By Janet Shin
In the Orient, people have their faces read to foresee their destiny. Face reading is based on visible facts and uses statistical methods, so it has a different theoretical background from saju or other divinations.
I often tell people that the face is like our resume to show how we have lived or live, think, and behave, while it also reflects the environment and genetic factors, of course. You may expect that beauty is an important factor to determine whether one is likable or not. But people do not judge others only by beauty. First impressions are more influenced by feelings-anxiety or pleasure and thoughts whether they are negative or positive, flexible or rigid, sick or healthy and so on.
Oriental face-reading originates from ancient China with an almost 3,000-year history. And it has also a historical background of Greek philosophers. Physiognomy in English consists of physis to mean nature or the principle of the change and gnomon. Gnomon is the part of a sundial that casts the shadow. But it also means, as an ancient Greek word, “indicator”, “one who discerns”, or “that which reveals” according to a dictionary. Referring to the relationship between appearance and personality, Aristotle said, “As man or animal gain new emotional traits, expression can sometimes be conveyed by differentiating his or her own appearance. These emotional traits however must be changes in one’s natural desires.”
Face reading has recently re-emerged as some reports showed that characteristics such as credibility, social domination, and aggression are seen in one’s face. For example, most aggressive people have wider face owing to the adolescent male hormone.
Without theoretical knowledge of face reading, we have a habit of reading other people’s faces when it is hard to confirm the relationship with others just by rational judgment.
Each society or culture has its own standards of beauty. They are often reflected in how people get their plastic or cosmetic surgery and make themselves up.
I have been asked many times whether plastic surgery, or cosmetic procedure changes one’s destiny. My answer is yes. It is just like a cesarean. If a baby was born by cesarean, the baby’s destiny is determined by the cesarean day and time.
However, in most cases, one has individual tastes about one’s appearance and the baby is not always born on the scheduled date.
So if one decided to get plastic surgery in a certain way, or fix a date for a cesarean, it is also part of their destiny. However, as you all know, it doesn’t always improve one’s fortune.
When it comes to eyebrows, for example, some like longer ones, others not, some like thicker or slanted, others like dropped ones. In many comedies, those who have dropped eyebrows are portrayed as fools. But actually they are not fools but more like wheeler-dealers.
Rep. Hong Jun-pyo of the ruling Grand National Party showed up with his eye brows tattooed. He explained that he lost eyebrow hairs due to recent stress, so in order to give stronger impression he got them tattooed. I got an interesting impression looking at his face ― changed by the eyebrows.
In Oriental face reading, the face is divided into three parts.
●The first part is from hair line above forehead to eyebrows. It is called upper face, or “heaven” to read one’s given destiny or reputation. (0-34 years old)
●The second part is from eyelid (below eyebrows) to the end of a nose. It is called middle face, or “human” to read one’s ambition, marriage, business and love. (35-50 years old)
●The third part is from the end of a nose to the end of a chin. It is called bottom face or “earth” to read one’s latter life and how to manage others and maintain property. (51-71 years old)
Businessmen usually give stronger impressions in “middle face”-human parts, while spiritual leaders have stronger “upper face”-heaven parts.
Face readers usually look at the forehead (upper face) as well as the mouth and chin (lower face) to judge politicians. Although the forehead is a representative part to show one’s reputation and a chin shows managerial ability, I make certain to examine a person’s eyebrows to read interpersonal skills and the mouth to read their mental attitude.
It is interesting to compare and analyze how politicians behave and react to issues according to their face shapes.
It is not just a coincidence that the leader of the ruling party showed up with thicker eyebrows. And why Ahn Cheol-soo, a famed software mogul, declined to run Seoul mayoral by-election, was also seen by his mouth.
Info: Are you interested in learning more about the ancient Chinese teaching about the “Four Pillars of Destiny”? Saju (Ancient Chinese Teaching ― Four Pillars of Destiny) or a face reading workshop is held in Itaewon, Seoul.
For further information, contact Janet at 010-5414-7461 or email janetshin@hotmail.com.
The writer is the president of the Heavenly Garden, a saju research center in Korea, and the author of “Learning Four Pillars” For more information, visit her website at www.fourpillarskorea.com
No comments:
Post a Comment