January 29, 2011   Julian of Norwich

Juliana of Norwich

Another report of ecstatic visions, similar to those of Hildegard von Bing em come from the English mystic, Juliana of Norwich. After bein...

Another report of ecstatic visions, similar to those of Hildegard von Bingem come from the English mystic, Juliana of Norwich. After being nearly forgotten for 600 years, her insights and gentle wisdom have now found their way into contemporary spiritual thinking.


In a medieval church which emphasized God's condemning wrath, Juliana wrote, (try reading these words aloud for the full impact) 'There is no wrath in God….It is the most impossible thing that can be that God would be angry, for wrath and friendship are two opposites.'


Equally relevant to the 21st century is her insight into the feminine element in God. 'As truly as God is our Father,' Julian wrote, 'so truly God is our Mother.'


She would often pray in silence and was given to visions that produced in her insights that went against the norm of the time.

Here is a link to the preview of Margarethe von Trotta's movie, "Vision from the LIfe of Hildegard Von Bingam" about Hildegard's life.


Like Hildegard, Juliana had to be brave to own what she was experiencing. After one vision on may 13, 1373 she wrote these lines “All will be well; and all will be well; and all manner of thing will be well.”


Julian of Norwich