Nature's Symmetry In Our Bodies

May 23, 2021

I have been arguing that people come evolutionarily speaking from three "tribes": hunter-

gatherers, farmers and pastoralists. These tribes were variously identified in Ancient lore,

e.g. vata, pitta and kapha in Ayurveda. Many classifications used the elements (Myers-Briggs

types in parentheses):

We are to some extent all mixed, but also kept apart by assortative mating. Initially, my

interest was in personality differences. However, my research progressively started to

uncover physiological traits (sleep, digestion) as well as physical traits. So, I started

researching which physical traits may give away our main temperament type.

Body shapes are closely correlated with body types. However, most people mix up
ectomorphs with skinny or low BMI and endomorphs with the opposite attributes. All three
body types come in skinny, muscular and overweight. However, ectomorphs are typically the
ones who find it hardest to gain weight (when they do, they tend to balloon, though) and
endomorphs put on weight most easily, with mesomorphs often being the most athletic
types. 

Here are the body shapes that typically go with each evolutionary type. You will find that they

typically will also have the facial and hand features discussed above. Evolution shows a high

degree of symmetry when it comes to our bodies. Gatherer heart-shaped faces go together

with a pear-shaped figure (inverted heart shape) and “water” hands with long fingers

(obviously ideal for gathering). Farmer types have rectangular body types that go together

with square hands and square or rounded (high estrogen version) head shape. 
Here are the three types, each in a more testosterone dominated (angular) as well a more

estrogen (curved) dominated form. 

Forager types have triangular basic types, with wide thighs and narrower shoulders. The
high estrogen version is pear-shaped. This shape is typically associated with high BMI where
it is most obvious, but on closer inspection, you will find it with skinny people like Keira
Knightly too. 
Keira Knightly. Ectomorph, pear-shaped (inverted heart-shaped) body shape, 0.75 waist to
hip ratio, heart-shaped face, water hands, a bit bony and angular: ENFP with a lot of T. This
body type may easily be mistaken for a rectangular type, however the curvature and the
pronounced waist makes it clear that the basic body shape is triangular.

Pastoralist types are typically mesomorphs. This is the most athletic type and the majority of
professional sportspeople.  Pretty much all famous soccer players like Beckham, Messi,
Maradona and Pelé belong to this group (see here for more). The basic body shape for this
type is an inverted triangle. This body type is naturally considered the sexiest. For men it’s
easiest to achieve that desired V-shaped upper body and for women that desired hour-glass
shape. 
Pastoralist type women are the ones who win most Miss World trophies and are frequently
found among actresses, singers, models and artists.  They have wide hips, wide shoulders
and a very pronounced waist. They most naturally achieve a low waist to hip ratio.
Psychologists find that a ratio of .7 is considered sexiest by most men. 

Scarlett Johansson: hourglass shape (0.65 waist to hip ratio), diamond head shape, high
cheekbones, high nose bridge, straight eyebrows. ISTP

Farmer types are the easiest to identify. Their body parts are the most symmetric:
rectangular/round body shape, square/round face and square hand shape. 
Selena Gomez is a great example for a farmer type that may be mistaken for an ectomorph.
However, her body shape is rectangular. This shape makes it hard for her to achieve a very
low waist to hip ratio. When overweight farmer types quickly achieve a ratio of >1. Pastoralist
types in contrast tend to put on weight in their backsides so they keep a lower ratio (Nicki
Minaj and Kim Kardashian are famous examples). That is why pastoralist types tend to be
the curviest women. 

Selena Gomez. Rectangular body shape, round face, round hairline, round eyebrows. ISFJ
(kind, helpful, hard-working, reliable, soft and often humble - it’s very hard not to like them). 

When it comes to height, pastoralist types are generally quite tall and farmer types are
shorter. WIth forager types, it can vary much more. Hunter types are typically taller than
average and they are often easily recognizable in the lanky and boney guy.  Gatherer (NF)
types are typically shorter than average and at least until puberty also the shortest kids in
their year at school. When it comes to sexual maturation, pastoralists are the first to start
puberty, followed by farmer types. Forager types are typically the late bloomers.

For more information check out my latest book