The entire article is here. https://www.firstforwomen.com/posts/mental-health/sanpaku-eyes The excerpts where I am quoted are below.
According to the ancient tradition of Japanese face reading, “sanpaku,” you can learn something interesting about people from how much of the whites of their eyes show. For most of us, the whites of our eyes only show on either side of our iris (the colored part of our eye). But for some folks, the whites (or sclera) show underneath the iris — this is known as “yin sanpaku.” In other people — and this is quite rare — the whites show above the iris — this is known as “yang sanpaku.” Read on to learn what these different types of eyes indicate about the people who have them — including the late Princess Diana.Yin sanpaku, or white under the iris, is believed by practitioners of traditional Japanese face reading to signal physiological turmoil, owing to drug abuse or overindulgence, and may hint at future struggles in life. People with whites below the iris may view the outside world as a danger — which could said of the three of the celebrity examples below: Marilyn Monroe, JFK and Princess Diana. “Singer Billie Eilish, Diana Ross, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Twiggie, Princess Diana and President John F. Kennedy all have or had this trait,” reveals body language expert Patti Wood author of Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma.
She adds that while sanpaku is a mystical tradition, science tells us that scleral show can be attributed to several factors from good old-fashioned genetics to health conditions like thyroid issues, which may cause the whites of the eyes to become more pronounced. Long before we had the science of body language, people were already ‘seeing things’ in the eyes,” says Wood. “That’s because eyes are the first part of the body we look at — they’re a key indicator of one’s emotional state and can signal the next action a person may take by what they’re looking at or focusing on.
What is a ‘reptilian stare’?
“The whites of the eyes are the first thing I notice when I look at police photos or a ‘perp walk,’” reveals Wood, who once consulted as a police officer trainer. She explains the wide, cold glare of serial killer Ted Bundy or Bryan Kohlberger, who is suspected of killing four college students last year, exposes more of the whites of their eyes. This sends chills down our spine because it activates the limbic system, triggering our fight-or flight-response—the body’s version of a fire alarm warning us of danger.
What is the ‘hypnotic gaze’?
While running into a Jack-Nicholson-in-the-Shining-esque psycho with an exaggerated “sanpaku stare” is about as likely as aliens touching down on Earth tomorrow, what is sadly more realistic is interacting with a narcissist. One trick of their manipulative trade is known as the “hypnotic gaze.”
“This is a focused and intense stare that makes you feel like they love and adore you in a way you’ve never felt from anyone before,” observes Wood. Trouble is a malignant narcissist may intentionally use this gaze as a weapon. “They might look at you intently during a conversation, but as soon as you question them, like ‘Why were you late for dinner?’ they’ll immediately drop their focus, making you feel horrible
They “hook” you on their laser-focused attention, then pull the rug out from you, leaving you disoriented and full of misplaced self-blame.
It’s helpful to note that psychologically healthy people — very charismatic folks, to be specific— also employ the “hypnotic gaze” to make you feel seen and heard, says Wood. But the key difference is a narcissist will use this strategy to exercise control over you.
Just knowing this is part of their larger arsenal of love bombing — showering you with compliments and attention — only to withdraw them on a whim, will shift the power dynamic in your relationship and help you create healthy boundaries.
How do you spot ‘lying eyes’?
Another “Pinocchio” signal to look for? Watch for someone’s blink rate to suddenly tick up. A rate of 40 blinks per second is normal, notes Wood, but if you, say, ask your teenager a question, like “Where were you last night?” and their eyes are instantly aflutter, it may indicate increased anxiety owing to deception, because we tend to blink more when emotions are high.
