How to Read Palm Lines

Co-authored by Jennifer McVey, Cht and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: December 27, 2022 References Approved

Palm reading, also known as palmistry, involves looking at the shapes of your hands and the lines on them to possibly tell you about your life and personality. While there is no clear evidence that your palm lines affect your life, it can still be a fun hobby to practice. When you want to begin interpreting your palm lines, look for the major lines in the center of your palm. As you examine your palm, start checking if you have any secondary or minor lines to see how they may affect your life. As you learn more, you'll be able to check anyone's palms and share your reading!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Interpreting the Main Lines

1
Choose your dominant, or active, hand to read palms. When you start your reading, check the hand you use most often since it's considered your active hand. Your non-dominant hand is your passive hand, and it is usually not examined since the lines may not be as prominent during the reading. Hold your hand out in front of you with your palm is face-up so you can easily read the lines.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Compare your active and passive hands to see if there are any differences. The lines on your passive hand are your inherited traits while the lines on your active hand indicate how hard you've worked to develop yourself.
2
Read the life line to determine your well-being and passion for life. The life line is the long curved line that runs from your wrist up around the base of your thumb. The life line might reveal experiences you've had and how they affect your outlook on life. The length of the line shows how others influence your life while the depth of the line displays the ease you'll have for life moving forward.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- If you have a short or shallow life line, it may mean that you may get sick or feel weak often. Deep and long life lines could signify that you're in good health and rarely get sick.
- Check if your life line has any other lines branching upward or downward. Upward branches toward your fingers mean positive changes are coming, and downward branches reveal negative events.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
- The life line doesn't dictate when you'll die, so don't get worried if it is short.
Advertisement
3
Look at the head line to find your learning style and desire for knowledge. Locate the headline directly above your life line extending horizontally across your palm. Longer head lines may represent that you think through situations methodically while shorter lines mean you're more impulsive. Check the depth of the line, since deeper lines can mean you have a great memory and shallow lines could show you struggle to focus.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- If your head line has breaks in it, then it could mean you will encounter mental strife or that you've had many breakthroughs or epiphanies about your life.
- Look to see if your head line is straight or wavy. Wavy lines may signify you approach problems creatively while straight lines mean you solve problems traditionally.
- If your head line connects to your life line, it may mean that you are introverted and thoughtful. The more the headline connects to the life line, the more worried and indecisive you may be.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
4
Interpret the heart line to find out your emotional stability. The heart line, also known as the love line, is located above the head line and runs horizontally across your palm. If the heart line starts underneath your index finger, it may mean you are content with your relationships. However, a heart line that starts under your middle finger may represent you may be restless in relationships. Deeper heart lines could show that your interpersonal relationships are significant to your life.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- The length of the heart line might indicate the length of your relationships, where breaks or forks can represent multiple relationships.
- If your heart line is curved, it may indicate that you're good at communicating to partners. Straight lines can mean you're stable and approachable, but you may be shy or passive in relationships.
Tip: If your heart line and head line overlap or connect, then you have a Simian line. If you have a Simian line, then you may have a hard time separating your actions from your emotions.^{[7]
X
Research source}
5
Check the fate line to see how your life may be influenced by external circumstances. Your fate line is a vertical line that you may have running down the center of your palm. The fate line can represent how other people or events out of your control will affect your life. If you have a deep fate line, you may have a strong ability to start a career or run a business. A shallow line means you work hard, but your career may change multiple times.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Itchy hands may signal that changes might occur in your life soon.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Reading the Secondary Lines

1
Look for the sun line to find out your possible legacy and fame. The sun line, also known as the Apollo line, is a vertical line that's usually located near the bottom of your palm underneath your ring finger. If you have a deep sun line, you may be very successful and possibly gain fame. A shallow line means you're still developing your skills and you'll work hard toward success. If the sun line is broken, you may gain success after overcoming past obstacles.^{[9]
X
Research source}

Tip: You may not have a sun line on your palm. If you don't have one, it still means you're a hard worker, but you should stop and enjoy life every now and then.
2
Read the relationship line to learn how you handle commitment. The relationship line, also called the marriage line, is a small horizontal line that wraps around the side of your palm underneath your pinkie. Relationship lines that are long or deep might mean you prefer long-term commitments, while short or shallow lines mean you may experience multiple relationships or revisit old commitments.
- You may have multiple relationship lines on your palm, which may mean you are passionate in your romantic relationships.
3
Interpret the intuition line to learn your ability to read other people. Your intuition line is a curved line that starts near the bottom of your pinkie and goes down toward your wrist. If your intuition line is pronounced, you may be able to pick up on how others are feeling quickly and sense if they're positive or negative. When you have breaks in your intuition line, it could mean you're empathetic for others, but you should focus on your own mood and emotions.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- You may not have an intuition line on your palm, but you can still be empathetic and sense others' feelings.
4
Check the health line to see what you're like as a caretaker. The health line is a diagonal or curved line that starts from the edge of your palm by your pinkie and extends down to the center of your wrist. Having a long, deep health line can mean that you're a supportive individual and that you take care of others. Not everyone will have a health line, but it does not mean that you don't care for other people.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Breaks in your health line may represent illnesses you or a loved one may have had in the past.
5
Look for a money line if you want to check your future wealth. The money line is a short diagonal line that extends down from the base of your pinkie. Deep, straight money lines may mean you are smart with your investments and you may get wealth later on in life. Wavier, shallow lines might indicate that you may need to put more effort in to become wealthy.^{[12]
X
Research source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Checking for Minor Palm Lines

1
Examine the Girdle of Venus to determine your romantic insecurities. The Girdle of Venus is an arced line that goes around the base of your middle and ring finger. If you have a prominent Girdle of Venus on your palm, you may live life deeply and empathize easily with others. A lighter Girdle of Venus may mean you're more insecure with your relationships and can work toward them by building trust in other people.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- A Girdle of Venus may also represent past trauma that made you lose trust in other people, but you can keep working toward being trusting again.
2
See if there's a Ring of Jupiter to check your leadership qualities. Look under the base of your index finger to see if you have a line wrapping around it, which is the Ring of Jupiter. If you have a prominent Ring of Jupiter, then you may be well-respected and exceed in leadership positions that you're given. If you have a shallow Ring of Jupiter, you might need to keep working toward building your skills to succeed.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- If you don't have a Ring of Jupiter, you can wear a ring on your finger to possibly increase your luck.
3
Look for the Ring of Saturn to see if you get frustrated easily. The Ring of Saturn wraps around the base of your middle finger and may signify that you have a pessimistic attitude. You might get frustrated or feel like there are many obstacles you need to overcome in life. If you have a Ring of Saturn, try staying optimistic, communicating well, and having empathy for others since this could help the line disappear.^{[15]
X
Research source}
4
Check for a Ring of Apollo to see how creative you are. The Ring of Apollo is a curved line that wraps around the base of your ring finger and may be very rare to have. If you have a Ring of Apollo, it may mean that you repress creativity and do things with a negative attitude. Working hard to have a positive attitude and embracing your creativity might help you remove the line from your palm.^{[16]
X
Research source}
- If you have a Ring of Apollo, try picking up artistic or creative hobbies, such as drawing, painting, or writing.
5
Interpret your bracelet lines to find the balance between physical and mental self. Bracelet lines appear around your wrist and could determine how balanced you are physically, mentally, and spiritually. Solid, deep lines mean you are balanced and will live a prosperous life, while shallow lines may indicate an imbalance in your self.^{[17]
X
Research source}
- If you're reading the bracelet lines on a male, look at their left palm. If you're reading the lines on a female, then use the right hand.

Palm Lines Cheat Sheet

Sample Palm Reading Template

Community Q&A

Question

What does it mean if you have an M on your palm?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Some interpretations see the M as meaning that you can understand and judge the character of other people well. In other interpretations, the M means you have good leadership skills, are highly motivated and have a strong will to succeed in all that you do. An M may also indicate creativity, intuitiveness and an excellent ability to solve problems. From a more external viewpoint, it can be a sign of good luck. It is important to read more about this according to the type of palm reading you prefer, as the M can have different meanings depending on which hand it is located, whether or not it appears on both hands and which cultural background you’re making the interpretations from.
Question

Do you read left or right palm?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

The answer depends on which palm reading approach you’re using. One school of thought thinks it is best to read only the dominant hand (your writing hand) because this is considered to be your active hand and may have more lines to read than your non-dominant or “passive” hand. Check your own hands to see if this is the case. It’s the approach this article has adopted. However, there is another school of thought that says it is important to read both hands, as the left hand reveals your potential (what God or the universe has blessed you with, such as talents, abilities, etc.), while the right hand reveals what you’ve achieved from that potential (what you have acted on, made the most of, done with your life so far, etc.). You’ll need to make the decision for yourself which approach fits best.
Question

Which line on the palm is the love line?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

The love line is also known as the heart line. It is the line that is found above the head line. It begins from the edge of your palm under your little finger, then goes horizontally across your palm and finishes under your middle finger or forefinger. You can learn how to interpret this line by reading step 4 of Method 1 above.