The Overleaves (or Personality Traits)

By EMILY BAUMBACH

Learn about the Goals, Modes, Attitudes, Centers, Chief Features, and Bodytypes
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Overleaves

Our Personality Traits

Understanding and accepting the differences of others is the key to unlocking greater levels of compassion, both for ourselves and those around us. The Overleaves (or personality traits) offer the necessary tools to increase our capacity for tolerance and acceptance, and also show how we pre-incarnationally decided to experience life, providing a roadmap for what it means to be human, and how to operate from the true personality -- the state of being where true spiritual growth occurs.  

Overleaves are personality traits that “overlay” the essence. We choose them before a lifetime begins to facilitate the purposes of that lifetime, and usually select a new combination of them for each lifetime. The overleaves include the goal, mode, attitude, center, and chief feature.

The Goal influences what we do;

The Mode, how we do it;

The Attitude, why we do it;

The Center, the part of self from which we do it;

And the Chief Feature, what blocks or distorts our doing.



 

The Personality Traits (Overleaves)
Goals, Modes, Attitudes, Centers, Chief Fears

While soul age gradually advances forward over a series of lifetimes and the role (or soul type) remains the same, the overleaves are specific personality traits that change in each incarnation.

The overleaves assist with completing the life task and add necessary variety and personal challenges for the soul to explore. Without the overleaves, there would be no distinct personality or unique characteristics that stand out from others.

Think of a novelist who is creating a character for his story. To make his character come alive on the page, he gives his protagonist a goal (a special desire to aspire to), a mode (how the character will achieve the goal), an attitude (the way the character views the world in the story), a center (how the character reacts to situations), and a chief fear (what the character is most afraid of). Without these personality traits, our novelist's character would be flat and one-dimensional, lacking the inherent richness to express the range of experience required of a character in a good novel. The same requirements could be said about an incoming soul hoping to get the most out of what life has to offer. Essence (or the higher self) is then the master storyteller that breathes life into your personality.

As it does in other aspects of the teachings, the number seven prevails in the overleaves, as well. There are seven goals, seven modes, seven attitudes, seven centers, and seven chief fears (or features).

In addition, the overleaves add different colors to the otherwise pure energy of the roles (see roles). This not only contributes more complexity to the personality but allows the personality to experience the unique flavors of other roles. For instance, the goal of dominance is energetically aligned with the king. If an artisan chose dominance as a goal during a lifetime, that artisan would experience some of that king energy, and this would be reflected in the personality.

With the potential for conflicting energies, some overleaves can abrade with each other and create challenges in finding common ground. A skeptic paired with an idealist is a combustable mix, and a spiritualist abrading with a cynic rarely leads to a mutual accord. Two of the same overleaves paired together, however, often leads to an immediately affinity with another person, as if they are on the same wavelength. Bridging the gap between two opposing overleaves is then a main goal of the teachings, where the differences are better understood and tolerated.

Michael's Comments About the Overleaves

Are all overleaves in essence?

NO: THEY ARE ALL IN PERSONALITY.

Are they chosen on the basis of karma?

FIRST OF ALL, THE LOCALE, THE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, THE PARENTS YOU CHOSE — ALL ARE FORMATIVE IN PROGRAMMING THE BIOCOMPUTER. THESE OVERLEAVES ARE CHOSEN BY THE SOUL TO BE ACTED OUT IN LIFE, INDEPENDENT MOST OF THE TIME OF THE WISHES OF THE ESSENCE. THE SOUL CHOSE THEM TO COMPLETE THE SPECIFIC TASK. THE SOUL DESIRES SIMPLICITY AND FREEDOM, MAKING A SPLIT BETWEEN SOUL AND ESSENCE.

We don’t take the personality with us when we die. Do we leave it here?

THAT IS CORRECT. THE SOUL ON THE ASTRAL PLANE IS DEVOID OF FALSE PERSONALITY.

The overleaves also provide opportunities for the soul to deal with the difficult, sometimes prickly aspects of certain personality traits in the overleaves (called positive and negative poles), allowing for more growth and spiritual development.

Positive and Negative Poles

Like most things in the Michael teachings, each overleaf is paired with a positive and negative pole, the polarities of love and fear. The negative poles are similar to Jung's Shadow Self and occupy the realm of false personality, a region in the psyche where the incarnating soul is considered temporarily disconnected from essence. (See Applying the Teachings)

The goal of the teachings is to spend more time occupying the positive pole of the overleaves. The positive pole of the goal of dominance, for instance, is leadership, a positive trait in most circles of thinking. The negative pole, however, is dictatorship, a trait based on fear-based behavior that compels one to control rather than lead.

Considering the unpredictable challenges of life, it would be impossible to remain in the positive poles all the time -- and a life without an understanding of how the personality manifests on the darker side would be less complete. As with all things, moderation is the key.

The Four Axes (Inspiration, Expression, Action and Neutral)

Previously discussed on the roles page, here's a refresher.

Inspiration Axis: Relates to the inner world. Feelings, openness and emotional satisfaction. Often need to be a person with an open mind and big dreams here.
The Expression Axis: Geared more towards how we communicate and express ourselves through creativity and communication.
Action Axis: Involved with the outer world. Takes action, achieves goals. A focus on being proactive.
Neutral Axis: Neutral. Objective and harmonizes and tempers the other axes with mediation and flexibility.

Cardinal or Ordinal

Cardinal sees the overall perspective of things, and can use that understanding as a catalyst for change. Think of a panoramic view that captures the widest vista, the big picture of a concept, philosophy, and impact on the greater world. The positive pole of Cardinal is lucidity. Everything is clear and comprehensible. The negative pole is activity, a whirlwind of unfocused processing, with little direction.

Ordinal is detailed-oriented, focused on the specific qualities of something. A scientist, for example, studying the granular structures of cellular biology. A poet counting the syllables in a metrical line. The positive pole is responsiveness, where attention is given to the minute details of something, even the infinitesimal. Think of a fine artist focused on a small section of a large canvas. The negative pole is passivity, a state of little initiative to crunch details. Psychologically, a stagnant pond. No ripples.

What's Ahead

The articles below represent a comprehensive collection of educational material about the overleaves.  No stone was left unturned in this impressive study. To get started, read the introductory articles for each overleaf (goals, modes, etc.) then read the seven specific entries for each group.

 

The Seven Goals
Reevaluation, Discrimination, Submission, Flow, Acceptance, Growth, Dominance

Our goal is the primary motivation behind what we choose to seek and experience in life. It often, even if indirectly, shapes the general arc of our life and colors the palette of experiences that take form on the life canvas. Much about the human condition can be learned from a study of the seven goals.

The goal could be thought of as the life theme, the underlying meaning behind the desires and actions of the soul. The goal is then the focal point, and like a leitmotif from the arts, if the goal were audible it would be a reoccurring musical phrase that resonates throughout the lifetime. A life without one of the seven goals would tend to feel meaningless and without purpose.

The positive and negative poles can be used as a yardstick to measure the overall results of a goal. In other words, is the motivation behind the goal based on love or fear? Learning to act from the positive pole of a goal is a common lesson that essence will challenge the personality with over the course of a lifetime.

Here are the positive (+) and negative (-) poles of each goal. (Note that each goal, from 1-7, progresses from most ordinal to most cardinal).

1) Reevaluation (+Atavism -Withdrawal)

2) Discrimination (+Sophistication -Prejudice)

3) Submission (+Devotion -Subservience

4) Flow (+Suspension -Inertia)

5) Acceptance (+Agape -Ingratiation)

6) Growth (+Comprehension -Confusion)

7) Dominance (+Leadership -Dictatorship)

According to Michael channeling, the goal of growth is the most popular goal, with acceptance coming in a close second. Reevaluation is considered the rarest goal in society, a mere 1% of the population.

[Click table below for articles about each goal]


MORE On Goals:

▪ Michael Channeling on THE GOALS (Recommended)

▪ Photo Comparison of the Seven Goals 

 

The Seven Modes
Reserve, Caution, Perseverance, Observation, Power, Passion, Aggression

Modes are about how you approach life, how you go after your goal, as well as how you go after goals in their more conventional sense. This is the most visible of the overleaves; people notice this about you.

The mode is the method individuals most commonly use to make something happen, the most habitual way of approach, or avoidance, to a problem. It is the way life is lived, whether cautious, passionate or forever persevering. The mode shows the kind of action a person is prone to employing.

As with the goals, each of the paired modes will experiment at times with its opposite. A power mode person will know a fair amount about caution, often from the negative pole, while a person who has the assimilative observation mode will slide around using all of the modes at times, but again having a pair of favored landing positions.

Michael's system is not rigid. Anyone can use any overleave occasionally. What the system does beautifully is show what a person's routine patterns and ways of acting are, which is advantageous whether you are looking at other people or at yourself.

1) Reserve

2) Caution

3) Perseverance

4) Observation

5) Power

6) Passion

7) Aggression

Ranging from most ordinal to most cardinal, the modes are 1) reserve; 2) caution; 3) perseverance; 4) observation; 5) power; 6) passion; 7) aggression.

[Click table below for links]

Ordinal Neutral Cardinal
INSPIRATION RESERVE
+Restraint
-Inhibition 		  PASSION
+Self-Actualization
-Identification
EXPRESSION CAUTION
+Deliberation
-Phobia 		  POWER
+Authority
-Oppression
ACTION PERSEVERANCE
+Persistence
-Immutability 		  AGGRESSION
+Dynamism
-Belligerence
ASSIMILATION   OBSERVATION
+Clarity
-Surveillance
 
 

The Seven Modes


 

MORE On Modes:

▪ Michael Channeling on THE MODES

▪ Photo Comparison of the Seven Modes 

 

The Seven Attitudes
Stoic, Skeptic, Cynic, Pragmatist, Idealist, Spiritualist, Realist

The attitude is our most usual point of view, are most accustomed outlook on the world. It colors how we view life, how we form concepts about where we fit in, and how we go about deciding what to do or not. Though primarily an intellectual perspective, and nevertheless immediately colors our emotions. The seven attitudes are skeptic, Idealist, stoic, spiritualist, cynic, realist, and pragmatist.

Motivational management experts always take into account the ultimate importance of the mind's orientation; getting and keeping a "good" attitude is crucial, they say. They remind us that our expectations and therefore our outcomes, are ruled by our attitude. Cynics or skeptics have to downright hype themselves to get and maintain the kind of "good" attitude many seminars taught and it may become self-critical when they can't. The truth is it is much easier for an idealist or spiritualist to maintain that "good" attitude in the first place. However, Michael reminds us that we choose our overleaves for a purpose; we aren't all idealists or spiritualists every time, and that what is important is staying in the positive pole of our own attitude, whatever it is. Being an idealist isn't perfect anyhow; they have a tendency to put blinders on and be naive.

Attitude is central in the Michael system, too. This teaching encourages self-acceptance through self-knowledge. Remain in the positive pull of your attitude and you are likely to be in the positive pull of all the other overleaves. Attitude is usually the first of your overleaves to fall into the negative side; it then drags the others. It is also the easiest overleaf to get your hands-on and change.

Keeping a good attitude, i.e. staying in the positive pole, is as crucial as you have been led to believe by your teachers -- and mother's.

1) Stoic

2) Skeptic

3) Cynic

4) Pragmatist

5) Idealist

6) Spiritualist

7) Realist

Ranging from most ordinal to most cardinal, the attitudes are 1) stoic; 2) skeptic; 3) cynic; 4) pragmatist; 5) idealist; 6) spiritualist; 7) realist.

[Click table below for links]

Ordinal Neutral Cardinal
INSPIRATION STOIC
+Tranquility
-Resignation 		  SPIRITUALIST
+Verification
-Faith
EXPRESSION SKEPTIC
+Investigation
-Suspicion 		  IDEALIST
+Coalescence
-Abstraction
ACTION CYNIC
+Contradiction
-Denigration		   REALIST
+Perception
-Supposition
ASSIMILATION   PRAGMATIST
+Practicality
-Dogmatism
 
 

The Seven Attitudes

 

MORE On Attitudes:

▪ Michael Channeling on THE ATTITUDES

▪ Photo Comparison of the Seven Attitudes 

 

The Centers
Emotional, Intellectual, Physical, Instinctive, Higher Emotional, Higher Intellectual, Moving

Intellectual Center

Centers govern how we experience life, and how our response to experience is expressed. Each person has one center that predominates in their life, which could then be thought of as a window that looks out at the world.    

Centers usually represent the most prominent part of a person, especially how the person is perceived by other people. Understanding centers involves learning to understand how people can react so differently to the stimuli around them. Intellectually centered people, for example, might view their perceptions of the world as reality itself, and this can make it very difficult for them to comprehend how an emotionally centered person can view the world so differently.

1) Emotional Center

2) Intellectual Center

3) Physical Center

4) Instinctive Center

5) Higher Intellectual

6) Higher Emotional

7) Moving Center

The numerical order of the centers are 1) emotional; 2) intellectual; 3) physical; 4) instinctive; 5) higher intellectual; 6) higher emotional; 7) moving.

[Click table below for links]

Ordinal Neutral Cardinal
INSPIRATION EMOTIONAL
+Sensitivity
-Sentimentality 		  HIGHER EMOT.
+Empathy
-Intuition
EXPRESSION INTELLECTUAL
+Thought
-Reason 		  HIGHER INTEL.
+Integration
-Telepathy
ACTION PHYSICAL
+Amoral
-Erotic 		  MOVING
+Enduring
-Energetic
ASSIMILATION   INSTINCTIVE
+Atomic
-Anatomic
 
 

The Seven Centers

 

MORE On Centers:

▪ Introduction to THE CENTERS

▪ Michael Channeling on THE CENTERS



The Chief Fears (or Features)
Self-Deprecation, Arrogance, Self-Destruction, Greed, Martyrdom, Impatience, Stubbornness

Our chief feature is our Achilles’ heel or primary stumbling block—it is the focus of our fears and illusions. Since it is our dominant blind spot, it can be hard to recognize it, and even if we acknowledge it in theory, it can be difficult to recognize in action. The chief feature and the negative poles of the role and other overleaves are activated by fear. Ironically, they make matters worse because they generate inappropriate responses, and then it seems that more fear is warranted when these responses don’t work. The inappropriate responses build on themselves, increasing the hold of the false personality and Maya. False personality is made up of the chief feature and the negative poles of the overleaves; Maya means illusion, and relates to the essence, particularly the negative pole of the role.

THE CHIEF FEARS:

An Introduction to the Chief Features

▪ Self-Deprecation  (Fear of "being inadequate.")

▪ Arrogance (Fear of "being judged.")

▪ Self-Destruction (Fear of "losing control.")

▪ Greed (Fear of "not having enough.")

▪ Martyrdom (Fear of being a "victim.")

▪ Impatience (Fear of "missing out.")

▪ Stubbornness  (Fear of "change.")

MORE on Chief Fears:

▪ Michael Channeling on THE CHIEF FEATURES

▪ On Arrogance   

▪ Arrogance vs. Self-Dep

 



Body Types
Lunar, Venusian, Mercurial, Saturnian, Martial, Jovial, Solar

Each Bodytype has a number of distinctive physical characteristics. These traits are adopted from the astrological and mythological attributes of the planets for which the Bodytypes are named. The traits apply to males and females both, although some bodytypes are more "masculine" and some more "feminine" according to cultural stereotypes. There are also personality traits associated with each Bodytype.  Most people are a mixture of various proportions of two or three Bodytypes.

THE BODY TYPES

▪ An Introduction to Body Types
by Shepherd Hoodwin

Here's a further examination of body types.  

▪ Lunar

▪ Venusian

▪ Mercurial

▪ Saturnian

▪ Martial

▪ Jovial

▪ Solar

 

Miscellaneous



 

 

 

Further Reading in Our "Soul Cosmology Series"

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