Naturopathy Book of the Month – July

 Librarian at Wellpark College, Sonya’s Book of the Month –  July

The Wellpark Library holds an incredible collection of rare and diverse books in the Natural Therapies field.  Sonya, our Librarian will now be offering a Book of the Month review to highlight some of the books that are not as often noticed as the required and recommended texts, but brilliant all the same!

For July, the featured book is:

Hildegard von Bingen’s Physica

The Complete English Translation of Her Classic Work on Health and Healing

(Translated from the Latin by Priscilla Troup)

Excerpt – “Visionary, mystic, healer, linguist, poet, artist, musician, playwright, biographer, theologian, preacher, and spiritual counsellor – the multi-faceted Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), twelfth-century Benedictine abbess of the Rhineland, outshines others form her period and indeed from any period.”

Hildegard von Bingen has been considered by many in Europe to be the founder of scientific natural history in Germany, a founder of monasteries, a writer of theological, botanical and medicinal texts as well as a composer and musician…who would not want to explore her work further?

In this book, she presents nine ‘books’ of healing systems: Plants, Elements, Trees, Stones, Fish, Birds, Animals, Reptiles and metals, outlining their qualities and medicinal uses.  As someone with a deep love of history, the mystics and especially the time period of the Middle Ages, this was the first book I had to choose.  While some of the ailments presented within are not as often present in today’s (thank goodness) time, this book offers a very interesting read for anyone curious about the historical approaches to natural medicine.

Hildegard von Bingen’s Physica can be found on the shelves under 610 THR.

Take a step back in time and enjoy this book.

Find out more about the Bachelor of Naturopathic and Herbal Medicine

Written by Wellpark College Librarian Sonya Lynn

Copyright Ⓒ 2021 Wellpark College of Natural Therapies