Table of content
Your physicality
– The seven body types
While many of us are mindful to look after our physical well-being, we may not be aware of our body’s psychological and spiritual significance. But when we consider that human consciousness is structured like a pyramid (Figure 29), it can be seen that the body is the foundation upon which our whole psyche is built. Before anything else, our being and presence in the world relies on our physicality – our brain and nervous system. It is our physical being that is most prominent in our psyche when we come into the world, becoming the basis, or foundation stone, of all that we become. In developmental terms, our first learning experiences are centred on our body and how our body is treated. As we grow, our body retains its significance, with all of our psychological and spiritual qualities being expressed through the body in one way or another.
The body is our tool in the physical world; the body makes it possible for us to experience the outside world and to act in it. The degree of vitality in our body – meaning the amount of physical energy we can access, manifest and express through physical action – is part of what determines our impact in the world. By contrast, when we lack vitality – for example, when we are physically unwell – our capacity for action is limited, which affects our mental well-being.
Our body type is determined by which of the seven energies is dominant at the level of the body. It is through our body type that the four other psychological levels are able to manifest in the world through action and activity. The seven body types possess different degrees of vitality which means that, although all body types are prone to ill health, some body types are more resistant to illness than others. The seven body types affect us in other ways too. For example, for those with a slow inert body, it will take a lot of effort to try something new and giving up habits will be difficult; those with a restless active body will find it difficult to engage in peaceful activities, such as meditation; and those with a weak vulnerable body will find physically demanding tasks difficult.
Having bodies that are robust, flexible and active means we can take on creative and demanding tasks and create a materially secure life for ourselves. Also, having a body that can cope with the physical aspects of life is essential for the healthy functioning of the psyche at the other psychological levels (feeling, thought, personality, soul).
When we know our body type, with its qualities, strengths and weaknesses, then we can work to minimise the limitations of our physicality. Through coming to an understanding of our body type, we can know what we need to do to cooperate with our body and develop its potential.
Compared with the other psychological levels, our understanding of the level of the body is the least developed. However, our knowledge about the seven body types is growing. To date, our research has discerned the following three principles that we can identify and work with our body type:
- The body’s constitution and appearance: Each body type has a distinct physical presence.
- The behaviour of the body: Each body type will function and behave in particular ways.
- The body’s way of recharging (vitality): Each body type will have preferred methods for restoring its energy.
The most common body types are the mental and the practical, both of which are robust and effective in dealing with the physical world. The dynamic body type also has a strong constitution. The sensitive, creative, analytical and dedicated body types are less common and are associated with a number of challenges, as will become apparent in the descriptions below.
An important point to note is that the body’s constitution and behaviour can be greatly influenced – positively or negatively – by the dominant types at other psychological levels. For example, a rigid inflexible dynamic body can be softened by a flexible creative thinking type or personality type. This mixture of influences means we must be very careful when seeking to determine our body type.
As with previous chapters, I will draw upon Assagioli’s wisdom in describing the types. It is important to note that Assagioli is not referring specifically to the body type, rather he is describing how the seven types express themselves in a general physical sense.
The dynamic body type
Using the term “will” type, Assagioli (1983: 19) describes how the dynamic type manifests physically: “At the physical level, the will type is characterised by prompt and decisive action, courage, the power to conquer, rule and dominate both physical surroundings and other men, with a tendency to competitiveness and even to violence and destructiveness.”
Constitution and appearance:
Your body is often strong with long limbs. You will feel strong regardless of the size of your muscles. You are tall or of medium height, with a sinewy body and a radiance of strength. You rarely become fat or overweight due to your natural disposition for dynamic activity. You feel discomfort if you cannot move around freely. Because your immune system is strong you are able to shake off disease so you are rarely ill. Your physical radiance is intense, almost electric, and always ready to face challenges and struggles. Hugging you is like hugging a tree. You value your personal space and prefer not to be touched by strangers. You crave freedom of movement and don’t like restrictive clothes or surroundings.
Your body’s behaviour:
Your body tends to be rigid, inflexible and a little uncoordinated. Your fine motor skills are not great. Your movements can be sudden and cause you to bump into things. Dynamic energy tends to stiffen, so your muscles will be tense and stiff unless you keep your body flexible. Your body is often in defence mode, which means your range of movement will be reduced to simple and basic gestures, such as giving someone directions by simply pointing a finger.
The head is the focus of your body because the will is expressed through the brain’s frontal lobes. You act purposefully and instinctively. You tackle tasks head on and organise yourself efficiently to accomplish your goal.
Your body responds to directness, tangible results, routine and simplicity, but you don’t like monotony or habits that restrict change and progress. You prefer order, but often create disorder because you have a tendency to ignore details. You are impatient, for example being the sort of person who would rip wrapping paper off a present rather than open it carefully.
Your body is inclined towards a simple way of life. Too much stuff slows you down, so you relinquish anything unnecessary to free up energy for action. In pursuing your goals, you can overlook your body’s need for food and rest. Your body can be easily disciplined, responding well to hard work-outs. You eat fast, almost devouring food like a predator with its prey, but you can also be subtle when other sides of your nature help to moderate your dynamic tendencies.
Body’s way of recharging vitality:
You enjoy having time on your own to recharge your batteries, but you can also recharge in a public space as long as you can tune out of the environment. Challenging sports also invigorate you. Sunshine, fresh air and nature are other sources of vitality.
Psychosynthetic task:
Develop your capacity for sustaining a vital and strong physical body through strenuous physical exercise. Control your tendency to become stiff and inflexible. Harmonise your body with stretching and gentle touch.
The sensitive body type
Using the term “love” type, Assagioli (1983: 28) described how the sensitive type manifests physically:
“On the physical level, the love type can exhibit strong sexual impulses. I say ‘can’ for it would be a great error to presume that it is always so. In many cases the element of love is directed towards physical objects such as money or property of all kinds; or else it is expressed through the mind or the emotions rather than the body. Because of this there are many people of the love type who are very little developed sexually.”
Constitution and appearance:
This body type is not particularly robust in dealing with practical life and is rather uncommon. The sensitive energy is related to fat and has a need for sugar and rest, so your body will tend to be round and perhaps a bit overweight.
You have a delicate hypersensitive body. The physical world is almost too much for you and you tend to be allergy-prone. Changes in the weather and environmental factors, such as traffic and noisy people, can deplete you. You need to feel protected in a soft and warm environment.
The body’s behaviour:
You tend to be passive and perhaps a bit lazy. The world is a bit too harsh to move around in. People with this body type tend to hide in self-made caves, usually a comfy bed with hot drinks and pets.
You do not like hard work or anything that requires a great deal of effort. You do not like strenuous exercise, preferring a walk in the woods, preferably by a stream. You have a need for comfort and comfortable surroundings where you can relax while working at a pace that is nourishing for you. Your body can be resilient to illness when the circumstances are right.
Physical intimacy is important and you love to touch and be touched. Your nervous system is receptive to tenderness, which helps to relieve stress. Your sensitivity causes you to fear pain, which limits your movement because you are afraid of getting hurt when moving around. You are receptive to bad energy in public spaces, which increases your sense of discomfort. The world can be too much for someone with your sensitivity.
You enjoy different kinds of food and take your time when eating. You are picky and concerned about food quality. It is important that food is prepared hygienically, and you drink a lot of water to help your body hydrate and detox.
You need to be careful with medicine. In particular, you are vulnerable to addiction so you should avoid painkillers and sleeping pills or using sugar as a form of self-medication. You would do well to access more robust energies from the other psychological levels to help overcome your vulnerabilities.
To avoid imbalances, your body needs the discipline of a careful diet, healthy habits and loving care.
Your body’s way of recharging vitality:
You recharge by being with people you love and by losing yourself in your studies. A good hug is healing for you, as is contact with water due to your body’s affinity with this element.
Psychosynthetic task:
Develop your capacity for a gentle and sensitive physical presence. Control your tendency to become lazy and addicted to substances. Harmonise your physical body through rituals and a healthy diet.
The mental body type
Assagioli (1983: 40) describes how the mental type manifests physically:
“Men and women in whom this specific quality predominates are intensely practical. They have an innate ability to manipulate matter and bend it to many uses. They often have a great manual ability and are clever and successful in constructing or repairing objects. They find themselves at ease in the external world which for them is ‘real’ and engrossing.”
Constitution and appearance:
This is one of the most common body types: an intelligent body, well adjusted for physical, practical life.
This type is adaptable and comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but tends to be strong, muscular, robust and not very refined. You are a workhorse, highly resilient, built to be on the move and active. Your appearance will often be “normal”, meaning the “average” for your race and culture.
Your body is practical and interacts well with the physical world; you are grounded. You dress functionally and practically, not paying much attention to fashion or aesthetics unless you are influenced by other psychological types, such as the creative or practical. You prefer to blend in with the crowd so you follow the dress code most typical in your environment.
Many athletes, craftsmen and others who work with their body have this body type. Your coordination is good, you are adaptable, and the practical world of rituals, habits and daily routine is comfortable for you.
The body’s behaviour:
Your body requires a great deal of activity; you often feel restless. You benefit from moving around and being active in your environment. Being an active participant in your community gives you energy; like a worker bee, you are constantly gathering nutrients and coordinate your activities with the hive.
You don’t like sitting down too much. Your movements are quick, and so are your gesticulations and speech. You need variety and change. You are probably good at multi-tasking, but have a tendency to spread yourself too thinly across many activities. Stress causes imbalances in your body.
You are grounded and can eat almost anything, which is good because you are curious about trying different foods and need variety in your diet. You don’t have the same thing for breakfast every day.
You are well organised, but don’t mind some mess as long as it doesn’t interfere with your activities. Detail is not important providing things work out well as a whole. It doesn’t matter much to you if something is beautiful, decent or well organised, as long as it works. Your intellectual and emotional life may need beauty, but your body can live without it.
Body’s way of recharging vitality:
You interact well with others and feel nourished by conversation and shared activity. You prefer doing things that are new, interesting or productive. Walking in the countryside, relaxing in the garden and other recreational activities are good for you.
Psychosynthetic task:
Develop your capacity for perseverance and a durable physical life. Control your tendency to become stressed by resisting the temptation to plan too many activities. Harmonise your body by having mindful moments of stillness and inactivity.
The creative body type
Using the term “creative-artistic” type, Assagioli (1983: 52-53) describes how the creative type manifests physically:
“At the physical level, the individuals of the creative-artistic type demonstrate a fine appreciation of beauty and an excellent sense of colour and, in consequence, much good taste. Their love for physical beauty and their desire to create tends to intensify their sexual desires and impulses. The manifestations of these impulses are generally refined; the expression of instinct is combined with a fascination with beauty and aesthetic qualities. This type tends to make a refined art of sexual love, and so of all other life processes.”
Constitution and appearance:
This body type is unusual and may present challenges unless it is tempered with different types at the other psychological levels.
Your creative energy makes your body petite, quick and thin. You may notice nervousness and tingling energies caused by your body’s impressionability and changeability.
The creative energy is focused on harmony and beauty, and your body type can be beautiful with harmonic features and well-proportioned limbs. If you exercise and discipline your body it can become graceful, harmonious and beautiful. You probably enjoy decorating your body with colours and accessories that give you an unusual look.
You are likely to face a number of challenges with your body unless you live a balanced physical life. The creative is one of the most fluctuating types and is vulnerable to stress, especially if you do not comply with your body’s natural need for regular food, sleep and exercise.
You will be vulnerable to imbalances and disharmonies in your surroundings, which will affect your vitality and drain you of energy. Your body is not as robust as the other body types, especially the dynamic, mental and practical types.
The body’s behaviour:
Your body has great potential for drama and expressiveness. You love to dance and use your hands for doing something creative.
If your body is not disciplined or trained it may be prone to impulsive behaviour that can create chaos and disorder. Substance abuse is a real danger because your body wants harmony and will go to extremes to achieve this – and using substances to facilitate harmony can be an easy option, despite the dire consequences. Your body has the potential to express physical balance and flexibility or the extreme opposite, a worn-out depleted body.
A feeling of tingling restlessness and unease in your body is common, accompanied by quick movement, communication and gesticulation. These high levels of activity periodically cease – to be replaced with sudden physical fatigue, even paralysis, as a result of the conflicting needs of activity and rest.
You need balance but tend to lead an unstable and somewhat chaotic physical lifestyle that can cause your body to succumb to stress. When doing something new and exciting you will tend to skip a meal, which can cause you problems.
Your vulnerable and sensitive body type needs special care and a harmonious environment in order to function optimally and display its strength and flexibility.
Body’s way of recharging vitality:
Your body needs routine and a healthy and balanced diet to counteract an inclination towards impulsive behaviour that will waste your energy. Beauty recharges you, so colourful and beautiful surroundings, music and other harmonious influences are important. Sunshine, fresh air and nature are beneficial for you.
Psychosynthetic task:
Develop your capacity for harmony and for having a graceful physical appearance. Control your tendency to favour restlessness and an irregular physical rhythm. Harmonise your body with a strict diet and discipline, setting boundaries for excessive physical activity.
The analytical body type
Using his own terminology of the “scientific” types, Assagioli (1983: 61) describes how the analytical type manifests physically:
“He is as fully alert to and acutely interested in the external world as the active-practical [analytical] type but the motivations that arouse each one’s interest are completely different. The motivation of the active type is to make good use of things, while the scientific type is interested in phenomena per se, in knowing the structure and function of the cosmic mechanism both in its broad sweep and in its tiny details.”
Constitution and appearance:
This is a somewhat uncommon body type.
The analytical energy stiffens the body and impedes your freedom of movement.
Your body will probably be thin, small-to-medium sized and appear somewhat stiff, clumsy and uncoordinated. Your body type is compact and resilient but probably not typically beautiful. There is a tendency towards asceticism and simplicity, with a fondness for routine. You enjoy hard manual labour performed methodically.
As with the dynamic type, the analytical type tends to be hard, rigid and straight, but you lack the dynamic energy and athletic appearance of the dynamic, and have a tendency to withdraw or isolate yourself from your environment.
You are usually isolated and restricted in your body language. You don’t like physical contact with those you don’t know and find it difficult to open up to people and give hugs and physical comfort.
The body’s behaviour:
This body type tends to act slowly in a methodical, considered and mechanical fashion. You want to be in touch with the reality of the practical world. You are a creature of habit. Your body has a great capacity for hard work and concentration, but your dependency on rules and rituals can be obsessive – for example, you eat the same foods every day and go to bed at the same time. You thrive in predictable environments in which you can uphold your routines. You may have problems if your dominant types at other levels have different needs.
You like to have a simple diet – you could eat porridge with milk and sugar for breakfast for the rest of your life. The lack of variation in your diet may case vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
The body’s way of recharging vitality:
To recharge, you may need to withdraw into your cave, which could be in a basement or in a laboratory. You appreciate contact with nature, preferably in the mountains. You also recharge when you get work done.
Psychosynthetic task:
Develop your capacity for a regulated and disciplined physical life. Control your tendency to become too attached to a minimalistic or rigid lifestyle. Harmonise your body through massages, hugs and close physical contact with gentle people.
The dedicated body type
Using the term “devotional” type, Assagioli (1983: 70) describes how the dedicated type manifests physically:
“The devotional type often has a severe and ascetic attitude to his body that, in many mystical devotees and religious people, is transformed into a hatred of it as an obstacle and an enemy to their spiritual ambitions. Consequently, they discipline and mortify it in the most drastic manner, at times to the extent of complete immolation.”
Constitution and appearance:
This body type tends to be large and plump, with weak muscle tone and a broad face. On the other hand, this type could sometimes have an ascetic body if the appetites have been held in check through rigorous self- discipline. As with the sensitive body type, it is common for the dedicated body type to be hypersensitive to conflict, noise and disharmony in the environment, which tends to prompt you to withdraw: too much activity exhausts you.
Deeply affected by your emotions, your energy levels can be erratic. On good days you will feel very energetic, on other days you will feel drained.
The dedicated body type is impacted by the sensitive and dynamic energies, and benefits in particular from drawing on the dynamic energy. The dedicated is an either/or type, with a tendency to polarise more than the other types. With so much fire in the system, this type tends to have powerful appetites – for food, sex, and so on – which can be difficult to control.
The body’s behaviour:
This body type moves slowly, giving up easily, losing breath quickly and perspiring heavily. This type is prone to addictions of all kinds. (It could be that some of those who use narcotics have this body type.)
The fire of desire in your constitution makes you move quickly, act passionately and, at times, behave compulsively.
Your body is hypersensitive to shifts in the physical and psychological atmosphere. You are strongly influenced by the dream world and the passions and longings that arise from your emotional life. You have a tendency to suppress emotions, which can lead to psychosomatic illnesses. Balancing your emotional life will have a positive effect on your body.
Body’s way of recharging vitality:
Water is your preferred element: you love the sea, lakes and rivers. You also enjoy the countryside and wide open empty spaces where you can lose yourself in dreams and fantasies.
Psychosynthetic task:
Develop your capacity for handling an impressionable and sensitive physical life by creating a lifestyle based on clear and positive ideals. Control your tendency to be overly influenced by those emotional states that exhaust your physical vitality. Harmonise your body with an active physical life based on rituals and healthy habits.
The practical body type
In a discussion of the “organisational- ritualistic” type, to use his terminology, Assagioli (1983: 78) described how the practical type manifests physically:
“At the physical level, he achieves his purposes by organising the cooperation and work of the group that is necessary to accomplish the desired end, and by assembling and ordering adequate materials for it.”
Constitution and appearance:
This is a common body type that is well suited to the challenges of an embodied physical life in the material world.
Your body type can be tall or short, but is usually slim and athletic. Your body is enduring, with good stamina, which makes it easy for you to function in the physical world. Your body type is delicate with refined features and beautiful proportions.
Your body is sensitive to the environment and needs care and attention, with healthy routines, in order to function optimally – however, this should be easy for you because you probably enjoy sport and exercise. Your coordination and balance are excellent: athletes, gymnasts and dancers often have this body type.
Your clothes are elegant and well-considered, but not too extravagant. You have an eye for detail, cut and quality, and feel comfortable in uniform, partly because this sends a clear signal that you appreciate a sense of order and control.
The body’s behaviour:
Your movements are coordinated, controlled and graceful, demonstrating kinaesthetic intelligence.
Your posture is straight and your attitude dignified. The practical type enjoys creating order, with an instinctive need to organise the physical environment so that everything is in place. You experience a sense of physical well-being when the physical world feels organised.
Your body is sensitive to disorder, chaos and sudden changes in routine. When your body is out of balance it can compensate by adopting rigid patterns and through paying close attention to detail. As a result, as a coping mechanism, you are prone to eating disorders and other types of obsessive behaviour. Your body struggles to cope with extremes. You need a healthy and nutritious diet to thrive and, in contrast to the mental type, you need to be careful with what you eat.
Body’s way of recharging vitality:
Your level of activity is high, so it will benefit you to have an orderly lifestyle. You respond well to sunlight, which recharges your batteries.
Psychosynthetic task:
Develop your capacity for leading an ordered and structured physical life. Control your tendency to become overly rigid and obsessed with detail. Harmonise your physical life with a careful diet, sunlight and gentle massages.
Which body type are you?
The following exercise will help you to identify your body type.
Exercise: How do you manage practical tasks?
Read the following statements and make a note of the ones you identify with most. Verify your answers by discussing your responses with someone who knows you well.
Note: These statements describe how the body types operate and have been carefully worded to reference the underlying motivators, so please check that you agree with all aspects of a statement before selecting it.
- I have to do something intuitively, otherwise I lose energy.
- I am active and practical and do what comes to me naturally.
- I plan my day and do what needs to be done in the most efficient way.
- I complete tasks quickly, with great energy, so I can move onto more important things.
- I try to avoid practical tasks because they are boring, but I can cope better if my friends can join me.
- I’m focused and able to get on with a task, but I prefer to get others to do it for me.
- I wait until I feel ready to do something, then I’ll do it slowly and carefully.
- Before starting a task, I develop a strategy so I have a comprehensive overview of what I need to do.
- I find the best approach to a task and just get on with it, focusing on the task in hand.
- Being practical gives me energy, so I look forward to getting on with it.
- I take time to build up the necessary energy, then I explode into action and keep going until the job is done.
- I coordinate my activities and do what is necessary, looking forward to enjoying the results.
- I don’t enjoy practical tasks, but I will do them quickly and intensely just to get them over with.
- When I have a task to do, I listen to music or think about how to do it in a fun way.
Try matching each of the statements to a different body type – select also the statements that best match your own experience, then check the footnote1 below to discover your body type
1 Statements (the number in brackets is the body type, where 1-dynamic, 2-sensitive, 3-mental, 4-creative, 5-analytical, 6-dedicated, 7-practical): 1.(2), 2.(3), 3.(7), 4.(1), 5.(4), 6.(1), 7.(2), 8.(3), 9.(5), 10.(5), 11.(6), 12.(7), 13.(6), 14.(4).
We have now concluded our overview of the thinking, feeling and body types. I hope this has expanded your understanding of the Seven Types. We have seen that our personal typological make-up is comprised of a dominant type – one of seven – at each of the five psychological levels (body, feeling, thought, personality, soul). So what might this look like in practice?
To give you a flavour of the practical advantage of knowing our dominant types at the five levels, I will describe in the next chapter some case stories. You can also read in chapter 16 how I have worked with the Seven Types in my personal life. I hope these cases studies and my own story will help to illustrate how we can use this model to achieve balance and harmony across and within the five psychological levels, all of which is part of an overarching soul journey.
