The Four Temperaments: A Rediscovery of the Ancient Way of Understanding Health and Character

By Randy Rolfe

Book Overview

The system of the four temperaments, or humors -- melancholic, choleric, sanguine, and phlegmatic -- has been used to analyze personality and health for over two thousand years, since the philosophical insights of Aristotle and the healing arts of Hippocrates. It has been the basis of Western medicine and character portraits ever since. Now The Four Temperaments offers an introduction and overview of this ancient knowledge, providing readers a clear picture of all the humors have to offer. Randy Rolfe shows how to identify one's own temperament and how to dramatically improve health, relationships, career, and happiness with a basic understanding of the four temperaments. Since the author has been studying, applying, and teaching the wisdom of the temperaments for over thirty years, she is able to link these four ancient personality and health types with the findings of modern medical researchers. She guides readers to finding the proper balance between temperaments and using their strengths to overcome their vulnerabilities. Illustrations are included.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1569245622
• ISBN13: 9781569245620
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Balance
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.98 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The Four Temperaments

A great way to begin your understanding of the temperaments theory and its fun too!!

A Great Book

Let me start with sending out a big "Thank You" to Randy Rolfe for her inspiring book, The Four Temperaments. Randy Rolfe has given us so much of her knowledge in a book that is easy to read, even for a foreigner like myself. I enjoyed this book tremendously. I have many in my circle of friends who agree with me 100%! As a matter of fact, I was told by a close friend of mine to read this book . And after I read it, I recommended it to other friends as well... The Four Temperaments gave me such a great insight into how we are born with a set personality. It gave me understanding of how to see, within my own family but also in strangers I meet on a daily basis, whom belongs to what temperament. And it gave me tools on how to best handle those people, for us to have the best possible relationship. I am most grateful though for enabling me to understand why certain people irritate me! Helped me understand what it is with their personality that least corresponds with my personality, and it has made me a less judgmental person. I have a little girl now, and I am much more aware that she has her God Given personality, and that I should do as little as possible to "change" her. She will become a lot happier a person if she stays true to whom she was made to be. I truly recommend for all to read this book, regardless of gender, age or profession. You will be given the same insight, understanding and tools on how to become a better wife, husband, mother, father, friend, boss or employee as I have been given by reading The Four Temperaments. Ann-Christine Constable Johansson Västerås Sweden / Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Fun, Educational and Practical

This wonderful book integrates a lot of source material into an easy to read and practical compendium of Four Temperament information. I have made use of this material and will continue to explore how it can help people in my practice. For those interested in Western Holistic Medicine, this is a must have.

The 4 Temperments: Creative, Well-organized & Practical

In "The Four Temperments" Randy Rolfe does an excellent job of integrating ancient wisdom with modern theory as it relates to the 4 classic humors. Using questionairres and numerous easy to understand charts she guides the reader through a comprehensive tour of the 4 temperaments. She writes very clearly, with excellent knowledge of her subject and a full grasp of the 4 temperaments (choleric, melancholic, sanguine and phlegmatic). The topic for most people would be considered a difficult, complicated and perhaps a controversial subject and yet the author manages in a concise and personal style to integrate practical ways of applying solutions to life's problems with each of the 4 different temperaments. She clearly understands and explains her subject in a way which can easily be applied to one's everyday life in the areas of career, relationships, emotions, personality style, health, nutrition and even weather patterns. People will find great value in reading this creative and well-organized book.