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Imagine if you held everything you ever wanted to know about your fate, love life, and personality in the palm of your hand. Palm reading, also known as palmistry or chiromancy, is a mystical art practiced worldwide. It has its roots in Indian astrology and Roman fortune-telling—but you can hop into this ancient tradition today. Whether you're an aspiring palm reader or just looking for a fun way to impress your friends, we’ve got you covered. Read on for palm-reading charts and a complete guide to interpreting palm lines.
Steps
Intro to Palm Reading
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1Choose a hand. In palmistry, it is thought that:
- For females, the right hand is what you're born with, and left is what you've accumulated throughout your life.
- For males, it is the other way around. The left hand is what you're born with, and the right is what you've accumulated throughout your life.
- That being said, you can also choose whichever hand is dominant to be your present/past life hand (the non-dominant hand would then be your future life hand).
- There are different schools of thought on the matter. Some say the left-hand show's potential and what could be -- not necessarily what will be. And a difference in the hands could mean one is or is about to take action when it comes to their lives, changing it.[1]
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2Identify the four major lines. There may be breaks in them, or they may be short, but at least three of them are there.
- (1) The heart line
- (2) The headline
- (3) The lifeline
- (4) The fate line (only some people have this).
Interpreting the Hands, Fingers, Etc.
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1Determine the hand shape. Each hand shape is associated with certain elements and character traits. The palm length is measured from the wrist to the bottom of the fingers. The basic interpretations are as follows:
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Earth Hands - broad, square palms and fingers, thick or coarse skin, and ruddy color; length of the palm equals the length of fingers
- Solid values and energy, sometimes stubborn
- Practical and responsible, sometimes materialistic
- Work with their hands, comfortable with the tangible
- Air Hands - square or rectangular palms with long fingers and sometimes protruding knuckles, low-set thumbs, and dry skin; length of the palm less than the length of fingers
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Water Hands - long, sometimes oval-shaped palm, with long, flexible, conical fingers; length of the palm equals the length of fingers but is less than the width across the widest part of the palm.
- Creative, perceptive and sympathetic
- Can be moody, emotional and inhibited
- Introverts
- Do things quietly and intuitively.
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Fire Hands - square or rectangular palm, flushed or pink skin, and shorter fingers; length of the palm is greater than the length of fingers
- Spontaneous, enthusiastic and optimistic
- Sometimes egoistic, impulsive and insensitive
- Extroverts
- Do things boldly and instinctively.
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Earth Hands - broad, square palms and fingers, thick or coarse skin, and ruddy color; length of the palm equals the length of fingers
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2Look at the mounts. That's what the fleshy bit below your fingers are called, on the opposite side of your knuckle. To make them visible, cup your hand just a bit. Which one is the largest?
- A high Venus mount (the one under your thumb) indicates a predisposition for hedonism, promiscuity, and the need for instant gratification. A non-existent Venus mount indicates little interest in family matters.
- The mount under your index finger is called the Jupiter mount. If this is well-developed, it means you are dominant, possibly self-centered, and aggressive. A lack of one means you lack confidence.
- Under your middle finger is the Saturn mount. A high mount shows you're stubborn, cynical, and prone to depression. If it is low, it's an indicator of superficiality and disorganization.
- The Sun mount is under your ring finger. You're quick-tempered, extravagant, and prideful if you have a high Sun mount. A low Sun mount means you lack imagination.
- The Mercury mount is under your pinkie. If it's protruding, you talk too much. A low mount means the opposite -- you're shy.
- None of this is based on science. And your hands are known to change throughout time. Could you not take any of it too seriously?
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3Examine the hand and finger size. Relative to the size of the body, some say that small hands are active and don't dwell on thinking about what to do. Large hands are on those who are contemplative and slow to action.[2]
- Remember, this is relative to the body. If you're 8 feet (2.4 m) tall (2.4 m), you're going to have bigger hands than a 4-year-old. It's all proportional.
- What're more, long fingers may be an indicator of anxiety, in addition to being well-mannered, good-looking, and delicate. Short fingers are found on impatient, highly sexed, and creative.
- Long fingernails, on the other hand, mean you're kind and a good secret keeper. Short fingernails mean you're critical and sarcastic. If they're almond-shaped, you're sweet and diplomatic.[1]
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I use palm reading to predict how many children I’ll have?
wikiHow Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff AnswerwikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerPalmists believe that the vertical lines under your little finger can give you indications about the number and gender of your future children. The lines may also branch off of a love line. Try to count the lines to get an idea of how many children you’ll have (although these lines can be faint and difficult to count). Broader and deeper lines are thought to indicate boys, while fainter lines are thought to indicate girls. Palmists also claim that broken or diverted lines could indicate that the child will have a health issue. -
QuestionWhich line can I look at to find out about marriage?wikiHow Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff AnswerwikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerLook at the “marriage lines” or “love lines,” which are small horizontal indentations on the outer side of your hand, under your little finger. You may have an easier time seeing them if you curl your hand into a fist. Each line or groove is thought to represent a different marriage, and deeper and longer grooves represent stronger or longer-lasting relationships. However, some palmists believe that these lines don’t distinguish between marriages and other types of romantic relationships. -
QuestionWhat does it mean if my fate line is absent?
Community AnswerIt means you will shape your own future. Your fate is not predetermined.
Warnings
- Remember that palm reading is for entertainment purposes, and there is no substantiated evidence of a correlation between palm features and psychological traits.
- If you're going to read someone else's palms, keep it light. Don't make any dark predictions that will make people worry about their lives or predictions that influence others to harm themselves.
References
About This Article
To read palms, first locate the heart line, which is located at the top of the hand in the center of the palm. It's the closest line to the bottom of the fingers. If the heart line starts under the index finger, that means the person is content with their relationships. If it starts under the middle finger, they may struggle with interpersonal relationships. Under the heart line is the head line. If it’s straight, the person is more traditional, but if it's wavy, they may be a little more progressive. Next, find the life line, which is the line under the head line that starts at the thumb and angles down toward the wrist. This line represents the person's journey through life. A long life line means that their life will be filled with exciting, rich experiences, while a short line means that they'll experience independence and comfort throughout their life. If their life line is straight, their experiences will make them cautious and nervous. If it's curvy, their life will be eventful and full of vigor. Next to the life line in the center of the palm is the fate line. The fate line shows how dramatically a person’s life will be influenced by things that are out of their control. A thin, perfectly vertical fate line means that the person is totally in control over what happens in their life. Any broken or scarred lines could be a sign of past trauma and pain. To learn how to interpret what the lines on someone's palms mean, keep reading!
