Ten Healing Recipes from Hildegard of Bingen to Uplift Your Spirit and Soothe Sadness 🌿✨
Hildegard of Bingen, the 12th-century German abbess, mystic, and herbalist, was known for her holistic approach to health and well-being. She believed in the connection between the body, mind, and spirit, and her remedies often used herbs, spices, and natural ingredients to address physical and emotional imbalances. For sadness (or melancholia, as it was known in her time), Hildegard recommended remedies that warmed the body, uplifted the spirit, and strengthened the heart and digestion (which she believed played a role in emotional health). Below are 10 recipes and remedies inspired by Hildegard of Bingen’s teachings to treat sadness.
1. Spiced Wine (Hildegard's Heart-Warming Tonic)
Hildegard recommended a spiced wine to warm the heart and invigorate the spirit.
Ingredients:
1 bottle of red wine
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tbsp honey
Instructions:
Heat the wine in a pot over low heat (do not boil).
Stir in cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and honey until well combined.
Let the mixture warm for 10-15 minutes, then strain and serve warm.
Why it helps:
The warming spices stimulate circulation and digestion, while honey soothes the spirit.
2. Parsley Honey Wine
Parsley was considered a herb that strengthened the heart and lifted sadness.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 bottle of white wine
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
Instructions:
Combine parsley, white wine, and vinegar in a pot and gently heat for 10 minutes.
Strain the mixture and stir in honey until dissolved.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Why it helps:
Parsley supports the heart and digestion, while honey and vinegar create balance and warmth.
3. Chestnut Bread (Nourishing and Grounding)
Hildegard believed chestnuts had a grounding effect, providing strength and resilience.
Ingredients:
2 cups chestnut flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup water
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until a dough forms.
Shape the dough into a loaf and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Why it helps:
Chestnuts are warming, grounding, and nourishing, helping to stabilize emotions.
4. Fennel Tea (Calming and Digestive)
Fennel was a key herb in Hildegard’s remedies for sadness, as it supports digestion and uplifts the mind.
Ingredients:
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 cup boiling water
Honey to taste
Instructions:
Steep fennel seeds in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Strain and sweeten with honey if desired.
Why it helps:
Fennel improves digestion and calms nervous tension, alleviating sadness and melancholy.
5. Spelt Porridge with Dates and Cinnamon
Hildegard championed spelt as a superior grain for health and vitality.
Ingredients:
1 cup spelt grains (or spelt flakes)
2 cups water or milk (dairy or plant-based)
3-4 chopped dates
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions:
Bring water or milk to a boil and add spelt grains.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes (or 5-10 minutes for spelt flakes).
Stir in chopped dates and cinnamon before serving warm.
Why it helps:
Spelt is nourishing and supports digestion, while dates and cinnamon provide natural sweetness and warmth.
6. Turnip and Thyme Soup
Hildegard believed turnips helped clear “melancholic humors” and uplift the spirit.
Ingredients:
2 medium turnips (peeled and diced)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a pot, sauté onions until soft.
Add diced turnips, thyme, and vegetable broth.
Simmer for 20 minutes, then blend until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper before serving.
Why it helps:
Turnips detoxify and support the digestive system, while thyme calms and uplifts.
7. Galangal Elixir (The Spice for the Soul)
Galangal, a warming root, was one of Hildegard’s favorite remedies for sadness and heart health.
Ingredients:
1/2 tsp powdered galangal
1 cup hot water
Honey to taste
Instructions:
Stir powdered galangal into hot water.
Sweeten with honey and drink warm.
Why it helps:
Galangal improves circulation and warms the body, lifting the spirit and dispelling melancholy.
8. Apple and Sage Infusion
Sage was revered by Hildegard for its ability to clear the mind and uplift the soul.
Ingredients:
1 apple (sliced)
2 fresh sage leaves
1 cup boiling water
Honey to taste
Instructions:
Add apple slices and sage leaves to boiling water.
Let steep for 10 minutes.
Strain and sweeten with honey if desired.
Why it helps:
Apples nourish the body, while sage calms the mind and clears negative emotions.
9. Violet Syrup for Emotional Balance
Violets were recommended by Hildegard to soothe emotional unrest and promote balance.
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh violet flowers (unsprayed and cleaned)
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
Instructions:
Simmer violet flowers in water for 10 minutes.
Strain the liquid and stir in honey until dissolved.
Store in a jar and take 1 tsp daily or mix into warm water or tea.
Why it helps:
Violets are calming and promote emotional clarity, helping to ease sadness.
10. Baked Pears with Cloves and Honey
This simple dessert combines warming spices with the soothing sweetness of pears.
Ingredients:
2 ripe pears (halved and cored)
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp honey
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Place pears on a baking tray and sprinkle with cloves.
Drizzle with honey and bake for 20-25 minutes, until tender.
Why it helps:
Pears nourish Lung Qi and soothe emotions, while cloves and honey provide warmth and comfort.
Conclusion
Hildegard of Bingen’s remedies for sadness blend natural ingredients with deep wisdom about the body’s connection to the mind and spirit. These recipes use warming spices, nourishing grains, and uplifting herbs to calm the mind, strengthen the body, and restore balance to the emotions. By incorporating these simple yet effective remedies into your routine, you can bring warmth and joy to even the gloomiest of days. 🌿✨