Ingeborg i Mjärhult
Encyclopedia
Ingeborg Danielsdotter i Mjärhult, (1665 – 23 July 1749) was a Swedish natural healer, medicine woman, herbalist
, natural philosopher, soothsayer
and spiritual visionary. She was one of the most famous of the many so-called Cunning folk
of her time in her country's history.
in the first half of the 18th century. She was the daughter of the peasant Daniel i Uthövdan and she married Måns Gudmundsson i Mjärhult, with whom she had four children. She was sought after for medical care at a young age, and became a so-called "wise old woman" when she was in fact still young, and she became famous after she became a widow in 1716.
Her view was that the nature spirit
s of folklore
were in fact the fallen angel
s of Lucifer. She taught that humans consisted of two beings; the human above the earth, who walked with her feet above the earth, and the human of the underworld. These two beings walked adjoining each other, with the soles of their feet against each other, above and below the surface of the earth. She had been inspired to this belief by seeing animals looking down upon their reflection on the surface of the lakes. When someone became ill, she claimed, it was because the underworld part of that person, the antipode, had collided with some of the spirits of the earth.
It was said that she could tell what sickness a person had, simply by handling a piece of that person's clothing. She then revealed exactly what spirit the sick person had disturbed and recommended that he or she apologize and offer milk to the spirit, to a stone or something similar. She specialized in epilepsy.
Ingeborg was often questioned by the authorities, but she always defended herself by saying that she did not harm anyone. In 1740, the bishop of Växjö
brought her in for questioning and lectured her for her "superstition". He ordered people to stop seeking her help. Ingeborg responded that she only used bandages prepared with herbs plucked at midsummer moon, as she had learned from her mother, and that she did not harm anyone. The people ignored the bishop's order.
The harassment from the church only increased her reputation. She was very popular and her reputation spread throughout the country; in 1741, Carl von Linné described how people from all over the country came to her for help and guidance;
Ingeborg spent her last four years in her son Håkan Månsson's cottage and died at the age of 84 in 1749.
Many such medicine women were known, especially in the 18th century, who were reputable and sought after by people from across the country. One such woman was Brita Biörn, who came from a long line of medicine women and who only became more famous and popular after having been punished by the church for "Superstition" in 1722 and 1737; another was Brigitta Andersdotter 16th century, who was often hired by queen Margareta Leijonhufvud. Many, but far from all of them, mixed their medicinal practice with spiritualism, as Ingeborg did.
Herbalist
An herbalist is:#A person whose life is dedicated to the economic or medicinal uses of plants.#One skilled in the harvesting and collection of medicinal plants ....
, natural philosopher, soothsayer
Fortune-telling
Fortune-telling is the practice of predicting information about a person's life. The scope of fortune-telling is in principle identical with the practice of divination...
and spiritual visionary. She was one of the most famous of the many so-called Cunning folk
Cunning folk
The cunning folk in Britain were professional or semi-professional practitioners of magic active from the Medieval period through to the early twentieth century. As cunning folk, they practised folk magic – also known as "low magic" – although often combined with elements of "high" or ceremonial...
of her time in her country's history.
Life
Ingeborg was active in Virestad in the parish of Kronoberg in SmålandSmåland
' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
in the first half of the 18th century. She was the daughter of the peasant Daniel i Uthövdan and she married Måns Gudmundsson i Mjärhult, with whom she had four children. She was sought after for medical care at a young age, and became a so-called "wise old woman" when she was in fact still young, and she became famous after she became a widow in 1716.
Her view was that the nature spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
s of folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
were in fact the fallen angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s of Lucifer. She taught that humans consisted of two beings; the human above the earth, who walked with her feet above the earth, and the human of the underworld. These two beings walked adjoining each other, with the soles of their feet against each other, above and below the surface of the earth. She had been inspired to this belief by seeing animals looking down upon their reflection on the surface of the lakes. When someone became ill, she claimed, it was because the underworld part of that person, the antipode, had collided with some of the spirits of the earth.
It was said that she could tell what sickness a person had, simply by handling a piece of that person's clothing. She then revealed exactly what spirit the sick person had disturbed and recommended that he or she apologize and offer milk to the spirit, to a stone or something similar. She specialized in epilepsy.
Ingeborg was often questioned by the authorities, but she always defended herself by saying that she did not harm anyone. In 1740, the bishop of Växjö
Växjö
Växjö is a city and the seat of Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden with 64 200 inhabitants in 2010. It is the administrative, cultural and industrial centre of Kronoberg County. Furthermore it is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Växjö. It has a population of about 64 200, out of a...
brought her in for questioning and lectured her for her "superstition". He ordered people to stop seeking her help. Ingeborg responded that she only used bandages prepared with herbs plucked at midsummer moon, as she had learned from her mother, and that she did not harm anyone. The people ignored the bishop's order.
The harassment from the church only increased her reputation. She was very popular and her reputation spread throughout the country; in 1741, Carl von Linné described how people from all over the country came to her for help and guidance;
"The wise woman Ingeborg i Miärhult and Wirestad was sought over from all over the country as an oracle and had a greater name than many a doctor who had learned and practiced medicine all his life... She had a daily business with the common people from all over the country who trusted her."
Ingeborg spent her last four years in her son Håkan Månsson's cottage and died at the age of 84 in 1749.
Many such medicine women were known, especially in the 18th century, who were reputable and sought after by people from across the country. One such woman was Brita Biörn, who came from a long line of medicine women and who only became more famous and popular after having been punished by the church for "Superstition" in 1722 and 1737; another was Brigitta Andersdotter 16th century, who was often hired by queen Margareta Leijonhufvud. Many, but far from all of them, mixed their medicinal practice with spiritualism, as Ingeborg did.
Litterature
- Wilhelmina Stålberg, Anteckningar om svenska qvinnor (Notes on Swedish women)