History of Palmistry

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Subject: History of Palmistry Wed May 31 2006, 13:03

Yes I'm back at it with number 11 haha. You really should get on to read these because they'll keep piling up on you sweetie lol. Anyway enjoy!

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Palm reading is actually an ancient art, and modern palm reading methods incorporate thousands of years of accumulated knowledge. The history of Rom or Gypsy palm reading goes back to the Middle Ages. Even older is the study of Ayurveda (a Sanskrit term meaning "science of life"), which has used the physical character of the fingernail for medical information for over 5,000 years.

Palmistry can be traced back many thousands of years, with significance being given to the hand in paintings found in from the Stone Age. It is thought that the modern day practise of the art originates from India, where a number of techniques have been devised based on ancient writings. Since then, palmistry has been spread to other countries and altered by their cultures' own religious interpretations of signs on the hand. For example, when Gypsies arrived in Europe in the 1300s, they mixed the palmreading they had learnt from India with their own blend of psychic abilities.
Palmistry is thought to have been popular among academics in Ancient Greece, with links to physicians using it in their practice and Aristotle writing on it. In the 4 century BC, Aristotle is said to have sent his student, Alexander the Great, to India in order to discover whatever he could on palmistry, and although experts dispute Aristotle's writings on palm reading, it is thought that he attributes meaning to the length of the lines on the hand in his work De Historia Animalium.

Claims have also been made that palmistry was used in the Roman times by Julius Caesar. It is thought that he believed that by reading his men's palms, he could judge their intentions and split imposters from genuine followers. On one occasion, it was said, he read a man's palm and, deciding that he was an imposter, had his executed. However, historians have disputed this, arguing that the Romans preferred astrology to palm reading as a method of forecast.

There are numerous good books on palm reading, but even if you read all the books ever written on the subject they could not interpret every hand. You could not turn to chapter 6 and find your client's hand. Why? Because each hand is a unique combination of strengths, weaknesses, talents and emotions, all influenced by the individual's own desires and personal history. Each reading is a unique experience. That's one of the reasons I love this job -- it's never the same thing twice.

The art of palm reading means more than just looking at the lines in the palm! The fingers, the pads, the color, texture size and shape of each hand have meaning. Each finger has different characteristics. Jupiter (the index finger) represents the leadership qualities of a person. The longer the finger is in relation to the other fingers shows whether a person relates to others in a controlling or controlled way. For example, a very long, pointed Jupiter indicates a politician or religious leader. But which one of these is indicated (a politician or a religious leader) we can only learn from the other features of the hand.

If you ever visit a palm reader or palmist, as they are sometimes called, she will examine the hand that you write with. This is known as your dominant hand in Palmistry. Your life line, as it is known as, is the line on your hand that curves around your thumb, right below your finger to your wrist. Some palm readers believe that the length of the line will determine how long you will live. A break in the line, with a small line crossing it, is said to show the detection of a serious medical problem that is going to crop up at sometime in your life. Other palm readers claim that the life line has nothing to do with how old you are going to be at the time of your death. Rather, they claim that the length--how long or short your life line is--determines how much energy and vigor you have for life itself. These readers also claim that the wider the life line is, the more energy you are said to have.

The sole purpose of palm reading is to foretell the future of each person by reading, so to speak, or analyzing the lines on one's hands. This science also analyzes each person's different thumb positions, as well as some other unique characteristics. The characteristics are said to be able to reveal certain character traits about each individual. A person's future health conditions are also supposedly revealed in the line of the dominant hand.

Another example of palmistry is the reading or analyzing of the thumb. To do this, you simply lay your dominant hand out on a flat surface. Relax your hand so that it falls to a normal resting position. Observe your hand and thumb and note at which angle your thumb is at this time. If your thumb rests at a slight angle, this is supposed to reveal that you are a very cautious person. You are patient and peaceful too. If your thumb rests at a larger angle to your hand, then this is supposed to be a sing that you are a self-starter. You get jobs done as soon as possible. And, finally, if your thumb rests at a wide angle, it is said that you jump right into jobs that you want to get done. You have plenty of energy and you use it with gusto.

The length, thickness, and direction of lean of each finger have a meaning. For instance, if Jupiter leans toward Saturn (the middle finger) that person may be more concerned with society, therefore, perhaps politics or social services. If Jupiter is very straight or leans away from the other fingers, this person may be more independent or tend to spend a great deal of time alone.

Each joint of the finger has a different meaning. The first joint (closest to the palm) has material or physical properties. The second joint tells of scientific or practical interests. The third is the intuitive or spiritual indicator. The length and thickness of the joints have different importance on each finger because each finger tells a different story. There are also some traditional signs concerning the joints. For example, a long, thick first joint on Jupiter indicates someone who either loves to cook or is a gourmet!

There is a wealth of information about personality in just the fingernails. An oval- or almond-shaped nail holds psychic or intuitive properties for the finger it is found on. A square nail shows responsibility, practicality and well-organized qualities. However, a short, rectangular nail, especially on the thumb, can be an indicator of short temper or even cruelty.

The physical characteristics of a hand have hundreds of interpretations. None can be read alone, for each is governed by its fellows. For instance, an island (an oval-shaped area where the line seems to split then come together again) at the beginning of the life line (the line starting between the thumb and index finger and running down the palm to the wrist) can indicate a time of loneliness, unhappiness, illness, feeling unloved, confusion, living in many different places or being on the move. It can also mean the client has suffered from respiratory illness or been susceptible to such from their youth. The correct meaning influences what other signs on the line mean.

A good palm reader must read the entire hand as it works together. This requires several important factors. The lighting must be bright enough and in the right direction to show all the features. Both reader and client must be physically comfortable. Any cramps or itches will block or distract the psychic flow of information between the two people. This psychic flow is an important part of the art. Listening to the inner voices and spiritual leadership guides the reader to the correct interpretation of the information before him or her.

The most important factor to a successful palm reading is trust. Some palmists have had several clients tell them they are afraid of what they will tell them because the last person who read their hands had nothing but bad things to say. It is my belief that it is part of the art to balance the positive with the negative things palmists see in each person.

The primary reason people go to palmists is for some kind of help or guidance. Reading a palm is a complex, unpredictable craft requiring a great deal of study. Sometimes a reading is sharp and clear; other times it is filled with mystery and magic. But always palm reading requires both knowledge and an artful touch. Although palm reading can be an interesting science, but it has never been proven with scientific facts to back up its validity. Keep that in mind if you ever have your palm read.

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That was a long one I know so hehe.

Sources besides my wonderful knowledge and books can be found here: http://www.trivia-library.com/b/history-of-palmistry-or-palm-reading-part-1.htm

Subject: Re: History of Palmistry Thu Jun 01 2006, 06:29

Another uber long one, but on the bright side my name was in there somewhere! 50 points.

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