In the last years I came across many models and patterns that help you to get to know yourself better. One of the most popular ones is obviously astrology. According to astrology, your character is formed at your birth and depending on the relation of moon and stars to earth. The easy version relates on 12 constellations as basis for your horoscope. Most newspapers include a daily horoscope.
Ayurveda is an ancient Indian way to cure people by first divide them into three groups. Every group has specific kinds of food, herbs and spices that are healthy or dangerous.
A quite ‘hip’ model right now is the enneagram. People are divided into 9 categories. It’s a bit more difficult to discover what group fits with you, it’s depending on your character. By discovering some character traits this model will tell you more about the dangers and opportunities you will have to face.
There are many more theories, models and patterns. They all have their use. But I see too many people become ‘believers’ in one or more of these models. And that is what they are: models. Every model has its shortcomings, every model is only valid for a certain time, for a certain aspect of your. Models and patterns can’t account for the huge diversity of people, for everyone individually.
If you take those models too serious, it’s not the model that will give you more wisdom on how and what you are, you will adapt to the model and fit your life in it. The model becomes your armor to hide in. It will also give you a false sense of security and will limit also your ability to see, to move, to change and to grow!