HERE for the first time on the internet is a full pictorial guide to human body types. We all embody one or other of these types, which are those delineated by the Ancient Greeks in their gods and goddesses. This pantheon in turn follows the archetypal energies of the planets as set out in astrology. As above with the gods or planets, so below with mankind.

Because these are primal energies, they cover not only our personalities in their essence, but also our physical looks, our style of action and our function in life. Each type is associated with the predominance of one or other of the endocrine glands.

Pure Types

There is a basis of eight energy types, seven of which gave birth to the names of the days of the week. The eighth is Earth. These eight types, illustrated in Gallery 1, are

LUNAR         Solitary, introspective, detail-minded

VENUS         Languid, nurturing, sociable
MERCURY   Perceptive, quick, articulate

SATURN      Patient, rational, authoritative

MARS          Goal-oriented, forthright, combative

JOVIAL         Benevolent, cultured, epicurean

SOLAR         Radiant, serene, idealistic

EARTH         Robust, practical, realistic

Click on any type to go straight to its gallery. Six of these these eight energies lie on the points of a figure flowing within the universal energy dynamic known as the Enneagram, shown at left. The two energies lying off the circulation are Solar and Earth. 

At each point on this figure, the energy begins to move in a new direction towards the next point. In psychological terms, the point ahead of a person shows their direction of integration. If you are Mercury for example, you benefit from allowing your energy to move towards that of Saturn. However, whichever your type, it stays the same throughout your life.

Each energy is either negative or positive and passive or active as follows: Lunar is - passive; Venus is + passive, Mercury is - active, Saturn is + active, Mars is - active, Jovial is + passive, Solar is + positive, Earth is - passive. The perceptions of positive types tend to be optimistic, accepting and believing. Negative types are more sceptical and more aware of the difficult and adverse side of life. Both negative and positive perceptions are to some extent present in everyone and necessary for a balanced view.

Active types tend to act upon others and their environment rather than allowing themselves to be acted upon as passive types do. Again, both energies are necessary for balance and will be present to some degree or other in whatever type.

Combined Types

People seldom are pure types. More likely their type lies somewhere between two types on the line of development linking one energy with the next. A person for example may combine the energies of Mars and Jovial by having her type lie somewhere on the line between Mars and Jovial. She combines the characteristics of these two types. Such a combination becomes Mars-Jovial, a distinct type in itself.

The six combinations that occur on the Enneagram circulation of energy are shown at left and illustrated in Gallery 2. They are

LUNAR-VENUS          Calm and self-contained          

VENUS-MERCURY    Attractive and charming

MERCURY-SATURN  Elegant and cunning

SATURN-MARS         Strong and managerial

MARS-JOVIAL            Boisterous and indulgent

JOVIAL-LUNAR          Avuncular and learned             

Solar Combinations

Another six combined types are presented here. These occur when Solar combines with a pure type.

The six Solar combinations, shown at left and illustrated in Gallery 3, are

LUNAR-SOLAR        Sensitive and imaginative

VENUS-SOLAR        Warm and optimistic

MERCURY-SOLAR   Enthusiastic and stimulating

SATURN-SOLAR      Ingenious and playful

MARS-SOLAR          Intense and explosive

JOVIAL-SOLAR        Outgoing and resplendent

Earth Combinations

Finally, another six combined types are prevalent. These occur when the outlying Earth type combines with a pure type. Earth combinations are as common among humanity as Solar combinations. I am still collecting information and photos of Earth combinations, so for now they are treated as pure types. Eg my mother, a Venus-Earth type, is included among the Venus type photos.

Gods And Glands

Pictured below around the Enneagram are the eight basic types of human with their godly counterparts and each type’s predominant endocrine gland.