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Ring the Bells by Colleen Keating: A Review

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Reviewed by Roslyn McFarland

Ring the Bells
by Colleen Keating
Ginninderra Press
August 2025, Paperback, 108 pages, ISBN: 9781761097157

Ring the Bells is Colleen Keating’s eighth published book of poetry, which is quite an achievement in itself.

This is a delightful collection – often thought provoking, sometimes poignant and always engaging.

Keating understands the times in which we live. As she says in her introduction, it is: ‘a broken world with personal

and collective emotions, pain of war and human travail that can bring us to our knees’.

But gloom and desperation aren’t options for this fine lyric poet. Her title Ring the Bells comes

from the chorus of Leonard Cohen’s song, ‘Anthem’:

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in

This effectively signposts that the poems which follow will not only preference hope and positivity over cynicism and despair,

but will also elucidate her expressed notion that the ‘beauty of nature and grace of humanity is our balm’.

Ring the Bells has been cleverly curated into four sections, each a kind of bell chime: Embracing light, Embracing dark,

Embracing life and lastly, Embracing love. In all four parts, it’s easy to see Keating’s deft and often delicate lyricism at work.

Her powerful sensory imagery is derived from the intensity of her gaze upon the ordinary and the extraordinary,

which for me is beautifully captured in ‘the visit’, with its close attention to detail and the allusion to Gerard Manley Hopkins’ poem, ‘

The Windhover’.And while many of the poems in this volume reflect Keating’s enduring sense of wonder and awe

found within the natural world, there are many more that demonstrate the depth of her concern about our planet’s fragility,

as well as social inequality and injustice of all kinds  While her poetic voice is always gentle and compassionate,

her subjects range from bush fires, earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, the plight of refugees, mass shootings in US schools,

COVID, the war in Ukraine and the injustice levelled at our first nations people –their dispossession, the deaths in custody,

the shame felt in knowing the truth of our nation’s history. Among her poems about love of family, death, loss and grief

there are meditations on everyday experience as in ‘while doing a grocery shop’.

And in ‘shared umbrella’, the simplicity and concision of the Zen-like revelation found here is clearly affecting:

so much is gained
by

a shared umbrella
with

synchronicity
of gait

besides the intimacy
of leaning in

In this and in several other poems, Keating displays not only her acute observation skills but also her fondness for minimalist Japanese forms.

That said, there are poems that show her critical eye and also underscore her willingness to experiment with form.

Especially notable is ‘intrusion’ where she satirises the relentless negativity of the news cycle in a style that reminded me of some of Bruce Dawe’s poems.

But there’s always a lightness of touch in all of Colleen Keating’s work. Especially noticed in the deeply personal, final poem ‘Celtic Knots’,

which also epitomises her overall message of the power of love. Its structure of 14 non-rhyming couplets metaphorically reinforces

the weaving together of form and function. It’s springtime in London, and Keating’s eight year old granddaughter

is teaching her to draw a Celtic Knot – that well-known symbol of eternity and interconnectedness of all things:

Our paths have crossed only four times since I helped
my daughter bring her into the world. But our bond

twines like a Celtic Knot even though our connecting
is mostly two screens quavering over FaceTime.

Aware of her own ageing, the poet’s mood becomes contemplative and downcast:

I won’t be here when the lessons coil like snakes
and she learns that beginnings become endings.

I won’t be here to remind her that endings are beginnings.

But a few lines later:

Again my daughter calls us outside to the garden to watch
two fledgling balls of feathers fluttering in the apple tree

We three stand, entwined arm in arm. Endings
seem far away.

There are many such little aperçus like this one throughout this wonderful suite of poems,

which made reading Ring the Bells such a delight for me. And I know I shall be dipping into its pages again and again.

About the reviewer: Roslyn McFarland is a fiction writer, poet and essayist, living in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney,

on the traditional lands of the Darug and Gandangara peoples. Having spent a great deal of her time in France and as a lover of the arts,

she was naturally drawn to the colourful life of the Australian WWII artist, Stella Bowen. The result is Foreign Attachments,

her second novel, published late 2024. Her first novel, All the Lives We’ve Lived was also published by Ginninderra Press in 2019.

While her novella, The Privacy of Art, was a Bronze Medal Winner in 2016 Global ebook Awards.

Roslyn has an MA in Creative Writing from UTS, and her poems, short stories, essays and reviews have appeared

in various print and online platforms. She is currently working on a suite of short stories. https://www.roslynmcfarland.com

 

SWW’s Final Centenary Committee Meeting: a celebration. by Colleen Keating

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Our final Centenary committee meeting was held last Thursday. We met in  The Library Bar atop the State Library of NSW .
It was a mild lovely Spring evening.
Maria McDougall, Amanda Mark, Jan Conway, Kylie Day, Colleen Keating, Anne Power and Elizabeth James.
Not a  meeting  to plan and work but one of celebration and joyful thanks for  a very enthusiastic year and an amazing Centenary lunch.
So many activities held to mirror 100 years of Women writing with the motto Giving Women a Voice.
Our song given to the Society by Libby Hathorn  WE ARE  100  YEARS STRONG.
To celebrate a year of great activity and continue what Libby H calls  a century of literary, advocacy, creativity, and community
We revisited some  Sydney women writers : our society being present at the Open Day in the gorgeous home of the author Ethel Turner,
walking the Playing Beatie Bow historic way in the Rocks area where Ruth Park wrote to portray life and struggles of early Sydney .
A Great Gatsby Evening was celebrated where many dressed in character. I will include a write up of our Centenary luncheon soon
which we held at NSW Parliament House  and attracted an affirming speech by the Premier Chris Minns in the middle of his very busy day.
And the food was delicious. We took some photos to remember our final meeting . I thought the view of the harbour,
in the distance was the best way to go, but Libby’s idea  of having the buildings in the background I now think gives our meeting
a wonderful sense of place. It portrays the heart of the city, and us on the roof of our State Library in the new bar  called  appropriately
THE LIBRARY BAR in the middle of our wonderful city. Thankyou to our convenor Maria McDougall who  generously organised
our evening celebration with  hors d’oeuvres platters and bubbly the perfect way to celebrate.

 

 

pastedGraphic.png               CENTENARY REPORT September/October 2025

                                               *100th Birthday Lunch in the Strangers Dining Room, Parliament House, 

    Sydney 10 September 2025

*Soprano, Camilla Wright and accompanist, Ruth McColl performed the National Anthem and Centenary Song. Both organised by Lanneke Jones who was unable to attend the day. Camilla’s beautiful voice carried through to the adjacent dining room outside the Strangers, where upon hearing the National Anthem, diners stood to listen and remained standing during the Centenary Song. Goosebump moments. 

*Playing alongside the dining area, Vanessa Proctor’s Lavanda Players performed a program ranging from Singing in the Rain to the tango from Scent of a Woman as guests arrived and later during the afternoon whenever time allowed. Huge contribution to the day’s success establishing a joyful and respectful mood.

*Unable to attend, Susan Steggall recorded a brief overview of the Centenary Anthology for the birthday lunch, congratulating the entrants and launching the anthology. Once launched the bagged books were distributed to the recipients by committee members on the various table groups. Sales of the anthology continued at the end of the day. 

*Following the lunch, anthologies were sent to all who indicated their addresses following the Trybooking postal cost message in enews.  Sue Steggall followed up the remaining list with emails and the Trybooking link. All anthologies ordered have been posted. Anthologies to remain available for collection or purchase. See the Anthology Reminder list attached. 

*As long-term member, Guest Speaker Libby Hathorn spoke about her reflections on SWW, the early days and her membership’s impact on her career, and eventual leading to the production of the animation and recording the centenary song. 

*NSW Premier Chris Minns spoke about the importance of women’s writing. He looked up in surprise when his words about Miles Franklin raised a laugh. SWW committee photo organised by his Staff. Thank you sent to Office.  

*Around 12:40, the Hon Jodie Harrison, Minister for Women, Minister for Seniors, Minister for the Prevention of Sexual Assault, accompanied by one of her staff enjoyed lunch for about an hour. Minister Harrison spoke about SWW 100th birthday for 10 mins. Thank you sent to Office.  

* Hilarie Lindsay Writing Competition was announced. Andrew Lindsay spoke about Hilarie’s passion for women and social justice and read one of her poems. The media release for Hilarie Lindsay Prize writing competition was distributed and on the website on 23 October in preparation for the competition opening 30 October, closing 27 February 2026. Prize giving is after June, in the SL NSW as part of their bi centennial. Request sent to Richard Neville for the possibility of being part of the bicentennial celebrations. 

*General comments about the alternate choices of beef fillet or ocean trout fillet were favourable as were the remarks about the wines served. Reflections on the venue included appreciation in being in the room’s convivial atmosphere as opposed to the rain and wind outside. 

*Birthday Cake was enjoyed by all as chocolate cake dessert. Cake cutting by Di Yerbury, Liz Newton and Pippa Kay. Icing in clever titles of women’s publications covered the cake in the shape of a row of books.

*The centenary logo gold lapel pin was attached to the presentation folder.  Included was a card, either the photo image of the waratah or book stack, and a poem card with Libby Hathorn’s centenary song lyrics on one side and Hilarie Lindsay’s poem on the reverse.  

*A collection of SWW reflections by past presidents and long-term members were put on the website for general viewing.

*Centenary Bumper Issue of Women’s Ink! sent to members in July. Centenary edition, open to members’ contributions. November Women’s Ink! has follow up highlights of the centenary year with a report on the lunch.  

Despite the rain, the day was a fitting tribute to all the women writers upon whose shoulders the Society stands. Pleasing to see were the 124 attendees many from interstate and regional areas. Patron, Di Yerbury attended with an assistant. Bhavna Khanna accompanied former SWWV President, Caroline Webber travelling from Victoria.  Members can look forward to the next 100 years with excitement and anticipation following the work of the Society and its expanded opportunities for their writing. Women’s words matter. 

With appreciation for the unfailing support of Presidents Liz Newton and Pippa Kay, and huge contribution by past presidents Sue Steggall, Gwen Bitti and Jan Conway with Libby Hathorn, Kylie Day, Amanda Mark, Anne Power, Elizabeth Hunter, Colleen Keating. All fabulous women. 

Centenary support from members and all committees involved over the last 5 years is appreciated. So many donations and sponsorships, fundraising hampers, and silent auction prizes along with the hosting of morning tea and wine dinner parties were invaluable.  Friendships were established and memories created. A special mention for the SWW current committee for their help and endorsement for the centenary lunch, namely Liz Newton, Pippa Kay, Christine Sykes, Amanda Mark, Anne Power, Jane Carrick, Julie Thorndyke, Rita Shaw, Teresa Petersen, Liz Shaw and Maria McDougall.  

When women are together, wonderful things happen. 

White Pebbles Haiku Group by Marilyn Humbert

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White Pebbles Haiku Group Spring meeting

On Saturday 13th September, White Pebbles members Beverley George (convenor), Colleen Keating, Kent Robinson, Pip Griffin and Marilyn Humbert gathered for the Spring meeting at the beautiful Gosford/Edogawa Gardens on the Central Coast, NSW.

After coffee and greetings, members dispersed to wander solo through the gardens and to observe, listen and jot down thoughts that might lead to haiku. Warmed by sunshine we strolled along curving pathways edged by carefully shaped hedges, and past beds of pink, white and red flowering azaleas.  Meandering by the bamboo fountain, we wandered through the wisteria pergola. Standing beside the pond watching the ducks and ducklings amongst swirling koi we were surrounded by children’s laughter and chatter and heard nearby the cascading waterfall. When we sat on a stone bench overlooking the raked white pebble garden in quiet contemplation, we were grateful for the vast variety of colour and sound our walk had yielded.

After 45 minutes, we gathered back at the meeting room to review our musings and offer suggestions. Beverley displayed a bird’s nest, found on the ground after a recent storm, as a prompt. We enjoyed hearing Kent’s adventures whale watching.  Colleen spoke about her newly published poetry book, Ring the Bells.  Pip shared the excitement of attending Australian World Orchestra playing Mahler Symphonies at the Opera House. Marilyn shared haiku and haibun written in response to her recent camping trip.

The meeting concluded at 12.30pm when members adjourned to the café for lunch and chat.

Next meeting will be on 13th December, celebrating Summer.

Marilyn Humbert

White Pebbles Haiku Group: Kent Robinson, Marilyn Humbert, Colleen Keating, Beverley George, Pip Griffin

Image: by Deb Robinson

Kent Robinson, Marilyn Humbert, Colleen Keating, Beverley George, Pip Griffin

Stay informed without Drowning in Anxiety

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I often remind myself of the Buddhist words:
“When you can’t calm the storm,
calm yourself
and wait for the storm to pass”

Many of us these days can be anxious about what’s going on in the world,
and reading the news or looking at social media seems to trigger our fears
and worries more than ever.
But we feel we can’t just bury our heads in sand.
So how do we stay informed but not get crushed with anxiety and overwhelm
from current events?
There aren’t any easy answers,
but here are a few ideas we can share with each other
and remind each other of these points.

1. LIMIT: Maybe limit checking news to twice a day, on two different sites
And limit the checks to 10 to 15 minutes each time.

2. WAIT: Don’t get caught up in reacting instantly.
Wait a day before sharing or reacting. Let yourself process it,
let the anxiety die down and breathe.

3. FOCUS: Keep yourself focused on what you can control.
What action can you take in your local community?
Can you get involved with a national campaign?
Are there conversations you can have with people
that will help the situation? If not,
then focus on the actions you can take,
and don’t take on the responsibility of having to fix everything
or worry about everything in the world.

4. NOTICE: practice noticing when you’r feeling anxiety
or overwhelm or frustration, and notice how it feels in your body,
in your mind, heart, gut!
Focus on the sensation, and let it be OK that you’re feeling things,
without adding extra fuel to the fire.

5. BREATHE: Sone slow, deep breaths can really help calm you.

6. BALANCE: with walking, nature, something beautiful every day

(Adapted with thanks from Leo Babauta, Zen Habits)

For me, these days as I get older I just have to remind myself

Stay calm in the storm
Find your prayer or mantra in nature, music, art, creating .
Make a habit of meeting the sacred everyday
Show resistance through joy, trust, love and creating .

(Adapted from Hopi Indian Chief White Eagle.)

 

 

Ring the Bells by Colleen Keating. Published by Ginninderra Press

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Finally it is here. To be published on the 20th August 2025. The countdown is on.

I will have copies to sell very soon. Send your address  to me via message or email. I will give you my  BSB

– $ 20 plus  postage and when Ring the Bells arrives  I will send it immediately.

Email me     taichi@bigpond.net.au

Writing this poetry over the past few years and compiling Ring the Bells has been my antidote to these times we live in 

and I hope it is an antidote for you too.

 

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

Ring the Bells is a collection of new poetry

with an invitation to hear each poem

as a bell chime embracing light, dark, life and love – cyclic like the seasons.

 

In Ring the Bells, award-winning poet Colleen Keating

invites readers to listen closely —

to the chimes of joy,

the tolls of grief,

and the quiet notes of love

that echo through our shared human experience.

 

Moving through four sections —

Embracing Light,

Embracing Dark,

Embracing Life,

and Embracing Love — her poems ring with an acute awareness

of the world’s beauty and its brokenness.

 

From intimate moments in nature

to the great sweep of history and current events,

Keating’s lyrical voice finds hope, tenderness, and resilience

in the spaces where light filters through the cracks.

the temple bell stops –
but the sound keeps coming 
out of the flowers

Basho (1644-94)
(trans by Robert Bly)

Piercingly beautiful. Each poem a chime 

 

                                            embracing light

 

                                                          embracing dark

 

                                                                                embracing life

 

                                                                                                      embracing love

 

from a poet with a vibrant and curious mind in love with life..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Willoubhy Literary Festival 17 – 27 July 2025 Enjoy author talks and panel discussions

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 Willoughby Literary Festival:  The making of a Poem 

Award winning poets  Anne Casey, Colleen Keating and Denise O’Hagan in discussion with Michele Seminara.

All members of The Society of Women Writers NSW – delve  into one of thier poems,

sharing its inspiration, development, meaning and the craft behind  their writing. 

 

 

PANEL: THE MAKING OF A POEM

Hello all, and huge thanks to Jan Conway for organising and our wonderful poets, Anne Casey, Colleen Keating and Denise O’Hagen.
Special thanks to our facilitator, Michele Seminara
It was a great event.  Jan took photos, and hers are probably better than mine (see attached).
We played the Centenary Song at the start and I put leaflets on every second seat.  There were a number of SWW members in the audience, and I hope some non-members picked up the leaflets.  There were only 2 left after the event.  I spoke to a few non-members who expressed an interest in joining SWW so I think we may get some new members.  I also handed out a couple of copies of the Autumn/March Women’s Ink to people who expressed an interest.
Let’s hope Willoughby Council does this again next year and that we are able to have another panel or speaker event there.
With kind regards,
Pippa Kay,
Co-President,
Society of Women Writers NSW Inc.
Mob:  0407 725747
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And from Jan Conway our converor, a lovely note
Thank you all for your kind comments. On the day there was no doubt as to the stars. An enormous thank you to you all. Michele’s questions were insightful and sensitive. The answers considered and honest. It was a privilege for me to work with such authentic, gorgeous women.
Warm regards
Jan
The well know poet, editor,  haikuist  and author of the exquisite poetry book On Wonder,
Vanessa Proctor and I catching up afterwards at the signing table .
Here I am . I got there. So proud I was strong and well again to be there .

    

 

 

The following is an exciting experience ahead. At one stage I was not sure if I could be there

but now I am well and looking forward to meeting with the wonderful poets Anne, Denise and Michele

and being part of the panel discussing our poetry. Thank–you Jan for believing I would be well enough 

and leaving my name on the panel.

Society of Women Writers NSW Inc.Giving Women Writers a Voice

Anne Casey, Colleen Keating, Denise O’Hagan
in conversation with Michele Seminara

The making of a poem

at the Willoughby Literary Festival
Friday, 18 July 2025 | 03:15 PM to 04:30 PM

Anne, Colleen and Denise

 share the inspirations and craft behind their poems with Michele SeminaraThis is a free event – for more information and to reserve your seat go to:
https://libraries.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Eventbrite/Panel-The-making-of-a-poem-1384551764599The festival programme can be found at:
https://libraries.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Events-and-programs/Willoughby-Literary-Festival
Meet our Team Here!

At ‘Woodlands’ remembering the woman writer Ethel Turner and Celebrating the Society of Women Writers Centenary

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The Society of Women Writers, as part of their centenary celebrations had a booth at the recent open day of the National Heritage house ‘Woodlands’ in Killara the home where the woman writer Ethel Turner lived for some years and  where she wrote the famous Seven Little Australians. We could stand and be inspired in the  house, in the room, the corner, the desk, where she wrote at least 3 of her many books.   

It gave the Society an opportunity to advertise the Society and to talk about writing and how Ethel was an early member of the Society. 

 Ethel Turner lived at a time in the late 19th century, when women would start earning recognition for their works and perhaps start to get their seat at the table alongside their male contemporaries more than ever before, even if there was still a lot of gatekeeping.

Albert and Eva Lin who bought the house in 2017 realised ‘Woodlands’ was included on the State Heritage Register  and they decided to learn more about Ethel Turner.

Realising althought her iconic novel was still available, Ethel herself had been largely forgotten, they immediately set about  to rectify that. In conjunction with local historians and the local council, Albert and Ava set about restoring both home and garden to their former glory days.  Although keen to modernise the home for their young family,  they have restored part of the house to reflect its 1890’s inspiration for Turner’s imagination including a library of her complete works .  As Albert says:

‘Woodlands’ has been around before I existed. It will be  around long after I cease to exist. As its present custodian, if i do not do this that I am doing, who else?

Albert Lin Private owner of Woodlands with two of his five daughters

who has restored his home ‘Woodlands’ into the period of history of Ethel Turner’s time.

HerStory Arts Festival experience by Colleen Keating

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To be Highly Commended  in the HerStory Arts Festival for my poem  Remembering Judith Wright and to be invited to read it at the Wharf 2 presinct was a great honour and I hope Judith Wright, one of our finest Australian women poets 1924- 2000 is honoured as a result. 

I have written many poems about Judith Wright, her friendship with Oodgeroo Noonuccal, as an environmentsl mystic  and about meeting her in Braidwood at a Two Fires Festival  in the 90’s with her Biographer Sr. Veronica Brady IBVM,  a Loreto nun  and now it is exciting to have one of these poems  be Highly acclaimed.

Susan Brooker:   Gwen Bitti:      Colleen Keating

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

HerStory is a new and independent arts festival on Gadigal Land, debuting at the iconic Wharf 2,

in the heart of Sydney’s creative district.

to experience exciting new Australian works from emerging artists and creatives.

It is a vibrant 4 days of art, music, poetry, play, short stories, memoirs and networking .

Writers will be showcasing their work through staged readings and presentations throughout the festival.

We want to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who submitted — your voices are truly inspiring!

Congratulations and thanks for all the heart work.

Pip Griffin who was a judge in the writing competition  and Gwen Bitti  with their  books for sale at the book table.

and we enjoyed the spectacular venue in the city

Poets Pip Griffith, Sonia Hunt and Colleen Keating

 The Amazing Lucas Girls premieres at the 2025  Written by Cate Whittaker, this new play honors the real-life Lucas Girls of Ballarat. When Clara’s fiancé Wilf is pushed to enlist, she leads the charge against conscription, rallying women to bring hope and unity to a divided town. A powerful, true story of resilience, courage, and community. This often forgotten part of Australian history centres the women lost to HISStory. Congratulations Cate.

          

1:00 PM – Wharf 2 Theatre
Abigail Williams by Rebecca McNamee (Post-show Q&A)

2:00–2:40 pm – Atrium (Foyer)
-Readings & Book/Art Display
– Acknowledgement of Country – Prudence Weir
– Memoir: Yellow Gate – Vicki Geraghty
– Short Story: Uprooted – Susan Brooker
– Tribute: Remembering Judith Wright – Colleen Keating
– Memoir: One Piece – Gwen Biti
– Essay: The Ghost Ship – Kaye Spence
– Presentation: Matruchhaya Women’s Refuge – Preeti Kotwal or Lalita Kanakar

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Pebbles Haiku Group , Autumn 2025

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Thank you to  the Australian Haiku Society  for publishing our update and to Gwen Bitte  for her summary of a very warm Autumn Ginko at the Edogawa Gardens in East Gosford.

White Pebbles Ginko Autumn 2025

On Saturday March 15, together with esteemed founder and convener, Beverley George, White Pebbles members, Marilyn Humbert, Kent Robinson, Colleen Keating, Michael Thorley and Gwen Bitti gathered at the Edogawa Commemorative Gardens in East Gosford for their autumn meeting. Apologies were received from Pip Griffin, Maire Glacken and Samantha Sirimanne Hyde. Following coffee and a chat at the café, we agreed  to continue with Kent Robinson’s suggested theme from summer — Waterfall. Members then headed out on their ginko.

The strolling type gardens, filled with sunshine and neatly pruned greenery, offered harmony. Children played while ducks bathed and flapped wings or waddled around the gardens. The ever-present koi swam together, surfacing with gaping mouths. The last of the pink lotus blooming added an elegant touch to the pond. Cascading mini waterfalls and quacking ducks added a lively blend to the gardens. The wisteria walk extended a peaceful path and, although there were no blooms, the vines offered cool respite from the heat and a place to reflect. Meticulously raked patterns of white pebbles provided a serene visual element, inviting contemplation.

Following our ginko, we revealed our evocative and insightful waterfall haiku, in a private room. Each poem, while focused on the same feature, brought a unique perspective, capturing the varied sounds and elements of the falls and surrounding area. Members workshopped and gave measured and useful feedback on poems. In addition, individuals shared a few of their newly published haiku, as well as poems on something that recently surprised and delighted. Marilyn encouraged us to enter more competitions. She also read a quote on haiku by Japanese author and haiku poet, Santoka Taneda, 1880 -1940 and enlightened us that he was the originator and part of the free-form haiku movement.

Our joyful meeting concluded with our favourite photographer, Debbie Robinson,  capturing our smiles.

Members who had time stayed on to enjoy lunch together at the café. We departed with fond farewells until our winter meeting.

L to R: Colleen Keating, Kent Robinson, Michael Thorley, Marilyn Humbert, Beverley George and Gwen Bitti

 

Icon of Hildegard of Bingen brings my story alive once again by Colleen Keating

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Icon Of Hildegard of Bingen created by Iconographer Kevin  Dilks. ( Brother to my friend Julie Thorndyke).

Thank you Kevin. It was a most beautiful gift to receive this icon . It took me back into a contemplation with Hildegard.

I played my CD “Feather on the Breath of God “as I took time to  gaze on Kevins icon, allowing myself to be lost in it.

Hildegard’s eyes  are beautiful. They are lowered in her humble way. They are  focused  on scribing her musical notes and creating poetry to sing, and  I feel those eyes are showing  her mind is singing as she notates.

The feather has the double meaning of the quill for her scribing and the reminder for us that she calls herself “The Feather on the breath of God ”

From my poem of the same name,  pgs 57-58, a young  Hildegard races in from the field, from picking herbs for Jutta to  prepare the tonics  for the sick , Hildegard exclaims,

Jutta, Jutta, she calls
it is so beautiful.
I see the Light and beyond to the heavens, 
not as in ecstasy but with my eyes wide open.

I want to express myself,
I feel so blessed.

She plucks a feather
from under her coarse, homespun cape,
and look . . .  a gift. I know there are always feathers,
but this was special, as I watched it drift,
I felt a ‘yes’ to life.
Ah, I am a feather on the breath of God.

She turns both hands in the air,
eyes to the heavens,
a twirl of gratitude,
a dance of light.

The words Hildegard is writing in Kevin’s icon are the uplifting promise for her women living and working in their Abbey at Rupertsberg.

. O vis eternitatis                                                              O power within Etenity
que omnia ordinasti in corde tuo,                                All things you hold in your heart
per Verbum tuum omnia creata sunt                           And through your word were all created
sicut voluisti,  et ipsum Verbum tuum                        according to your will.

 

And finally in my meditation with Kevin’s icon, I paused on the golden halo. Many icons use this to portrait a holy person. Several thoughts came to mind. To think Hildegard was called a saint at her death by her communities and by the local people, east and west, all along the Rhine River wherever her influence had reached in the 12th century.* and Rome rejected their request for Sainthood. Three hundred years on the Abbess of the Benedictian Community applied for her to be made a saint again and it was again  rejected by the Vatican. When the Abbey asked later, the paperwork had been lost ! And so she was lost to the world for hundreds of years . Only at the beginning of the  late 50’s  and early 60’s,  the Environmental Movement when Mother earth was beginning to be in pain from the damage done to her, did a Dominican Priest Father Matthew Fox rediscover her and had her writings translated finding her an Environmental Mystic.

Hildegard  had been forgotten for 900 years !!! and then others began to discover her music, her paintings , her poetry and bring her back to our world.

If ever there was a time for her to speak it is now. Of course the Vatican saw her being a spokesperson for so many and the German pope canonised her in 2012 not only canosied her  but made her A Doctor of the Church. To me it was too  late. However in a way, I guess it  introduces her to another layer of people in the Churches and hence increases her influence, so that is good.

Finally i traced, in my mind the Infinity symbols that are softly embedded in the halo. The Infinity Symbol (A Christian symbol of God’s eternal and infinite nature) I wonder if the fish (Ichthys symbol) was an early attempt to show this, before a Mathematician claimed it firstly in the 16th century.

*(Many Monasteries and Abbeys bought her music which encouraged their communities . By the way this is one of the ways that Rupertsberg received money so her Scriptorium was invaluable as she taught her women to dictate and scribe the many works that she sold. )

“With music, we have the memory of paradise lost”- Hildegard von Bingen”.

Hildegard created over 77 unique songs. She considered music the point where heaven and earth meet. She believed harmony to be more than the combination of voices and instruments,. For her it represented the balance of body and soul, the interconnectivity of humanity with the universe. 

Hildegard composed secular music, sacred polyphony, hymns, and chants. She used music and art to express her visions; in fact, it has been said that Hildegard composed in pictures and painted with words. 

Oliver Sacks, the great neuroscientist and admirer of Hildegard, observed that humans naturally keep time to music, using hypnotic sounds to enter trance-like states of meditation. Further, music has been found to contribute to synchronicity between the two brain hemispheres, resulting in more effective whole-brain thinking.

Hildegard used music as a way to a third state of consciousness. She did not express it in this 21st  century vernacular but Hildegard knew its importance for her women, physically, mentally, emotional and spiritually. Some of her music written  for the eight breaks in the Benedictine Day  helped with breathing and well being. Severl pieces have notes that rise to high A which can give a sense of transcendence  similar to other religions like the  Sufi’s  Whirling Dervish. *

Along with sleep and dreams Hildegard viewed music as the key to opening a third state of consciousness, a trance-like state. Her firm mooring in faith, combined with openness to the metaphysical, enabled Hildegard and her contemporaries to use music as an auto-suggestive relaxation technique. This meditation was based on the belief that music provides the human organism with positive influence in the healing processes.

To think that her music was banned towards the end of her life .** In the winter of her days she inspired her women in their silence under pain of their Abbey being destroyed :

Let us find purpose in our day,

Hildegard counsels after matins

find music in the fields

in the sun’s warmth,

in glints of gold on boughs of trees.

Rejoice in the aroma of the damp earth

and viriditas.

Spring is at the node of every greening branch.

May even the wind be our song.

. . . . . . and in the silence they learn,

in Hildegard’s words,

to search out the house of their hearts. 

 

  *  Whirling Dervishes is a form of physically active meditation which originated among Sufi groups, and which is still practiced by the Sufi Dervishes in some places.

** From the poems Struggle in Exile  pg 210  and Endurance  pg 212 in Hildegard of Bingen A Poetic Journey by Colleen Keating 2019©️

 

 

Hildegard today at the Abbey and the ruins of her original Abbey at Disibodenberg

Hildegard composed secular music, sacred polyphony, hymns, and chants. She used music and art to express her visions; in fact, it has been said that Hildegard composed in pictures and painted with words. 

Oliver Sacks, the great neuroscientist and admirer of Hildegard, observed that humans naturally keep time to music, using hypnotic sounds to enter trance-like states of meditation. Further, music has been found to contribute to synchronicity between the two brain hemispheres, resulting in more effective whole-brain thinking.

 

Ruins of Disibodneberg in Germany . Hildegards first Abbey.

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