Trinity Concepts (2.04) Man's Soul (Styles of Learning)

Auditory

Visual

Kinesthetic

There are basically three styles of learning which correlate to the three parts of the human soul (will, mind and emotions).  The auditory style correlates to the will of the soul.  The visual correlates to the mind of the soul, and the kinesthetic correlates to the emotion of the soul.

Just as in the human personalities, there is most always a blending of the three areas for each unique personality, there is also a unique blend of learning styles for the individual.  There are generally ‘leanings’ or ‘bents’, however, in one direction or another.

The Bible correlates ‘hearing’ to ‘obeying’.  Those who receive commands verbally, act decisively to fulfill what is spoken.  Auditory learners are ‘will’ centered in their personality temperaments (Choleric).  This works well in militaristic situations requiring instant obedience for instant results.  Auditory (aural) learners prefer lectures over book study or social interaction, although they can function to a certain extent in either of these other areas.  The will-centered learner, being the center-most area between the mind and the emotions, can lean a little to the mind-centered learning style or the other direction, to the emotion-centered learning style, but will not involve himself fully in either area.  Due to the strength of his decision to do so, he can function in these other areas up to a certain point, but will finally grow weary, returning to his most natural place of auditory learning.

It is easy to see the metaphoric relationship throughout Scripture of the ‘eye’ to the ‘mind’.  Visual learners are ‘mind-centered’ in their personality temperaments (Melancholy) and relate to visual stimuli such as text-books, charts, graphs, videos, etc.  Visual learners are on opposite extremes from the kinesthetic learners, just as the mind-centered personalities are opposite from the emotion-centered personalities.  Visual learners will be able to connect to the auditory (or will-centered) learning style more easily than the kinesthetic, and will easily be overwhelmed by ‘too much’ stimulus of social interactivity.  They prefer to be alone in their work, where they can be singularly focused.  They are usually highly organized in their thoughts, and require that organization in order to learn.  When things become disorganized and ‘out of control’, they find it difficult to focus and be successful in their work.

Kinesthetic learners are emotion-centered (Sanguine personality) in their learning style, and require social interaction and ‘hands-on’ involvement, in order to fully absorb what they are learning.  Simply sitting in a class-room reading a text-book is boring and non-inspiring to them, while class-participation, a job doing something, or some form of ‘manipulative’ is essential to maximize their learning process.  These people can be very intelligent, but lack motivation in the traditional class-room structure, which is geared primarily towards the visual and aural learner.  The kinesthetic learner may be branded as unintelligent or ‘unfocussed’ simply because his learning style is not being accessed properly in the learning environment.

The combination of all three styles, is (as stated above) what relates to most people.  Some people lean strongly to one of the three areas, while others have a greater ‘blend’ of all three.  The most unified of all three areas could be classified as the Phlegmatic personality.  Yet even these have a slight leaning in one direction or another.  Some people are blended with a stronger aggressive will.  Others are blended with a more submissive will.  The combination of the three elements of mind, will and emotions (visual, aural, and kinesthetic respectively) are as diverse as the number of people ever to have lived.  The goal of this study is not to demean or subjugate people into a ‘cookie-cutter’ view of human relationships, but rather to simply encourage a more effective learning environment.  Any communicator, whether they be a leader, teacher, or colleague, would be well-advised to continue the pursuit of successfully relating to others, giving them the best opportunity to connect through the most applicable tools to their style of learning. 

(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)

Trinity Concepts (2.09) Man's Body

Mesoderm- structural

Ectoderm- communications

Endoderm- engine

When one’s body is not feeling well, or on the contrary, is fresh out of bed, after a sound night’s sleep, the soul (our mind, emotions and will) are affected by that condition negatively or positively.  The same holds true with our human personalities.  Our physical make-up affects our soulish personality. 

In embryology, there are three main aspects of development, the mesoderm, ectoderm and endoderm.  The mesoderm is the structural, skeletal development.  The ectoderm is the nervous system, while the endoderm is the fueling (engine) system of the human body.  The mesoderm relates to the will of the soul, as the will provides structure and stability for the mind and the emotions to operate.  The ectoderm relates to the mind, as nerves receive information for processing, and the endoderm relates to the emotions of the soul, fluctuating based upon anxiety or joy. 

Each of these three main characteristics of the human body: the Structural system, the Communication system and the Energy system are found in all of us; however, we have each been created with a certain ‘bent’, if you will, physically. 

I recently read in a fitness magazine, an article characterized by three types of workout routines for the Mesomorph, Ectomorph and Endomorph.  They gave a fourth kind of workout for the Combination body type, which relates to the concept of the Phlegmatic personality being a blend of the three soul areas: mind, emotion and will.

As we each have a physical body, which leans toward one of these three areas, our human souls follow suit.  On very broad terms, look at those who are structurally muscular and notice their tendencies toward the choleric or phlegmatic personalities.  Notice the ‘skinnier, long-limbed’ types leaning toward the melancholy personality traits, and those who have natural food-storing capabilities having sanguine tendencies.  It is also important to note that each of us have varying degrees of all three categories, all blending together, yet creating an end result of uniqueness for each individual.

According to the promise of Scripture, the return of Christ manifests a change in the creation and hence in our physical human bodies as well, where the death and decay of the natural realm is swallowed up by the supernatural life of God.  It appears that the most profound change to our bodies is in the Ectoderm, which correlates to the current natural realm and the Holy Spirit’s presence here at this time.

When the Sadducees questioned Jesus concerning the resurrection of the dead, He replied to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God.  For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God." (Matt. 22:29-30)

(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)



Trinity Concepts (2.03) Man's Soul, Personalities

Man’s soul (personalities)

Choleric

Melancholy

Sanguine

Phlegmatic

The ancient Hebrew word for heart is ‘leb’, which is the mind, emotions and will.  These attributes of the human soul can be seen in modern-day psychological studies.  One study divides the human personalities as such: Choleric (black and white decision-making); Sanguine (life of the party); Melancholy (detailed, analytical); Phlegmatic (stubbornly unmoved).  Although the four-fold nature of this psychological study seems to be enigmatic, its relationship to the triune human soul is simple to see. 

The Choleric personality is centered in the will of the soul, as it is a decisive personality.  The Sanguine personality is centered in the emotion of the soul.  The Sanguine is easily moved to joy or tears.  The Melancholy personality is centered in the mind of the soul, as this person bases his every move on meticulous calculation.  The Phlegmatic personality is said to have as his motto, “I shall not be moved”.  His personality is centered, as is the Choleric’s in the will, however, it is a passive will, while it’s Choleric counterpart is an active, aggressive will. 

Another view of the Phlegmatic personality can be illustrated with color, which also holds a triune example.  The three primary colors are Red, Blue and Yellow.  When mixing these colors together into one color, they become Brown, a very non-specific, or ‘vanilla’ common color.  This could also be similar to what happens in the mix of human personality traits, as the fiery Sanguine (represented by red) blends with the cold and calculated Melancholy (represented by blue) and the somewhat removed, or objective decision-making Choleric (represented by yellow, the color closest to light or white) balances and arbitrates between the two characteristics of red and blue.  In other words, the ‘average’, ‘vanilla’ Phlegmatic personality is actually a well-blended mix of the mind will and emotions of the soul, while the others excel in one or more areas of these.



(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)