The Mounds

There are seven fleshy parts on your hand that are referred to as the mounds or mounts in palmistry, they appear at the side of the hand and under the base of the fingers, the biggest one being under the thumb. In general terms the larger the mound the stronger the characteristic is in that person, sometimes they don't appear at all or are tiny and thus it corresponds that this characteristic is lacking or diminished in that person.

The Mound of Jupiter – this is important for assessing the strength of character and can be found under the index finger. It signifies ambition, idealism and wisdom.

The Mound of Saturn – this relates to life's problems and how we deal with them and can be found under the second finger. On the whole this mound is usually quite flat so any prominence suggests limitations are viewed as challenges and change is common for that person in dealing with problems.

The Mound of Apollo –this is the artistic area, relating to communication, creativity, expression and sensitivity and can be found under the ring finger. This mound signifies optimism and someone who brings joy, using their creative talents to the full.

The Mound of Mercury – this is the winged messenger, relating to the desire for travel, versatility and psychic ability as well as strong communication abilities and is found under the little finger. This mound connects to business sense, ingenuity and exploration in a person.

The Mound of Mars – this represents courage, strength, and physical energy, it is found directly under the Mound of Mercury on the side of the hand. This tells us whether a person has courage when faced with adversity and an undiminished energy or whether these traits need developing.

The Mound of the Moon – just above the wrist opposite the Mound of Venus, this mound relates to the realms of imagination, dreams and of course feminine intuition. It is the second largest fleshy part of the hand and a balanced, well developed mound indicates harmony with the natural cycles of life and an intuitive awareness of what lies beyond what we know.

The Mound of Venus- the most well known mound on the hand, this is directly under the thumb and is the fount of human personality as well as the centre of emotions, feelings and affection. Well developed this mound means that the approach to love and relationships is mature and based on genuine feeling. With all relationships with others being warm and honest.

The Lines

Primary lines

The Life Line – this runs in a curve above the thumb, between the thumb and forefinger to below the thumb joining the wrist. The length of this line does not indicate length of life, but rather the energy with which you live your life, and how the encounters along the way (the chains, broken sections etc) impact on you. Many breaks indicate a lot of change, and large crosses or chains can indicate life changing events or experiences. The stronger the line the more energy, determination and focus you live your life with, a pale line indicates shorter spurts of energy.

The Heart Line – this is begins between the Mound of Mercury and the Mound of Mars and runs towards the Mound of Jupiter. It indicates how you live your life and whether you allow the heart to rule your decisions and choices. As well as the matters of the heart, this line relates to all emotional matters, our spirit and our inner world. The stronger the line, the greater the indication that the person has strong emotional depths and stability of heart, in tune with his or her feelings.

The Head Line – this line runs directly beneath the heart line and relates to intellectual activity, indicating whether the person has an assertive or intuitive intellect, depending on how it flows in line with the heart line. This line links up with other lines and mounds and it is these connections that can give a lot of insight into the person's wisdom and attitudes.

Secondary lines

The Fate Line – this line which runs vertically down the middle of the hand up to the mound of Saturn is often faint and relates to the relationship between luck and fate in your life. It is not necessarily a good luck line, but how you react to situations and unexpected challenges in either a positive or negative manner. A pale or nearly non-existent line indicates a tendency to be easily discouraged for instance, whilst a strong line shows someone who is able to handle problems head on and turn them to advantages in life.

The Fortune Line – this runs alongside the fate line and is similar to his line but in respect of worldly success. Often the fortune and fate line are joined or intertwined. If long and defined, this line can indicate recognition in your chosen field through hard work and focus. A broken line shows talents in many fields.

The Health Line – this is perpendicular to the head and heart lines and relates to one's physical and mental wellbeing. This line does not predict ill-health as such, but can indicate if you have a tendency towards smaller health problems such as a predisposition to allergies, colds etc. A short line can indicate someone who suffers with migraines or eating disorders for instance.

The Intuition Line – this line, located close to the outside of the hand, under the little finger, or near the health line, is often very very faint, or not present at all and relates to your sychic abilities. If not present at all this could indicate someone who is not open to their intuition effectively or is blocking it in some way. This line is rarely strong, and often shows up on the active hand rather than the inactive hand as ability is developed.