Astro-Palmistry - an Introduction

The Chaldean order of the planets

The ancient Chaldean order of the planets reflects their apparent orbital speed around the earth.

Going from the slowest to the fastest the order is: Saturn Jupiter Mars Sun Venus Mercury Moon.

In astrology this order is used in many ways, such as the seven ages of man, the planetary hours, the seven spheres of existence.

In palmistry we see this order reflected on the hands.

Beginning the Moon, the fastest celestial body, it is represented on the lower palm beneath the little finger (Mercury). Above the Moon on the same side is the Mercury finger, then the Venus finger, next is the Sun on the other side of the hand, followed by Mars above the Sun, Jupiter on the index finger and Saturn on the middle finger.

The pattern resembles a figure eight, the symbol of eternity. From the Moon the cycle begins again at Saturn, then Jupiter etc.

4 Levels of Interpretation

There are 4 levels of interpretation for understanding the hands.

1. Hand shape and structure which includes

• Relative shape: Breadth and length of the palm and fingers relative to each other
• Resistance: softness / hardness
• Flexibility of the palm and fingers ranging from supple to stiff
• Relative length of the individual fingers to each other
• Skin texture in a range from fine to coarse

2. The genetic engravings which include the prints on the fingers and palm.

3. The zones of the palm and fingers

4. The lines on the palm.

These four levels are hierarchical. The lowest and most fundamental is the shape/structure of the hands. From this foundation the palmist works through the levels up to the lines of the palm. The lines show the function of the cerebral nervous system in linking these underlying three levels together.

Each level needs to be understood before the next can be fully understood.

It is most common for beginning palmists to rush to the study of the lines of the palm without consideration for the underlying structure which they express.

Level 1 Hand Shape & Structure

Horoscope division (quadrants and hemispheres) and hand division

In the horoscope the upper hemisphere reflects the outer world and many planets here show an outer directed person.

When planets dominate the lower hemisphere of the horoscope the person is inner directed with more focus on the inner world of thoughts and feelings.

The hands reflect a similar structure with the fingers representing the conscious mind and the palm representing the unconscious mind.

When the fingers are short compared to the length of the palm the inner world dominates. When the fingers are long compared to the length of the palm the mind dominates with a focus on outer reality.

Just as the lower half of the horoscope reflects the inner more unconscious part of the psyche, the subjective reality, so the lower half of the hand reflects the deep inner unconscious world of emotions and raw physical drives.

The upper half of the hand reflects objective consciousness and one’s involvement in the outer world, and in the horoscope the upper half of the horoscope reflects our more objective experiences.

Likewise when the hands are divided between the thumb side of the hands and the little finger side we see a division between the need to engage with the outer world and satisfy the demands of the inner world. This division is similar, but not the same, in the horoscope which is often divided into east and west.

The quadrants and angles in astrology and on the hands.

There is some resemblance to the quadrants in horoscope structure to the quadrants of the hands. It is not an exact reflection but there are basic similarities.

There is a good correspondence in the hands with the astrological angles, but little correspondence with  the houses.

The ascendant
Just as the first house in the horoscope reflects the physical health and vitality, so the thumb and the area beneath it show our will and physical health. The solar mount and the life line show physical vitality, vim and vigor.

The Midheaven
Just as the apex of the horoscope, the Midheaven, describes career and social roles, so the top of the hands, represented by the Saturn finger and the area directly beneath it, shows career attainment and social integration.

The descendant
The descendant in the horoscope describes our relationship with others, and on the hands this area is shown by the base of the little finger and the beginning of the heart line. The little finger has a strong association with relationships in hand analysis.

The IC
The base of the horoscope, the IC, is associated with birth and the ancestral past, and the base of the hands are associated with the beginning of life, the very early development years and family influence. On one side is the father represented by the solar mount, and on the other is represented by the mother in the lunar mount.

Hand shape and the 4 elements

Hand shape provides the context in which to interpret the lines of the palm. There are several ways to classify hand shape and each system has its own advantages.

Hand classification systems make interpretation easier because different attributes shown in the hands are often grouped together in a package which has known characteristics.

One common system, often introduced to beginning students, is the system of the four elements. This system combines four variables: short and long fingers with wide and narrow palms.

The fingers represent the mind. Short fingers show that thoughts stay in the mind for a short time. The result is someone who likes to get the big picture and do things quickly. Long fingers show that thoughts stay for a long time in the mind, and the result is someone who enjoys the slowness of the process and detailed thinking.

Palm width is a measure of extroversion -introversion. Wide palms are associated with a more outgoing nature, either in a physical or social sense, or both. Narrow palms are associated with an inner world focus on thoughts and feelings; a more subjective point of view.

The result of combining these four variables is four common hand shapes which match the four elements.  

• Wide palms with short fingers - EARTH
  Here the wide palms reveal the outdoors and socially extraverted nature, and the short fingers add quick intuitive thinking.
• Wide palms with long fingers - AIR
  Here the wide palms show a practical and outer world focus, and the longer fingers add detailed thinking.
• Narrow palms with short fingers – FIRE
  The narrow palms show a subjective focus and the short fingers add a quick intuitive response.
• Narrow palms with long fingers – WATER
  The narrow palms show a subjective perspective and the long fingers show a thorough immersion in the inner world of feelings and emotions.

These four types correspond very well with the astrological elements of the same name.

The exception:

The profile of the water hand which includes long palm and long fingers, is only correct when this hand is soft and supple.

When this hand is hard and inflexible it shows a person who lives in the world of the intellect. This is particularly true when the finger joints are also knotty.

This is sometimes called the ‘Philosophical hand ‘and shows someone who can be very persuasive and live in the world of concepts and ideas. If the skin is coarse the outdoors is preferred with a focus on physical skills.

LEVEL 2

The Genetic Engravings

The word dermatoglyphics is derived from dermo which means skin and glyphics which means engravings.

The dermatoglyphics are found on both the palm and fingertips. On the fingertips they are known as fingerprints.

The dermatoglyphics never change and are fixed for life unless the skin is damaged.

The prints on the palm follow set patterns which reflect, but are not the same as, the major lines on the palm.

In modern times the dermatoglphics on the palm have been studied by the medical profession seeking correlations and markers for genetic abnormalities and illness. I will not cover the palm dermatoglyphics here.

The fingerprints

There are four basic variations of fingerprint types. Within these four basic types there are many minor variations and no two fingerprints are the same. Law enforcement agencies have exploited this knowledge for the purposes of personal identification.

The fingerprints are situated on the highest point of the hands, on the tip of the fingers. The fingers represent the mind and the prints show the patterns of thought and how the mind interacts with life.

The meaning of each of the four basic fingerprint types is combined with the finger on which it is placed.

The whorl fingerprint

The whorl can be a series of concentric circles or a spiral. It shows an intense focus, thinking in circles, someone who needs time to make decisions, and for this reason often shows procrastination.

The whorl fingerprint can be likened to the fixed mode of zodiac sign expression.

The Loop fingerprint

The loop is the most common fingerprint type and shows flexibility, adaptability, the capacity to assimilate ideas, and sometimes a lack of concentration.

The loop fingerprint can be compared to the mutable mode of zodiac sign expression.

The double loop fingerprint

This print is comparatively rare. It shows a complex mind where the thinking often wrestles with two viewpoints and seeks to balance differing points of view. Because of this double thinking it can show confusion and indecisiveness.

The double loop fingerprint is similar to the mutable mode of zodiac sign expression in that it has a sense of being double-bodied, and it is also similar to the fixed mode of energy expression because it goes around in circles.

The arch fingerprint

The arch is a comparatively rare fingerprint, and is associated with earthiness, a love of nature and a desire to be outdoors. On earthy hands with few lines these prints show someone who is duty-bound, earthy, self-contained, suspicious of outsiders, and a simple approach to life. On hands with more complex line structures these prints show the capacity to make sense out of complex ideas and simplify concepts.

LEVEL 3

The Mounts and Zones of the Hand

The planets are associated with the fingers and discrete areas of the palm. These areas are the mounts and zones. The planetary meaning of these features is similar to their use in astrology although there is a different emphasis in meaning.

For example in palmistry the Jupiter finger and the mount beneath it are associated with pride, ambition and high ideals.

The Saturn finger and the zone beneath it are associated with ethics and morals and the ‘superego’ of Freudian psychology.  Sa in palmistry is also associated with seriousness, depression and material reality.

The principles represented by Venus are very similar to those used in Western Astrology, with special emphasis on beauty, art, creativity and self-expression.

In palmistry Mercury is associated with communication, business and sales acumen, speech, and is also associated with relationships. Below the Mercury finger is the beginning of the Heart Line which represents the expression of feelings to other people.

In palmistry the Moon has a special association with imagination, and in the lowest part of the palm, with psychic energy. It is also associated with travel and movement. In ancient Western Astrology the Moon was also associated with travel because it is the fastest planet and often links the energies of other planets together.

In palmistry the Sun has a special association with life-giving energy which is expressed in the Life Line. The depth of the solar mount and the quality of the Life Line show the capacity for physical life, general vitality, vim and vigour and enthusiasm. Branches from the Life Line show where enthusiasm is directed.

It should be noted that, contrary to what is often claimed in palmistry books, there are no mounts beneath the fingers. They are between the fingers. When mounts are flat or depressed energy is deficient or negatively expressed.

Level 4

The Lines of the Palm

The lines derive their meaning from the mounts and zones they link zones together.

The main lines should be interpreted within the context of hand shape. It is hand shape and overall structure that provides the foundation energy which is expressed in the lines of the palm.

The Life Line

As mentioned above the Life Line expresses the energy contained in the Mount of the Sun. It shows the vital life force, potency and passion.

The Life Line links the area between the thumb and Jupiter finger with the area below the thumb at the wrist. The area between the thumb and Jupiter fingers is also the beginning of the Head Line and is one of the areas of the palm associated with birth and beginnings. In the horoscope this area is reflected in the first house.  The first house has associations with the head and brain and has also been called the house of life because this house and its ruler show general health and vitality.

The area beneath the thumb at the wrist is associated with ancestry, roots, land and the family home. In the horoscope this area is reflected in the fourth house.

These links made by the Life Line reflect a link between the first and fourth houses, physical vitality and ancestral forces Together the first and fourth houses represents primal forces within the psyche and the reflection of this energy on the hands in the Life Line shows the power to sustain life in this physical world.

The Heart Line 

The Heart Line links the energies of Jupiter and Saturn with the area beneath the Mercury finger, and shows the ability to express feelings towards others, and the capacity to sustain relationships.

Its equivalence in the horoscope can be seen in the seventh house and its link with the eleventh house and tenth houses. These houses represent friends, allies, and the outer social world associated with career and social roles.

The Saturn (Fate) Line

The Saturn Line links the lowest area of the palm which is associated with birth and the early formative years, with the upper palm beneath the Saturn finger which is associated with material reality.

Thus this line shows the contributions from pre-natal and early childhood environments to the establishment one’s place in the world; how the early nurturing environment contributed to success in the outer world of career and social integration.

The Saturn (Fate) Line shows social integration, and satisfaction with one’s career or social role.

Some important astrological transits are clearly shown on the hands. The first Saturn return is shown by the intersection of the Head Line with the Saturn Line. This occurs around 28-29 years of age. Indications of what will actually take place are shown by what happens next to the Saturn line and the Head Line, and other main lines at 29 years of age. 

The lines of the palm and their correlation with astrological transits

The lines on the hands can be timed to show events at different life stages, and the meaning of the lines can be used to provide indications about how important astrological transits are likely to be expressed.

It is very important to remember that the lines on the palm can change, fade or grow, in response to conscious decisions to change direction. Because the lines can and do change the astrologer-palmist can look ahead to future transits and encourage the client to make constructive life changes.

Conclusion

In this article only the basics of astro-palmistry have been introduced. There is a very close connection between the horoscope and the hands. The structural components of the horoscope are in some ways mirrored on the hands. The hands show how the horoscope is expressed in real life; which characteristics are manifested.

Image sources:
All diagrams provided by the author

Published at: ivcconference.com/constellation-news/, 2020.

Author:
Peter Burns, has been practicing Astrology and Palmistry since 1984. His training spans both modern and traditional astrology. He has a Diploma of Astrology (FAA), and has been awarded a Horary Craftsman Certificate by John Frawley. Peter was Vice-President of the Federation of Australian Astrologers and the president of the Victorian Astrologers Association. He was national editor of the quarterly Journal of the FAA for 16 years between 2000 – 2015. He has been teaching and lecturing since the late 1980's. He's lectured at the Western Australian and Victorian Astrological Associations, and at the 2004 and 2010 International FAA Astrology Conferences, where he spoke on the Fixed Stars and Financial Astrology. Peter has been a regular guest speaker on ABC radio in WA and on 3RRR in Melbourne Australia. His successful predictions include the global financial crisis.

© 2019/20 - Peter Burns - Constellation News

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