Through Jutta, Hildegarde learned to read the Psalter in Latin. After Jutta's death, Hildegard succeeded her as abbess, even though she, too, had become an anchoress.

Hildegarde suffered from terrible migranes, which caused her to see visions. She confided the visions only in Jutta and in a monk named Volmar, who became her life-long secretary and biographer. Pestered constantly by feelings of inadequacy, aware of the numerous 12th Century religious frauds, Hildegarde wrote to several Church officials to have her visions supported. Pope Eugenius responded, and encouraged her to keep writing. Hildegarde was an author and a composer, as well.