From Ancient Humoral Theory to Temperaments in Steiner-Waldorf Pedagogy

Balancing Education

Hippocratic studies

According to the humoral theory of Hippocrates of Kos, (the oldest Western attempt to provide non-superstitious or magical medical explanations) every human being has four fluids within him that allow him not to develop diseases. These four fluids are yellow bile, black bile, blood, and phlegm. To ensure good functioning of the organism, a quantitative balance of these fluids called “eucrasia” is necessary; on the contrary, if there is no balance, the disease known as “dyscrasia” is faced.

Drawing by Felix Freydzon

Rudolf Steiner’s Studies

Stainer-Waldorf pedagogy uses these ancient studies to describe the temperament of the child and his life cycle. The four temperaments identified by Rudolf Steiner are: choleric, phlegmatic, sanguine and melancholic.

Choleric temperament

The individual with a choleric temperament is generally described as thin, dry, touchy and short-tempered. Furthermore, he can be generous, cunning and proud. If the choleric child doesn’t get what he wants, he gets angry and makes himself heard with his voice and gestures. In adolescence, the life of feeling will blossom into passionate outbursts to be contained as much as possible, for example with artistic tools. Self-assertion and sensitivity to stimuli are included in the choleric temperament.

Phlegmatic temperament

The person with a phlegmatic temperament is generally slow, lazy and serene. Develop a talent but with lightness and bliss. Phlegmatic individuals like to stay in their reality and do not find joy in moving. The phlegmatic child is graceful and sedentary, the adult leads a regular and flat life. It tends to avoid conflicts and constitutes a relational glue. Both self-affirmation and sensitivity to stimuli are absent in this case.

Sanguine temperament

The person with a sanguine temperament has an excess of the red mood, his characteristics are cheerfulness and gluttony. He is defined as jovial and given to playful sexuality. The speed with which the child does many things at the same time predominates and we witness the great mobility of vital processes such as breathing. As a child it is vital, as a teenager abstract reflection and the individual’s creative ability to discover his soul takes over. He loves to relate to learn about new realities. Self-affirmation is absent, sensitivity to stimuli is present.

Melancholic temperament

The melancholic temperament is associated with people with such characteristics: thinness, weakness, greed. Typically the individual appears sad and pale. The child with this temperament has a reflective look, the most interesting aspect is the presence of something old, an indicator of early maturity. When the qualities of the adolescent present themselves, it will be necessary to develop harmony with other temperaments to avoid exaggerated one-sidedness. In fact, he tends to isolate himself and play the role of the spectator who observes and criticizes with his thoughts. Self-affirmation is present and sensitivity to stimuli is absent.

According to Steiner, the four temperaments do not necessarily mark individuals in a unique way, who can also recognize themselves in more than one of them. It is important for him to avoid fixations in the unilateral aspects of the personality, educating pupils to harmoniously develop the qualities of all temperaments, learning to become contemplative like a phlegmatic person, active like a choleric person, sensible thinkers like a melancholic person, and lovers of beauty like a a sanguine.

Bibliography:

R. Steiner: “The Secret of Human Temperaments” ed. Anthroposophical Milan;

N. Glas: “The four temperaments on the road to self-knowledge” Nature and culture ed.

R Steiner “Seminar exercises” Stuttgart August 1919 vol 295 pages. 9–59

Matilde Sironi