Palmistry, or chiromancy (also spelled cheiromancy; from Greek kheir (, ; hand) and

manteia (, ; divination)), is the claim of characterization and foretelling the future

through the study of the palm, also known as palm reading or chirology. The practice is found
all over the world, with numerous cultural variations. Those who practice chiromancy are
generally called palmists, palm readers, hand readers, hand analysts, or chirologists.
The belief behind Palmistry is that the hand mirrors the individual by measuring the following
characteristics:[1]
Uniqueness
Sentiments
Talents
Wellbeing
Power
Interactions with others
Worries
Oddities
The information outlined below is briefly representative of modern palmistry; there are many
often conflicting interpretations of various lines and palmar features across various schools of
palmistry. These contradictions between different interpretations, as well as the lack of empirical
support for palmistry's predictions, contribute to palmistry's perception as a pseudoscience
among academics.

Contents
[hide]
1 History
1.1 Ancient palmistry
1.2 Modern palmistry
2 Techniques
3 Significance of the left and right hand
4 Hand shape
5 Lines
6 Criticism
7 In films and television
8 See also
9 References
10 Further reading

History[edit]
Ancient palmistry[edit]
Palmistry is a practice common to many different places on the Eurasian landmass;[2] it has been
practised in the cultures of India, Tibet, China, Persia, Sumeria, Ancient Israel and Babylonia.
According to some, it had its roots in [3]Hindu Astrology (known in Sanskrit as Jyotish),
Chinese Yijing (I Ching), and Roma (Gypsy) fortune tellers.[3] Several thousand years ago, the
Hindu sage Valmiki is thought[4] to have written a book comprising 567 stanzas, the title of
which translates in English as "The Teachings of Valmiki Maharshi on Male Palmistry".[4][5]
From India, the art of palmistry spread to China, Tibet, Egypt, Persia and to other countries in
Europe.[3][6] From China, palmistry progressed to Greece where Anaxagoras practiced it.[3]
Aristotle (384322 B.C.E.) discovered a treatise on the subject of palmistry on an altar of
Hermes, which he then presented to Alexander the Great (356323 B.C.E.), who took great
interest in examining the character of his officers by analyzing the lines on their hands.[7]
Aristotle stated that "Lines are not written into the human hand without reason. They emanate
from heavenly influences and man's own individuality."[this quote needs a citation] Accordingly,
Aristotle, Hippocrates and Alexander the Great popularized the laws and practice of palmistry.
[citation needed] Hippocrates sought to use palmistry to aid his clinical procedures.[citation
needed]
During the Middle Ages the art of palmistry was actively suppressed by the Catholic Church as
pagan superstition. In Renaissance magic, palmistry (known as "chiromancy") was classified as
one of the seven "forbidden arts," along with necromancy, geomancy, aeromancy, pyromancy,
hydromancy, and spatulamancy (scapulimancy).[8]

Modern palmistry[edit]
It experienced a revival in the modern era starting with Captain Casimir Stanislas D'Arpentigny
publication La Chirognomie in 1839.[6]

/wiki/File:Cheiroy.jpg

/wiki/File:Cheiroy.jpg

/wiki/File:Cheiroy.jpgCheiro, an influential exponent of palmistry in the late 19th century.

The Chirological Society of Great Britain was founded in London by Katherine St Hill in 1889
with the stated aim to advance and systematise the art of palmistry and to prevent charlatans
from abusing the art.[9] Edgar de Valcourt-Vermont (Comte de St Germain) founded the
American Chirological Society in 1897.
A pivotal figure in the modern palmistry movement was the Irish William John Warner, known
by his sobriquet, Cheiro. After studying under gurus in India he set up a palmistry practice in
London and enjoyed a wide following of famous clients from around the world, including
famous celebrities like Mark Twain, W. T. Stead, Sarah Bernhardt, Mata Hari, Oscar Wilde,
Grover Cleveland, Thomas Edison, the Prince of Wales, General Kitchener, William Ewart
Gladstone, and Joseph Chamberlain. So popular was Cheiro as a "Society Palmist" that even
those who were not believers in the occult had their hands read by him. The skeptical Mark
Twain wrote in Cheiro's visitor's book that he had "...exposed my character to me with
humiliating accuracy."
Edward Heron-Allen, an English polymath, published various works including the 1883 book,
Palmistry - A Manual of Cheirosophy which is still in print.[6][10] There were attempts at
formulating some sort of scientific basis for the art, most notably in the 1900 publication The
Laws of Scientific Hand Reading" by William G. Benham.[11]

Techniques[edit]
Chiromancy consists of the practice of evaluating a person's character or future life by "reading"
the palm of that person's hand. Various "lines" ("heart line", "life line", etc.) and "mounts" (or
bumps) (chirognomy) purportedly suggest interpretations by their relative sizes, qualities, and
intersections. In some traditions, readers also examine characteristics of the fingers, fingernails,
fingerprints, and palmar skin patterns (dermatoglyphics), skin texture and color, shape of the
palm, and flexibility of the hand.
A reader usually begins by reading the person's 'dominant hand' (the hand he or she writes with
or uses the most, which is sometimes considered to represent the conscious mind, whereas the
other hand is subconscious). In some traditions of palmistry, the other hand is believed to carry
hereditary or family traits, or, depending on the palmist's cosmological beliefs, to convey
information about past-life or karmic conditions.
The basic framework for "Classical" palmistry (the most widely taught and practiced tradition) is
rooted in Greek mythology. Each area of the palm and fingers is related to a god or goddess, and
the features of that area indicate the nature of the corresponding aspect of the subject. For
example, the ring finger is associated with the Greek god Apollo; characteristics of the ring
finger are tied to the subject's dealings with art, music, aesthetics, fame, wealth, and harmony.

Significance of the left and right hand[edit]

Though there are debates[by whom?] on which hand is better to read from, both have their own
significance. It is custom[weasel words] to assume that the left hand shows potential in an
individual, and the right shows realized personality. Some sayings about the significance include
"The future is shown in the right, the past in the left"; "The left hand is the one we are born with,
and the right is what we have made of it"; "The right hand is read for men, while the left is read
for women"; "The left is what the gods give you, the right is what you do with it"; "The right
hand is read for right-handed people, while the left is read for left-handed people"[citation

needed]. The choice of hand to read is ultimately up to the instinct and experience of the
practitioner.
Left The left hand is usually controlled by the right brain (often believed to direct control
pattern recognition, relationship understanding), reflects the inner person, the natural self,
the anima, and the lateral thinking.
Right The right hand is usually controlled by the left brain (often believed to direct logic,
reason, and language), reflects the outer person, objective self, influence of social
environment, education, and experience. It represents linear thinking.

Hand shape[edit]
Depending on the type of palmistry practiced, and the type of reading being performed, palmists
may look at various qualities of the hand, including the shapes and lines of the palm and fingers;
the color and texture of the skin and fingernails; the relative sizes of the palm and fingers; the
prominence of the knuckles; and numerous other attributes of the hands.
In most schools of palmistry, hand shapes are divided into four or 11 major types, sometimes
corresponding to the Classical elements or temperaments. Hand shape is believed to indicate
character traits corresponding to the type indicated (i.e., a "Fire hand" would exhibit high energy,
creativity, short temper, ambition, etc. - all qualities believed to be related to the Classical
element of Fire).
Although variations abound, the most common classifications used by modern palmists:
Earth hands are generally identified by broad, square palms and fingers, thick or coarse skin,
and ruddy color. The length of the palm from wrist to the bottom of the fingers is usually
equal to the length of the fingers.
Air hands exhibit square or rectangular palms with long fingers and sometimes protruding
knuckles, low-set thumbs, and often dry skin. The length of the palm from wrist to the
bottom of the fingers is usually equal to the length of the fingers.
Water hands are seeable by the long, sometimes oval-shaped palm, with long, flexible,
conical fingers. The length of the palm from wrist to the bottom of the fingers is usually
less than the width across the widest part of the palm, and usually equal to the length of
the fingers.
Fire hands are characterized by a square or rectangular palm, flushed or pink skin, and
shorter fingers. The length of the palm from wrist to the bottom of the fingers is usually
greater than the length of the fingers.
The number and quality of lines can also be included in the hand shape analysis; in some
traditions of palmistry, Earth and Water hands tend to have fewer, deeper lines, while Air and
Fire hands are more likely to show more lines with less clear definition.

Lines[edit]

/wiki/File:Les_lignes_de_la_main_Artlibre.png
/wiki/File:Les_lignes_de_la_main_Artlibre.png
/wiki/File:Les_lignes_de_la_main_Artlibre.pngSome of the lines of the hand in Palmistry
1: Life line - 2: Head line - 3: Heart line - 4: Girdle of Venus - 5: Sun line - 6: Mercury line - 7:
Fate line
The three lines found on almost all hands, and generally given most weight by palmists:
The heart line is the first of the major lines examined by a reader and represents love and
attraction.[12] It is found towards the top of the palm, under the fingers. In some
traditions, the line is read as starting from the edge of the palm under the little finger and
flowing across the palm towards the thumb; in others, it is seen as starting under the
fingers and flowing toward the outside edge of the palm. Palmists interpret this line to
represent matters of the heart, that is, more literally, our emotional living; it is therefore
believed to be an insight into how the emotional sides of our mindframes will act out and
be acted upon during our lifetimes, and often said, to what extent we possess emotional
reservoirs within us, for example, a chained or gridded heart line (or emotional line) is
often seen in people who are highly strung, nervous and draw upon emotional strength
and insight to attain their ambitions, i.e. they wear their 'emotions' on their sleeves, often
to draw strength. Such chaining or gridding on the heart line (emotional line) is often
seen in intensely creative artists such as musicians and writers, as well as deeply driven
scientists. Dealing with emotions, the line is also claimed to indicate romantic
perspectives and intimate relationships, again, a chained or gridded heart line is said to
point to a flirtatious attitude to love, and one which can be prone to fall in love easily. On
a physical level, the heart line is indirectly associated with heart health, more so through
the effects that emotions can have on the body such as with blood pressure. A chained
heart line is often associated with high blood pressure, but also of an 'adrenaline junkie'
attitude in life.

The next line identified by palmists is the head line. This line starts at the edge of the palm
under the index finger and flows across the palm towards the outside edge. Often, the
head line is joined with the life line (see below) at inception. Palmists generally interpret
this line to represent the person's mind and the way it works, including learning style,
communication style, intellectualism, and thirst for knowledge. It is also believed to
indicate a preference for creative or analytical approaches to information (i.e., right brain
or left brain).
The life line is perhaps the most controversial line on the hand.[citation needed] This line
extends from the edge of the palm above the thumb and travels in an arc towards the
wrist. This line is believed to represent the person's vitality and vigor, physical health and
general well being. The life line is also believed to reflect major life changes, including
cataclysmic events, physical injuries, and relocations. Contrary to popular belief, modern
palmists generally do not believe that the length of a person's life line is tied to the length
of a person's life.
The combined length of these three main lines (heart, head, life) can also be used. If this
combined length is longer than a persons foot they may be over bearing. However, if it is
shorter they may give in too easily to other people. A similar length suggests a well
balanced individual.
Additional major lines or variations include:
A simian crease, or fusing of the heart and head lines, has special significance in that both
emotional as well as reasoning nature have to be studied from this line alone. The
peculiar line is thought to be a combination of the head and heart lines on such hands that
are separately marked on the rest of the hands.
According to Cheiro[citation needed], this line is thought to endow a person with an
intensity of purpose or single-mindedness, the nature of which is decided upon by exact
position of this line on the hand and the direction of any branches shooting from it, which
is normally the case. In hands where such a line exists without any branches as a singular
mark, it indicates an extremely intense nature and special care is needed for such persons.
The normal position for the line is starting below the index finger and ending where
normally the heart line terminates at the edge of the hand below the little finger,
indicating average interests for the person and the intense side of the nature is decided
purely by the direction of any branches shooting from it.
The upper half of the palm lying immediately below the fingers is considered to represent
the higher or intellectual nature and the lower half of the palm to represent the
materialistic side of the nature. If one of these halves is larger than the other as decided
by the central placement of the head line or in this case the single transverse palmar
crease it shows greater development of that aspect of the nature. Based on this general
principle, if this line is placed below its normal position it indicates an intensely
intellectual nature; if it is placed above its normal position it indicates an intensely
materialistic nature and interests.
The direction in which any branches may be found shooting from this line have a
significant impact on the nature of this line resulting in suitable modifications from the
above defined results depending on the nature of the mounts on the hand. For instance, if
a branch from this line shoots to the mount of Moon lying on the lower edge of the hand

exactly opposite the thumb, it indicates an intensely vacillating nature and emotional
temperament.
The fate line runs from the bottom of the palm near the wrist, up through the center of the
palm towards the middle finger. This line is believed to be tied to the person's life path,
including school and career choices, successes and obstacles. Sometimes this line is
thought to reflect circumstances beyond the individual's control, or alternately the
person's choices and their consequences.

/wiki/File:Mounts-melbourne-hand-analysis.JPG
/wiki/File:Mounts-melbourne-hand-analysis.JPG
/wiki/File:Mounts-melbourne-hand-analysis.JPGThe mounts in Palmistry
Jupiter, Saturn, Apollo, Mercury, Mars positive, Mars negative, plain of mars, Luna mount,
Neptune mount, Venus mount.[13]
Other minor lines:
Sun line - parallel to the Fate Line, under the ring finger; believed to indicate fame or scandal
Girdle of Venus - starts between the little and ring fingers, runs in a rough arc under the ring
and middle fingers to end between the middle and pointer fingers; thought to relate to
emotional intelligence and the ability to manipulate
Union lines - short horizontal lines found on the percussive edge of the palm between the
Heart Line and the bottom of the little finger; believed to indicate close relationships,
sometimes - but not always - romantic.
Mercury line - runs from the bottom of the palm near the wrist, up through the palm towards
the little finger; purported to be an indicator of persistent health issues, business acumen,
or skill in communication.
Travel lines - these are horizontal lines found on the percussive edge of the palm between the
wrist and the heart line; each line is said to represent a trip taken by the subject - the
longer the line, the more important the trip is to the subject.
Other markings - these include stars, crosses, triangles, squares, tridents, and rings under
each of the fingers; their supposed impact and meaning varies by location on the palm
and freedom from other interfering lines.

"Apollo line" - the Apollo line means to have a fortunate life; it travels from the Mount of the
Moon at the wrist to beneath the Apollo finger.

Criticism[edit]
Criticism of palmistry often rests with the lack of empirical evidence supporting its efficacy.
Scientific literature typically regards palmistry as a pseudoscientific or superstitious belief.[14]
Skeptics often include palmists on lists of alleged psychics who practice cold reading. Cold
reading is the practice that allows readers of all kinds, including palmists, to appear psychic by
using high-probability guessing and inferring details based on signals or cues from the other
person.[15]

In films and television[edit]

Palmistry has been shown in a number of films and television shows, including:
Amaya (2011) - Through the use of Himalad (Palmistry) the priestess found out that Amaya
is the chosen one - the girl with a twin snake who will kill the ferocious Rajah.
Eat Pray Love (2010) - Julia Roberts' character goes in for a palmistry reading which
transforms her life
The Simian Line (2001) - Readings by a quirky psychic set in motion the main plot of the
film
Before Sunrise (1995) - Julie Delpy's character has her palm read, while Ethan Hawke's
character is sidelined, leading to a cynical rant from his character
Jacob's Ladder (1990) - Tim Robbins' character has his palm read at a party, which acts as an
ominous portent
Teen Witch (1989) - While Robyn Lively's character has her palm read, the fortune teller
recognizes her as reincarnated witch who will soon be coming into her powers
The Simpsons - Palmistry is lampooned in the Season 4 Episode 8 New Kid on the Block.
Fun and Fancy Free (1947) - In Mickey and the Beanstalk, Mickey reads the giant's palm
Are You Being Served? (1972-1985) - In the third series premiere (1975), Mr. Humphries
(played by John Inman) reads an Asian customer's hand, foretelling an accident. Later on,
it does happen.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame - When Quasimodo tells Esmeralda he's a monster, she reads
his palm and sees no "monster lines".
List of topics characterized as pseudoscience
Alectryomancy
Chironomia
Digit ratio
Guidonian hand
Phrenology
Reflexology

Single transverse palmar crease

Tarot