Dare to become your own 'Carita'

by Marlies Dekkers

For Hildegard von Bingen, the body was the temple of the divine. Rejecting cruel customs such as self-flagellation and the traditional Christian denial of physical pleasures, she instead advocated wellness for the body and soul and celebrated her femininity as a bride of the Divine. Why cover up and bow your head in shame when divinity itself is your lover?

Embroidered fabrics, long hair, flower crowns and stunning jewelry; Hildegard urged her nuns to flaunt their beauty and grace before the eyes of the Almighty, even after taking the veil. With her visionary writings, she unlocked the secret gate of paradise and gave us a glimpse of Eden before the fall, of what it meant to be a woman and know no shame in it. With magnificent songs like 'Caritas habundat in omnia', ('Divine Love overflows into everything'), she keeps reaching across the centuries to show us the power of love. And yes, that includes every shade of love: beyond religion, beyond traditional romantic relationships.

So, feel free to interpret Hildegard's divine devotion as self-love, and her holy matrimony as a life-time commitment to purpose and growth. Put on your most gorgeous lace and marry your inner divinity. Dare to become your own 'Carita'.

Most loved

MD Friends

Building bridges

by marlies|dekkers

From the Erasmus Bridge and the Mercedes-Benz Museum to Qatar’s metro network; Ben van Berkel’s iconic landmarks bring people together in rapturous beauty, again and again. I talked with the Dutch architect and educator about sensuality, ‘healthy’ buildings and the remarkable parallels between our designs.

MD Friends

More than a feeling

by marlies|dekkers

Don’t ignore your emotions; they are much more powerful than you can imagine. By linking the magical world of emotions with hard science, Dutch scientist Pierre Capel, professor emeritus in experimental immunology, shows us the consequences of our feelings and the power of our minds. The message: we can do much more than we think. “Meditate. It’s the single best thing you can do for your health.”

Marlies Says

Keto curious?

by marlies|dekkers

The fact that I feel bikini-confident all year round is, of course, a nice bonus. But for me, the biggest payoff of following the keto diet is the way it optimizes my health and gives me tons of energy.

Marlies Says

Super (skin) food

by marlies|dekkers

‘If you can’t eat it, why put it on your skin?’. I pretty much live by this beauty adage. After all, with your skin being one of your body’s largest organs, anything – and I mean anything! – you put onto your skin will end up in your bloodstream.