My Favourite Mystic 8: Lauren Cole on Hildegard von Bingen

My Favourite Mystic

AJ Langley speaks to Lauren Cole about the mystic, writer, and polymath Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179). We talk about her medical texts, the effect of the humors on reproduction, the use of Adam and Eve, and foaming semen. Brief asides into the "gatekeeping" of the designation of individuals as "mystics" and Lauren's call for everyone to join her on TikTok (@MedievalLauren).

Lauren Cole is an independent scholar who works on Hildegard of Bingen. Her primary research focus is on the relationship between Hildegard’s visionary theology and her medicine, which has not yet received much academic attention. She is particularly interested in gendered constructions of authority, the presentation of Adam and Eve, and the use of female embodiment in text and image throughout Hildegard’s works.

Lauren received her MA in History from the University of Bristol in 2018 and will start a PhD in Autumn 2021. She is passionate about public engagement and runs a TikTok account (@MedievalLauren) dedicated to busting myths about the Middle Ages and raising awareness of medieval female mystics. She is the founder of the hashtag #HildegardTok. She also has a blog that you can find at https://medievallauren.wordpress.com/

Notes and updates:

At the 4 minute mark, please note that Hildegard’s description of the female orgasm is the earliest surviving in the Western canon.

Follow us on Twitter:

My Favourite Mystic: @myfavmystic

Lauren Cole: @MedievalLauren

AJ Langley: @medievalmystics