Face reading

Face reading describes the procedure in which statements about a person's personality, emotional state or health are made based on a person's face. The basis is the assumption that a person's external appearance and character, psyche and vitality are mutually dependent. Face reading is the umbrella term for numerous scientifically unrecognized techniques that can be assigned to the area of esotericism , such as facial diagnostics or physiognomics . The scientific study of facial expressions , which is used to diagnose mental illnesses, is known as facial expression analysis.

history

Historical beginnings in China

"Fortune telling" or "prophecy" has played a role in China for over 7,000 years, including chiromancy (the art of palmistry). About 2,000 years ago, however, face reading, called Siang Mien in Chinese, emerged as the preferred technique because in the eyes of those seeking advice it turned out to be the most reliable method. The beginnings of Siang Mien cannot be precisely dated. Even if its tradition is estimated to be several thousand years old, its roots cannot be derived from the I Ching , the oldest and most famous Chinese book. Despite everything, it still influences the general development of Chinese culture to this day. Siang Mien masters were mostly Taoist monks. Initially, they only passed on their knowledge orally. Only the imperial palace library in Beijing preserved some writings, some of which were lost due to external violence. More recently, writings have been published that claim to be in the tradition of these older works. Guigu zi (475–403 BC), the master from the valley of the demons , taught in one of the most famous schools that passed this knowledge on . As well as being an expert in face reading, he was also a master of military strategy. One of Guigu Zi's most famous students became Sun Bin . The conqueror Qin Shihuangdi , the first emperor of China, decreed that all existing writings and records about Siang Mien should be burned. The largest mausoleum was also built for Qin Shihuangdi . This includes a terracotta army of several thousand , which, in a remarkable way, has individual facial features for each figure. The philosopher Confucius (551-479 BC) was familiar with the teaching of face reading. The saying goes down from him: “A child cannot do anything for his face, but the adult is responsible for his appearance!” Later Chinese rulers were also interested in the art of Siang Mien. General Chiang Kai-Shek (1887–1975) used facial analysis to help make correct personnel selection decisions. As a result of Mao Zedong's takeover , old traditions and wisdom such as Siang Mien, palm reading and the I Ching were banned in China for about four decades. This can be traced back to the fact that religion was viewed as poison and all ancient Chinese techniques as feudal superstition. In modern China, the powerful generally have a very relaxed relationship with traditions. Feng Shui , Tai Chi , Kung Fu , traditional Chinese medicine and many other typical Chinese techniques have again become an integral part of society and are also finding supporters outside of it. This also includes the art of reading the face, the Siang Mien that has regained popularity in recent years.

Face reading in Europe in the Middle Ages and modern times

Besides the Chinese, other high cultures were also familiar with this technique. Evidence of this can be found particularly among the Greeks. One of the most important doctors of antiquity, Hippocrates of Kos (460-370 BC), wrote numerous records on this. These include, above all, his observations on the faces of the dying. In medicine, the facial expression of the deceased, known as Facies Hippocratica, is still used by some doctors as a sign of death. Hippocrates also saw a connection between a person's physique and character . Our culture was influenced by the Greeks well into the Middle Ages. It was only here that this knowledge, which was now thousands of years old, encountered restrictions and rejection on the part of strict religious guardians of the church. The Inquisition disapproved of face reading as magic and superstition . With the beginning of the modern era, stimulated by the general increase in interest in ancient teachings, some scholars became more interested in the traditional ancient writings. The Swiss doctor Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim , better known as Paracelsus (1493–1541), summarized his knowledge of nature and man in a new medicine . He concluded that everything that goes on inside the body can also be seen on the outside. Man's appearance is also directly related to his peace of mind. Another representative was the Neapolitan doctor Giambattista della Porta (1535-1615). His work "Magia naturalis" published in 1558 made him famous. The polymath provided with "De humana physiognomia" 1586 is an important foundation for further development. His methodology also influenced the Dutchman Peter Camper (1722–1789). The professor of surgery also devoted himself to painting in his free time , which brought him close to studying human facial features. So he tried to trace face shapes back to principles in his physiognomic studies.

The doctor and anatomist Franz Joseph Gall (1758–1828) established a connection between the character traits and the shape of the skull of a person through the phrenology he founded . As a result of his work, phrenology became extremely popular in the 19th century, both in science and in the lay public. The Scottish anatomist Sir Charles Bell (1774–1842), the Italian neurologist Paolo Mantegazza (1831–1910) and the French Guillaume Duchenne de Boulogne (1806–1875) carried out research on physiognomy. Surely the most famous doctor at the time, who described the connection between the health of his patients and their facial expressions, was Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland (1762–1836).

Wilhelm Heinrich Schüßler (1821–1898) was also influenced by the knowledge of facial diagnostic signs , who founded his teaching of facial analysis , also known as sun show, an independent form of therapy apart from medical science. Schüßler postulated that a person's mineral requirement is reflected in their face. Therapies with the so-called Schuessler salts have numerous supporters today, despite their condemnation by medicine. Carl Huter (1861–1912), born in Heinde, founded his own esoteric doctrine with psycho-physiognomics . His writings assume connections between a person's wrinkles and their way of life and illnesses. He also interpreted discoloration, shades of color and sheen in this way. By his death he published about 30 extensive books, including his main work, "Knowledge of human beings, body shapes and facial expression studies" (1904–1906), which was summarized in five volumes.

In addition to these more or less esoteric teachings apart from scientific research, work continued on the topic within science. The famous English naturalist Charles Darwin published his work The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals in 1872 . The French physiologist Guillaume-Benjamin Duchenne also dealt with the topic.

Aside from medical facial expression analysis, there are still numerous therapists from the esoteric or New Age movement who deal with the subject. The Swiss Natale Ferronato , the non-medical practitioner Hans-Dieter Bach and the doctor Anton Markgraf , for example, received a lot of attention . Another contemporary representative is the German Eric Standop, who founded a Facereading Academy in Hong Kong in 2009 .

Methods

Face diagnostics

The face diagnostics (also: Sonnerschau ) is the study of the symptoms of the human face, that is by recognizing the first health disorders, nutritional deficiencies to disease in the face. The face diagnostics assumes that in every face the disease and physical deficits are written mostly already before giving to recognize the symptoms all over the body or cause pain. The skin shows corresponding traces with increasing years. Face diagnostics differentiate between discoloration, gloss and shadow formation, swellings and wrinkles. Wrinkles in particular give the face an unmistakable profile, can provide clues about the state of mind and life to date, and can reveal acute deficits. The path to recovery is also described on the face, which can be read off with the help of facial diagnostics. Methods for recognizing diseases and other physical deficits include the sun show mentioned above or tongue diagnostics , which in turn is part of traditional Chinese medicine ( TCM ). It has been handed down that the most important doctors of antiquity and the late Middle Ages, such as Hippocrates of Kos (460-377 BC) and Paracelsus (1493-1541), read the disease from the faces of patients. This knowledge was also used in the Middle Ages. The healing nun and abbess Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179) produced a large number of literary works and, last but not least, coined the phrase: "The eyes are the gateway to the soul." The vernacular also uses different expressions for sick or supposedly healthy faces. Phrases such as: “You're pale as a sheet”, the “schnapps nose” or the term “Rotbäckchen” testify to this connection.

Iris diagnostics

In addition to brief mentions at the time of the ancient Egyptians and again in the 15th century, Philippus Meynes created the basics of iris diagnostics or iridology around 1670 . This essentially uses three features of the eye to learn something about a person's personality and state of health. In addition to the sclera (white skin of the eyes ), which is particularly important for facial diagnosticians, these are the eye ( iris skin ) and the pupil . In the diagnostic procedure, the color of the eye, the brightness of the iris, possible gradations and patterns, deposits and deposits of different shapes and sizes, color differences in the sclera and also the blood vessels play an important role.

Physiognomy

The term physiognomy is made up of the Greek words for body ( physis ) and mark (gnoma) and thus describes the doctrine according to which conclusions can be drawn about a person's character and personality through the body structure and facial features. In addition, pathophysiognomics specifically deals with the reading of diseases, health disorders and their therapy . Physiognomics was first mentioned in antiquity by well-known scholars such as Aristotle , Cicero or Seneca , until it reached its heyday in the Age of Enlightenment. While the general facial features say something about a person's personality , facial expressions and gestures reveal something about a person's emotional world. Seen in this way, physiognomics is the appropriate technique for recognizing the personality structure as well as the preferences, talents and life tasks of a person. The facial expression, on the other hand, reveals something about current processes in a person and what he feels and thinks at the moment.

The Chinese, who practice face reading not only as an art or technology, but even as a science, pay close attention to the face of their counterpart in order to obtain more information than that which their interlocutor gives them through mere conversation. This practice, called Siang Mien, has a tradition that goes back thousands of years. It includes both the recognition of disease features of the face, which is also used in traditional Chinese medicine, and the determination of the personality. From the face diagnostics , the Siang Mien differs insofar also information can be provided about the fate of a man. "Fortune-telling" has also played a role in China for over 7,000 years, including chiromancy (palmistry). For about 2,000 years, however, face reading has emerged as the most important method because it is the most reliable in the eyes of those seeking advice. Siang Mien masters only passed on their knowledge orally. Only the imperial palace library kept some writings that were lost due to wars, fires and theft. Only in recent times has the orally transmitted knowledge been recorded again in lectures and writings. These enable interested parties to gain an insight into an ancient art and an unadulterated view of people.

facial expressions

When people try to hide their emotions, their facial expressions change very quickly. This also applies if the occurring emotion is unconsciously suppressed. This change in the face, for which a total of 43 facial muscles are responsible, is almost invisible to an untrained eye. They ensure movement and constant change. The knowledge of micro-expressions or micro-expressions makes it possible to recognize a deception or even a lie. Likewise, there are many more emotions, intentions, and true feelings that a face reveals, even when words express otherwise. Sensitive people perceive the change in facial expressions just as subconsciously as the person who sends them. These people do not specifically read the face or evaluate micro-expressions. Rather, they perceive the emotional change intuitively.

phrenology

The Phrenology assumes that the brain, the center of all spiritual activities is a human being. The shape and size of the parts of the brain not only influence the external appearance of the respective person, but also personality, character traits and intellectual abilities. Various sciences made use of this basic assumption developed by Franz Josef Gall and incorporated it into further research, such as in the fields of anthropology , neurology and modern cognitive science . Face reading also uses this context. Due to different face shapes and their combinations, an initial tendency towards character and personality of the person can be made. For more precise and in-depth statements, many other facial features such as eyes , nose , ears, chin and forehead, but also wrinkles and hair are used.

literature

Hans-Dieter Bach: Talking Faces. Know the face and help the body . BIO Ritter, 2003. ISBN 3-920-78836-2

Hans-Dieter Bach: Face diagnosis: Outer characteristics of internal diseases , Vol. 1: Textbook and color atlas for pathophysiognomy and visual diagnosis. Bio Verlag Ritter, 2007. ISBN 3-920-78832-X

Hans-Dieter Bach: Face diagnosis: external characteristics of internal diseases , vol. 2, disease and tongue. Bio Verlag Ritter, 2008. ISBN 3-920-78834-6

Eric Standop: Face Reading - Face Reading: Character and Personality . Schirner, 2012. ISBN 3-843-41069-0

Anja Bender and Eric Standop: Face Reading - Face Reading Intuitive: With empathy for understanding human nature . Schirner, 2016. ISBN 3-843-41233-2

Eric Standop, Philipp Katumba: Face Reading - Face Reading: Seeing and understanding diseases . Schirner, 2013. ISBN 3-843-41113-1

Eric Standop: Face reading - Recognize mineral deficiency and metabolic weakness to compensate . Schirner 2013. ISBN 3-843-45067-6

Natale Ferronato, Andreas Halstenberg: Practice of Pathophysiognomics: Textbook and picture atlas of the signs of disease in the face . Haug reference book, 2014. ISBN 3-830-47686-8

Natale Ferronato, Günter Baumgart: It has nothing to do with magic . Koch, 2014. ISBN 3-944-49705-8

Paul Ekman, Susanne Kuhlmann-Krieg: Reading feelings: How to recognize and correctly interpret emotions . Spectrum Academic Publishing House, 2010. ISBN 3-827-42568-9

Paul Ekman, Thorsten Havener : I know that you lie: what faces reveal . Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag, 2011. ISBN 3-499-62718-3

Fritz Aerni, Carl Huter : Handbook of human knowledge . Carl-Huter-Verlag, 2016. ISBN 3-037-41124-4

Fritz Aerni: Textbook of human knowledge: Introduction to Huter's psychophysiognomics and callisophy . Carl-Huter-Verlag, 2003. ISBN 3-037-41109-0

Fritz Aerni, Carl Huter: Knowledge of human nature: through body, life, soul and facial expression studies on new scientific foundations . Carl-Huter-Verlag, 1992. ISBN 3-037-41307-7

Amandus Kupfer , Carl Huter, Siegfried Kupfer: Basics of practical human knowledge according to Carl Huter's psycho-physiognomics, study volume 1. Nature and character . Schwaig Huter, 1964.

Franz Josef Gall : New discoveries in the brain, scheduler and organ theory . - Primary Source Edition. Nabu Press, 2014. ISBN 1-295-84803-1

Franz Josef Gall, Lewis Winslow: On the Functions of the Brain and of Each of Its Parts: On the Origin of the Moral Qualities and Intellectual Faculties of Man, and the Conditions of Their Manifestation . Nabu Press 1709 ?.

Kurt Hickethier : Sun show. Textbook of facial diagnostics. The key to the successful application of biochemistry, balneology and dietetics . Depke, 1976.

Nelson Sizer: Heads and Faces: And How to Study Them; A Manual of Phrenology and Physiognomy for the People (Classic Reprint). Forgotten Books, 2012.

Patrician McCarthy: The Face Reader: Discover Anyone's Personality, Compatibility, Talents, and Challenges Through Face Reading . Dutton Adult, 2007. ISBN 0-525-95000-1

Gustav Scheve: Phrenological pictures: On the natural theory of the human mind and their application to life . JJ Weber, 1874.

Wilma Castrian: Textbook of Psycho-Physiognomics: Face Diagnostics for Practice . Karl F. Hauf, 2010. ISBN 3-830-47327-3

Mary Olmstead Stanton: The Encyclopaedia of Face and Form Reading, a Complete Summary of Character Analysis. Physical and Mental Traits Revealed . FA Davis Company, 1920.

Johann Christian Müller: Fragments From The Life And Change Of A Physiognomist: A Counterpart To Musäus Physiognomischen Journeys . Francke et al., 1790.