The Shape
of the Hand
People have been fascinated with hands for thousands of years. Handprints can be found in many ancient Stone Age cave paintings. Palmistry also has an extremely old history. The Bible contains at least three references to palmistry: “He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work” (King James Version, Job 37:7), “What evil is in mine hand?” (1 Samuel 26:18), and “Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor” (Proverbs 3:16). The mudras, or symbolic hand gestures, that are used in Hinduism and Buddhism are believed to be at least five thousand years old.
Over two thousand years ago, Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher, wrote about palmistry in his book De Historia Animalium. One of his observations was that people with long lines on their palms tended to live longer than people with shorter lines.
“Modern” palmistry began in the nineteenth century when two Frenchmen became interested in the subject. Stanislas d’Arpentigny (1798–1861), a retired army officer, lived close to a wealthy landowner who was fascinated with the latest advances in science. The landowner’s wife was interested in the arts. Both of them held weekly parties for their friends. D’Arpentigny was interested in both science and the arts and used to be invited to both parties. He was intrigued to discover that the landowner’s scientific friends had fingers with knotted joints, whilst his wife’s artistic friends had hands with smooth fingers. This chance discovery encouraged him to study the subject and he ultimately wrote a book about his findings called La Cheirognomie, which was published in 1843.
At the same time, Adolphe Desbarolles (1801–1886), a well-known portrait painter, started studying palmistry to see if he could update “a science as old as the world.” His book, Les Mysteres de la Main, was published in 1860.
A few decades later, William G. Benham, an American palmist, published his monumental book The Laws of Scientific Hand Reading in 1900. Since then, advances in psychology, medicine, and the study of skin ridge patterns have totally changed traditional palmistry, and today it’s being used to help people in many different ways that have nothing to do with fate or fortune.
The Major and Minor Hands
The major, or dominant, hand is the hand the person uses naturally. This is the right hand for someone who is right-handed, and the left hand for a person who is left-handed.
Until the middle of the twentieth century, palmists believed that the major hand revealed what the person was doing with his or her life, while the other hand revealed the skills and talents the person was born with. However, as both hands change as the person progresses through life, this cannot be correct. Nowadays, the major hand is thought to reveal what the person is doing with his or her life, while the minor hand shows what he or she is thinking about. The minor hand still reveals the person’s potentials, but it gradually changes to reveal what the person would like to be doing. In many cases, this can be completely different to what the person is doing in his or her everyday life. If, for instance, someone was working as a clerk in an insurance company but really wanted to be an airplane pilot, there would be major differences between his or her right and left palms.
This is why it’s important to examine both hands when giving someone a palm reading. If I’m giving quick readings of the type I used to do in shopping malls, I have time to read only the major hand. However, I always examine both hands when giving someone a serious reading.
Texture of the Skin
The skin texture reveals how people function in everyday life. Someone with fine, silky skin would be happier and more successful dealing with beautiful works of art than, for instance, working as a builder, plumber, or electrician. Someone with coarse skin would be the opposite. Skin texture is determined by examining the back of the hand. Some people have skin that is fine and smooth, while others have skin that is rougher and coarser.
People with fine skin texture are sensitive, gentle, refined, and empathetic. They can be easily hurt or offended by anything that disturbs their sensitive natures. They appreciate beauty and want their home and work environments to be as attractive as possible. They prefer to work indoors rather than outside.
Hard physical work does not create coarse hands, even though it can produce calluses. Coarse hands have highly obvious pores in the skin. People with coarse hands are energetic, down-to-earth, and direct. They usually enjoy good health. They have simple needs and are perfectly happy as long as these needs are met. They’re also “thick-skinned.” People with coarse skin are rough and ready and have a down-to-earth approach to everything they do. They say what’s on their minds and are less emotional and less high-strung than people with a fine skin texture.
Consistency
Consistency is determined by pressing gently on the palms of the hands. You’ll find some hands are hard and resistant to pressure, while others are soft and spongy. Most people’s palms are somewhere between these two extremes.
People with soft and spongy palms function best in comfortable surroundings where they can do as little as possible. They lack energy and tend to be lazy and frivolous. People with fleshy palms enjoy partaking in the luxuries of life and are likely to overindulge whenever an opportunity arises.
People with firmer palms are energetic, practical, and enjoy challenges. They work hard and are happiest when they’re busy. People with firmer palms are able to avoid overindulging if something else appears to be more important at the time. These people are motivated and persistent. Consequently, they’re better able to handle the ups and downs of life than people with fleshy palms.
Flexibility
There is a direct correlation between the flexibility of someone’s mind and the flexibility of his or her palm. People with flexible palms are adaptable and can change direction in an instant. People with rigid hands are inflexible, stubborn, and unyielding.
To determine the flexibility of someone’s hand, rest the back of the palm on your fingers and press downward on his or her fingertips with your thumb. Most people’s hands will bend down slightly, but you’ll also find others that are totally unyielding, as well as some that bend back easily.
You can also test each fingertip individually to determine how resistant they are to pressure. The thumb should also be checked to see how firm it is. If it bends back easily, the person will give in under pressure. If the thumb is stiff, the person will be stubborn and unyielding.
Hand Types
Hands can be classified in different ways. Captain Stanislas d’Arpentigny classified the hand into six types: elementary, spatulate, square, knotty, conic, and psychic (d’Arpentigny, 1843). Because this didn’t cover everyone, he later added a seventh type called mixed. His classification was useful in the mid nineteenth century, but is less useful nowadays, as hands have changed to reflect increased education and the world we live in today.
The simplest system divides the hand into two types: intuitive and practical. The intuitive hand is long and slim and usually has numerous fine lines on the palm. People with intuitive hands are gentle, thoughtful, idealistic, easily hurt, and sensitive. They enjoy coming up with good ideas but find it hard to put them into action. The palm of the intuitive hand is oblong.
The practical hand is broader and conveys strength, energy, and activity. People with practical hands are logical, capable, and use thoughts more than hunches or feelings. They have the ability to start something and take it all the way to completion. The palm of the practical hand is square.
There are numerous other systems, some containing up to thirteen different types of hands.
No system is perfect, as every hand is different. The system that is most popular today divides the hands into four groups, known as earth, air, fire, and water. This uses square- and oblong-shaped palms, as well as short and long fingers, to create the four possibilities.
Square Palm
A square palm is broad and square or slightly oblong in shape. People with square palms are practical, capable, and down-to-earth. The broadness of the palm provides them with plenty of stamina and energy. They can work hard for long periods when necessary. They have a positive approach to life.
Oblong Palm
An oblong palm is longer in length than it is in breadth. People with oblong palms get bored easily and need plenty of variety in their lives. They are imaginative and come up with good ideas, but sometimes lack the necessary motivation and energy to get them started.
Finger Length
The length of the fingers is determined by their length in proportion to the palm. Usually it’s easy to determine long or short fingers, but there are exceptions. If you’re finding it hard to decide, ask the person to fold his or her fingers over the palm. If the fingers reach more than seven-eighths of the way down the palm, they’re said to be long. Unfortunately, this system isn’t perfect, as some people have flexible hands and fingers, and can reach further down the palm than people with more rigid hands and fingers. If you can’t determine if the fingers are long or short, they’re classified as being medium in length. The best way to determine the lengths of palms and fingers is by taking palm prints (see Chapter Twelve).
Short Fingers
People with short fingers are restless and impatient. They enjoy being busy, think quickly, and can work simultaneously on a number of different tasks. They prefer the overall view, and dislike details. They start everything they do with great enthusiasm but tend to lose interest before the task is completed.
Long Fingers
People with long fingers are patient and enjoy anything that is involved and detailed. They enjoy finishing what they start. They are conscientious, responsible, and like to understand all the fine details of anything they’re involved with.
Medium Fingers
People with fingers that are neither long nor short possess a mixture of the qualities possessed by both long and short fingered people. They might, for instance, be patient most of the time, but can also surprise others by acting impatiently on other occasions. They’re generally responsible people who like to finish what they start, but they can be overly hasty, and rush something if it doesn’t particularly interest them.
It can be useful to observe finger lengths in everyday life. Most of the time you’ll find people with longer fingers in roles that involve details, such as dealing with facts or figures, handling money, or involved in a technical industry. Short-fingered people often prefer working with their hands or in any field where their ability to make quick decisions is required. Interestingly, people with both short and long fingers make good entrepreneurs.
Earth, Air, Fire, and Water
We can now combine the two different types of palms (square and oblong) with the two types of fingers (short and long) to create four combinations: a square palm with short fingers, a square palm with long fingers, an oblong palm with short fingers, and an oblong palm with long fingers.
It’s important to note that this system divides all of humanity into four groups. Consequently, you’ll find many hands that do not fit neatly into any particular group, and you might need to take palm prints that you can measure to determine which group a particular person fits into.
Earth Hand
The earth hand consists of a square palm with short fingers. Earth hands usually have few lines on them, though they are deep and well-marked. People with earth hands enjoy keeping busy and working with their hands. They are practical, reliable, responsible, cautious, and solid. They can also be impatient, critical, distrustful, and change moods in an instant. They enjoy a quiet lifestyle and prefer to live well away from the noise and bustle of large cities. As the name of this type of hand implies, they are in tune with nature and enjoy working with the earth. They often prefer to work outdoors and feel hemmed in and confined when forced to work inside. They are peaceful people who take life as it comes, which means they generally lead long, happy, stress-free lives. They are happiest when in the company of friends and family.
Suitable occupations for people with earth hands include: agricultural worker, builder, cook, craftworker, dentist, doctor, driver, engineer, entrepreneur, farmer, fisherman, heavy machinery operator, laborer, lawyer, mechanic, military, physical laborer, police officer, property maintenance and repair person, psychologist, retailer, and woodworker.
Figure 1: Earth Hand
Air Hand
The air hand has a squarish palm and long fingers. People with air hands are more intellectual than people with earth hands. They are mentally alert and enjoying learning. As well as a good intellect, they also possess a strong intuition. They are imaginative, creative, conscientious, curious, practical, and thoughtful. They are self-motivated people who thrive on challenges. They make up their minds quickly, using a combination of logic and intuition. They are good communicators, express themselves well, and make good companions. They are interested in travel, communication, and anything that is offbeat or slightly unusual.
Suitable occupations for people with air hands include: academic, accountant, actor, administrator, communications specialist, designer, engineer, IT, journalist, law, lecturer, musician, politician, public relations director, philosopher, publisher, radio, salesperson, speaker, teacher, translator, and writer.
Figure 2: Air Hand
Fire Hand
The fire hand consists of an oblong palm and short fingers that are about three quarters the length of the palm. People with fire hands are creative, imaginative, enthusiastic, energetic, excitable, versatile, passionate, impulsive, and impatient. They’re constantly full of ideas but need to evaluate them carefully to decide which are worth pursuing and which ones should be discarded. Because they prefer the overall view and can be impatient with details, they often lose interest before completing their tasks. They need excitement in their lives and are happiest in occupations that provide plenty of variety. They are natural leaders and dislike being told what to do. They usually enjoy participating in or watching sports.
Suitable occupations for people with fire hands include: armed forces soldier, artist, athlete, builder, business executive, dancer, designer, entertainer, entrepreneur, hairdresser, medicine, motivator, police officer, sales person, and teacher.
Figure 3: Fire Hand
Water Hand
The water hand consists of an oblong palm and long fingers. They look graceful and elegant and are loved by artists. However, they’re not always practical in everyday life. People with water hands are sensitive, emotional, restless, flexible, loyal, and sympathetic. They’re imaginative and enjoy performing creative work in attractive surroundings. They’re idealistic, impressionable, romantic, and easily hurt. They avoid conflict whenever possible. They convey a sense of calmness and try to conceal any worries or nervous tension they might be experiencing. The narrower the palm is, the more introverted the person will be.
This is modified if the hand is firm and the finger joints are visible, creating “knots.” This formation is known as the philosophical hand, and the person uses logic most of the time, rather than his or her feelings.
Suitable occupations for people with water hands include: actor, artist, astrologer, beautician, counsellor, dancer, fashion designer, graphic designer, hairdresser, healer, interior designer, librarian, model, musician, nurse, philosopher, photographer, poet, psychic, retail salesperson, social worker, spiritual guide, therapist, and writer.
Figure 4: Water Hand
D’Arpentigny’s Classification System
Captain Stanislas d’Arpentigny, the French army officer, was the first to create a system of classifying hands. He started with six types: elementary, square, spatulate, knotty, conic, and psychic. He later added a seventh type called mixed for people who didn’t fit into the other categories.
Most palmists today use the earth, air, fire, and water system, but it’s useful to know d’Arpentigny’s hand shapes as well, as every now and again you’ll find someone who fits perfectly into his system.
Elementary Hand
The elementary hand has a hard, thick, square palm with short, stiff, stubby fingers. Although people with elementary hands are good with their hands, they look clumsy and crude. The skin is coarse, and there are usually few lines on the palm. The thumb is thick and inflexible. It usually has a pronounced angle at its outside base where it joins the hand. The base of the palm is thick. People with an elementary hand work more on instinct than thought and sometimes find it hard to express themselves. However, they usually work well with their hands and have a practical, commonsense approach to everything they do. They are reliable and honest. They are also followers rather than leaders. They usually have a strong love of nature and the outdoors. Many people with elementary hands enjoy gardening, for instance.
If the fingers appear slightly long for someone with this type of hand, the person would work well in a trade, craft, or any other type of occupation that uses his or her hands.
Figure 5: Elementary Hand
Suitable occupations include: building, carpentry, driving, farming, gardening, landscaping, car or machine mechanics, and plumbing.
Square Hand
The square hand is sometimes called the practical, or useful, hand. The palm is square, with longer, better shaped fingers than elementary hands. There are more lines on the palm, too. The skin is less coarse than elementary hands.
People with square hands are patient, matter-of-fact, methodical, conscientious, determined, and honest. They lack diplomatic skills and sometimes find themselves in hot water by saying what’s on their minds.
People with square hands are capable with their hands, but if their palm is slightly oblong, they’ll often choose to pursue careers that are mentally stimulating.
Suitable occupations for people with square hands include: accountancy, architecture, banking, civil service, engineering, finance, law, medicine, office work, policing, teaching, and veterinary sciences.
Figure 6: Square Hand
Spatulate Hand
The spatulate hand gained its name as the palm and some of the fingertips are shaped like a spatula. Consequently, the rectangular-shaped palm is broader, either at the wrist or immediately below the fingers. Spatulate fingers flare slightly at the tips.
People with spatulate hands are enthusiastic, energetic, restless, unconventional, and capable of surprising even people who know them well. In some cases, they can seem eccentric. They have inventive brains and are constantly working on ideas that have the potential to change the world, or at least improve it. They have a need to be busy and active.
Suitable occupations for people with spatulate hands include: architecture, armed forces, chemistry, craft work, engineering, politics, sales, science, teaching, and writing. Any careers that offer mental challenges are likely to appeal to people with spatulate hands.
Figure 7: Spatulate Hand
Philosophical Hand
The philosophical hand is often called a knotty hand. It is called “knotty” because it has long fingers with pronounced knuckles on each of the joints. The thumb is long and knotted and often has what appears to be a waist in the second phalange (section). The palm can be oblong or square.
People with knotty hands are deep thinkers who enjoy details and like to analyze everything. They are loners who work best when left to get on with their job. Despite this need for solitude, people with knotty hands can be good company. They’re cultured, knowledgeable, entertaining, and easy to get along with. They have a delightful, unusual sense of humor. They have serious interests and often become involved in educational, psychological, scientific, and spiritual matters.
Suitable occupations with people with knotty hands include: computing, mathematics, medicine, philosophy, psychology, religion, science, teaching, and technical writing.
Figure 8: Philosophical Hand
Conic Hand
The conic hand has a graceful, curved appearance. The outer edge of the palm on the little finger side is usually curved. The palm is slightly oblong, and the fingers are usually medium in length with rounded, conic tips.
People with conic hands are creative, artistic, and idealistic. They get bored easily and continually seek new experiences. They often feel let down as they visualize a beautiful world where everyone gets on with everyone else and everything is perfect. They dislike vulgarity in any form. They are cheerful, positive, charming people who make an effort to get on well with others.
Suitable occupations for people with conic hands include: acting, art, business, dentistry, law, medicine, music, poetry, psychic, public speaking, reception, sales, teaching, travel, writing.
Figure 9: Conic Hand
Psychic Hand
The psychic hand is long, slender, and graceful. The fingers are slender with pointed tips. The fingernails are usually almond-shaped. The palms contain a large number of fine worry lines.
People with psychic hands are idealistic, trusting, romantic, sensitive, intuitive, and impractical. They have a spiritual nature and are often religious. People with psychic hands have a nervous disposition and worry about almost everything. They have vivid imaginations and prefer to live in a fantasy world rather than deal with all the problems and difficulties of everyday life.
Artists love psychic hands as they are beautiful to look at. Fortunately, though, you won’t find many true psychic hands, as life is never straightforward and easy for them.
Suitable occupations for people with psychic hands include: acting, astrology, clairvoyancy, design, diplomacy, intuitive work, mediumship, psychic reading, writing.
Figure 10: Psychic Hand
Mixed Hand
The mixed hand is the classification for hands that don’t fit neatly into any of the other types. This can be confusing at times. What do you do, for instance, if someone has a conic-shaped palm with short, stubby fingers? How do you classify a psychic hand with a powerful thumb and firm mounts? What if the hand has two conic fingers and two that are spatulate? This classification is necessary to cover cases like these, which can be a sign of inner conflict. However, when you encounter a mixed hand in practice, the best policy is to read the features you find, rather than spend too much time trying to label the hand shape.
People with mixed hands are versatile, adaptable, positive, and willing to try anything. They enjoy change and need plenty of variety in their lives. They look forward to the future and find it easy to let go of the past.
People with mixed hands get on well with others but always look after themselves first. Consequently, they’re inclined to be selfish at times.
It’s impossible to list suitable occupations for people with mixed hands, as every hand is different.
Figure 11: Mixed Hand
The Four Quadrants
The hand can be divided into four sections using two imaginary lines. The first runs down the middle of the second finger and down the palm to the wrist. This splits the hand into two halves. The half that contains the thumb relates to ambition, willpower, and actions in the world. The other half relates to imagination, intuition, and thoughts.
The second imaginary line starts halfway between the base of the fingers and the wrist. It runs across the palm, bisecting the first line in the process. It also creates two halves. The half of the hand that includes the fingers relates to activity and thinking, while the other half is receptive, instinctual, unconscious, and passive.
The two lines create what are known as the four quadrants. These are the active-outer, active-inner, passive-outer, and passive-inner. When you look at someone’s palms, you’ll frequently find that one of the four quadrants is more prominent or obvious than the others. Sometimes this is simply a feeling, but at other times one quadrant will be noticeably more developed than the others. If all the quadrants are equally prominent, the person will have managed to balance the different areas of his or her life.
Figure 12: The Four Quadrants
Active-Outer Quadrant
The active-outer quadrant contains the top part of the thumb, as well as all of the first finger and half of the second finger. This quadrant relates to the person’s desires, goals, power, and influence. If this quadrant is prominent, the person will put a great deal of energy into achieving his or her aims and goals.
Passive-Outer Quadrant
The passive-outer quadrant includes the bottom part of the thumb as well as the mound immediately below it (mount of Venus). This quadrant relates to physical stamina, the person’s loved ones, and his or her sexuality. If this quadrant is well-developed, the person will possess plenty of energy and stamina along with a healthy sexual appetite. If this quadrant is less developed than the others, the person will lack enthusiasm and energy and have little interest in physical activities.
Active-Inner Quadrant
The active-inner quadrant includes the third and fourth fingers, and half of the second finger. If this quadrant is well-developed, the person will be interested in learning and the arts, enjoy a good social life, and have little interest in achieving worldly success.
Passive-Inner Quadrant
The passive-inner quadrant occupies the quarter of the palm directly opposite the thumb. This area includes the mount of Luna, which will be discussed later. This area relates to the person’s creative subconscious. If this area is well developed, the person will be intuitive, sensitive, emotional, and empathetic. He or she will also be creative and possess a rich imagination.
The Three Worlds
Another way to look at the hand as a whole is to divide the fingers and palm into three sections known as the three worlds. These indicate the mental world, the practical world, and the instinctual world.
The mental world comprises the four fingers. The palm is mentally split into two halves by a horizontal line running across the palm from the base of the angle where the thumb joins the palm to create the other two worlds.
The first world (the fingers) indicates the mind and how it is used. It also relates to spirituality and sensitivity. Someone with long fingers compared to the rest of the hand will enjoy logic, thinking, and learning.
The second world (between the fingers and the horizontal line crossing the palm from the base of the thumb) represents business, family, practicality, material success, and working well with others. If this area is well developed, the person will have a social conscience and gain pleasure from of helping others.
The third world represents physical energy and vitality as well as basic, instinctive desires and urges. It relates to shrewdness and the material aspects of life. If this area is well developed, the person will put all the energy at his or her disposal into achieving goals and desires.
Often you can tell at a glance which of the three worlds the person lives in, but there will also be times when each world appears to be equally important in the person’s life. This is a good sign, as it shows the person has balanced his or her mind, practicality, and instincts and will be able to make good use of all of them.
If the first and second worlds are more prominent than the third, the person will be able to use his or her logic and business acumen to do well financially. If the second and third worlds are more developed than the first, the person would also do well financially, probably in a business using machinery or manual labor.
The three worlds can also be read in the three phalanges of the fingers. The tip section or phalange relates to the first world, the middle section to the second world, and the base phalanges to the third world.
Size of the Hands
The size of the hands shows what the person wants to do with them. However, you have to bear in mind that a tall person is likely to have larger hands than someone who is short. Consequently, you need to look at the size of the hands in relation to the size of the person. As most people have average sized hands, it’s a simple matter to notice hands that are unusually large or small.
Strangely, people with large hands enjoy working with anything that’s small and detailed. They pay attention to detail, and work everything out carefully before making a decision. The largest hands I remember seeing belonged to an expert watchmaker who loved the intricacy of his work.
People with small hands are quick thinkers who enjoy doing things on a big scale. They are capable of handling several things at once and enjoy working on big projects.
How the Hand is Held
You can tell a great deal from the way someone shows you his or her hands. If the hand is shown with all the fingers touching, the person will be cautious, timid, distrusting, and likely to lack in confidence. If the hand is shown with the fingers spread widely apart, the person will be outgoing, enthusiastic, confident, and open. If the hand is displayed with the fingers slightly apart, the person will be a reasonably independent thinker
It’s common for people to display their hands for a reading with the fingers spread. However, as the reading progresses, the fingers often slowly close. This shows that the person is concerned that you will learn too much about them by studying their palms.
As you can see, the fingers play an important role in palmistry. We’ll look at the fingers in greater depth in the next chapter.
Figure 13: Fingers Together
Figure 14: Fingers Apart