I'm a Dreamer
Let's talk temperaments - Sanguine
I’m sorry you didn’t hear from me last week. I lost my delightful mother. She was 95 and left this world dearly loved and holding hands with my sister. She had a wonderful life because she was quite determined to live positively no matter what. Growing up during the Great Depression will do that to you. May we all learn from the good cheer, buoyancy, and resilience of Bonnie Combs. I have been a bit lost without her.
Here is a video of my mom and I singing at one of our last visits posted on Instagram. I wrote Whippoorwill thinking of her and how we used to sing together.
Temperaments
Continuing our conversation about temperaments, I am sharing a song I wrote for my sanguine daughter, Mia. Or maybe I wrote it for myself. You might have heard it on the podcast. It’s called “Dreamer”.
TEMPERAMENTS
Rudolf Steiner shared many ideas on the four temperaments with the earliest Waldorf teachers. I studied them while getting my 3-year Educational Support certification from the Association for a Healing Education.
As I shared last week, Steiner said that temperaments are “that fundamental coloring of the human personality, which plays a role in all manifestations of individuality that are of concern to practical life. We sense… this basic mood whenever we encounter another human being.”
Many books have been written about temperaments and how to manage them in a classroom. I find these temperament tools useful anytime I want to understand or connect with another person, child, or adult. Of course, most people are not one temperament and, as we get older, ideally we can balance all four of them within ourselves. Children under 7 often don't show a clear temperament and may change from one to another as they mature. However, one temperament will likely dominate a personality.
Remember to look at children (or anyone!) with fresh eyes every day, allowing them to become who they truly are without it being imposed on them from the outside. Be careful not to pigeonhole someone in a temperament. We are all ever-evolving.
What is a Sanguine Temperament?
These people love to look at everything, touch everything, taste everything, and wonder about everything. They like to experiment. They want adventure. They might be a little messy. Most children have a sanguinity to them because the world is fresh and new and they don’t know everything yet (until they get to 8th grade - LOL). Your truly sanguine child might change clothes/costumes ten times a day.
“I am green as evergreen, say exactly what I mean. Give what I hold dear, what else is there to do? Sing when I want to sing, believe in everything. Live without a care for love is always in the air.” -verse 1
Sanguines are curious about the world out there and all the possibilities. They interrupt themselves mid-sentence because they have twenty more great ideas flying out of their mouths that need to be said now now now. Sanguines have a joy for life, but can also feel defeated when they begin too much and finish so little. To delight in and embrace the richness of life yet realize they cannot possibly do everything they long to do is a real sanguine conundrum. Still, they might give it a try. What is there to lose?
“I’m a dreamer, I dream all day. Why would I ever let the world get in my way?” - chorus
A wonderful way to move a sanguine child is to make work into play. Give them a little picture to imagine as they do a task - “We are little mice sweeping the floor and tidying up before the cat comes home.”
This works much better than, “Stop playing now. It’s time to clean up.”
“Between chocolate and shooting stars, you don’t have to look so far to find someone to love because because because because - We’re all a puzzle piece individually but you fit right next to me and make it all so sweet.” - verse 2
In stories, consider adding details about the color of things, the quickness of the horses, the bright tea kettle blowing steam and squeaking, the little mouse who darts out of a hole for a crumb, the dozens of books on the shelf full of magic spells and potion recipes. Sanguines can see each of these so clearly in their mind’s eye and add many more details.
Do you have a sanguine child in your life? What advice do you have to offer? Do you have an example of a sanguine in your life?
PERFORMANCE
I’m sharing songs and stories and a workshop on May 4th, 2024 in Columbus at the Central Ohio Folk Festival. Come see me!
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