Chiromancy
Have you ever heard the phrase "The future is in your hands?", this all comes down to a practice called Chiromancy.
What is chiromancy?
Otherwise known as palmistry, this is the practice of predicting a person's future by reading the lines in their hand. It is also known as chirosophy and also spelled cheiromancy in Greek. Its exact origins are unknown, however it is believed that this practice originated in Ancient India. It was also seen in China, Tibet, Persia, Egypt and Mesopotamia, but it was in Ancient Greece where it really evolved. In Medieval times, 'witch hunters' thought that this was a sign as a pact with the devil and wasn't practised as openly as it was suppressed by the Catholic Church. When the Renaissance came by, it became popular again, but it wasn't until the 19th century that it really found its feet and is how we know it as today. While it does vary among different cultures, the style most known and used today was by a man nicknamed Cheiro.
Cheiro Image Source: https://horusastropalmist.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/cheiro3.jpg
One of the most famous advocates of chiromancy was William John Warner. Also known as Cheiro, he was a famous astrologer, occult figure and self-proclaimed clairvoyant. After he studied under spiritual gurus in India, he set up his own chiromancy headquarters in London. His nickname Cheiro comes from the Greek spelling of cheiromancy. He welcomed a lot of famous figures to his place for readings, including Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde and even Thomas Edison whose futures he predicted by reading their palms. He was known as a "society reader as even those who didn't quite believe in it and were sceptics, still went to him for readings because he was so popular. Mark Twain who was sceptical about it was said to have written about his encounter with Cheiro
Cheiro has exposed my character to me with humiliating accuracy. I ought not to confess this accuracy, still I am moved to do so.”
Mark Twain
Can anyone do Chiromancy/palmistry?
While people often say that we all are capable of psychic ability, there are some things that just cannot be taught. There will always be those who have certain abilities that they use and use them well, there are those in the middle who start out with weak abilities and work towards them being stronger, and then there are those who will just never get there. The great thing about palmistry is that anyone can learn how to read a person's palm. Much like tarot, the reading part is something that can be learnt by anyone. It does apparently help, however if you do have psychic ability to give a more in-depth reading.
The pattern of the future in the human hand, from Jean Belot's Oeuvres, 1649
The Mansell Collection/Art Resource, New York Source: Britannica.com
What do the lines mean?
Much like in Tarot where different cards have different meanings, the lines on your hands also have different general meanings. Hand shape matters as does which hand is your more dominant hand. Then of course you have the meanings of the lines on your hand themselves. According to thecircle.com these are the simplified general meanings of the lines:
Reading The Head Line:
- Long straight line – You are likely to overanalyse situations and people and take time to make important decisions.
- Long curved line – You are a creative thinker and often think about all possible outcomes before you make a decision.
- Short line – You think quickly and do not take much time to make decisions or come to conclusions.
- Line that splits in two – You find it easy to see others’ perspectives and are sensitive to their feelings. You may change your mind easily.
Reading The Heart Line:
- Long straight line – You consider other people’s feelings and can be sensitive to their needs. You are a rational and analytical thinker.
- Long curved line – You are driven by passion and creativity and will often put those needs before other people.
- Short curved line – You are more open with people close to you and you prefer time with a small group of friends rather than a large group of people.
- Short straight line – You show your love more by action rather than words. You are independent and like your freedom.
- Line that splits in two – You often put other people’s needs first and may find it difficult to face your own emotions.
Reading The Life Line:
- Long line – You are a strong person who will be there for other people. You will be a natural counsellor who friends and family call upon in difficult times.
- Faint line – You are focussing too much on the stresses of daily life and could do with some relaxing time out using meditation, yoga or exercise.
- Broken line – Breaks in your life line reflect traumatic experiences in life. These moments you will have had to make major decisions or life choices.
- Short line – When you go through tricky periods in life, you tend to keep yourself busy to take your mind off it
Science does not consider this to be a real way of predicting the future (like a lot to do with the paranormal) as it is often put in the same category of cold reading which is popular among a lot of psychics. Chiromancy itself is a form of divination something I have spoken about in a few different ways on this blog. I think it is important to understand that you are in control of your own future and nothing is set in stone. Divination is a reflection of oneself and can offer clarity and guidance to a situation. I compare this quite closely to Tarot which again is something that a lot of people also use as a way to gain guidance. I myself quite enjoy using tarot to gain clarity on a situation. I don't feel like it tells my future, but it forces me to really think about a situation and maybe look at it from a different perspective. This in a lot of ways gives me the guidance I need to move forward. Palmistry is quite similar, it is just using a hand instead of cards. Anyone can read a palm, it is up to you as to how you interpret the results. If a person doing a reading has a psychic ability, it is something I guess that just adds that extra layer to your reading.
Remember you are in control of your future!
References:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/divination
https://www.thecircle.com/au/magazin/psychics/chiromancy.do
https://www.britannica.com/topic/palmistry
Cover photo by Sarah LLIFS
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