Beauty and fashion trends come and go throughout the years, with some — such as matte makeup, fringe, and ripped jeans — even making comebacks in recent years. The ancient Mayans also sought to be beautiful, but their practices might seem different compared to modern tastes, as they were willing to completely change their bodies to conform to their beauty standards. A smile is a universal expression of happiness, which was also true in Mayan culture. However, the difference came with what you saw when they smiled, as Mayans enjoyed shaping and filing their teeth to sharp points. They then drilled holes through the center of their teeth to insert gems. What Did Mayans Consider to Be ‘Model’ Looks?
Are You Married to a Narcissist?
Here Are Signs You Might Be
When conflict arises in a marriage, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is an underlying personality disorder at work. As we mentioned in the cover story, when one partner in a marriage displays narcissistic tendencies, it can make for a very challenging relationship.
These are four signs to watch for to determine if you are involved with a potential narcissist.
You Feel Cut Off Because narcissists believe that the world (and their marriage) should revolve around them, they often leave their partners feeling isolated from other relationships in their lives. You Experience Gaslighting If your partner says discouraging words to you, uses name-calling, or takes on other forms of negative conduct and then pretends none of it happened or blames it on you, you are likely the victim of gaslighting. In many cases, they say things to you to make you feel like you were wrong in reacting to something they did or said, or they claim no one else would want to be with you — anything they can do to avoid accountability and to convince you that they are your only option. They Enjoy Your Jealousy Since narcissists enjoy your attention, they tend to look for ways to make you feel insecure in the relationship based on an outside person. They may flirt with others in front of you or talk about people from their past to get a reaction from you so that they can watch you vie for their attention. They’re Proud Narcissists In many cases, those who tend to be narcissists are proud of it and will admit to having those traits. One of the best ways to verify your questions is to simply ask them, “Do you agree that you are a narcissist, someone who is egotistical, vain, and self-centered?” Often, they will eagerly confirm your thoughts. Whether or not your spouse is someone who could be clinically diagnosed as a narcissist isn’t the most important element. The main point is to recognize the telltale signs of control so you can take steps to address it with your partner.
Tattoos were also considered stylish among Mayans, but they weren’t like modern tattoos. The big difference in their skin designs was that they were achieved by actually carving into the skin to create 3D wounds. Hair accessories were big during Mayan times — really big. It wasn’t unusual for women to construct large, elaborate headdresses adorned with precious metals and gems and shaped to honor local animals. Another Mayan beauty standard relates to one of their prized crops: corn. It is said that Mayans correlated beauty with face and head structures that were long and narrow, much like an ear of corn. To accomplish that, Mayan families bound the heads of their infant children between two boards while the skull was growing to achieve an extended cranial shape that would last the child’s whole life.
Eyes are a universal source of beauty, but the Mayans thought the ultimate set of beautiful eyes were crossed eyes. To create crossed eyes, they put a band around the heads of children with a bead suspended right in front of their eyes. They continued this until the children were permanently cross-eyed. Noses were also a central sign of beauty among Mayans, and for them, the bigger the better. A large, hooked nose symbolized their bird-like gods and was so important to them that they added specially designed artificial nose bridges that were often multicolored and decorated with gems.
Is your friend or client married to a controlling, manipulative, narcissistic husband?
OUR BOOKS CAN HELP!
Beauty is influenced by cultural values, and the Mayans invested a lot of time, energy, and creativity to achieve their vision of beauty, even if that vastly differs from today’s standards.
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