Elemental Human Types: an essential guide to knowing oneself
His life was gentle, and the elements
So mixed in him that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, “This was a man.”
William Shakespeare
So mixed in him that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, “This was a man.”
William Shakespeare
Throughout human history there have been many typologies; psychological, astrological, somatotypes - to name just a few.
For some 1300 years in Europe, medicine considered people as having different ‘humours’. Health was seen as a state of balance between natural elements – inside and outside of the organism – trying to take into consideration everything in the natural world.
As modern Western medicine developed, and became increasingly more specialised, traditional ideas were discarded. Yet people still sought for a wider understanding of how things are related, how one thing affects another, how we can live in harmony with Nature - which we are also part of. In recent years, many people in the West have become aware of a tradition of medicine, health and wellbeing even older than that of Hippocrates; Ayurveda - a natural healing system also based on elements and human types.
Following on from our last successful event (which you can watch on video: It's a Question of Taste: natural flavours, and the efficacy of herbs and spices) we will examine the different human types in more detail.
We are all born a specific type, moulded into individual personalities through our education, culture, wider environment and habits. How does our type define how we look at the world and our choices in life the way we eat, exercise, dress, sleep; the jobs we pursue; the friends and partners we choose; the place we live in?
It is not possible to change one’s type, any more that a tiger can change its stripes, but if we gain an understanding about the effects of certain foods, exercises, daily routines, and the external natural and built environment on our type, we can discover recipes and practical exercises to help us avoid imbalances. Taking responsibility for our own health and wellbeing in this way necessarily brings us back into contact with the interconnectedness of everything.
Lead Presenter: Dr Eleni Tsiompanou
Dr Eleni Tsiompanou is the Harmony lead for the College of Medicine on The Harmony Project and, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London (FRCP). She has also trained in Ayurveda and Nutritional Medicine. Eleni has been researching the Hippocratic writings and their relation to Ayurveda and modern medicine, uncovering gems of practical information to improve health and wellbeing. Since reading HRH The Prince of Wales’ book ‘Harmony: a new way of looking at our world’, Eleni has been inspired to expand the dialogue about health to include a wider view of harmony. She invites us to look at health through the prism of harmony to connect natural approaches and ancient wisdom traditions to modern science.
For some 1300 years in Europe, medicine considered people as having different ‘humours’. Health was seen as a state of balance between natural elements – inside and outside of the organism – trying to take into consideration everything in the natural world.
As modern Western medicine developed, and became increasingly more specialised, traditional ideas were discarded. Yet people still sought for a wider understanding of how things are related, how one thing affects another, how we can live in harmony with Nature - which we are also part of. In recent years, many people in the West have become aware of a tradition of medicine, health and wellbeing even older than that of Hippocrates; Ayurveda - a natural healing system also based on elements and human types.
Following on from our last successful event (which you can watch on video: It's a Question of Taste: natural flavours, and the efficacy of herbs and spices) we will examine the different human types in more detail.
We are all born a specific type, moulded into individual personalities through our education, culture, wider environment and habits. How does our type define how we look at the world and our choices in life the way we eat, exercise, dress, sleep; the jobs we pursue; the friends and partners we choose; the place we live in?
It is not possible to change one’s type, any more that a tiger can change its stripes, but if we gain an understanding about the effects of certain foods, exercises, daily routines, and the external natural and built environment on our type, we can discover recipes and practical exercises to help us avoid imbalances. Taking responsibility for our own health and wellbeing in this way necessarily brings us back into contact with the interconnectedness of everything.
Lead Presenter: Dr Eleni Tsiompanou
Dr Eleni Tsiompanou is the Harmony lead for the College of Medicine on The Harmony Project and, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London (FRCP). She has also trained in Ayurveda and Nutritional Medicine. Eleni has been researching the Hippocratic writings and their relation to Ayurveda and modern medicine, uncovering gems of practical information to improve health and wellbeing. Since reading HRH The Prince of Wales’ book ‘Harmony: a new way of looking at our world’, Eleni has been inspired to expand the dialogue about health to include a wider view of harmony. She invites us to look at health through the prism of harmony to connect natural approaches and ancient wisdom traditions to modern science.