What Is Temperament, and Why Should You Know Your Own “Normal”?

Farzollah Gholizadeh and Fariba Bayrami

Two people eat the same meal. One feels great; the other gets bloated and heavy.

Two people live in the same climate. One always feels warm; the other can’t get warm all winter.

Why?

Sina–Unani medicine’s answer to this question is a single word: temperament (mizaj).

What is temperament?

In its simplest definition, temperament is the quality of a person’s natural constitution. In traditional medicine this quality is described by four basic properties:

• Heat
• Cold
• Moisture
• Dryness

Four basic temperaments are described according to the balance of these properties in a person: Demevi, Safravi, Balgami and Sevdavi.

Temperament is a background

In Sina–Unani medicine, temperament is like a background on which the signs appear.

One person’s skin is naturally drier, another’s more moist. One person’s face is naturally rosy, another’s paler.

These are not illness but the person’s nature.

So to understand a change, we first need to know:

What was that person’s normal state like?

Why should you know your own “normal”?

Because the most important principle in the science of signs is:

Compare a person not with others, but with their own normal state.

• Naturally dark skin is not an illness.
• Naturally thin nails are not an illness.
• Naturally dry skin is not, on its own, an illness.

But if someone who has always been rosy-cheeked is gradually growing pale, or someone who has always had strong nails finds them becoming brittle in recent months, that change is meaningful.

Temperament helps us get to know exactly this personal background.

How is temperament determined?

Temperament is not determined by a single sign. In traditional medicine these are assessed together:

• Skin colour and how it feels to the touch (warm/cool, moist/dry)
• Body build
• The quality of the hair and nails
• Sleep pattern
• Activity and energy
• Reaction to heat and cold
• Appetite, thirst and digestion
• The quality of elimination
• The pulse
• Mood

So, for example, it isn’t right to say “you are Sevdavi” just by looking at dry skin. Diagnosing temperament is diagnosing a pattern, not a sign.

The underlying temperament and later changes

One of the subtle subjects in traditional medicine is telling apart a person’s inborn underlying temperament and changes that develop later because of illness, diet or lifestyle.

This distinction is the foundation of a correct assessment, and it requires step-by-step training.

Temperament and modern medicine

Temperament is one layer of the diagnosis; a possible disease is another layer. Recurring or worrying symptoms should not be explained only by “heat” or “cold”; when needed, a medical assessment should be done.

Frequently asked questions

Does temperament change? The underlying temperament is the person’s natural constitution; but lifestyle, diet, age and illness can change the balance.

How can I learn my own temperament? Determining temperament requires assessing many signs together. The best course is to consult a specialist trained in this field.

Are online temperament tests reliable? They can give an idea, but not a definitive result on their own, because temperament is determined not only by questions but also by observation and examination.

Conclusion

Temperament is your body’s natural language. Knowing it is the first step in understanding what is normal for you and what has changed.

For the whole subject, read The Body Speaks to Us Before Illness Does.

If you want to learn the body’s sign language step by step, Dr Kalan’s “Elaim & Delail” book and the Body Signs online course (currently in Turkish) will guide you. To start with your own baseline, take the free temperament test.