Types of Temperaments and Their Effects
What is a temperament? What benefits do we get in our lives by knowing it? In what ways can we identify temperaments? How much are you interested in learning about it? Please, walk with us in answering these questions.
In this paper, you will read:
In the present research, we discuss temperament and its types and the benefits we my get by acquiring this knowledge.
Contents
Introduction: Temperamentology
Temperamentology is a science on temperaments, their types, and their effects. Knowing about this science may have positive effects on your lives; for example, through this science, you will learn how to prevent physical problems in your bodies and, to a significant level, mental and psychological problems. Using original medicine texts, we intend to provide a brief knowledge on different types of temperaments and their effects.
Temperament: Definition
Temperament is a key concept in Iranian traditional medicine, because, all the other medical concepts such as health, disease and their diagnosis are defined traditionally based on the knowledge on temperament. Therefore, knowing temperaments is a necessity. Temperament has obsolete and new definitions; According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it obsoletely means constitution of a substance, body, or organism with respect to the mixture or balance of its elements, qualities, or parts. And, in Iranian traditional medicine it is a quality made of combination and fusion of four elements which are earth, water, air, and fire, each of which has particular qualities; earth, cold and dry; water, cold and wet; air, warm and humid; and fire, warm and dry. The amount and proportion of each of these elements will determine the temperament of a compound.
Types of Temperaments
Since the mixing ratio of the four elements is different in any being, we have infinite types of temperaments in animate and inanimate beings. In general, temperaments are of nine main types, which undergo changes due to internal, external and psychological factors such as season, age, gender, environment, mental and psychological issues, etc. from which adventitious or acquisitive temperaments are made. The nine temperaments are divided into two categories of moderate and immoderate.
- Moderate temperament: made up of proportionate amounts of each four elements.
- Immoderate temperament: made up with one or two of four elements dominant, and it is divided into two groups, singular and combined.
- Singular temperament: only one of four elements prevails in revealing its feature and includes temperaments of hot, cold, dry and wet.
- Combined temperament: two of four elements show their features together and includes temperaments of hot and dry, cold and dry, hot and moist, and cold and moist.
The effects of temperament on different affairs
The scope of temperament is infinite and it includes all the aspects of the material world and our life in particular; Therefore, it is necessary to help the growth and advancement of the body and soul with accurate cognition and knowledge on of the influence of temperament on various aspects of human life. For this purpose, we explain the influence of temperament on some matters.
A. Lifestyles
One of the most important factors effective in the creation of an individual’s or social lifestyles, aside from the climate in which an individual lives, is the individual’s temperament; because temperament by itself provides conditions for dealing with internal and external issues. Therefore, to investigate the effects of different temperaments on lifestyles, two important factors including an individual’s temperament and the temperament of age, in addition to seasons, and environment are examined. From the perspective of Iranian traditional medicine, from birth to age 30 is considered as the growth stage, and the temperament of this stage is warm and moist; the youth stage is between the ages of 30 and 40 and this stage has a hot and dry temperament; from 40 to 60 years of age is the middle-aged stage, which has a cold and dry temperament, and finally, the old age stage, which is from the age 60 onwards, and it has a cold and wet temperament.
Seasons too have temperaments: spring’s temperament is hot and humid; summer’s temperament is hot and dry; autumn’s temperament is cold and dry; and, winter’s temperament is cold and wet. Places too have temperaments; mountainous regions have cold and dry temperament; deserts have hot and dry temperaments; seaside areas have cold and wet temperament. Men’s temperament is warmer and drier than the women’s, and women’s temperament is more cold and wet; all these factors, along with the individual’s diet and the living conditions effect their health conditions. For example, if an old person with a cold and wet temperament uses cold and wet foods such as cucumber, watermelon, yogurt, etc. in winter, the level of their cold and wet temperament will be multiplied and they become afflicted with problems caused by coldness and wetness domination such as pains in joint pains, forgetfulness, etc. Also, coming of age of people is different in different climates and regions.For example, people in tropical regions or people with hot temperament come of age earlier than the people with cold temperament or people who live in cold climates. Therefore, investigating and recognizing the types of temperaments and their effects is a necessity to get a better understanding of individuals’ and social issues and the lifestyles formed by them.
B. Educational affairs
Temperaments play important roles in educational affairs. Therefore, by knowing temperaments, one can understand people’s talents, morals and interests and consider it in their education. Also, by the knowledge, we can treat each person according to their temperaments. For example, a person with hot and dry temperament is mentally strong and intelligent; on the other hand, a person with a colder temperament has less intelligence. Therefore, the education of each requires a particular method and both cannot be taught with the same method of education.
C. Choosing a life partner
As much as forming a family and marriage is considered necessary and important, it is also important to be careful in choosing the right potential spouse and life partner. It is very important to know the morals and traits of a person you choose as for your life partner and creating a safe home, forming a healthy life, and raising good and healthy children. Therefore, it is necessary to check a potential spouse’ temperament to find a suitable partner for life. For the same reason, it is positively effective to know the types of temperaments and their effects in choosing a spouse and on marriage, and in interacting with them. For example, if a person with a hot and dry temperament marries a person with the same temperament, tension and conflict and lack of reconciliation in various matters in marital life escalate. But, by a correct choice and correct management of the relationships between husbands and wives through knowing each other’s temperament these problems can be avoided.
D. Diagnosing and curing diseases
In traditional medicine, in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, which is interpreted as a bad temperament due to the deviation from the normal state and temperament, the patient’s temperament is the first thing that is carefully examined. Diseases related to dystemperaments are also divided into two categories: simple and material. A simple dystemperament in turn is divided into two categories: simple singular and simple combined dystemperaments; a simple singular dystemperament includes hot, cold, dry, and wet; a simple and combined dystemperament includes hot and wet, hot and dry, cold and wet, and cold and dry. Material dystemperament in turn is divided into two categories: singular material and combined material; singular material includes hot, cold, dry, and wet; and, combined material includes hot and wet, hot and dry, cold and wet, and cold and dry. The causes and factors and treatment of each dystemperament has been discussed in detail in traditional medicine refrences.
Choosing a job
Choosing an appropriate job is one of the most stressful issues for young people in entering society and forming a desirable and successful life. Sometimes, an individual is so concerned of this matter that they fall in confusion to the extent that they neither enter any work nor try any job they find. Therefore, awareness of one’s temperament and the jobs suitable with it can be very helpful. For example, a person with a warm temperament may be a successful manager because they are able to establish public relations; or, because of their patience, a person with a cold temperament becomes a good teacher. Or, due to their speed of action, people with a hot and dry temperament are successful in jobs like surgery, car driving, etc.; and finally, due to their remarkable accuracy, people with a cold and dry temperament are successful in jobs like accounting, art, mathematics, politics, etc.
E. Architecture and construction
Among all the places, only where a person feels a sense of ownership and interest and is influenced by its atmosphere is the house and place of residence. Therefore, the significance of architecture and construction in all aspects of life is worthy to be considered. If a person’s place of living is built in accordance with their temperament and mood and the geography of their place of living, this may by itself affect their mood and lifestyle. In general, the building in which an individual lives, with its special structure and colors, can affect that individual’s temperament. For example, the architecture of buildings in desert areas with a single and soft color, as well as angles removal, provide help in balancing the temperaments of the people of those lands, and the architecture of buildings in green and cold regions with different colors and multiple angles suitable for the same region can greatly help in balancing the temperament of its inhabitants.
Conclusion
In general, each of nine temperaments has some direct role in and influence on our lives in some way or another – things like lifestyle, choice of spouse, personal and social ethics, etc. Therefore, knowing the temperaments and their implications in our lives can bring with it health and comfort for us.
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