Here is a very simple and practical explanation of the three levels of life (Hylic – Body-Matter-Instinct, Psychic – Soul-Emotion-Values, Pneumatic – Spirit-Observation-Silence):
- how to recognize who you are talking to,
- what to expect in contact,
- how to talk to such a person in the safest and gentlest way.
1. Hylic – Body-Matter-Instinct Link to heading
How you will recognize them in conversation
- Everything revolves around food, drink, sex, money, comfort, appearance, material status, physical strength, sensory pleasures.
- Conversation quickly turns to topics: “how much do you earn?”, “what kind of car do you have?”, “where were you on vacation?”, “how is your girlfriend/boyfriend?”, “how much did you weigh after pregnancy?”.
- Very concrete, practical, often direct and blunt.
- Little abstraction – if you start talking about spirituality, silence, timelessness, infinity – they look at you like you’re crazy or change the subject to “but realistically…”.
How to talk to them (safely and without conflict)
- Be very concrete and practical – talk about what can be seen, touched, eaten, bought.
- Do not enter into spiritual, existential topics, “why we live” – it’s a waste of time for them.
- If you want to help – help with something material (financial advice, help with something physical) – then they respect you.
- Don’t take it personally if they ignore you or don’t understand you – they simply have nothing to resonate with at this level.
2. Psychic – Soul-Emotion-Values Link to heading
How you will recognize them in conversation
- Conversation revolves around emotions, relationships, love, family, friendship, good and evil, justice, morality, faith, guilt, forgiveness, “what people will say”.
- Very often asks: “how do you feel?”, “does it hurt you?”, “are you happy?”, “why are you doing this?”, “what do you feel in your heart?”.
- Has a strong sense of “I should / I shouldn’t”, “this is good / bad”, “one must be a good person”.
- If you start talking about absolute silence, the absence of “I”, the dissolution of the ego – they might get scared, annoyed, or say “that sounds like nihilism / selfishness / escape from responsibility”.
How to talk to them (safely and with respect)
- Speak from the heart – use the language of feelings, empathy, love, gratitude, forgiveness.
- Validate their emotions: “I see that this hurts you”, “I understand that this is important to you”.
- If you want to introduce something deeper – do it very gently, e.g., “and what would happen if you just were, without judging yourself?”.
- Don’t push “there is no more I” or “everything is an illusion” on them – it might scare or hurt them deeply.
- Resonates best with the language of unconditional love, compassion, forgiveness, gratitude.
3. Pneumatic – Spirit-Observation-Silence Link to heading
How you will recognize them in conversation
- Conversation is very light, often ends in laughter for no reason.
- Few words – or very many, but without weight.
- Not afraid of silence – actually likes it when both are silent and just are.
- Doesn’t judge, doesn’t correct, doesn’t advise “what you should do”.
- Often says: “I don’t know”, “it doesn’t matter”, “words won’t convey it”, “it just is”.
- Laughs at things that seem serious to others (death, money, success, failure).
- Looks at you as if they already know who you are – without words, without judgment.
How to talk to them (easiest and truest way)
- You don’t have to say anything – it’s enough to be.
- If you want to speak – say what comes out by itself, without a plan, without a goal.
- The most beautiful moments are when you both sit in silence and smile.
- Don’t be afraid to be silent – they love it.
- You don’t have to “prove” or “show” them anything – they already see it anyway.
Very short cheat sheet for recognition in 30 seconds Link to heading
- Talks mainly about body, food, money, sex, appearance → Hylic
- Talks mainly about feelings, relationships, morality, guilt, love → Psychic
- Talks little or laughs for no reason, likes silence, doesn’t judge, doesn’t correct → Pneumatic