Since the beginning of human history, the hand has enthralled and captivated all cultures and races. In addition to the Indians, the Chinese, Greeks and Persians were among the first civilizations openly to practice the art of Chirology, while the Egyptians were also known to have an avid interest in it, often combining palmistry with astrology. Judging by the number of painted hand pictures found in prehistoric caves, especially in France, Spain, and Australia, it's apparent that some form of hand reading has been around since the beginning of time.
Chirology is another name for palmistry, or a study of the hands, and it probably originated in the Indian subcontinent; there are texts in Indian museums that go back over 5,000 years. However, written evidence doesn't always survive, so there may have been earlier texts than these, and an oral tradition that goes back even further.
The chances are that palmistry, along with many other esoteric skills, moved westward as a result of the Crusades, which brought Westerners into close contact with Eastern countries and peoples. Later, palmistry became associated with gypsies and then fortune tellers.
Nomadic wanderers have brought their knowledge to many parts of Europe over the last three hundred years, and the old saying “cross my palm with silver” is quite probably the origin of paying for a reading.
As mentioned, there are references to palmistry in many ancient books ranging from the Bible to the Brahmanic Vedas and the Torah.
Sadly, palmistry was forced to go underground by the Catholic Church, which labelled the craft as the work of the devil. Those who were found to be practicing chiromancy were in danger of being murdered and disposed of secretly. Despite this, man's fascination with the hand flourished, and today, all over the world, there are people who still use this magical art, with many more eager to learn the skills.
Every time you look at the lines on someone's hand, you are looking at that person's journey of life and the map of their character and fate. Although palmistry is considered a science and each line on the palm represents a certain meaning, it is also known to be another channel for psychics to gain information, because touching or feeling the hand brings a vibration to the clairvoyant and thus becomes a form of psychometry. A true clairvoyant will be able to tune into the psychic vibration of their client (sometimes called the “Querent”) when performing hand analysis, thus benefiting from both psychic and scientific aspects. Sometimes an initial letter will be clearly seen on the hand, and this can represent someone very important with that initial in their name, due to come into the life of the seeker. It could be a lover, a child, or a member of the seeker's family or friends. A house or an image might suddenly appear on the palm to give the palmist extra help in defining what is going on in that person's life. Another time, you might delve into the same hand and find that particular information has gone, which means the situation has passed.
Once, I was browsing the hand of a new client and saw the image of a tepee. I asked him if he had recently been to a North American Indian reservation. His head shot up in amazement as he had just returned from one the week before.
The Romany gypsies believe that the left hand is what God has given you and the right hand is what you do with the potential. In their readings, many modem chirologists will tell you that the left hand represents the past and that it can hold karmic knowledge of previous lives, while the right hand holds knowledge of the future. Of course, this assumes the person is right-handed, because, if the person is left handed, the process is reversed.
Those who might want to become palmists will find the following lists helpful:
However, after all of the do's and don'ts, do remember to enjoy your newfound hobby or career.
Chirology is: Palmistry
Palmistry is: The technique of reading hands
Chirognomy is: The study of hand shapes, finger formations, and the textures of the skin
Chiromancy is: Reading the lines on the palms
Buy the largest one you can find and ensure that it is good quality. There are some nice ones with battery lighting attached that will help to make the lines even more visible, especially on dimly lit days or dark evenings. If possible, keep it stored in a velvet pouch or bag when not in use, because the glass can easily become scratched. Keep a soft cloth in the bag to polish the glass every now and again.
I find this useful when doing evening party readings, or you might prefer a small flashlight.
There are times when you will want to point out clearly a line or mark on your client's hand, so a fine pointed, felt tipped pen can be used to trace the lines.
You will need the following items:
Place the white paper or card stock onto a paper towel or some newspaper. Squeeze a small amount of ink onto the plate and roll it until you get a good flat consistency on the roller. Roll the ink onto the palm, fingers, and thumb, making sure the wrist area (rascettes) are also inked, because they hold vital information. A cosmetic sponge can be used to dab the hand all over to make the ink even. You may wish to take several prints for each client, with some showing one area of the hand and others showing different areas.
Place the client's hand centrally on the paper and gently press down on each finger, putting light pressure on the phalanges. Try not to smudge or smear the print, as you will need it as clean as possible. Next press the inner palm down firmly, and also use the same procedure for the rascettes. If the palm is very hollow, take a folded square of paper towel and place it under the portion of paper covering the hollow part of the palm.
To get a good print of the rascettes, gently lift the fingers and palm up, ask your client slowly to roll the wrist from side to side to cover all of the lines. You might decide to do the rascettes independently on a separate piece of paper. Ink the percussion (the side of the hand opposite the thumb) up to the top edge of the Mercury finger and gently roll this area from side to side on the paper to get full coverage. It is a good idea to do the fingerprints separately as well as the full print.
When you have a full set of hand prints completed, draw carefully around the fingers and hand shape with a medium felt-tipped pen, name and date it and leave it to dry for about an hour. It is a good idea to photocopy the print as a back up. Placing it in a plastic folder will protect it from any harm.
If you decide not to have an ink print and prefer a photocopy print, make sure you don't press the hand down too hard in the photocopier, as you will get white, featureless marks. You might find you need help to get your own print done and make sure you also copy the back of the hand to see the nails as they offer a great deal of information on health issues. Many palmists will use color photocopying as well as the traditional black and white.