Palmistry is a method of divination in which the lines on the hand are interpreted and used to give a reading of the potential future. It is also known as chiromancy, cheiromancy, palm reading, and chirology. People who use palmistry are often known as palmists, palm readers, hand readers, hand analysts or chirologists and many may attend a school of palmistry in order to learn how to read palms. There are a number of different schools of palmistry each with their own beliefs of how to use palmistry to make predictions. Palmistry has been around since ancient times and primarily used in Europe and Asia as far back as Babylon and in cultures from India, China, Persia and ancient Israel. During the Middle Ages it was declared a forbidden art by the Catholic Church, along with necromancy, geomancy, aeromancy, pyromancy, hydromancy, and scapulimancy. Despite this, the practice persisted and is used today.
How is Palmistry used?
Palmistry uses various lines, bumps, the fingers, fingernails, fingerprints, skin patterns, texture, color, palm shape and hand flexibility to do a full reading. Readings are usually done using the dominant hand, or the hand that is usually used for writing as it is often believed to represent the conscious mind. Sometimes the non-dominant hand may be used so that the palmist can use it to see hereditary and family traits, or past-life information. Classic palmistry is the most taught and practiced form of palmistry and comes from the ancient Greek traditions with each area of the palm and hand related to a god or goddess and tied to the nature of that god or goddess.
What are the four types?
Most schools of palmistry teach that you should divide the hand into either four types that are tied to the elements and give a general characteristic of the person.
Air Hands have square palms, long fingers, low-set thumbs and sometimes protruding knuckles and dry skin. The palm is as long as the fingers. These people are often logical and excellent at communication with excellent intuition and a tendency for psychic abilities. They also tend to worry too much. These people are most like Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.
Fire Hands have a square palm with short fingers and often bright pink skin. The palm is usually longer than the fingers. These people tend to be outgoing and persuasive, often the life of the party and terribly fun to be around. However, they frequently burn out, fail to finish projects they start and are prone to impatience. People with these hands are most like Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
Earth Hands have broad palms and fingers, often with thick and coarse skin, and may be healthy colored. The palm is often the same length as the fingers. These people are hard working, practical and often love outdoor living. They tend to be realistic and dependable, though they can also be quick-tempered and stubborn, frequently displaying a lack of patience. They are most related to Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
Water Hands have a long, oval shaped palm and long, flexible fingers. The hands are usually very narrow. These people are driven by their feelings and emotions, often allowing them to dictate their lives. They tend to be sensitive and creative, frequently having trouble coping with stress. They are most similar to Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.
There are three major lines used in palmistry: the heart line, the head line, and the life line. The heart line is used to read love and attraction and is found at the top of the palm under the fingers. The head line starts beneath the index finger and runs across the palm towards the outer edge. It is used to represent the individual and how their mind works. The life line represents general health, well-being and major life changes. It extends from the edge of the palm above the thumb and runs down the curve of the thumb to the wrist.
Some palms may also have a simian crease which is a line in which the heart and head lines have fused meaning that the person tends to be incredibly intent and must be handled with care. Palms may also have a fate line running from the bottom of the palm near the wrist up towards the middle finger expressing the life path of the person. You can learn more about psychics and palmistry by clicking here.
The minor lines in the palm are the sun or Apollo line, bracelet or Rascette lines, children lines, health line, intuition line, relationship line, Girdle of Venus, Ring of Solomon or Jupiter, Ring of Saturn and Ring of Apollo.
Apollo or Sun Line: Used to determine success and good fortune
Bracelet or Rascette Lines: Used to determine health
Children Lines: These lines represent children that are influential in the persons life
Health Line: Used to determine overall health and well-being
Intuition Line: Those with an intuition line are often highly intuitive
Relationship Line: Used to determine the strength of relationships the person is able to commit to
Girdle of Venus: Indicates a person who is highly nervous and emotional
Ring of Solomon or Jupiter: Those with this line often have strong leadership qualities
Ring of Saturn: Rarely found, indicates a person who is unhappy and not living life to the fullest
Ring of Apollo: Rarely found and signifies a blockage in energy
A palmist will also read the bumps and mounts in the palm. These represent the influences of the planets in the life of the person who’s palm is being read. There are seven mounts related to the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. The Mount of Mercury is located beneath the small finger, the Mount of Apollo, or the Sun, beneath the ring finger, the Mount of Saturn beneath the middle finger and the Mount of Jupiter beneath the ring finger. The upper Mars mount is found directly beneath the Mount of Mercury, the lower Mars directly beneath the Mount of Jupiter, and the plane of Mars rests in the middle of the palm. The Mount of Venus is beneath the thumb, and the Mount of Moon sits opposite it.
Mount of Venus: Indicates love, romance, passion and physical appearance
Mount of Jupiter: Indicates the perception of the world, ego, and needs for control
Mount of Saturn: Indicates patience, duty, responsibility, modesty and need for solitude
Mount of the Sun (Apollo): Indicates self-assurance and compassion
Mount of Mercury: Indicates success, finances, and adaptability
Mount of Luna (Moon): Indicates intuition, imagination and creativity
Upper Mount of Mars: Indicates temperament
Lower Mount of Mars: Indicates enthusiasm and aggression
Plane of Mars: Indicates personality and social behaviors
A palmist will also look at any markings that are found on the palm. A palm may contain breaks, chains, crosses, dots, grills, islands, squares, stars, tassels, transverse lines, triangles, vertical lines, tridents, upward lines, downward lines and the letter M.
Breaks: Change in the normal flow of energy or a redirection in the life path
Chains: Obstacles one may face in their life; the length indicates how long the obstacles may last
Crosses: Long term problems, potential harm, outside stresses, spiritualism and mental health
Dots: Poor health, bad relationships, danger, other major negative experiences
Grills: Bewilderment, insecurity, interruptions in life, anxiety
Islands: Periods of high stress, poor health, potential heart disease, fearfulness
Squares: Protection, good luck
Stars: Success, good fortune, success in relationships
Tassels: Confusion and chaos, physical, emotional or spiritual decline
Transverse Lines: Negative sign of depleted energy, sign of a person of ill-repute
Triangles: Success, excellent analytical skills, brain power, sign of someone psychic
Vertical Lines: Positive energy, lessen or neutralize negative lines, sign of a conqueror
Tridents: Has a positive effect on other lines, indicates good fortune in threes
Upward Lines: Sign someone has overcome roadblocks in life through their own will
Downward Lines: Pessimism, unhappiness, negativity, a situation that is out of control
Letter M: Rare; believed to be good fortune, a sign of intuition and the mark of a good person
Lastly, a palmist will look at the fingers. Each of the fingers relates to the mount found beneath it, including the thumb which some palmists disregard as unimportant. A palmist will look at the shape of the finger, including the length to determine its influence on the querent.
Mercury Finger: Rules communication, intuition and relationships
Apollo Finger: Rules creativity, talent, good fortune and likewise success
Saturn Finger: Rules logic, family and balance
Jupiter Finger: Rules ego, success and spirituality
Thumb: Rules logic, power and reasoning skills
