Chiromancy – as Paracelsus, one of the most eminent experts in esoteric knowledge, wrote: man is a small world, yet in all his powers and virtues he corresponds to the great world. That is why the human being bears the noble name of microcosm.
Chiromancy is concerned with finding references to human fate and its forces directly on the body – more precisely, on the hands.
For many researchers, the hand is a fascinating object for studying the links between the small world of human fate and the great world of cosmic existence. Just as every person’s hands differ from everyone else’s, so too do the twists and turns of their fate.
The ability to read the lines of the palm was once regarded as a serious branch of science. As late as the 18th century there were chairs of chiromancy at German universities.
Over time, chiromancy split into many different systems.
Aristotle already suspected a connection between the length of the lines on the palm and the length of life. This was not fortune telling, however, but a scientific hypothesis. Ancient thinkers treated the art of palm reading as part of physiognomy, which drew conclusions about a person’s health and character from the build of every part of the body.
Over time, chiromancy also drew on the rich resources of astrological knowledge. Astrology’s vast system of symbols made it possible to create a network that would make the connections between human fate, written on the palm, and the influences of the universe clear and understandable.
In the mid-19th century, the fight against belief in magic moved into school textbooks and encyclopaedias. Chiromancy found its way there too, having been condemned by the Catholic Church.
Over the centuries, knowledge of the palm’s lines grew into an enormous system of thought. The methods of reading the lines were so complicated that only experts could use them. Those who simply wanted to make money said whatever came into their heads to earn a living – and so the standing of chiromancy began to decline.
To become a chiromancer, it was not enough simply to look at a hand: you had to understand physiognomy and psychology, and be something of a clairvoyant as well.
It is also worth noting that the interpretive patterns of Chinese chiromancy, for example, are completely different from those of the European tradition.
There is, for instance, a long tradition holding that the left hand shows the course of fate determined by the position of the stars at the moment of birth, while the right hand reveals a person’s character and spirituality.
It was observed that the right hand is the active one – we write with it and do many things with it – so it was credited with greater power than the left. Some chiromancers believed that people born at night should have their left hand read.
More plausible, however, is the view that only by comparing both palms do you get a general picture of a person.
The chiromancer’s main task is to warn of approaching misfortunes and to prepare you so that you can face them. By learning about your shortcomings, you can draw the right conclusions and improve on them. A chiromancer who warns you of danger in good time can help you a great deal. So what do a person’s hands mean?
When you begin reading hands, first notice whether they are supple or stiff. Next, assess the size of the hand in relation to the whole body, and only then decide which type it belongs to. With a little practice, you will be able to tell a hand’s type at first glance. Then assess the length of the fingers. The thumb should be judged independently of the rest of the hand: look at how it is set – low or deep – whether it is broad or narrow, and so on.
Then turn the hand over and see which of the mounts on the inner side of the palm are the most prominent. Only then look at the life line and the remaining lines and mounts.
- A hand in proper proportion to the whole body belongs to someone who pursues their goal and sees the whole picture while remaining aware of the importance of details.
- An overly soft hand is the hand of a poet – a dreamy, nervous and impractical nature. It can also be the hand of a lazy person, often incapable of deep feeling.
- A hand with well-developed muscles belongs to someone who is not afraid of work – a person able to endure a hard fate.
- An overly hard hand indicates low intelligence and indifference to the suffering of others.
- A bony, thin hand indicates shyness and a lack of ambition.
- A thick, fleshy hand indicates excessive sensuality and materialism.
- A thick, short, hard hand with short fingers is the hand of someone with little ambition.
- A flat, hollow hand indicates frequent trouble in business or in matters of the heart.
- Large hands are typical of people who love precise work. They are very reliable and keep their word, even when it is not to their advantage.
People with small hands have far-reaching ambitions but rarely manage to see their plans through to the end. They are very cheerful people who make promises easily – and break them just as easily.
We distinguish seven types of hand. These are:
The hand:
Common (elementary) – a frequent type of hand, widespread among manual workers, who have little desire to improve their lot. These are slow-natured people without much imagination. The fingers of the common hand are short and stiff, without rounding at the tips. The palm is broad, thick and usually hard.
- Broad (square) – the most widespread type of hand. This person is likeable, loves order and is a good organiser. You can rely on them, and they are firm in their convictions. They are not quarrelsome, and very demanding both of themselves and of others. It is the hand of a businessperson, a capable doer rather than a person of ideas. They love sport, often extreme sports. They are guided by reason and do not believe in intuition or in anything not backed by facts.
Spatulate – the fingertips are often flattened and wider there than at the knuckles. This hand usually belongs to an active, quick, energetic person who is always on the move. Such people often love only one person in their lives and have one steady partner. They are very responsible and enjoy new challenges. They easily set up their own businesses and become financially independent. It is the hand of a navigator, a mechanic, an explorer, a businessperson.
Philosophical – this hand is marked by prominent knotty joints. It is very distinctive in appearance, though not especially pretty. A person with such a hand has a love of the exact sciences and of seeking truth grounded in facts. Their aim is the good of others, and they often forget their own needs. Yet they rarely manage to form friendships. They attach particular importance to their own clothing and that of the people around them. This hand is most often found among engineers, architects, mathematicians and diplomats.
Artistic – a long hand with tapering fingers is the hand of an artist. Such people are noble in their actions, delight in everything beautiful, and are romantic, sensitive and easily stirred. They follow instinct and impulse. They rarely find happiness in marriage, however, and often give in to nostalgia and passing moods. They are brilliant people who cannot live without love, yet they are unhappy in marriage. They lose out on closer acquaintance, because they are able to present themselves as people they are not in reality.
Such people are artists, journalists and those with artistic leanings.
- Idealistic (psychic) – the most beautiful type of hand, but such people usually show a complete inability to cope with life. Even if they escape a hard fate, they remain idealistic and impractical.
Mixed – the hardest type of hand to recognise, because it has features of many types. Such a hand indicates a very varied personality with wide-ranging interests. These people know how to adapt to changing conditions and situations. They are skilful conversationalists and can come across as very intelligent. They tend to change their convictions, and they quickly lose interest in new things, which is why they rarely achieve real success in life.
- Fingers – their shape and meaning
Apart from the thumb, the fingers are called:
the fourth – the little finger, or finger of Mercury
When assessing a hand, the most distinctive finger will point to the person’s character traits and temperament.
If the fingers and the palm form a gently curved line, this means success and an easy life. If one of the fingers is set low and looks as though it has been pushed into the palm, the path to success will not be so straightforward.
- The middle finger, the finger of Saturn, is usually set normally
- The ring finger, the finger of the Sun, set low, indicates a desire to stand out and to become famous
- The index finger, the finger of Jupiter, set low, indicates a lack of charm and social ease
- The little finger of Mercury set low indicates many adversities and an inability to influence people.
- White, broad and long fingers are found in people with a penetrating mind.
- Very long, narrow fingers are typical of strong people of great wisdom.
- Short, round fingers betray a weak, bad-tempered and quarrelsome character.
- Index finger – Jupiter
crooked – a lack of independence
- Middle finger – Saturn
crooked – a hysterical disposition
- Ring finger – the Sun
bent – someone who seeks the limelight
- Little finger – Mercury
long – someone who quickly finds their bearings in any situation and has outstanding business talent.
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Short – a very perceptive person; excessively long – people who invent situations that do not exist, simply to divert attention from the real matter.
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Bent – together with a long heart line, indicates jealousy
As is well known, fingernails vary in colour, brittleness and thickness. Nail biting is a symptom of nervous disorders that can lead to more serious illness. Depending on your state of health, your nails often change in colour, texture and length. The nails of the right hand, which is more active, take about 132 days to grow out, and those of the left about 116 days. Nails grow faster in warm climates.
- Nails of proportionate length, fairly broad and brittle, point to a tendency towards throat problems, asthma, catarrh and other respiratory complaints. Slightly triangular, thin, flat and even slightly sunken nails point to nervous disorders and a tendency to paralysis.
- Long, thin, ridged nails indicate weak lungs. A convex, dome-shaped nail indicates diseases of the lymph glands and lung complaints. A thin, narrow, long nail indicates poor physical condition. People with long nails are far more understanding than people with short nails.
- A short, almost square nail points to a heart that does not work properly. A short, broad nail overgrown by the cuticle indicates a hot temper. A narrow, curved, long nail indicates back problems, and a very narrow one points to disorders of the spine.
White spots on the nails are temporary. They usually appear at times of nervous tension, worry and mental exhaustion.
A normal nail should be shiny, slightly pink, not brittle, translucent and not too thin. Such a nail would indicate a cheerful disposition, good taste and tact.
In general, dark specks on the nails foretell domestic discord or gossip, while light specks mean harmony, friendship and few worries in life.
No two thumbs in the world are alike. In the study of chiromancy the thumb is very important, because it reveals the strength or weakness of a person’s will.
Professors of medicine stress the importance of the fingers – especially the thumb – in human development, pointing out that in the first period of life a baby closes its fingers over its thumb, and only when the baby’s intelligence begins to develop does it place its thumb over the other fingers.
A normal thumb should be in proportion to the whole hand, with its tip slightly longer than the rest. When assessing the thumb, pay attention to the length of the first phalanx and to whether the thumb is set low or high. If the first phalanx is long and broad, willpower predominates. Such a person is not easily persuaded or talked out of their chosen course. If this part of the thumb is excessively long or broad, these traits are intensified and the person is simply stubborn.
A tapering thumb indicates sharp intuition. A short thumb tip means the person is guided more by the heart than by the head.
A broad thumb represents a person of exceptional qualities – independent in thought and action, ready to bear the consequences of their behaviour. They are guided solely by reason and logic and do not like to show their feelings.
A small thumb points to a sentimental nature, easily influenced and incapable of great deeds. People with small thumbs suffer from indecision and, for that very reason, often let good opportunities slip. Life is a constant struggle for them; they are impatient and explosive. A woman with a small thumb is very interesting: she lives only for love, and love fills her whole life.
An excessively long, broad and square thumb indicates an unbridled temperament, brutality and bad instincts.
Slender thumb joints are typical of an extravagant character.
A thumb that is very flexible at the second joint usually indicates a spendthrift. A stiffer thumb points to decisiveness and more willpower, as well as caution and plenty of common sense.
A thumb that thickens at the tip indicates a brutal, uncontrolled and unrestrained nature.
The mounts of the palm and their meaning
The mounts – the raised pads of the palm – are just as important as the overall shape of the hand. They speak of general traits and qualities of character, and very often of a tendency towards certain illnesses.
The Mount of Jupiter – just below the index finger
If it is barely visible, it indicates a lack of talent.
Proportionately developed, it indicates an ambitious person who is also cautious in making acquaintances.
Overdeveloped, it indicates a lust for power.
- The Mount of Saturn – located below the middle finger.
An undeveloped mount indicates an uninteresting life.
A slightly developed mount indicates a liking for serious matters, solitude and caution.
A strongly developed mount is often found in deeply religious people with firm moral values.
An overdeveloped mount indicates a very sensitive person.
The Mount of Mercury – at the base of the little finger
A hand with no visible Mount of Mercury indicates a mind with little mathematical aptitude, and also a poor head for business.
A developed mount is an indicator of good or bad traits. Combined with a positive hand, it shows a talent for business or science, and foretells great journeys and quick thinking.
A very strongly developed mount represents a sly and cunning person.
- The Mount of Venus – the mount of feminine qualities, just as the Mount of Jupiter defines masculine ones. The Mount of Venus is found at the base of the thumb.
Its absence speaks of a cold woman, uninterested in the pleasures of life.
A developed mount indicates a person of sensual nature and good health. According to learned physicians, one of the most important blood vessels passes through this spot, so a large mount speaks of lively, healthy circulation. It also speaks of a desire to win friendship and love.
- The Mount of the Moon – located opposite the Mount of Venus.
A hand without a visible mount here indicates a person without intuition.
A mount of normal proportions represents a romantic person who loves poetry and music – a very mysterious person.
A strongly raised mount is found in people with a morbid imagination. These are people who have strange dreams and visions.
- The Mount of Mars – located between the head and heart lines, below the Mount of Mercury.
It signifies courage and composure. The absence of this mount means a lack of courage in life.
Overdeveloped, it indicates violence and quarrelsomeness.
triangle – success at work
- grille – not a very good sign, speaking of overblown ambition and conceit that destroy a life.
- Saturn
cross – infertility
star – fate, usually a violent end to life.
triangle – an inclination towards supernatural forces and mysterious things
- grille – uncertainty about your own chances of success.
- The Sun
a single line – unexpected success
- many tangled lines – an aptitude for the exact sciences, exceptional abilities
THE LINES OF THE HAND
There are seven main lines that are clearly visible on the palm. The main lines are:
- the life line, the head line, the heart line, the fate line, the health line, the sun line, the line of the Mount of Venus
Normal lines are clear in colour and distinctly marked – neither too pale nor too red, not too broad or too deep, and pale pink in tone.
- Very pale lines – indicate weak blood
- Lines that are too red – cruelty
- Yellow lines – a reserved, proud nature
- Very dark lines – a gloomy, melancholy nature, inclined to meditation
- Pink lines – a cheerful disposition
- Broad, dark lines – unhealthy instincts and an envious nature
- Pale, broad lines – dissoluteness, a lust for power
Remember that a single line can never decide illness or misfortune.
- The life line – the line of love and of trouble. Some doctors claim that we are born with hidden tendencies towards certain illnesses. If so, the human brain should know about such a tendency long before the illness appears. And since the brain is closely connected to the lines of the hand, a tendency or hereditary predisposition to illness can be read on the palm long before it manifests.
A short line on both hands: a short life
- Thin and pale – poor health
- Thick and red – an unrestrained nature
- Thin and weak in the middle – poor health
- A dark spot at the end of a thin line – sudden death
- A broken line – illness, loss of vitality
A line broken before the Mount of Jupiter – illnesses in early childhood
A life line ending abruptly in several short lines – sudden death
- An interrupted line – illness
- An interrupted, irregular line – long-lasting illnesses
An interrupted line on both hands – death, especially when the lower part of the line curls inwards.
- A life line joined to the head line – caution, sensitivity
A life line partly separated from the head line – a sign of self-confidence in social life
- A life line joined to the fate line – a lucky escape from a fatal accident
- A branch halfway along a woman’s hand – indicates a transitional period
A long branch halfway along, heading towards the Mount of the Moon – restlessness and frequent travel
Many lines at the end of the life line, near the wrist – loss of money towards the end of life
A wide branch towards the Mount of the Moon – a possibility of mental illness
- Branches rising upwards from the line – honours and money
- Branches falling downwards from the line – loss of health and money
- A line that breaks and then rejoins – protection from illness
- A cross at the end of the line – adversity in later life
- An island on the line – nervous exhaustion
The heart line
If the heart line begins in the middle of the Mount of Jupiter, it signifies the noblest kind of love – great and idealistic. Such a woman is proud of her husband, but is easily put off by his failures.
When the heart line runs straight across the whole palm – a desire to dominate and a tendency towards jealousy.
A heart line beginning between the index and middle fingers – a less ideal love that passes easily.
A heart line beginning at the Mount of Saturn, or below the middle finger – such a person is more sensual than emotional.
A heart line with many small lines – changeable feelings and a tendency towards passing flirtations. This person cannot make up their mind.
If the heart line is red, it signifies violent feelings and a lack of self-control.
- A pale, broad heart line – indifference
- A thin, pale line – a cold, phlegmatic nature
- A line broken by islands – signals many worries in love
- Numerous white dots on the line – conquests in love
A broken line speaks of disappointments and letdowns in love
A line starting from the Mount of Jupiter with a fork – a sincere and open heart
A line that fades out in places on the palm – disappointment in matters of love
The fate line – relates to everything connected with success, life’s obstacles and the lot that befalls us. The fate line may begin on the life line or on the Mount of the Moon.
If it begins on the Mount of the Moon – success comes more easily, but is very unstable.
If the fate line begins on the life line, success will come through your own effort and hard work.
When the fate and life lines are joined – the person devotes themselves to their family from early youth.
When the fate line stops at the head line – a lack of happiness in life.
If this line breaks off at the heart line, it signifies a career ruined by an unhappy marriage.
If the line is invisible up to the middle of the palm, it indicates few achievements in youth – but in later years the situation will improve and adversity will be overcome.
When the line flows out of the heart line – success will be achieved around the age of 50.
When this line is missing altogether – a rather uninteresting life.
A line broken by many small lines – a life of failures and successes in turn.
- A double fate line – very favourable: a double career
- Branches falling downwards from the fate line – speak of losses and worries
