MENU

If St. Hildegard Was Your Coach…

Mar 1, 2023

by Meg Hess, D.Min., PCC

St. Hildegard lived, and thrived, in Germany in the 12th century. The more I learn about her remarkable life with her outstanding contributions to medicine, theology, art, and writing, the more I think of her as a guide for those who wish to flourish in life. Hildegard’s spiritual tradition taught her to practice “discretio.” In the Middle Ages the Latin term “discretio” had a complex meaning which wove together the spiritual practices of discretion and discernment. “Discretio” involved self-awareness, the ability to take a clear-eyed look at one’s life and goals, and the capacity to identity one’s deepest longings. In a sense, the practice of “Discretio” is very much like the process of coaching.

Coaching creates a space where the client can touch base with an inner compass which guides them to live a life of integrity, meaningfulness, and purpose. With our accompaniment, clients are invited to identify their gifts and strengths, artfully navigate their challenges, and bring their deepest longings into alignment with how they love, live, and work in the world. Coaching is a place where one learns to listen as they practice “discretio.” This is “global listening” where client and coach are listening to one another as well as to the space between them. Listening for hints and guesses about one’s callings as they clarify feelings, needs, and longings for wholeness.

In the MCS March Coaching Call I will dig a little deeper into the life of St. Hildegard of Bingen. We will discover more about how this Medieval Mystic practiced self-care, developed her gifts, strengths, and skills, and provided leadership to others in her community who sought to follow her example of living a full, flourishing life. Her bold life provides many clues to how we might be a more effective coach and live with less fear and more courage.

Sign Up for Meg’s Mindfulness Coaching Call, March 6, 2023.
Our Mindfulness Coaching call is held every month and is our gift to the community.
Anyone can attend!

Meg also teaches:
Right Speech: Listening Deeply, Speaking Truth
Skillful Means: The Coaching Skill Set

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More Posts

Testimonials

This was an amazing instruction on EMDR. I highly recommend this class. [The Dynamic Trio]
D. Paul WilcoxStudent CoachFountain Valley, CA
Where Mind Goes, Qi Goes: Somatic Coaching with Qigong shares the ancient wisdom of Qigong while coupling it with the modern power that is Coaching.
William DrescherStudent CoachMiddleton, WI
This class will give you a coaching community in just a few short months. I now feel that I have colleagues and a support system that I can reach out to in times of need. So grateful for having the chance to know these remarkable individuals.
Alicia UpchurchStudent CoachBrooklyn, New York
An in-depth look at why we eat, our habits, and the influences that affect how we eat.
D. Paul WilcoxStudent CoachFountain Valley, CA
Right Speech is about listening with our whole beings. This class is about more than communication… it is about being in the world fully alive! Thank you!  
Christy Endicott, MSW, LICSWPsychotherapist, Wellness/Mindfulness Life Coach
Learning how to listen deeply to the wisdom of the body and to trust that we are fluent in our own somatic language has provided such a valuable coaching tool and life practice.
Ilse ThompsonMCS AlumnaAuburn, Maine
The Mindfulness Coaching School has been an amazing resource for me on many levels. I took S-T-R-E-T-C-H! when Ann Marie suggested it would be a great addition to what we’d been working on in our coaching sessions. The class was so inspiring I decided to become a coach myself! I’ve taken 6 classes already and plan to take more. I love Ann Marie’s style of teaching; the academic aspect, the mindful/spiritual piece and the opportunity to work with other like-minded people during homework sessions. Ann Marie is a bottomless source of knowledge and inspiration and I am forever grateful!
Mimi PullenAcupuncturist, Herbalist & Wellness Coach
I appreciated the online learning format for obtaining my EMDRIA credits and was glad to experience a taste of professional coaching. The class (The Dynamic Trio) made me curious about the process of transitioning from a clinical psychologist towards a professional coach. Thanks!    
Karen M. FahertyPh.D.
The class Right Speech took me beyond the basic coaching skills into higher-level listening and mindfulness skills I now use regularly in my coaching practice and in my life. Meg Hess is a caring and knowledgeable teacher who creates an atmosphere of trust and passion for coaching.
Victoria FontanaCoach, EducatorSpain
The experience of participating in S-T-R-E-T-C-H! was one of the most fulfilling and inspiring in my entire life. The curriculum was approached from A to Z. The mindfulness practices at the beginning of each session, and the recommendations for practices of gratitude, compassion, recognition of our heroes, and action boards had a dimension that made me grow, and expand as a human being. There is always so much space to travel within ourselves, making us more approachable, centered, and focused on what is important in the coaching practice, and by extension, in life. I am very thankful to Mindfulness Coaching School, Ann-Marie, Brittany, Philip, Kelly, and my fellow class students. There is a real community there!
Ruby Orcutt, MHC-P, CASACDerby, NY