Our thumic norm is how our thumos, our spirit, is naturally. It is how our spirit is when it is free to be itself.
As a way to help us determine our thumic norm, I developed the following assessment tool with four rating scales:
My spirit is normally-
Very Low <--------------------------------------------------> Very High
1 3 5
Very Introverted <------------------------------------------> Very Extroverted
1 3 5
Very Troubled <---------------------------------------------> Very Well
1 3 5
Very Constant <--------------------------------------------> Very Changing
1 3 5
Explanation
The Low/High scale provides a reading of the degree of our spiritedness. Are we normally low-spirited, high-spirited, or somewhere in between? NOTE: In this context "Low" is descriptive. It has to do with our degree of liveliness rather than our mood.
The Introverted/Extroverted scale provides a reading of the normal orientation of our spirit. Is our spirit directed inward to our thinking, imagining, and/or emotional processes; outward toward external people, places, things, and events; and to what degree?
The Troubled/Well scale helps us assesses the normal overall health of our spirit. Are we normally ill-spirited, well-spirited, or somewhere in between?
Finally, the Constant/Changing scale gives us a reading on normal consistency of our spirit. Is our spirit consistently the same or consistently changing?
The Constant/Changing scale can refer to the three scales above it. Are we normally the same place on the Low/High scale or is our place on that scale normally changing? Is our place on the Introverted/Extroverted scale normally the same or is it normally changing? Is our place on the Ill/Well-spirited scale normally the same or is it normally changing?
Part 2 Will be about some practical applications of determining our thumic norm.
