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Palmistry, The Blueprint of Life Or a Great Party Trick?

Updated on July 10, 2019
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Hi all and welcome to Spirit's blog. Today I would like to share with you the basics of Palmistry and where it came from. Palmistry is a form of divination that utilizes the lines on your hands to tell characteristics or life events. It is also called chiromancy. Similar to Astrology it uses planetary influence. In this post we will look at the differences between Ancient European and Asian beliefs, and modern beliefs. We will look at finding the most important lines in your palm as well.

Palmistry in Ancient Eurasia

Palmistry was practiced in Ancient India, Nepal, Tibet, China, Persia, Sumeria, Israel and Babylonia. For some early practitioners it had roots in Hindu Astrology. Others used the roots traced in the Chinese "Yijing", the classical, sacred, divination text that contains history for two and a half millenia. Palmistry was also primarily used by Gypsies of Europe and the Americas. In the ancient world palmistry originated in India then spread to all the other countries of Ancient Eurasia, including Egypt.

Palmistry in Ancient Greece

In Ancient Greece there was a famous philosopher and palm reader named Anaxagoras. While living in Athens, Anaxagoras studied astrology, palmistry, and other philosophic tendencies. After roughly 30 years of living in Athens he was exiled for impiety, which from my understanding is the ancient equivalent to blasphemy. He spent the remainder of his life in Lampsacus, a nearby Greek city. He continued his studies and practice until death, upon his death the citizens of Lampsacus built an altar to his memory and the belief in his truths.

Aristotle the Greek philosopher happened upon a study of Palmistry one day. In turn he gave said paper to Alexander the Great. Alexander studied it and completely enjoyed knowing the personality of his officers. He routinely studied the lines on their hands.

Palmistry in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages the Catholic Church condemned Palmistry. It claimed that it was just superstition from Pagan beliefs. In the 15th to 16th centuries it was added to the "seven forbidden arts". Those being, necromancy (magic communication with the dead), geomancy (divination from stones on the ground, similar to Feng Shui), aeromancy (divination from atmospheric conditions), pyromancy (divination from fire), hydromancy (divination from water), scapulimancy (divination from animal bones, mostly scapula or shoulder) and chiromancy.

Palmistry in Modern Times

Palmistry gained popularity in 1839 via a publication called "La Chirognomie" by Captain Casimir Stanislas D'Arpentigny. This publication is about his chance encounter with a gypsy girl who read his palms. He then collects information about chiromancy, and begins to practice it on others. This collection also has his findings in palmistry as he practiced.

In 1889 the Chirological Society, in London, was founded by Katharine St.Hill. The goal of this society was to organize palmistry and keep swindlers from abusing the art. In 1897 The American Chirological Society was founded by Edgar de Valcourt-Vermont. The aspiration of this group was the same as their English counterparts.

William John Warner also known as Cheiro, set up a palmistry shop in London. He had learned the techniques from gurus in India. At his shop he had clients that were world famous, such as: Mark Twain, W.T. Stead, Sarah Bernhardt, Oscar Wilde, Grover Cleveland, Thomas Edison and Joseph Chamberlain. Cheiro quickly became known as the "society palmist". Mark Twain (a known skeptic) even wrote in his guest log, "... exposed my character to me with humiliating accuracy".

In 1883 Edward Heron-Allen wrote a book called "Palmistry- A Manual of Cheirosophy". This book is still in publication to this day. It tells of the two branches of chiromancy and how to perform them. In the publication "The Laws of Scientific Hand Reading" by William G. Benham, circa 1900, the author tries to explain chiromancy in a scientific way.

Famous Palm Readers

Charlotte Wolff a famous, German-British, psychotherapist, studied the palms of her patients avidly. The famous, Jamaican, singer and song writer Bob Marley was also a palm reader. Marley started when he was a young 4 years old, and soon after he would have lines of people waiting for a reading. He only quit to start making music. So it is safe to say that by this point palm reading had made a great comeback. There is even a New York City palmist named Fahrusha, who claims to have read the palm of none other than President Donald Trump.

Hand Shapes in Palmistry

So now that we see it as part of mainstream culture, even if it is a glorified parlor trick to some. Let's look at what a palmist reads.

The shape of a person's hand says quite a bit in itself. The shape is broken into four categories, earth, air, water and fire. Earth hands have broad, square palms. The length of the palm is usually equal to the length of the fingers. Those with earth hands tend to be reliable, patient, practical, secure, realistic and orderly.

Those with air hands have a square palm with long fingers. They are generally described as optimists, learners, observant, and talkative. People with water hands, have a rectangular palm with long fingers. They tend to be highly intuitive, sensitive, creative, and empathetic. Those among us who have fire hands, have palms that are long, with short fingers. These natives tend to be enthusiastic, energetic, spontaneous, intense, inspirational, and creative.

The Heart Line

The Heart Line, starts near a person's pinky finger and extends horizontally towards the middle of the palm. This line shows a person's attitude towards love and the quality of love in relationships.

The Head Line

The Head Line starts between the thumb and index finger and extends horizontally across the palm. This line shows a person's wisdom and intelligence, general attitude, thinking ability, creative ability, memory and self control.

The Life Line

The Life Line starts between the index finger and thumb and curves down around the thumb creating the Mount of Venus. This line tells someone's physical vitality, and life energy.

The Fate Line

The Fate Line begins around the base of the palm and runs vertically towards the fingers. This line tells how a person deals with accountability, self-worth, completion of tasks and goals. More information is told by which finger the line approaches.

Interpretation of Fingers

The fingers in palmistry are associated with planets, therefore any lines reaching close to a specific finger takes on the planet's attributes. The fingers are labeled as follows, the index finger is the finger ruled by Jupiter. The middle finger is ruled by Saturn, the ring finger is ruled by Apollo or the Sun, and the pinky finger is ruled by Mercury.

Line Characteristics

Line characteristics are measured by which finger they approach. So take a famous line reading for example: Barack Obama has a very deep and prominent Fate Line that extends from the base of his wrist to the base of his middle finger, the finger of Apollo or the Sun. He was born to be in the public's eye.

The blue line above shows the direction of Barack Obama's Fate Line.

Symbols Made of Palm Lines

There are also certain symbols that if made by palm lines that have their own meaning.

The Mystic Cross or Secret Cross. If this appears in your palm lines it denotes psychic ability, natural incline to the occult, strong intuition.

The Psychic Cross. If this appears under any finger it shows innate powers or abilities.

The letter "M". If this letter is formed of any of the major lines on the palm, it foretells good fortune and strong intuition.

Squares. If any of the major lines form a square, it denotes to protection from outside forces.

Stars made of major lines, tell of success and good fortune.

The Psychic Triangle made of any major lines denotes magic powers from a previous life that may be blocked by another.

Healers Marks are short, vertical lines under the finger of Mercury (pinky). When these marks appear the native may have an innate ability to heal others.

Astral Travel Lines, these lines appear from the base of the palm, horizontally and increase in number until the base of the Mercury finger or pinky. These lines tell that the native has an innate ability to astral project.

Characteristics of Lines

Now that we know what lines we are looking for and the planetary influences they take on, we must look at the characteristics of any specific line. These are broken down into 11 shapes. The placement of these among the line tells roughly the decade of life to expect the effects.

Breaks, this is when a line grows then stops and restarts again. This can be a positive or negative situation.

A chained line foretells many obstacles in that area of life.

Crosses to a line tell of long lasting problems, in the area of life.

Dots on a line tell of minor concerns, in the area of life.

Grilles on a line tell of confusion or insecurity in that are of life.

Islands on a line which look sort of like an oval protruding from a line, tells of interruptions, stressful periods or situations.

Lines that are tasseled at the end tell of confusion and chaos, in regards to the line being interpreted.

A line that ends in a trident, increases the quality of the line.

Double lines strengthen the trait of the line.

Straight lines show stability.

Curved lines can show uneasiness. If they are curved up towards the fingers it is positive. If they are curved down towards the base of the palm it is a negative encounter.

Which Hand to Read?

Now that I have told you the origins of palm reading, given you some famous examples and given you the ability to read your own palm. There is one more question left, "Which hand do I read?". Well some people say read a man's dominant hand and a woman's non dominant hand. Others say to read the left as inner personality and the right as outer personality. Still yet, there are those who believe the non dominant hand are the traits you were born with. While the dominant hand is traits that you have achieved.

So to wrap this up, at absolute worst I just gave you a new party trick to amaze your friends. At best, you may decide to look into just exactly what the lines on your palm mean and can begin to piece together your true self or even your future. Blessed be.

© 2019 Occult Spirits


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    • Ericdierker profile image

      Eric Dierker 

      8 months ago from Spring Valley, CA. U.S.A.

      This does not confuse me though it is confusing. I just know it would take an expert as me applying it comes out very strange.


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