Some cultures wear big disks in their lips and ears, does this have spiritual meaning or just for appearance?

In the cultures I have studied in Africa, Asia and S. America I have found no evidence of a spiritual connection. For example the women in Africa and Asia wear neck rings to give their necks the appearance of being longer. It's simply considered beautiful among their peoples. The same is true with the lip discs and body piercings. After all beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

Hi there.. what you mentioned above is just a cultural thing... every culture has a slightly different perspective of beauty... In some cultures people with really long necks are described attractive.. for which since chilhood they are made to wear many circular ring like disks around their neck... Increasing the number of disks gradually to make the neck grow longer... Some cultures encourage slightly elongated skull structure, so immediately after birth piece of cloth is tightly wrapped around the head to help the growing skull into a shape.. So, it's all just a cultural thing...

It has no spiritual meaning. It's just the influence of the American cosmetics and jewelry industry. They are having more influence on foreign cultures than even the French these days.

I have a bridge for sale.

we shldnt mix culture and religion. wearing those rings is cultural and God knows how it started and stayed on. i suppose it takes all kinds to make this world interesting, colorful and fantastic. as for spirituality it depends on the individual to have it, imbibe it etc. sometimes it can mix sometimes it cannot. there was an article about a women who talks about sex in the religious way - the way she perceive it through her religion. others criticize her for mixing the two as we shouldnt drag religion into something personal and seen in a diff dimension

I often wonder why...then again, I have seen some young women in New York wearing HUGE earrings...maybe it's spiritual after all.

It's just a cultural thing, I don't think it has spiritual meaning.

They are African, and are traditional costumes, or regalia. They have no spiritual meaning. As Africa becomes more urbanized, those tribal customs are being discouraged by people entering workforces in larger cities.

No, they think it is beautiful. To them it is.

Just look at some of the things we 'civilized folk' do to get attention.

Actually it's a sexual attraction thing.