Palmistry (hast rekha shastra in India) reads the lines, shape and mounts of the hand. The lines are the most famous part. Here is what each of the major lines is traditionally said to show.
Read your dominant hand (the one you write with) for the present and future, and the other hand for inborn tendencies.
Heart line (Hriday rekha)
The heart line runs across the top of the palm, below the fingers, starting from the little-finger side. It relates to emotions and relationships.
- Long: open-hearted and expressive
- Short: practical about love; shows care through actions
- Strongly curved: warm and emotionally generous
- Straight: steady and thoughtful with feelings
- Ending under the index finger: idealistic in love
- Ending under the middle finger: practical in love
Head line (Mastishk rekha)
The head line runs across the middle of the palm. It reflects thinking style, not intelligence.
- Long: thorough, weighs options carefully
- Short: quick and decisive
- Straight: logical and structured
- Curving down: imaginative and creative
- Forked at the end ("writer's fork"): sees several sides of a problem
Life line (Jeevan rekha)
The life line curves around the base of the thumb. Despite its name, it does not show how long you will live. It is read for energy, vitality and major life changes.
- Deep and clear: strong stamina
- Wide curve: enthusiasm and lively energy
- Close to the thumb: cautious with energy
- A break: a turning point or change of direction
Fate line (Bhagya rekha)
The fate line runs up the middle of the palm towards the middle finger. It relates to career and sense of direction. Many people have a faint or missing fate line; this traditionally means a self-made path rather than a lack of success.
Sun line (Surya rekha)
The sun line, when present, runs up towards the ring finger and is linked with recognition and creativity. It is absent on many hands, which is completely normal.
Breaks, forks and islands
- Breaks: changes of direction in that area
- Forks: versatility
- Islands: periods when energy in that area was divided
Lines change
Minor lines can change over the years, so it is worth rescanning your palm every few months, in the same light, to see what has changed.
Getting a good palm photo
Use daylight from a window, hold the palm flat with fingers together, and fill the frame. Avoid flash, which washes out fine lines.