Palmistry is a method of interpreting the shape of the hand and the lines of the palm, to project the character and possible life experiences of an individual. The science is divided into two broad areas: the study of hand structure, or cheirology, and the study of the lines of the palm, or cheiromancy.

The modern theory is that the lines of the hand represent a graphic shorthand of the circuits of the brain. The nerve group that controls the hands is exactly in the centre of the brain, and all the electrical energies of our thinking pass through it. Palmists feel that the lines on the hand are formed in some relation to thought patterns, nerve linkages, or even chromosomal structures.

Hand Type
The Elementary Hand	The Spatulate Hand	The Psychic Hand
The Conical Hand	The Square Hand	The Intellectual Hand

Types of Hands: The essence of palmistry lies in identifying the hand type, which can be attributed to individual characteristics:

The Elementary Hand: This is characterized by stiff, heavy, short fingers and a short thumb. Other traits are a thick, hard, square palm, shapeless fingertips, and rough and leathery skin. The person with the elementary hand displays a lack of enthusiasm and imagination. They show a general indifference to life, and are concerned only with daily existence. This person is largely intolerant of a nasty situation, and can get violent when provoked.
Profession: This hand is characteristic of labourers and those involved in violent sports, like boxing.

The Spatulate Hand: As the name suggests, the fingers of this hand are flattened like a spatula. The most characteristic feature is the large thumb. It is extremely broad near the base and tapers towards the fingers. This hand belongs to the imaginative. These people have a love for invention and discovery. They have a quest for knowledge, and a restless and excitable nature. They are energetic and dexterous, and thrive on taking risks.
Profession: People with this hand are mainly artisans, inventors, explorers, navigators, astronauts, and engineers.

The Psychic Hand: This is a small and slender hand, characterized by smooth fingers. The palm is medium in size, and the nailed phalanges are long and tapering. The thumb is small and elegant. People with this hand have a visionary and dreamy nature. They are interested in occult sciences. Persons with this hand shape lead a chaotic life, characterized by a lack of discipline.
Profession: This hand usually belongs to those with a deep interest in the occult, such as magicians and clairvoyants.

The Conical Hand: This hand has smooth fingers, the nails of which are shaped like cones, giving the hand its name. The palm is broad, thick and large, and the thumb is also unusually huge. People with this hand are usually connoisseurs of the arts with superb communication skills, and a love for the arc lights. He lives life on a purely sensual level. On the flip side, this person is impulsive and has a short temper.
Profession: This hand is characteristic of those in the creative field, like painters, sculptors, musician and poets.

The Square Hand: The square hand has a square palm, a square wrist, and the fingertips are also square. While the fingers are largely knotty, this hand is characterized by a large thumb and a square finger base. People with square hands are blessed with perseverance. They are downright conventional and love general order. They are honest and reliable, and like to lead disciplined lives, with little imagination. Profession: This hand usually belongs to businessmen, executives, lawyers, doctors, scientists and engineers.

The Intellectual Hand: This is a long and angular hand, with bony fingers and knotty joints. The palm is large and bony, and the nailed phalanges are part conical and part square. The philosophic hand belongs to those who spare a thought for the less fortunate. They are blessed with the ability to understand the metaphysical aspect of life. They are gifted with analytical powers and are adept at keeping secrets. Profession: This hand usually belongs to teachers, thinkers and world leaders.

Finger Type
Conical Finger	Square Finger	Spatulate Finger	Straight Finger	Knotty Finger

The Shape of Fingers

Pointed fingers: People with pointed fingers are cautious, intelligent and flexible in different situations. They are gifted conversationalist, and would choose a career that would allow them to interact with people. As intellectual visionaries, they lean towards spiritualism. They also have a deep interest in the aesthetic, and a yen for innovation. This could cause a battle between creative pursuits and practical reasoning.

Conical Fingers: These people are sensitive to beauty. They takes great care to dress well, and like to live in pleasant surroundings. They are intellectual and talented idealists. They are blessed with the power of thinking on their feet, they assess situations quickly. They have firm convictions and are even gifted with psychic powers in some instances. However, they must be careful and not let their emotions get the better of them.

Square Fingers: These people are blessed with sound business acumen, and like to put all problems through a wringer. They are practical and down-to-earth. They are also conventional, and like to adhere to social norms. They are methodical and systematic.

Spatulate Fingers: These people are pragmatic, and have a realistic approach to life. They have a taste for travel and outdoor life. As go-getters, they will always looks for the bigger piece of the pie. They also value work as top priority. They are creative, active and energetic.

Straight Fingers: These people are frank and forthright. They face the danger of being taken for a ride, due to their honest nature. They are diligent, energetic and impulsive. They also have a clear thought process, and know how to articulate their feelings. These people are invariably great achievers.

Knotty Fingers: These people are extremely practical, and plan every move they make. They are calculative, and the idea of taking a risk does not appeal to them. This takes away much of the spontaneity from their life. Since they plan so much in advance, they do not learn the art of living life day-to-day. Their constant planning and worrying can make them nervous and jittery.

Thumb Type

The Thumb: The Mount of Venus at the base of the thumb is very indicative of a person's passions. A high, well-proportioned Mount means that the individual is full of energy, is outgoing, has a great deal of interest in life, and can be very vital and enthusiastic. Those whose Mount of Venus is flat, like a plateau, are very energetic. They like brainy pursuits, their friends are characters who resist the active mainstream of life, and their sense of discipline works best with specific mental activities, like the pursuits of writers, sculptors, lawyers, community organizers, and rock climbers. The shape of the thumb's tip is a strong indicator of the inner power. A pointed or conical thumb shows an impulsive nature and a person being perceptive, while a square thumb is a sign of common sense. A bulbous tip indicates a violent temper, and a tip that bends far back shows a far-out personality, usually artistic or involved in an exotic mental pursuit. A person with a flat-tipped thumb is impatient and full of nervous energy.

Life Line

The Life Line: The life line starts between the thumb and the index finger. It then touches the wrist, curving widely around the thumb. This line indicates longevity, vitality, and the quality of life. An absent life line shows a sluggish and high-strung person, with a tremendous nervous energy. A long and regular line indicates an excellent equilibrium and a healthy constitution. A faint line indicates a lack of endurance, or a dull and uneventful life. If the line is forked at its begining, it shows the person as just, truthful, loyal and dependable. On the other hand, if the line ends in a fork, the person suffers from frail health and experiences a lack of energy. A forked line leading to the Mount of Jupiter is a sign of success, recognition and glory. If the line forks to the Mount of Moon, travel to distant places is indicated. A faint line indicates a life of misery, while a clear line suggests a smooth life. A double line is typical of the security offered by a loved one of the opposite sex. It also indicates a healthy sexual life. Branches in the life line make a strong statement about the fortunes of the individual. While upward branches show achievement, glory and success, drooping branches indicate financial, social and emotional loss. A long and deep line shows an abundance of energy, and single-minded determination to reach goals.

Head Line

The Head Line: The head line runs horizontally from the middle of the palm to the heart line. It governs memory, intelligence and reasoning. If the line is short, the person is intelligent and intuitive. A straight line represents a person who lives life on a totally materialistic level. If the line is absent, it indicates lethargy and in extreme cases insanity. A long and straight line shows an ambitious person with an excellent memory. If the line splits the palm in half, the person is sadistic, abusive and brutal. A double line reveals a talented person with a flair for business. If the line is short and faint, it shows limited intelligence and poor memory. A short line distinguishes a person as short sighted, morose, and lacking in concentration. The head line can also be interpreted with relation to other lines. If this line is widely separated from the life line, it suggests a person who is independent, impulsive and rash. We can also read the branches of a line. Rising branches from the line show high aspirations without focus. Drooping branches indicate incessant grief and a string of disappointments. A hooked line is indicative of a self-indulgent person, who could also be a traitor. If it is set low in the palm, the person could be greedy and frugal.

Heart Line

The Heart line: The heart line runs horizontally across the upper palm, surrounding the mounts of Mercury, Apollo and Saturn. The length of the line has a general impact on a person's health. It rules a person's emotions and relationships. An absent line is indicative of a person high on logic and reason, who could even be ruthless in order to reach the top. The length of the line plays an important role in determining a person's attitude to relationships. While a short line indicates a highly self-centred person, a long line belongs to a person who has a highly idealistic vision of love. A very long line, touching both sides of the palm, shows a person highly dependent on relationships. This could even lead to promiscuity. A deep and straight line indicates jealousy and criminal tendencies. On the flip side, if the line is clear and deep, the person is sincere, respectful and considerate. A deep line indicates a highly stressful life. Branches arising from the line suggest a strong interest in the opposite sex. If the line has drooping branches, it shows a poor relationship. The heart line can also be read in relation to other lines. If the heart line touches the head line and the life line, the person is likely to experience a betrayal of love. A slight curve towards the head line shows a person with an intellectual bend of mind.

Fate Line

The Fate Line: This line rises from the base of the palm, and touches the Mount of Saturn, dividing the palm into halves. An absent fate line shows a person who is self-made and diligent. These people plan their entire life with meticulous detail, and leaves very little to chance. One fork to the Mount of Venus is indicative of a person with strong musical and literary pursuits. These people will almost always achieve celebrity status. The line ending in a fork on the Mount of Saturn shows a prudent, discreet and mysterious person. If the line forks towards the Mount of Mercury, the person is an achiever, with a gift for persuasion. A fork towards the Mount of Jupiter shows a person with a pleasant humanitarian approach. These people are also natural leaders. A fork in the beginning shows a traumatic childhood. This will lead to conflict, but the person will choose the right path later in life. A double line implies insecurity. The branches of the fate line indicate the rise and fall of fortunes. A rising fate line indicates a successful career with great opportunities for prosperity. Dropping lines mean heavy losses, failure, and disappointments. A wavering line shows an indecisive and lethargic person who lives life on a totally materialistic level. An unusually deep line reveals an inheritance, and success that is handed down.

The Mounts
The Mount of Jupiter	The Mount of Saturn	The Mount of Apollo	The Mount of Mercury
The Mount of Moon	The Mount of Venus	The Mount of Mars

The Mount of Jupiter: This is situated at the base of the index finger. A well-developed mount is indicative of the person's leadership qualities. This person is also just, honest, optimistic and sociable. If the mount is flat, the person lacks confidence and a good personality. If the mount is over developed, the person is arrogant, proud, idle and egoistic. A small line between the Heart and Head lines on this mount indicates acquisition of wealth.

The Mount of Saturn: This mount is situated at the base of the middle finger. If it is well developed, the person possesses a good sense of responsibility and is concerned with seeking wisdom. If overdeveloped, with long fingers, the person is cold, distant and an introvert. If the mount is flat, the person is outgoing and optimistic.

The Mount of Apollo: This mount is set at the base of the ring finger. If the mount is well developed, the person is warm and optimistic, radiating enthusiasm. If it is flat, the person is cold and cynical, lacking appreciation of the finer things in life. If it is overdeveloped, this person is brash, insensitive, and loves to hear the sound of his/her own voice.

The Mount of Mercury: This mount is situated at the base of the little finger. A well-developed mount is indicative of a person who loves to travel a lot, and is a go-getter. If it is overdeveloped, the person is a glib talker and a consummate liar. This person is also the regular Casanova. If it is flat, the person is shy, diffident or just plain dull.

The Mount of Moon: This is situated at the base of the palm, opposite the thumb. A well-developed mount shows a person who is compassionate, caring, creative and blessed with an incredible zest for life. If it is flat, it shows imagination and a sense of empathy.

The Mount of Venus: This is set under the thumb. If the mount is well developed, the person is warm and generous. This person leads an active social life, and is an interesting companion. If over developed, it shows an extremely greedy person, who eagerly grabs worldly pleasures with both hands. If it is flat, it shows a lack of vitality and passion, and the person is cold and selfish.

The Mount of Mars: The upper Mars mount lies between the head line and beginning of the heart line. The lower Mars mount is near the thumb, at the beginning of the heart line. The middle Mars mount, is in the centre of the palm. A very soft plane of Mars shows a highly self-centered person. A thick, well-developed, and firm Mars plane shows abounding energy and an outgoing nature.