As soon as you complete the first chapter, you can begin reading palms with confidence and expertise. This ability can lead you to a better understanding of yourself and the complex motivations of other people. Learn to advise others in a sensitive and caring manner, determine compatibility between couples, and guide people in career decisions. The author answers all of the questions asked by his students over the years.

Chapter One

The Shape of

the Hand

Palms come in two categories: square and oblong. When looking at a hand, mentally remove the fingers and thumb and see if the palm is square or oblong in shape. This is your first due about the person's character. Look at both hands. If your volunteer is right-handed this is the hand of everyday life, while the left hand indicates the person's imagination and inherited capabilities. A left-handed person's left hand is the hand of everyday life, and the right represents the imagination.

Square Hand

If the hand is square shaped (1a), we might say:

"You are a down-to-earth, capable,

practical person. You have a great deal

of energy and stamina and need to be

kept busy. You keep your feet on the

ground and like to see tangible evidence

of something, rather than leaping

to conclusions. You are a good

worker, able to work hard and long

when necessary."

Oblong Hand

If the hand is oblong shaped (1b), we might say this:

"You are inclined to be a bit of a

dreamer at times. You have an imaginative

approach to everything you do,

and it is important that your work has

a good deal of variety attached to it.

Otherwise you are inclined to float

away and live in your imagination. You

come up with brilliant ideas, but getting

started is sometimes difficult."

    Naturally, you are going to see hands where you are not sure if they are really square or perhaps a little bit oblong. It is not possible to divide all of humanity into two distinct groups in this way, and consequently many people will have hands that do not conveniently fit into these two classifications. You may find someone with a square-shaped hand that has a decided bulge on the little finger side. This is still a square-shaped hand for our purposes, and we will cover the meaning of the bulge later on.

    You may have read other classification systems in the past. The classic system divides hands into elementary (or primitive), practical, psychic, philosophic, and conic. This system was fine when it was first introduced in the late eighteenth century by a famous French palmist called D'Arpentigny, as people were classified more easily. A peasant, for instance, would have an elementary hand, while a wealthy nobleman might have a beautifully shaped conic hand. Nowadays, few people work in the fields and our hands have changed to reflect this, making the old system almost obsolete. I was taught this system as a child and still sometimes classify a palm as conic or philosophical, for instance, if it is very true to type. Usually though, I simply look for square or oblong.

    It may be helpful to include brief descriptions of D'Arpentigny's hands as every now and again you will find someone with hands that fit perfectly into his system.

Elementary Hand

The elementary hand (1c) has a somewhat crude appearance. It is square in shape with short, stubby, rather shapeless fingers. The skin will be coarse and possibly hairy. There will be few lines on the palm, in some cases only three. People with elementary hands have few interests and can be very stubborn. They find it hard to express themselves in words, so can occasionally become violent when frustrated. As long as their basic needs are being met they take life exactly as it comes, sparing no thought for tomorrow.

Practical Hand

Next up from the elementary hand is the practical hand (1d). This also has a square-shaped palm, but with longer, better shaped fingers than the elementary hand. The skin is less coarse and there are more lines on the palm. People with practical hands have a variety of interests and can turn their hands to almost anything--hence the name "practical."

Conic Hand

The conic hand (1e) has a graceful, curved appearance. The palm is more oblong than square, and the fingers are usually fairly long with rounded tips. The palm will feel fleshy. People with conic palms are creative, aesthetic, and often day-dreamers. They visualize a beautiful world where everything is perfect. They dislike vulgar language or cruelty of any sort.

Psychic Hand

This is the shape that artists love. The hand and fingers are long, slender, and graceful. People with this type of hand are idealistic, intuitive, and impractical. They spend much of their time in a fantasy world rather than facing the realities of life. Psychic hands (1f) are found frequently in India and the Far East, but seldom in the West.

Philosophical Hand

The philosophical hand (1g) is usually square in shape. The long fingers have very obvious joints. These people like to analyze everything. You can use an analogy of thoughts coming in from the tips of the fingers, reaching the first joint and having to go around and around before moving on to the second joint where the process is repeated. As a result, the thought is well analyzed by the time it reaches the palm.

Mixed Hand

You will find many people fit perfectly into D'Arpentigny's system. He classified everyone who did not as having mixed hands (1h). Fortunately, the system we have begun with the square-and oblong-shaped palms can conveniently classify everyone. The shape of the palm is only half of the system, though. To complete the classification we need to move on to the fingers.

Excerpted from THE COMPLETE BOOK OF PALMISTRY by Richard Webster. Copyright © 2001 by Richard Webster. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.