Visions of Sister Hadewijch

"...of them you have climbed up to the highest branches." And I understood what all these leaves with their rich green color and their narrow, sharp form signified. On every leaf, however, a heart was inscribed. These hearts, which stood on every leaf, were of a red color on the lowest leaves; on the three middle leaves, the hearts were of a white color; but the hearts of the three uppermost branches had the appearance of gold. The progression from red to white to gold represents the traditional mystical path: from the "red" of earthly struggle and passion, through the "white" of purity and illumination, to the "gold" of divine union.

And the angel said to me: "O pure pillar in the Church of the Saints, you who have kept your body pure from every thing that does not belong in the holy Temple of God; o you innocent one and conqueror of guilt original: "Schuldüberwinderin." A person who has triumphed over the debt of sin through grace and discipline., in whom our God’s pure will shall grow strong and has already grown strong; o you discerning one, full of much knowledge of the holy nature of our sweet God The "sweetness" of God (Latin: dulcedo Dei) is a frequent metaphor in medieval mysticism for the tangible, joyful experience of the Divine.—because you chose such clear purity so early, before all that was and is, and never gave yourself over to any excess, understand now the three middle branches." And I looked at them and understood.

And the angel spoke further to me: "You who seek right love solely with your God through a virtuous conduct original: "Tugendwandel." Literally a 'virtue-walk,' referring to the lived practice of a moral and spiritual life., as the law of the saints commands it to be led, and as the same God has sanctified it with the pious life He lived, and with His noble commandments and His high counsels; you who dedicate yourself to holy customs in loving service loving service: (German: minnender Dienst) a term adapted from courtly love poetry to describe the soul's intense, personal devotion to God as a Beloved. for the joy and pleasure of Almighty God; you never