Description of Temperaments
WITH EXAMPLES OF SAINTS
Sanguine:
This temperament reacts quickly and strongly to certain stimuli but is short in duration. Sanguines are cheerful, affable, sympathetic, sensitive, compassionate, and are often the life of the party or the class clown. They are gifted with common sense and make friends easily.
Some negative aspects of this temperament are: superficiality, inconstancy, impulsivity, and sensuality. Sanguines may repent of their sins quickly, only to return to them on the first occasion. Thus, it is crucial to encourage them to persevere through the time of temptation.
SANGUINE SAINTS: Saint Peter, Saint Augustine, Saint Theresa of Avila.
Melancholic:
Melancholics are inclined to reflection, piety, prayer, creativity, and compassion. They tend to have but a few friends, but keep these friends for a life-time. They do not forget easily, so an emotion aroused in them, for good or for ill, will last for a long time, especially if the emotion involves a hurt to themselves, either perceived or real. They tend to be very intelligent, as they are introspective, and spend much time pondering life. If their physical powers are exhausted, their will is weak. They make good artists, poets, philosophers, and contemplatives.
Negative aspects of this temperament are that they concentrate heavily on themselves, a tendency to exaggerate negative experiences, hence a constant feeling of sadness and melancholy, and often lose confidence in themselves and can be timid.
MELANCHOLIC SAINTS: St. John the Beloved Disciple, Saint Anthony of Padua, St. Bernard, St. Aloysius Gonzaga and St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, Saint Therese of Lisieux.
Choleric:
This temperament is what is often characterized as a ‘go-getter,’ or ‘mover-and-shaker.’ Cholerics are strongly aroused and the impression lasts for a long time. They have great energy, sharp intellects, strong and resolute will, practicality, and excel at risk-taking and taking initiative. Inactivity is repugnant to them. Hence, they always have an iron in many fires.
The weaknesses of this temperament are as obvious as the strengths, as they are often tied together. Cholerics can be insensitive to others, stubborn, prideful, violent, cruel, and impulsive. They can unfortunately make people feel stepped on or used, and can lack compassion.
CHOLERIC SAINTS: St. Paul, St. Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Joan of Arc.
Phlegmatic:
This type of temperament is rarely aroused emotionally, and, if so, only weakly. They work slowly but assiduously. They are not easily irritated by insults, misfortune, or sickness. They can remain tranquil, balanced, and have a good deal of common sense.
Their defects are that they are so slow and calm which causes them to lose many good opportunities because they delay so long in putting works into operation. They tend to be insular and live within and for themselves.
PHLEGMATIC SAINTS: Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint John XXIII – Pope.
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