Classification according to temperament is a way to work on understanding others.
It is based on the representation solely in the present, what a person does in terms of behavior.
There is a relationship between what he does, his function, and the function of his cells, the metabolic tendency. That further relates to the body shape because function determines form and form determines function.
History tells us that temperament was dreamt up by Hippocrates in the fourth century BC, classifying people according to the biological four humors, white, red, green, and black bile.
Later, in the first century AD it was organized by the Roman Galen white bile - cold/moist (water), red bile - hot/moist (air), green bile - hot/dry (fire), and black bile - cold/dry (earth.).
Then, in the twentieth century AD Corman classified it according to form and behavior. Carl Jung used it to describe differences in personality types, which is the basis for the Minnesota Multiple Personality Inventory.
We use it to understand the person in order to more accurately match homeopathic remedies, because the remedies have pictures that correlate to one of the four temperaments or more often, crosses between two the temperaments, and occasionally a remedy with broad applications fits all temperaments.
In addition, the temperaments follow a natural progression relating to stages of life. Childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age each have characteristics of each of the four temperaments. One implication of this is that an individual exhibiting a certain temperament will have exaggerated symptoms in the stage of life corresponding to his temperament.
The child starts out unformed, with total potential, and that time of life is when he is shaping himself. The child does not know about life yet, and cannot do much. This is the lymphatic temperament, sometimes called phlegmatic, cold and moist, also dilated and weak.
To the adolescent everything is a possibility, and he is learning, and experience is needed to be anything. He can do things but still does not know much about life. This is the sanguine temperament, hot and moist, dilated and strong.
When we reach adulthood, that is the ideal, there is both action and consciousness about the world. We are mature and doing things and know out the world. This is the bilious temperament, otherwise called choleric: hot dry, retracted and strong.
Finally, in the older years, when we no longer have anything to prove or justify, we know but no longer can act out in the world. This is the nervous temperament, also known as melancholic: cold and dry, weak and retracted.
There are predominant biological signs for each of the temperaments. As it is named, the lymphatic temperament is involved with lymph and venous blood. The digestion function is affected and there can be too much intake relative to the energy spent. There is a tendency to build up deposits in the body and a general insufficiency of the immune system. There may be varicose veins, phlebitis, venous blood stagnation and risk of stroke. Think of the picture of a dilated individual, bulging at the seams from holding too much in.
In the sanguine temperament, there is a predominance of circulation and activity. This can appear pathologically as active congestion, especially in the head, even as a fever with sudden onset. There is hyperactivity and the rhythms of life are disrupted. Allergies are also involved. Picture the dilation in the upper body and head.
The bilious temperament is aptly named because it is focused around all the liver and gall bladder functions. This temperament has to do with the metabolic functions, and the liver is the balancer between building up and breaking down. In fact, the bile represents the choice the liver has made in sorting wastes, analyzing what is needed and what is discarded. There is a risk of intoxication from foods. Things are beginning to break down or harden, with spasms.
The nervous temperament has problems with the organs of elimination. There is a dysregulation of the nervous system, which may lead to the whole body losing regulation resulting in destruction. The mental takes over and there is an extreme need to control. There can be ulcers and other evidence of loss of substance.
Do you see yourself yet? Do you recognize what stage of life you are at and what organ systems you tend to have problems with? Now it is time to confirm your suspicions with these last two charts of functions and positive and negative aspects according to temperament.
Due to government and FDA regulations the following must be stated: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
The information provided is not a substitute for professional medical opinion. It is provided for informational and educational purposes only.
Positive and Negative Aspects 