Man by nature, barring a few exceptions, is keen to have fore-knowledge of coming events. Astrology and palmistry are the two main sciences through which the past and future are worked out. There is Numerology too. Face reading also facilitates predictions and character anasysis.

Like Astrology, Plamistry is an ancient science and has been practiced since times immemorial. While the word palmistry is based on the ‘palm', the entire has must be studied for arriving at the character, nature, temperament, business prospect, career, finance, marital happiness, travels, past and future and other aspects of a person's life.

In the case of astrology, the exact date, time and place of birth are required for the structuring of a horoscope. In numerology the date of birth is needed to work out the outcome. In a number of cases, quite possibly the exact information with regard of the birth time may not be available and as such, the results worked out on the basis of available data may not conform to the actual facts. In the case of Palmistry, the hand and the palm which form part of the body, are sufficient to know much about their possessor. The availability of the correct birth time proves helpful in verifying the reading made on the basis of palmistry.

The science of palmistry has been in our country for thousand of year. Our sages had made an analytical study of the palm for various aspects and though divine grace arrived at certain results. They have bequeathed to us treasure houses of knowledge. The renowned Cheiro (pen name of Louis Hammon), whose book on palmistry are very well known, has himself acknowledged that this science dates back to ancient India. As a matter of fact, cheiro learnt this science during his stay of over two years at the foot of the Himalayas from yogis and learned and scholarly Brahmins who had the knowledge of palmistry passed on to them by word of mouth by their forefathers, who were considered authorities on the subject. I am of the view that unless the palmist is gifted with intuitive powers and divine grace, certain aspects only can be made out, and not all, from the hand. I am on the lookout for a palmist who, without intuitive power, can make out all, a person would like to know about happenings in the past and what is likely to happen to him in times to come.

In order to elicit information about the various aspects of a person's life, the hand and the palm are to be studied from various angles and through numerous indications. The hand includes side, the upper portion and lower portion. The lower portion covers the inner surface of the hand between wrist and fingers and is called the palm. The under noted features of the hand and palm have to study.

HAND:- Size of the thumb, Position of the thumb, Texture of the hand, Hair on the hand and flexibility of the hand.

PALM:- Size of the palm, Color of the palm and Texture of the skin of the palm.

THUMB:- Size of the thumb, Position of the thumb, Shape of the thumb, Flexibility/ Stiffness of the thumb, Phalanges of the thumb and Signs on the thumb.

FINGERS :- Length of the finger, Shape of the fingers, Position of the fingers, Angle of the fingers, Closeness of the fingers and knots on the fingers.

NAILS :-Shape of the nails, spot on the nails, Color of the nails.

MOUNTS OF THE PALM:- Develop, Overdeveloped and Depressed.

LINES OF THE PALM:- Size of the lines and Complexion of the lines.

BRACELETS

Various marks and sings on the palm and on the mounts, lines and bracelets. It has been found that the hands of two person are not alike and variations may be due to difference in the zing of the hand, palm, fingers lines and mounts. Both the hands of a person are to be studied as the difference between the lines in the two hands is very important. The right hand indicates what the possessor has made of his life and the left and indicates what the possessor has made of his life and the left hand indicates hereditary tendencies. The study of both the palms of his life and the left hand indicates hereditary tendencies. The study of both the palms would reveal that extent the subject has mad his life vis-à-vis the hereditary tendencies. In case of males, the right hand is to be given more emphasis and in case of females, left hand is to be given importance. If the possessor is left-handed (working hand), the left hand would indicate what he has made of himself vis-à-vis the hereditary tendencies indicated by the right hand.

In case of ladies who are in service and are actively engaged in a profession, their right hands should be studies for corroboration of the facts ascertained from the right hand, the left should also be studied.

The ideal time for showing a hand is the morning, when the person is fresh and all the lines in the palm are quite clear, preferably, the hand should be shown after a washing the hands, when the water is very hot or very cold, the color undergoes a change and the study of the hand at that time may not give a correct reading. Likewise, after having consumed alcohol and intoxicants, the hand should not be shown.

So far as the palmist is concerned, then he is in a perturbed state of mind or is angry, he should not study the palm. According to the code ethics of palmistry, due care should be taken to indicate the coming events, specially the dad ones, viz, accidents, serious sickness, death, in such a way that the subject does not get perturbed. Before predicting anything, the hand and palm – both right and left and various signs thereon – should be studied in detail. On account of prayers and good deeds, line on the palm undergo changes and, consequently, the severity percent of the event can be reduced. In other to build up the morale of the subject and assist him in coping with the situation, good advice ad prayers to the Almighty can provide succor.

In order to find out the complexion of the hand, it is suggested in books of palmistry that to start with, the palmist should not touch the hand.  Later, to find out the hardness and softness, the palm can be touched.

So far as the hands of children are concerned, there is a general belief that upto the age of 12, lines on their palms undergo quite a number of changes. Still, a good deal of information can be ascertains.

We shall now take up briefly the main features of the hand, palm, thumb etc.

HAND

Type of hand :-Elementary, Square, Spatulate, Philosophic, Conic, Psychic and Mixed.