manzia
Palmistry
Palmistry, from the Greek cheir "hand" and manteia "divination", is the practice of reading the hand: the lines of the palm (life, heart, head, fate) and the shape of hand and fingers are interpreted to draw indications about character and life path. Documented in ancient India, it has been widespread in Europe since antiquity.
Main lines
Life line: starts between thumb and index finger and curves around the base of the thumb; indicates vitality and energy. Heart line: runs horizontally below the fingers; refers to emotional life. Head line: horizontal across the middle of the palm; refers to intellect. Fate line: vertical from the palm towards the fingers; refers to life path. There are other minor lines (fortune, health, travel, marriage).
Status of the practice
Palmistry is not a recognised science. Studies have found no significant correlation between hand lines and personality traits or life events. It remains an ancient symbolic practice with cultural and contemplative value, not a diagnostic tool.
FAQ
Which hand should be read?
Tradition: the left hand shows the "birth potential", the right hand how that potential has been lived. Some schools reverse this for left-handed people.
Do the lines change?
The main lines are largely stable. Secondary lines may vary slightly over the years; dermatoglyphics is studied anatomically.
Can you learn it?
Yes, there are manuals. As a symbolic system it is accessible; as diagnosis it has no scientific basis.