THE BASIC HAND SHAPES
In modern palmistry, most schools now use a four-category hand system, an adaptation of the ancient Chinese system that has been updated and anglicized for contemporary Western practice. If you look at your own hand, it will roughly fit into one of these four categories:
1. THE SQUARE HAND – Earth
This hand shape is named for its square appearance: the palm is square, the fingers are squared at the tips, and even the nails appear squarish when viewed from the back. People with square hands tend to be practical and realistic, valuing action over abstract thought. They are grounded in logic and reason, often showing respect for authority and discipline. These individuals are typically hard workers who thrive under rules and regulations. To them, everything has its rightful place.
2. THE CONIC HAND – Water
The conic hand is broad at the base of the palm and tapers toward the fingertips, which are often narrow, like a pen or pencil. This shape is associated with an artistic nature, signifying a love for beauty, creativity, and anything aesthetic. Those with conic hands have imaginative and intuitive minds, often relying on first impressions, which are usually accurate. Sensitive and emotional, they frequently champion the underdog and may be drawn to creative career paths. Their generous and compassionate nature may lead them to charitable causes, although this openness can also make them vulnerable to deception.
3. THE PSYCHIC HAND – Air
Owners of psychic hands—characterized by their slightly frail, supple appearance—are usually highly sensitive and emotional. This hand type is most commonly seen in women and is often associated with visionary and dreamy qualities. People with psychic hands are imaginative, with a particular inclination toward mysticism and romance. They can be passive and dependent, frequently found in fields like hairdressing, beauty, fashion, or the theater, where creativity and emotional intelligence are valued.
4. THE PHILOSOPHICAL HAND – Fire
The philosophical hand, with its long, knotted fingers, indicates an ability to think deeply and meditate on profound topics such as humanity, spirituality, and the universe. People with this hand shape often have a curious and analytical outlook, showing interest in everything from metaphysics to scientific research. They are driven by a love of knowledge itself, finding fulfillment in teaching, religious study, or any field that satisfies their intellectual curiosity.
It’s rare to find pure types; more often, hands display a mixture of traits, which can be analyzed according to Body, Mind, and Spirit or psychological tendencies.
These four hand types, along with the traditional divisions of seven, formed the basis of my talks to palmistry societies in the 1970s and 1980s. Diagnosing personality traits from the shapes of hands and fingers, known as Chirognomy, considers factors such as temperature, color, stiffness, and size. Another largely forgotten science, ring finger lore—called Sphragistic—explores why people wear certain rings on specific fingers.
In past centuries, scholars took palmistry very seriously. Believed to have originated in India, it is known there as Hasthricka.
In the next article, we’ll discuss linear formations.
For more information, refer to my best-selling book, “50 Case Histories in Modern Palmistry” at www.tstokes.co.uk
T Stoke
Holistic palmist with 60 years of practice, author, and teacher Jungian Holistic Chirology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and karmic analysis
