The Chinese have done it for longer than 2500 years - they still are. And more and more Westerners are doing it today. From a person's face you can read amazing amount of information: the facial features and other characteristics show personality qualities such as the temperament, potential, disposition, creativity, and whether the person is, or will be, fortunate or not so fortunate. It also reveals sex life, popularity and life expectancy. The face provides the answers to your most important questions about compatibility with a potential life partner, prospects for success in business, and creates a successful life plan. Face reading provides valuable knowledge that can help us make the right decisions about the people we meet and deal with, and it can give us insight into ourselves.

This time, I'm talking about the shape of the face. It is the first aspect we should pay attention. In the Chinese studies there are five elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Gold, and Wood, and each one is associated with a particular face shape. There are also three common face shapes that are combinations of two elements: Gold and Wood, Water and Wood, Fire and Wood; however, any elemental face type may combine with any other element, and in combinations, elements may help or hinder one another.

What you can learn right away about yourself or someone else from the elements is the easiest part of face reading: All pure types are effective people. All mixed types are either positive or stressful, depending on the beneficial or detracting effect of the combined elements and the degree to which the weakening element is present. And in choosing a partner, it is wise not to choose someone of your own element.

In Hollywood - my favorite examples - very much is based on these elements. When casting a feature film or a TV show, the Casting Director reads the features on the candidate's face and interprets the element of that face. Some do it knowingly, some without knowing the great Eastern wisdoms. For instance, Hollywood is full of celebrities with Gold element on their faces, the well-balanced oblong face - because they are beautiful to see and easy to follow (with this I mean that it is easy for people to follow their example&). They are winners and leaders. For a role of a spiritual character they would cast an actor with lots of Wood element. The head is narrow on the bottom and grows wider on the top. And many other features that subconsciously tell us about the person - and are studied in face reading - also appear on the face of our favorite on-screen characters.

Good celebrity examples are:

Halle Berry - she has a beautiful face: Everything is perfectly balanced. All three zones are of equal length. This is a Gold face with luminous eyes, and the whole look is very elegant. Often Gold people marry another Gold person because they associate in similar social surroundings. Gold does better, however, with the solid Earth, who provides the needed strength that Earth can give.

Jim Carrey - the Wood element is very dominant in this face. And what is interesting is that the chin is also very strong. Usually Wood people have a small chin and it would mean that old days are not very good. But if your chin is as strong as his, your old days are quite comfortable. We can see from his eyes that he is a romantic dreamer, intellectual and good at money matters. His ears tell that he is adventures and likes to go his own way.

Gwyneth Paltrow - the face has a lot of Earth element in it. Earth people need a secure home and they often stay in one place. They are still, patient and stable. Their word is their bond. An Earth person often marries another Earth type even though a better partner would be one who has Fire in his face.

Leonardo DiCaprio - combination of Water and Wood. This is a heart-shaped face and usually a heart-shaped face belongs to a woman. They are very kind-hearted. They have a kind of feminine side in them; they are very nurturing. The eyebrows are dominant so he is capable of achieving fame in the theatre, the arts or anything that brings him before the public.

Face reading is fascinating, and I will continue next month. In the mean time, you can find more info at facereading.cx. After all, you face tells all!