Supervision - An Ancient Practice
by Joan Wright Howie
Humanity, take a good look at yourself. Inside you’ve got heaven and earth and all of creation. You’re a world – everything is hidden in you.
- Hildegard of Bingen
You might think professional supervision is a relatively new endeavour. Looking back a thousand years ago there’s evidence that Hildegard of Bingen offered supervision and people came from far and wide to consult with her.
From her writing Hildegard tells us it started when she was forty-two years and seven months and experienced what she called an ‘awakening.’ I imagine she went to her supervisor to talk it through. She described having a vision of an ‘opening flame’ that does not burn but kindles. Hildegard sensed a call to speak and write what she sees and hears. I wonder what questions her supervisor asked her at the time. ‘Tell me about the vision’, and, ‘what did you sense in the moment?’ She said she felt inspired to put what is inside herself out into the world.
From ancient correspondence we know that Hildegard offered good supervision to others. People wrote to her about complex work issues. Their correspondence describes disastrous meetings, precarious situations and complex personal dilemmas. ‘Should I lay this work aside and do something completely different?’ Hildegard encouraging her supervisees to develop strategies to promote change from within.
Hildegard believed that every human being is born into this world with a unique calling. The invitation of our living is to unwrap the gifts we hold and offer them out into the world. Good supervision supported her to identify and share her gifts as she provided supervisory support to others.
Hildegard founded monasteries, wrote music and painted visions of interconnected relationship with creation, creator and all creatures. She became a poet, philosopher, teacher, medical writer and composer. With support, she was able to live out her calling as a strong and powerful leader because good supervision matters.
Exercise
Listen to the recording of Hildegard’s music bellow. Be still and close your eyes. Allow the music to swirl around you and enter your body. Rest in the music for a while, still your thoughts and wait.
