INFJs, beneath an empathetic, reserved exterior, are deeply
serious persons, inviolately committed to serving others and to helping
others fulfill their deeply held dreams - so long as their own personally
held, deep convictions are not violated.
This type is "Joan of Arc" in modern-day dress, living to
"war" on behalf of those likely to be outcasts of society, for those unable
or unwilling to defend themselves against anything that militates against
the sanctity of the selfhood of mankind.
Deadly serious, INFJs are found where "the needy" are -
whether in the corridors of political or economic power, the corporate
structures, academic institutions, the religious systems, social systems
ministering to the economically impoverished - really, wherever "the impoverished"
are economically, psychologically, socially, physically, spiritually.
These are activists---through speech, music, stage, through
deeds, pen, sword, thought, influence---"for the cause and not for the
glory" of personal aggrandizement---INFJs will be heard or seen, even though
their natural, preferential arena is to be "out-of-sight".
INFJs champion the causes of the downtrodden of life. They hurt with
those who hurt and are deeply affected by the suffering of humankind.
INFJs seek an arena where a role of effectiveness may
impact the lives of others---whether that be in the field of psychotherapy,
medicine, teaching, writing, the performing stage, the arts---the "healing"
arts are the venue of lifetime dedication to the healing of "nations".
INFJs naturally defend the defenseless, appealing to the higher
nature in man. Although they are gentle and compassionate by
nature - even toward the perpetrator - they are formidable in "battle"
and seek to be unswerving in virtue. However, if unindividuated,
they can be vengeful, secretly pleased when someone gets their "just desserts".
Otherwise, they can even be found to feel remorse for anyone who "hurts".
INFJs are moved through inner conviction and, therefore, are not apt to
follow the lead of others unless the cause is one they can wholeheartedly
support.
INFJs are extraordinarily insightful and can "peg" a less than
honourable cause intuitively.
They can "see" what many others cannot and are rarely fooled
or manipulated by others. They are "there" because they WANT to be.
Though many count them as friends, in truth, INFJs friendships
match their value-systems and their friendships are few but deep.
They have the ability to form friendships that do not need "presence" in
order to flourish.
Being peace-loving, sensitive and reserved, INFJs are not apt
to express their personal feelings publicly. Few are those with whom
the INFJ can share their most intimate feelings candidly. Indeed,
if their causes did not draw them forth, INFJs have the capacity to be
reclusive in daily living.
They are nurturing, deeply loving and aware of the simplest
need of those with whom they form symbiotic bonds. Their form of
caring transcends the ordinary.
When their needs are met the INFJ is capable of the deepest
levels of intimacy. In truth, many are drawn to them expecting intimacy
because of the INFJs' natural empathetic way of relating, much to the puzzlement
of the INFJ, for they are impersonally personal in their empathizing
ways.
In that they are inherently sacrificial in relating, as
leaders - as with Joan of Arc, their prototype - they are capable of inspiring
deep levels of devotion from their followers, which is often puzzling to
those outside the sphere of their influences.
INFJs are facile in nonverbal communication, intuitive to the
"unseen" environment, able in the written word, gifted in understanding,
fluent in speech and - yet do not naturally seek the limelight in
that they are retiring by nature.
It is imperative that INFJs have "quiet time" during which they
process the inner life and find replenishment for energies expended living
daily in an ES culture. Their lack of natural extraversion
and sensing processes make many of them feel disadvantaged in coping with
the normal "enjoyments" culturally and many INFJs find themselves suffering
physically, their muscles "knotted" from tension and stressful living.
The truly defining capacity of INFJs is the ability to tap the
inner life, plumbing the depths of the collective unconscious as relentlessly
as a moth drawn to the flame. In the quiet of their souls,
INFJs live a spiritual inner life of such clarity, depth, broadness and
passion - transcending the traditional religious "system of things" - that
many are known as great spiritual leaders, teachers, prophets, mystics
whose greatest yearning is to be in unending union with The Divine - with
God .
