, and universe. Her medicine thus integrates physical, psychological and spiritual healing. She understood that these things could not be separated, that the microcosm reflects the macrocosm, as within, so without; as above, so below. In her work, 'Causes and Cures' she wrote, “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.” 

For Hildegard, discretio is key to a life of balance and harmony. This Latin word is sometimes translated as moderation, but has greater depth of meaning. It also means discretion, discrimination, discernment, difference and distinction. Discretio is the practice of living in balance, finding harmony of body, mind and soul. It involves paying attention to our inner compass, the promptings of our bodies and our deep selves, to find the right measure in all things. 

We can use discretio to find the right measure for ourselves in all aspects of life – the balance between work and leisure, between activity or exercise and rest,  between sleep and wakefulness, between solitude and sociability, between what we give and what we receive. Hildegard wrote, “Discretio is the mother of all virtues for everything heavenly and earthly..  Live by the Golden Mean.”

Discretio involves taking responsibility for our actions and choices. We can use it to examine our habits, social conditioning and unconscious thought-patterns, and make the changes we need to flourish and thrive. 

Models of flourishing have been developed in our own time by psychologists such as Dr. Martin Seligman, who wrote, “To flourish is to find fulfilment in our lives, accomplishing meaningful and worthwhile tasks, and connecting with others at a deeper level – in essence, living the “good life.”

Developed by a group of academics from various disciplines across psychology, child development, evolutionary biology, systems theory, and economics, the Flourish Project suggests that there are seven core aspects to human flourishing that reflect our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs as human beings. These are security, relationship, independence, engagement, fulfilment, contribution, and growth. 

The Flourish Project website says, “Flourishing involves the optimisation of innate potential and the application of strengths and virtues towards achieving a fulfilling, meaningful and responsible life. It includes actively engaging in life, redefining life purpose, overcoming difficulties and seeking harmony and right relationship. Practical approaches to flourishing might involve humility, mindfulness, spiritual disciplines, compassion and actively contributing to the flourishing of others and the planet.”

Flourishing is about living with integrity - cultivating right relationship with ourselves, with others, and with the natural world. I know that my body and soul respond to the Spring, “Growth in every thing— Flesh and fleece, fur and feather, Grass and greenworld all together,” that Gerard Manley Hopkins captured so beautifully in his poem, May Magnificat. I know that my own flourishing is intimate bound up with the flourishing of the  spiritual communities of which I am part. We do not flourish in isolation, but in connection and community. I think there are five aspects to this:

Care – we flourish when we support each other through our up and downs, when we care for each other, for our sacred spaces, for our wider communities, for the whole community of earth. 

Connection – we flourish through coming together to connect with one another and with that which is greater than ourselves.

Co-creation – we flourish through what we create together, each time we gather, when everyone plays a part – whether it be leading the service, reading, singing, playing the organ / piano, serving tea and coffee, or doing all the other things behind the scenes that enable us to continue coming together.

Ceremony – we flourish by honouring special occasions with special ceremonies – welcomings, weddings and funerals, flower communions, anniversary services.

Celebration – we flourish through celebrating life, our own life cycles, and the life cycles of the planet. We flourish when we celebrate together the joy of living and sharing our lives.

I invite you, over the next week, to tune in to your inner sense of viriditas, and to ask yourself, how you can attend to it. What helps you flourish? What depletes you? When do you experience the flow of greening life force in body and soul? When do you feel vitality, creativity, energy, and a sense of being well nourished? When do you experience dryness and aridity in body and soul? When do you feel stretched, overwhelmed, or depleted?

I encourage you to trust your inner wisdom in these matters. Hildegard wrote, “Follow the path that leads to freedom. This means obeying the wisdom that already shines within you. And as you do so, your own soul will come to life. The wisdom of God which he has implanted in every person brings great blessings, both spiritual and material. It brings prudence, discretion and sound judgment. It enables people to use their abilities to the full in the service of others. Evil cannot enter those who obey their inner wisdom.” Amen.