Palmistry is an ancient art that has been practiced by cultures all over the world. Learning how to read palms takes time, patience and practice. There is more to palm reading than just understanding the lines in the palm. Information about a person can be derived from the shape of their hands, the length of the fingers and the various minute lines that intersect forming shapes such as crosses. Practice on friends and family members when first trying your hand at palm reading. Let your intuition guide you.
When ready to begin, choose the dominant hand. If the person is right-handed, read the right palm. There are four major lines in the palm which include the heart, head, life and fate lines. The heart line is the first major line in the palm running horizontally across the hand on a slightly downward slope. The head line is the next line on the palm beneath the heart line running horizontally in the same manner. The life line starts at the same level or slightly beneath the head line and travels in a curved vertical direction toward the wrist. The fate line runs vertically downward through the hand. It starts just above the heart line and has a slight curve.
Once the lines have been located, the next step is to interpret each line beginning with the heart line. The heart line pertains to love, emotional stability and cardiac health. (Note that no reference to health will be made in these interpretations as the author is not a physician or a professional palm reader. Any health diagnosis should only be made by a professional health care practitioner.)
If the heart line begins beneath the index finger it indicates contentment. If it begins below the middle finger the indication is discontent and perhaps selfishness. A short heart line indicates a person with little interest in romance. A broken heart line indicates emotional trauma. If the heart line touches the life line it means the person is sensitive and may be hurt easily in love matters. If the heart line is long and curved the person freely expresses his/her emotions. If the heart line has a wavy shape the person will experience several romantic relationships.
The head line relates to intellect. If the line is straight the person is a down-to-earth, realistic individual. If the head line is short, the person is more interested in working with his hands than intellectual pursuits. A long line indicates a person with a good ability to concentrate and think clearly. A curved head line indicates a creative person. A broken head line indicates indecisiveness. A wavy line indicates someone who is easily distracted and may have a short attention span or difficulty focusing.
The life line is related to life events and overall physical well being. A long life line indicates plenty of vigor and vitality. A break in the life line is an indication of change in one’s lifestyle. If the life line is close to the thumb it indicates fatigue. A life line that is widely curved indicates strength. A wavy line indicates an abundance of energy. Circle(s) in the life line indicate illness or injury.
The fate line is related to external circumstances that affect one’s life. If the fate line begins at the point of the life line and joins to it, this person knows what he wants early in life and succeeds. A fate line that begins near the base of the thumb and crosses through the life line has many friends and much family support in his lifetime. If the fate line is deep it indicates that fate is largely in control. If the fate line breaks and/or changes direction at some point, it indicates that external forces will bring about many changes in the individual’s life.
There are negative and positive traits associated with the shape and length of both palm and fingers. A square palm with average length fingers indicates an active, conscientious person. The downside is that the individual may be a bit obstinate and focus too much attention on the attainment of worldly goods. A person who has fingers shorter than the palm (usually rectangular but may also be square) is usually courageous and passionate but he may also be inconsiderate and self-centered. A long oval shaped hand with long slender fingers equal in length to the palm indicates an artistic individual who follows her instinct. This personality type is often temperamental and may be reclusive. A short palm (either square or rectangular shaped) with long, bony fingers that exceed the length of the palm indicates a friendly person with a good sense of humor. The negative aspect of a person with this personality type is that he may be petty or even malicious.
