Overall Appearance
Before taking a deeper look into the lines on the hand, you should always begin with an overall assessment of the hand itself. Hands come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes; to get a clear picture of the personality type you're dealing with, it's important to start with a good reading of the more general aspects of the hand's outward appearance.
You can learn a lot about a person just from a handshake. Sweaty palms indicate nervous tendencies; patches of blotchy skin signal circulatory problems. Some of these things are self-evident — in other words, you don't need to be a psychic to know that someone with sweaty palms is a nervous type.
Here are the main aspects of the hand you'll want to examine closely as you begin your palm reading:
Size. In general, people with small hands tend to act quickly and perhaps impulsively; those with very small hands are generally free, independent-minded thinkers. On the other hand, those with larger hands tend to be more methodical and thoughtful about their big decisions in life. People with average hands are easygoing — they react according to each situation and its own unique circumstances and are not as predictable.
Color or consistency. Color represents life or vitality. If the palms are pale — white, gray, or even bluish — there are definitely health challenges (most likely circulatory in nature); red hands mean you are quick to anger; yellow, jaundiced hands mean you have a pessimistic outlook; and pink hands mean you are well-balanced and have a healthy outlook.
Thickness. Tilt the hand sideways and look at its width. Is it thin or thick? Thick hands belong to easygoing, noncompetitive people; thin hands belong to goal-oriented, driven, or ambitious people who are on a specific mission in life.
Texture. Fine, soft skin indicates refined tastes and usually belongs to the culturally or artistically inclined. Firm skin shows a healthy blend of physical and intellectual pursuits. Coarse, rough, or scaly skin indicates a more adventuresome, outdoorsy type for whom gloves (and personal well-being) are an afterthought.
Movement. How does the hand move? Does it seem flexible? If it is, the person is also likely to be flexible in his or her thinking and general demeanor. A general rule of palmistry is that the stiffer the hand, the stiffer the demeanor. Have you ever noticed a person with hands so stiff they almost seem mechanical? People with hands this stiff typically have mental or emotional difficulties, or have a hard time trusting others.
At the start of your reading, you should always begin with a fresh, clean slate. Make sure your hands are free from dirt or debris, especially if you are photocopying your hands or doing a palm print using an ink roller.
Take notes about each of these items. As you get deeper into the lines, ridges, and mounts of the hand, you'll want to look back at your initial assessment to see how developed it's become.
