The Greening (The First Mandala)
Looking up and standing with arms outreached above
The Greening: A Play
MARCH 14, 2020 BY SALLY LEAVE A COMMENT(EDIT)
In Honoring Hildegard von Bingen, mystic and messenger from the twelfth century, my intention with this work is to attempt to bring her into the twenty-first century through my play, “The Greening.” As the tenth child, Hildegard was given to the church as a tithe. She was visited with visions since the age of three which continued into her adult life. Her visions were often proceeded with agonizing headaches; however, they became her inspiration in writing what God revealed to her through twenty-eight mandalas. The archetypal and symbolic elements in the mandalas embrace creation-centered and redemption themes. Hildegard marries religion and science and healing with art. Hildegard von Bingen, reaches through the ages with a timeless message of harmonious life, a respect for all created things, and a responsibility to live in the fruits of the spirit with others. May we hear her message of approaching life with compassion and making the best use of our time while stewarding the gift of our earth as well.
It is my intention, with this work also, to present Hildegard’s visions through the mediums she herself used: poetry, music, and art. I am adding the element of dance offering symbolic movements in the “circles” she gives deep and profound meaning to through her mandalas. Also, this work weaves together a reoccurring theme that Carl Jung explored in the spiritual perspectives of macrocosm and microcosm. Other themes enter this play as well in terms of the nature of the divinity in the soul of the followers of the fire, the Holy Spirit, such as ecumenism, anawim, Ruach/Dabhar, and humility. This piece is a draft of the first act. I appreciate any comments or opinions.
The Greening (The First Mandala)
Act I
Scene 1
The stage is black except for a spot on Hildegard standing over a well center stage peering in. There is a large yellow circle hanging up-center like the sun. All lights up. Hildegard as an old woman is draped in a red shawl; her face obscured. She moves down center and begins speaking.
“From my early childhood, before my bones, nerves and veins were fully strengthened, I have always seen this vision in my soul, even to the present time when I am more than seventy years old. In this vision my soul, as God would have it, rises up high into the vault of heaven and into the changing sky and spreads itself out among different peoples, although they are far away from me in distant lands and places. And because I see them this way in my soul, I observe them in accord with the shifting of clouds and other created things. I do not hear them with my outward ears, nor do I perceive them by the thoughts of my own heart or by any combination of my five senses, but in my soul alone, while my outward eyes are open. So, I have never fallen prey to ecstasy in the visions, but I see them wide awake, day and night. And I am constantly fettered by sickness, and often in the grip of pain so intense that it threatens to kill me, but God has sustained me until now. The light which I see thus is not spatial, but it is far, far brighter than a cloud which carries the sun. I can measure neither height, nor length, nor breadth in it; and I call it “the reflection of the living Light.” And as the sun, the moon, and the stars appear in water, so writings, sermons, virtues, and certain human actions take form for me and gleam.”
Moves upstage to the well with her back turned to the audience. Blackout for 5 seconds. Spot on the well. Hildegard turns toward the audience revealing her face as a younger woman in a nun’s habit. Her shawl falls to the ground at her feet. She gets on her knees and begins to draw a large circle down-center. Looking up at the sun above the well
May the blue fountains of creation (looking into the well) invade the dark infringement on the dignity of the very vessels of creation (pauses and moves in the opposite direction around the well) with the light of the divine until there is no other choice than to inspire the music of The Greening through the breath of all (Moving back to well looking in) Until even the darkness is light.
When I came to this place, a young girl to live out my days here, my parents honored the Church with my dowry, with my life! I am the tenth child and the tithe to this assembly of women. (Looks up at the audience)
In a circular dance towards the audience down-center
I am silent like winter; I am distant like thunder (Pointing in a circular motion to the audience) I have the sight and seeing goes deep. Seeing comes to me with light. The light within sees the light from without and circles back again.
Returns to the well and peers in. In a circular dance she moves down center with a large circular motion with her arm, her eyes looking above. The lights begin to flash although the stage is already bright.
“The Father is brightness and this brightness has a flashing forth and in this flashing forth is fire and these three are one.”
Marching down-right, pauses and squats looking at the audience
“The Creator is living light. The Son is flashing light. And the Spirit is fire. The fire of the Holy Spirit binds all things together streaming through eternity and equality in all things so that they are united.” The circles speak. The circles are connected to all of creation and eternity past, present, and future; the circle in my heart reflects the circle in your heart.
The original light dances and dances in rainbows (rainbow lights) all around inviting every single man, woman, and child whom has ever lived, or whom shall ever yet live to The Greening (very bright lights.)
Returns to the well sings one very high long note into it
This living light will find a way to radiate eternal beams into the darkness of many dead statues of idolatry void of the blueness of compassion. The illusion will hold the human soul captive no more. The Son will pierce open the human heart as cold as slate stone through His own pierced body; His Spirit with bring the Greening to the unforgiving and the lost, through all the ages in fact, because He is.
Hildegard looks into the well then at the sun above the well. Lights out. The first mandala of compassion is placed where the sun hung. Lights up with a blue tinge.
The Father’s compassion is blue in the heart of the followers—love as blue as the heavens. It flows from a divine fountain that streams forth in the Greening mist. The circle of compassion moves from without to within the center of the circles of life—from without to within (looking at the first mandala above the well) then back again; it circles and circles in offerings.
I have The Sight and seeing goes deep, (looking into the well) a depth that is not discerned by soundings. I know Well, (into the well) the spectrum of God’s light gleaming in varieties as vast as stars in volumes, in every created soul. (Circling above her head with her arm) I am broken like glass, I am melted like wax. His blueness heals my brokenness, and makes a candle out of my melted heart.
Walking up-left pauses and squats-then rises and marches down-center
(Pauses and squats very close to the audience staring “through them” for 3 seconds). I am an ancient vagabond armored in the light. It is not mine to own—compassion originates from the infinite; the source of the light—brightness, His essence is divine love.
Hildegard stands and moves to the well up-center. Walking around the well.
Lights out.
Scene 2
Moving slowly toward the well in silence with a bowed head—
I excommunicate myself from supine ignorance, the blind leading the blind into dark dungeons of despair naming God’s precious jewels, insignificant, expendable “sinners,” sentenced to a cruel hostility upon one’s own being in self-inflicted punishment and hopelessness. (crosses herself and stands still for a moment staring at the audience.) I will not contend with the men of the cloth who strive with my knowing while I wait to do as God bids me. I will hide in full daylight (tears and passion.)
Lights dim spot on Hildegard at the well looking at the mandala
The blueness surrounds the soul like the blue sky. Father, thank you that in the face of injustice and ascendance dominating a pernicious way the people view your abundant grace, in spite of the manipulations and contradictions constricting the moist fires of the Greening, You shall bestow the blueness of compassion on the Church through the ages, the blueness of compassion in the midst of covert sin-centered shame, the blueness of compassion will weave a veil into the Holy place within the human heart holding Heaven, for the blueness of compassion and calling for each created soul is your mandated will in shining forth Your love in the universe of eternity.
Moves down right and stops and kneels.
In the end which is the beginning, Your template of love obscures forever the intransigent doctrine of demons in the synagogue of Satan, the blueness of compassion surrounding the soul will enter the world within worlds in each assigned circle of life, a humble simplicity, not yet fully known.
Looking up and standing with arms outreached above
My circle knows sweet stirrings through the fragrance of summer evenings; a knowing of God’s garden herbs for healing (circling with her arms extended at her waist) flowerful, purposeful. Poetry and prose, potent like red grapes protruding with the dews of dawn well up in me from The Spirit’s flaming ruby heart. All circles speak, within and without.
Circling with one finger above her head
Each soul circle has been gifted with a knowing. Like a finger print on the hand of God in fine lines of directives. Each knowing weaves through the warp of compassion in varieties of colored thread forming a tapestry, an incomplete work, yet whole as each pattern is a co-created within the Fire of the Spirit. He will do His part, as you find inspiration from The Fire to do yours.
Lights come up very slowly with a spot on Hildegard with flute music and a bagpipe drone. Hildegard moves to the audience and sits down in front and lights a candle.
The moments we resign ourselves to the ordinary, day in and day out with our tolerance of the grey, He hears our dirge like diamond moonlight in Winter melting into the dawn with grief. Alas! Saints of the beloved! You will rise with the sun forging new paths of kismet destinations. His primordial light of compassion will never fade no matter how small the candle of faith (holds up the candle-then extinguishes it).
(Standing) Because of the red blood, fire is kindled (relights the candle.) We are Souls floating in separate streams from one grand ocean mingled with the fire of creative forces and promise birthed at the foundation of the world mandating dispensations and times. For my knowing of His cosmic embrace, the blueness of compassion engraved upon all created things, I will be silent in the age but I will be heard in another.
Stops and hold her heart and weeps. Walks down center and kneels-looking at the audience, softly. Lights out.
Scene 3
The Creator is weaves a veil so subtle, (stops center weaving in the air with both hands like a dance) a cloth of steal; the lie will fall to the ground; alas, it is not in nature to seek or to find—for nature is the essence of the here and now, accepted, The I Am. Embrace the Greening this way.
Pauses-continues to circle the well. Stops–Turning her back to the audience.
I am illegible (lights dim-spot on Hildegard at the well) I hide what is revealed in my agony! The spender of the unseen world comes to pass in my writings and visions, in the circles. May they land where they are deemed now and centuries from now.
Faint music of Hildegard’s’ begins and moving circles appear on the walls in dim light—the spot is still on her
I am silent like winter, distant like thunder in the Greening. I am bathed in the rains of washing aways and sprouting the new in the Blue dawn. The lightning ignites the soul with the Spirit in oneness. In that place I expect truth.
The circles speak from the unseen in large revelations and subtle shapes. I hear the modes, these deep blue fountains of living rivers and chant them back to the universe from within; in my worship, like oceans that heed not the shore they break upon (music gets a bit louder— through the unseen the clearness of purpose emerges in joy!
Moves down-center-turning around and around–to the audience. Black-out for 10 seconds Lights up. Hildegard’s second mandala appears where the yellow sun circle first hung over the well.
(Music begins)
Alas, hear you! This is the Compassion circle–it finds entrance when the human heart is empty. It cannot cease when it begins. When blinded with striving alone, listen to the orchestra of the Spheres unify the realms of destiny. Something thought you up and you are one of a kind.
Moves to the mandala looking up at it-Circling the well once singing then walks down-center back to the well circling it-singing
Blue Sky Keeper of Life
ROUND the hours, days, Round the nights, and years
Rounding many tears and many fears
Rippling through the without and within
As a stone falls upon the waters
So precious all life spins
The Blue circles back again.
The circle of compassion, compassion, compassion.
From this center, from the Keeper
Woven streams cross into the stories
As I remove the log out from my own eye
I will build a bridge to see within another
As the web of kismet threads the garments with creation
Joining the expanse jointly a collective voice
Ablating all dividing lines between, connecting the all.
A flame that burns, unquenchable, unquenchable, unquenchable
Lights the heavens from one end of beginning to never ending
Revelations in each unique soul, a precious jewel contending
A facet of The Keeper’s Triune Ruby heart amending
So precious, fearfully fashioned in the womb, your finest art suspending.
Before my eyes the Greening in total sympathy
In compassion and in empathy
No dividing lines meet in circles
No such boundary, equal time in this divine
For Compassion will always find, always find, always find.
Embracing each difference
In earth’s small spaces
Adding a score, a note, an aria
To the billions and billions of voices
Each Named a separate star in song
All of Heaven within and without, rejoices, rejoices, rejoices.
Walking to down-center to the audience
Begins dancing in circles all over the stage with weaving motions with her arms. Music fades. Lights out
Scene 2
Standing moves down left and stops–passionately with tears.
I shall drink no more from stagnating muddy marshes the stale waters of rot! May they leave me transforming into the new in me the Spring time living waters of the Greening. Newness of life in waters of Spirit. Let the Greening awaken a new song in the earth! May I drown into it!
Enter one by one and walk around the well. Singing together circling the well. The sisters are dressed in habit and wear jewels in many colors and designs.
Hildegard: Intaglio designs upon designs from creation is for the dreamers of abundant life. Imaginative innovations, generative fountains from The Keepers’ heart mending breaches and the dark depressions of apathy, inertia from the chains of dead dogma break under the authority of His love. Rather than futility and dust, I embrace the gift of becoming, to realize this passionate purposes, one adventurous galvanized glory mingled with The Glory; a walking worship in symphonic ways throughout the universe and back to the shining singing soul again.
Enter: Sister : I left futility and dust. I am joy.
Enter: Sister: I did not agree with fear and apathy. I am love, agape.
Enter Sister: I begged for it from madness. I am peace.
Enter Sister: I crawled to it on bloody knees. I am endurance.
Enter Sister: I longed for purpose and beat the hell out of trying get my way! I am patience.
Enter Sister : I asked for it from feeling nothing. The Greening is good because it is good. Yet not all of what is good. It unfolds. I am good.
Enter Sister: Needing and more needing, I wept in self-pity f. I am kind.
Enter Sister: I missed the Greening when wandering in chains. I am faithful.
Enter Sister: I died and buried my embittered and withered soul so that I could arise. I am gentle.
The sisters follow Hildegard around the well making a line in front of the audience.
Together: We just chose another thought! Nodding, laughing and dancing in circles back to the well.
Hildegard: People, places, and things are what make up the visible world. I thence found that I could not really receive Freedom from something visible because it wasn’t, ever, enough. Freedom began with asking this question: “Who, Keeper, are you in me in this situation?”
Hildegard leads the sisters back to the well. They circle and sing together.
Hildegard: My Keeper inspires the Greening. Lights out.
Act II
Scene 1