For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. (Psalm 139:13-16)
We are all one-of-a-kind, and God has a unique plan for each of us. Yet in this whirlwind of existence, we share fundamental pillars. You have probably noticed that some people have similar characteristics, personalities, weaknesses, or strengths; let’s call these similarities a foundation (of course, there are other things that make you, you).
You might know about the Indian (Ayurvedic) and Chinese (TCM) way of discovering one’s constitution or makeup; they are all similar. Greek medicine approached the basic constitutional types by recognizing 4 temperaments in the body that reflect the basic constituents of all matter: earth, air, fire, & water. (The fifth element, space, was included under earth) Each temperament is named after a certain humor and distinguished by the dominance of that humor.
Knowing your temperament can help you figure out such things as the best diet, right healing methods, disease prevention, general weaknesses & strengths; it can also help identify ‘flesh’ problems, which can help you see what areas you need to surrender to God & be cautious of. And you’ll see how God is strengthening your weaknesses for His glory. To discover your makeup, you want to take a look at such traits as your physique, features, metabolism, digestion, & certain aspects of your soul. After you analyze this information, you can combine this with our Trinity Health Workbook to get the whole picture. You might notice that you are a combination of the temperaments, which is normal; usually two temperaments dominate with one being the strongest.
The 4 temperaments:
Sanguine Temperament (Air – Blood)
Choleric Temperament (Fire – Yellow Bile)
Melancholic Temperament (Earth – Black Bile)
Phlegmatic Temperament (Water – Phlegm)
Sanguine Temperament
Face
- Oval or acorn-like faces
- Almond-like eyes
- Brown eyes are common
- Med-Long necks
Physique
- Usually average weight
- Veins are barely visible
- Excess fat might find its way to your thighs, buttocks, and hips
Hair
- Thick
- Wavy
- A lot of facial and body hair for men
Skin
- Red undertones
- Usually warm
- Tendency to be naturally soft
- Emotional reactions tend to be associated with a rush of blood
- You don’t sweat too much or too little
Appetite
- Usually interested in seasoned foods
- A tendency to prefer hearty meals
Digestion
- Easily overwhelmed if you consume too much food
- Can be weak, easily disturbed (constipation or diarrhea could occur with certain foods)
- Urine is usually rich and thick; could also be bright yellow
- Stool is not too hard or too soft
Predisposition
- Putrification occurs easily with poor diet, meaning foul gas, breath, or stool
- Uremia, diabetes, high cholesterol, liver problems, pancreas issues, and asthma
- Prone to heavy flows or you may bleed too much
Sleep
- Your sleep is sound but not heavy
- Dreams are joyful, usually filled with adventures, games, or comedy
Personality/Mind
- Extroverted
- Wear emotions on your sleeve but quick to forgive and forget
- Lose interest in a hobby if it ceases to be fun or engaging
- Usually late or tardy (because you were busy talking to someone)
- Good with social situations/life of the party
- You tend to have an optimistic outlook
- Enthusiastic, graceful, indulgent, fun-loving, activity-prone, can be artistic (but usually generally accepted works)
- Can also be: attention-seeking, tendency to exaggerate, fickle, disorganized, gossipy, lacking depth, superficial, prone to vanity, undisciplined, too emotional, inconsistent
Bible characters that might to fit here: King David and Peter
Choleric Temperament
Face
- Broad jaw
- Penetrating eyes
- Sharp features like a sharp nose, structure, or cheekbones
Physique
- Lean or wiry body type
- Muscle tone comes easy or without any effort at all
- Veins are pronounced
- Broad chest is common
- Weight gain usually goes to your upper body
Hair
- Curly, thin, or fine
- Men tend to bald
- Blond, red, or light brown hair is common
Skin
- Skin tends to be very warm
- Tends to be dry and rough
- You tend to sweat a lot, and the odor is strong
- A little sensitive to sunlight
Appetite
- Usually interested in stimulating foods, which could be spicy, minty, salty, or sweet
- Hunger comes upon you quickly
- You tend to prefer heavy meals like meat or fried foods
Digestion
- With a balanced diet, you can digest anything
- When you have a stomach issue, it tends to be diarrhea
- Urine is usually thin and dark; warm
- Stool tends to be soft
Predisposition
- Gastritis, acid reflux, and hyperacidity
- Infections, fevers, hives, rashes, migraines, eye strain (red sore eyes), and gingivitis
- High cholesterol and stress disorders
Sleeping
- Restless, you tend to wake up early or as you sleep
- Dreams might be associated with war, fighting, or flight
Personality/Mind
- Extroverted
- Your imagination is very active
- Dynamic, self-motivated leader
- Sharp and penetrating insight
- Make decisions quickly & decisively
- Learn quickly
- Bold, courageous, dramatic, loves the challenge, thrill seeker, hot-tempered, focused, goal-oriented, confident, persevering
- Can also be: impatient, easily irritated, obsessive, stubborn, bossy & dictatorial, harsh, unsympathetic, relentless
Bible Characters that might fit here: Paul, James, Martha, Titus
Melancholic Temperament
Face
- Might have square or rectangular-like faces
- Prominent cheekbones, usually with sunken cheeks
- Teeth may be prominent and, sometimes, (naturally) crooked
- Thin lips
- Eyes may be close together and beady
Physique
- Usually lean
- Tends to have prominent bones, veins, sinews, ribs, and tendons
- Midsection can be long
- Weight tends to accumulate in the midsection
Hair
- Usually dark, thick, and straight unless it’s curly
- Facial hair is somewhat sparse for men
Skin
- Can have a darker hue
- Usually feels a little coarse and cool to the touch
- Callouses are not uncommon
- Don’t sweat a lot unless you’re nervous
Appetite
- You tend to lose your appetite easily, especially when nervous
- Tendency to prefer or crave sweets or starches
Digestion
- Digestion can be a little slow; you may be prone to constipation, gas, and bloating
- Poor metabolism
- Stool maybe be a little hard, compact, or club shaped
- Urine is usually thin and somewhat clear
Predisposition
- May be prone to irritable bowel syndrome
- Anemia, arthritis, hypoglycemia, dehydration, and poor blood circulation
- Eating disorders, depression, and personality disorders
Sleeping
- Usually a light sleeper, and you have a hard time falling asleep
- Dreams may be dark, moody
- Insomnia is possible
Personality/Mind
- Introverted
- Over-analytical and detail-oriented
- Like a solitary lifestyle, just a few friends
- Very sensitive of what others think of their work
- Determined to make the right decision
- Tend to be a perfectionist
- Slow to begin relationships but loyal when committed
- Usually have a pessimistic outlook
- Philosophical, reliable, artistic, realistic, very reflective, gifted, reserved, quietly passionate, very thoughtful, quiet, serious, sensitive, choosy, lover of truth
- Can also be: easily depressive, judgmental, mistrusting, suspicious, unsocial, fearful, self-righteous, superior, standoffish, too cool for others
Bible characters that might fit here: Moses & Abraham
Phlegmatic Temperament
Face
- Round face, usually with full cheeks
- Soft features all around with a pug nose
- You might have a double chin
- Eyes are usually moist and large
- Thick eyelashes and eyebrows
Physique
- Might have a heavy frame, big boned and, sometimes, stout
- Veins and bones are usually not visible
- Could be overweight, little muscle tone, and large breast
- Weight tends to accumulate towards the bottom
Hair
- Usually light, maybe thin
- Facial hair is somewhat sparse or non-existent in men
Skin
- Tend to have pale skin
- Usually feels soft, clammy, and cool to the touch
- You sweat, especially on your hands and feet
- Can’t handle cold temperatures (need really thick creams etc)
Appetite
- Don’t have much of an appetite
- Tendency to prefer or crave sweets or starches
Digestion
- Digestion can be a little slow; it takes some time to relieve yourself
- You might feel sleepy or lethargic after a meal
- Stools are relatively well-formed but tend to be soft
- Urine is usually pale and thick but scanty
Predisposition
- Edema, water retention issues, poor circulation
- Hypothyroid and myxedema
- Cellulite, poor skin tone, and obesity
- May be prone to depression
Sleeping
- Very deep sleep, and you may sleep too much
- Blue-themed dreams are common or peaceful-like
Personality/Mind
- Introverted
- A little slow or foggy
- Takes some time to learn, but retention is strong once learned
- Like to avoid conflict at all cost
- Don’t seek the limelight or power
- Prefer job security
- You may be one with a few words
- Can work with the most difficult personalities
- Enjoy a nice relaxing evening at home alone
- Also comfortable in a small group of friends or family
- Patient, calm, devoted, empathetic, dependable, subjective thinker, benevolent, kind, compassionate, even-tempered, tends to avoid exertion, not flashy, laid-back, friendly, philosophical, sympathetic,
- Can also be: boring, indecisive, listless, unconcerned, passionless, inattentive, obtuse, lukewarm
Bible characters that might fit here: Timothy, Joseph, Barnabas
The four types above meet at the corners of 2 dividing lines: temperature & humidity. Sanguine people are hot and wet. Choleric people are warm and dry. Phlegmatic people are cold and wet. Melancholic people are cool and dry.
Consider the following:
Would you prefer to be under cold or hot conditions?
Cold = Hot while Hot = Cold
Do you let your hot beverage cool, or do you sip it while it’s hot?
Hot-sipper = Cold while Cooled = Hot
Does it take a lot for you to sweat, or do you sweat easily?
Sweaters =Wet while Non-sweaters = Dry
Is your skin or hair dry or oily?
Dry hair or skin = Dry while Oily skin or hair = Wet
Hard or slightly dry stools belong to dry constitutions, whereas softer stools belong to wet constitutions. Dry constitutions tend to like cool humidity or rain, whereas wet constitutions feel uncomfortable with humidity and rain.
Voice
Hot = Tends to be louder
Cold = Tends to be soft-spoken
Dry = Can talk a lot and usually have a lighter voice
Wet = Mince their words but have a heaviness to the voice
Sanguine types should consume cooling foods to balance the natural heat and dry foods to balance the wetness. Chloreic temperaments should eat cooling foods to balance the heat and moist foods to balance the dryness. Phlegmatic people should eat warming foods to balance the cold and dry foods to balance the wetness. Melancholic people should eat warming foods as well and moist foods to balance the dryness. Though healing remedies and diet also depend on your location as you connect to the energy around you and the seasons.
Dry generally means foods like masa, oatmeal, barley, rice, legumes, radishes, turnips, nuts & seeds. Damp foods are things like raw dairy, fermented foods, raw fruits, mushrooms, and raw veggies. Ruminant animals are warming though other things like pungent vegetables, sweet fruits, ginger, and cinnamon fit here as well. Cooling foods would be things like milk, duck, eggs, edible bugs, seafood, sour fruit, watery vegetables, & cold drinks. Of course, you can neutralize a meal with combinations, like using wet and dry ingredients, for example.
So, which temperament seems to dominate? The most important thing to evaluate is your mind/personality. Be sure to consider your health history, family health history, and region.
Shalom,
