All forms of divination make us aware of energy potentials that exist for us to work with.   Palmistry is no exception.   Then of course we always have free will, which allows us to choose whether we are going to work to optimise our lives by using this energy consciously and productively, or ignore it and unconsciously accept what it bring to us as destiny or fate.....

Palmistry is believed to have existed in Chinese and Indian culture from as early as 3000 BC.   It was part of the "samudrika shastra" , used to interpret human nature and destiny from parts of the body, which translates as "oceans of knowledge".   It has also been traced back to the ancient Middle Eastern cultures of the Chaldeans, Sumerians, early Hebrews and Egyptians with the Greeks coining the term chirosophy (from xier hand and sophia wisdom).    

Originally chirognomy was the term used to describe the study of the general shape of the hand, finger shapes, finger nails and their texture, whereas chiromancy referred to the more traditional study of the lines in the hand, in particular their use in predicting the future.   The study of the ridges on the skin, particularly those on the fingertips is called dermatoglyphics, a technique of indentification widely employed by detectives to confirm suspects from their fingerprints! 

Today chirosophy or chirology is the scientific term used to describe the more psychological approach taken in analysis of the whole hand, as well as the more commonly understood palmistry.

There have been a multitude of quotations referencing palmistry throughout the ages:  

Palmistry is a subject worthy of an enquiring and enlightened mind. Anaxagoras 423 BC

The hand is the organ of organs, the active agent of the passive powers of the entire system......   The lines are not written into the human hand without reason; they come from heavenly influences and man's individuality.....    Palmistry is a judgment made of the conditions, inclinations and fortunes of men and women, from the various lines and characters which nature has imprinted in the hands.
Aristotle 350 BC

He seals the hand of every man, that all men may know his work.   Job 37:7

Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour.   Proverbs 3:16

He also said, "Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?   1 Samuel 26:18

The hand is the servant of the brain and as such reflects the kind of brain behind it. Psychos

Hands whose shape and functioning are so intimately connected with the psyche might provide revealing, and therefore interpretable expressions of psychical peculiarity, that is of human character.   C G Jung

How Does It Work?

Every one thousandth of a second countless nerve impulses from the brain connect with the muscles of our hands in a constant micro-movement or flection, too fast for the eye to pick up.   The web of nerves endings spread through our hands and feet is 14 times that spread through out our face, to create our facial expressions and speech.   Our hands have a unique connection to the brain necessary to carry out the instructions needed for our existence.   This constant and extensive interplay leaves traces in the hands in the form of creases, lines and mount growth; as a record of brain directed activity.  

The shape, skin ridges and major lines of the hands come to us as a blueprint for our lives at birth, but minor lines and extensions to the main ones can come and go fairly quickly over time.   Our conscious thoughts and our unconscious beliefs both originate from our brain and as such are instrumental in creating the road map in our palms.   Our desires, hopes and attitudes can all be seen there; our spirit, motivation, temperament and personal needs, they reflect our character and personality.   Our unconscious feelings and desires directly influenced by our higher self are projected through our brain.

We are what we think and thoughts become manifested as attitudes that mould us into our personality.   Constant thoughts become fine lines that strengthen or weaken as thoughts and beliefs adapt and change.   Carl Jung believed that palmistry had the potential to unlock the secrets buried deep within the unconscious and used it to predict potential issues for his clients.

William Benham, who many believe has brought more credibility through a scientific basis to modern palmistry, believed our Will and Divine Mind work in co-operation etching the lines that signify destiny on the hands.  

Many contempary palmists have conducted research establishing the changes taking place in their client's hands over large periods of time, to prove that changes in our outlook and thinking are in return reflected in our palms.   There have been many medical research studies linking certain more unusual patterns in lines (such as the Simian line and Sydney line) to medical conditions.   There have also been studies linking the ridges in the skin on hands to birth defects and certain hereditary ailments.   It is possible that one day palmistry may be taught at medical school and return to its much earlier status as a tool in every doctor's skill set, useful in identifying potential causes for disease.

Both Chinese energy medical belief systems and Aboriginal art identifies the centre of the hand as a major median centre and energetic source in the body.

What Can Palmistry NOT Do? :

Most reputable palmists will say it isn't possible to tell when someone is going to die from their hand.   Even if it was, would we really want to tell them and what about the powers of suggestion?   A famous palmist in the early 1900s, Cheirio, believed he had the formula but recent research using his methodology on his own published right hand print, showed he had outlived his own prediction by over 10 years, as had 60% of participants studied in a UK project in the early 70s.   The Life Line is now believed to be far more relevant to the vitality and zest with which we live our lives, our motivation and energy, rather than the length of our lives.

It also isn't possible to tell how many times we will marry or how many children we will have!   There are indications about how many serious relationships we may be involved in, but these are very minor lines which can easily morph as our feelings and values change.   The children and grandchildren lines are even finer and here we have the issue of what would happen with and without contraception and fertility treatments!    Gypsy fortune tellers have given palmistry a reputation for fortune telling, "cross my palm with silver" being a superstition to ward off the devil or witchcraft(as well as lining the gypsy's pocket!).   Most predictions of this type are likely to come from intuition or channelled information.  A very apt quotation comes from Heraclitus in 500 BC "A man's character is his fate".

Which Hand Should be Read:

There were many schools of palmistry in the early days, fiercely protective of their doctrines and methodologies.   This has been passed down to many different points of view and meanings for different aspects of the hands.   None so varied as the issue of which hand should be read.   Indian philosophy maintained that it should be right hand for a man, the left representing his wife!   Likewise a woman would have her left read.  

It is fairly generally agreed that the dominant hand is the one we use to write and direct physical tasks.   It is usually the hand with the clearer, deeper lines and the stiffest thumb.   Some believe the passive hand is the one we are born with and it remains virtually unchanged, the writing hand being the hand we create and change.   I can certainly vouch that my writing hand has changed quite dramatically since I started my spiritual study & practice.   However I tend to resonate most strongly with the view that the dominant hand reflects the conscious side of the brain which we are able to recall easily and the passive hand, the unconscious, undeveloped potential, the things we can't always bring to consciousness yet, like childhood hurts and past life issues we are bringing forward.   In some ways this hand may hold more predictions for our future.   In any case it is important to read both hands and make comparisons between them, what is different and what is the same?

I agree with Heraclitus the destiny in our hands is what we have chosen it to be, in order to express ourselves and fulfil our needs.   If it is where we still want to go, all is well, if not we always have the will to steer a different course.

People want their palms read for reassurance, to know that they are on track and are making the right choices.   The palmistry consultation should consist of questions, hypothesis, responses and a conversation to get the optimum outcome.   Despite saying "it's just a bit of fun", people still tend to feel if it's in my hand, it must be true.   So it's a big responsibility!!!