Ancient Husband Attraction..."Body Alteration"
Foot binding, bottom rib removal, lip plates, stretched necks adorned with twenty gold rings, pierced ears and tattoos have been all about catching a mate. In the name of beauty women have done some crazy things to themselves.
CHINESE FOOT BINDING – In the name of beauty
Over 1000 years ago the prince's concubine, Yao Niang, walked so gracefully it appeared as if she was "skimming over the top of golden lilies." Chinese Foot Binding became all the rage.
Suddenly every man wanted a woman with beautiful 3 to 4 inch "Lotus Blossom" feet. Young girl’s feet were wrapped tightly with cloth binding. This stunted foot growth from the age of 6 yrs old. As young girls endured their pain, they embroidered and beaded tiny slippers in preparation for their reward, a "Cindarella prince" husband. In the name of beauty women altered themselves. Here are two tiny pairs of 4 to 5 inch women's shoes.
TINY 16 - 18 INCH WAISTS WERE CREATED BY CORSETS SO TIGHT THEY INJURED INTERNAL ORGANS. BOTTOM RIBS WERE REMOVED IN THE NAME OF BEAUTY.
A 2008 model's blog reports a new procedure is being done by an L.A. surgeon for models. Their bottom ribs are removed to give the appearance of a sleek svelte waist line. This procedure is nothing new. A few Victorian women of wealth and drama had thier bottom ribs removed. In these days sugery was often risky and led to infection. In the name of beauty they altered them selves.
LIP PLATES - In the Name of Beauty - Southwest Ethiopia
Southwest, Ethiopia, women altered themselves for a husband. {Tribal Alteration is again becoming the style for some modern people who see it as a spiritual rite.}
Little by little a plug of wood in the lips becomes a disk, which then leads to a plaque. The warrior of her tribe who marries her will be the only one allowed to do this procedure, and is a claim of marriage. In persuit of marriage women alter themsleves
EAR PIERCING - In the name of beauty
Ear piercing was first used as a rite of passage. As in the case of Egyptians, Romans, Greeks as well as Tribal cultures of the world, ear piercing was a way to show wealth and status.
Ear Piercing is still a celebration passage. Young girls mark maturity by wearing pierced earrings. In young adulthood as sexuality and allurement reach their peak, ear piercing and even face piercing become more elaborate. Make no doubt about it, ear piercing is about physical allurement.
TATOOS - In the name of Beauty
While young and supple, skin tattoos can be stunningly exotic and alluring. In the name of allurement, women alter themselves.
Neck Rings - "The Long Neck Tribe" of Burmese-Thai
The women walk slowly and stately as if in a dream. From the age of 6, each year a few rings are snapped around a young girls neck until 20 rings in all have created a long giraffe neck. Only on their wedding night do the women remove the rings.
After their wedding night, one of the only nights the rings come off, the rings must go back on as the women's neck muscles are too weak. In the name of beauty they alter themselves.
Spiritual Message: We all define the attraction methods in which we, or our children, will be allowed to allure mates. Whether it is of the body through alteration, or by absorbing knowledge to allure with the intellect, it is a personal and cultural choice. The struggel is often hardest for the parents watching new styles come and go. It seems once the flamboyant mating dance of youth is completed it is the job of the next generation to watch and shake their head in disbelief. As women of the NOW we have come a long ways in our personal rights to claim spiritual happiness and how we will attract.