Palmistry is an ancient art thought to have originated in the East more than 5000 years ago. What we now know as palmistry is actually composed of what were originally two distinct disciplines: Chirognomy and Chiromancy.

Chirognomy uses the shape and size of a person’s hand and digits to assess their character and personality. Chiromancy is what people usually think of when they think of palmistry, and uses the lines on the palm of the hand to give a reading which can divine the major events of a person’s life and give some insight into what they may expect from the future.

In this article I will describe some of the most important indicators from both schools of palmistry, which will enable you to perform a basic reading either on yourself or for friends and family.

The first thing you must recognize is that the two hands will often be different. The dominant hand, that is the hand which you use to write with, indicates the way things stand at the moment. By that I mean not only events that have already happened, and are currently happening, but also the direction in which your life is heading and therefore what you can reasonably expect from the future. The non-dominant hand reveals what you wish for, and also what you have the potential to become if you change the course of events.

Beginning with Chirognomy, and looking at the shape of the hands to assess character, the main indicators are probably the so called 'Mounts' of the hand. These are the fleshy raised pads that can be found at various places on the palm.

The Mount of Venus: This is the largest of the mounts and can be found at the base of the thumb. It indicates the ability to express emotion and affection, as well as a person’s level of vitality. A particularly large, firm and well developed mount of Venus shows someone with great energy and vitality, as well as a strong (perhaps too strong) sex drive. A particularly flat or soft mount of Venus shows someone who may easily succumb to apathy or listlessness. They will have a weak libido, and may suffer poor health due to a lack of vital energy.

The Mount of the Moon: This can be found on the bottom of the palm just above the wrist, on the opposite side to the thumb and the mount of Venus. It indicates intuition and imagination. An underdeveloped mount of the moon shows a person who is very logical and sceptical, perhaps with a strong practical intelligence, but with an inability to make intuitive leaps beyond what is directly in front of them which may make them seem dull minded. A very large pad here indicates a very imaginative and creative person, who may sometimes be a fantasist who becomes enamoured with the idea of a thing and blinds themselves from all evidence to the contrary, perhaps losing touch with reality. These two are obviously the extremes, with most people being somewhere in between.

Moving on to Chiromancy I will now describe the major line of the palm and how you can use them to provide a reading:

The Life Line: This line begins on the side of the hand between the thumb and the forefinger, and curves down around the mount of Venus The life line indicates the Major events of a person’s life, and the quality of the physical energy. A common misconception is that the length of the line indicates how long a person will live. This is not the case, and actually the quality of the line is more important than the length. A strong, clear, and unbroken line indicates abundant physical energy and strength, and therefore the likelihood of good health and long life. The beginning of the line above the thumb relates to childhood and the other end relates to old age. If the line becomes weak or feathery at one point more than others this indicates difficulties and possible health problems at that stage in a person’s life. If it is crossed by smaller lines then this can indicate important events in a person’s life, such as marriage, retirement etc.

The Fate Line: This line travels vertically up the centre of the palm. It shows the general direction your life will take your career and interests, and worldly affairs in general. The fate lie can start in a number of different places. If the line begins on the mount of Venus, for example, shows someone strongly influenced by childhood event or family background. This person may have difficulty overcoming a traumatic childhood experience (esp. if the line is weak or broken at this end) or maybe a person who lives their life in the same social setting, and perhaps career, as their parents, never moving far from their roots. If he ne begins on the mount of the moon, on the other hand, the opposite is true. This person will take a very individual path in life, going their own way rather than fulfilling expectations. In either case a clear unbroken line shows a clear path that a person will follow - they may have a lifelong career, or some other singular focus. Forks and branches in the line indicate diverse interests and endeavours, and a weak line show a person being pulled along without having any strong passion or attachment to what they are doing. Some people do not have a fate line at all, which means they are a person who live in the moment and is very fluid in their approach to life.

The Bracelets of Neptune: This is an interesting place to finish. They run across the inside of the wrist just before it meets the hand. They indicate good fortune. The stronger and clearer they are the more fortune you will have in life. The top line is also particularly associated with health, with a straight, deep line and no feathering being the ideal.