PolarfateWhich hand to read
Traditions differ, but a common approach is to read your dominant hand, the one you write with, for who you are now and how you act, and your other hand for your natural temperament. Many people simply compare the two and notice where they differ.
Hold your hand open and relaxed, fingers gently together, in daylight or under a bright lamp. Curling the fingers slightly makes the main lines easier to see.
The five main lines
Most readings start with the heart line, which runs across the top of the palm under the fingers; the head line, which runs across the middle; and the life line, which curves around the base of the thumb. Many hands also show a fate line running up the center of the palm, and a sun line closer to the ring finger.
Readers look at each line's length, depth, curve and any branches or breaks. A deep, clear line is usually read as a strong, steady theme; a fainter or broken one as a theme that's more changeable. No line is good or bad on its own, and everyone's hand is different.
Mounts and hand shape
The fleshy pads under each finger and around the edges of the palm are called mounts, and each is named after a planet. A mount that stands out is read as an area of life you put more energy into.
The overall shape of the hand, the length of the palm compared with the fingers, is often grouped into four elemental types: earth, air, fire and water. Shape gives the background; lines and mounts add the detail.
A light approach
Palmistry works best as a starting point for reflection: a way to ask what feels true about how you love, think and spend your energy. Lines can also change over the years, which is part of why many readers see the hand as a picture of now rather than a map of what's to come.