Cultural views on the navel Early Japanese poems feature many references to the female navel. In some, the word "navel" actually refers to an indentation or hole instead of the belly button. The shape of the umbilicus of a newborn baby would be discussed at length. If a baby's navel points downward, the parents would brace themselves for a weakling child who will bring them woe. The thunder god Raijin, with his terrifying drums, great horns, and long tusks, was said to have an insatiable appetite for young navels, and mothers had to nag their youngsters constantly to keep themselves well covered up. Due to
Navel displacement Navel displacement Navel displacement is a purported condition in Yogic beliefs when the navel centre is thought to shift. Determining whether the navel is displaced is done by the following procedure: Navel displacement is said to be caused by lifting heavy weights, routine hard work, sexual activity and sometimes skipping meals. Constipation, gastric troubles, lack of appetite and stomach ache are among the many purported symptoms of navel displacement. Diagnosis of such a condition is common in some parts of North India. The diagnosis is made by villager healers, who recite mantras, tie roots to the afflicted body, or draw