Your Life Line is an important palm reading mark associated with how well you bounce back after life's hardships. Your basic physical vitality and life energy are reflected in this line and area of the hand. Some greedy palm readers will try to get money by saying they can read how long a person will live according to their Life Line. Rest assured, the Life Line does NOT reveal when you will die! However, it does indicate to some degree how much stress you have. Generally, the better the condition it is, the less stress you have from day to day. Here are some of the indicators to look for in doing a palm reading of the Life Line:

Short Thin Life Line: Short does not mean you better start getting ready to die! A short Life Line just means you wisely conserve your energy as you go through your daily activities. You know your own body well and know how much energy you have available for tasks. Wisely you stop and rest before you exhaust all your reserve energy.

The problem with a short Life Line comes if the owner has a mate with a long Life Line. Especially in the area of love and romance there may be a big difference in how much attention is devoted to physically expressing love.

The long Life Line partner may feel a lack of attention and weak giving of love and romance (and most other activities, too) comes from the short Life Line partner. That is just the way it is with couples having different length Life Lines.

Broken Life Line: Don't worry, this does NOT foretell an upcoming death! Some Gypsy fortunetellers in the past use to extract money from their customers with this incorrect information. What has proven to be true for people with a broken Life Line is that they do not rest often and review what they have completed. These people have a unique challenge in life to often rest and take a look at their accomplishments with satisfaction.

People with a broken Life Line would do well to force themselves to take a rest after each task and to reflect on what they accomplished, and the lessons learned. They tend to miss the satisfaction of doing a good job and instead rush to the next task. That ends up feeling like life is a struggle with endless problems and no pleasures. Many "workaholics" have broken Life Lines.

Double Life Line: A secondary line running parallel, inside or outside of the Life Line is another important palmistry marking. The additional line indicates the owner received additional strength and support from family members when growing up. These people feel confident about their future and often make numerous changes in life.

People with this extra line are "risk takers" and feel highly confident approaching new situations.

The extra line inside the Life Line (as shown at right) indicates high confidence coming from their past experiences in the family. When young, the family showed them they were deserving of high successes, and that carries through today. When the extra line is on the opposite side of the Life Line, it indicates the high confidence is coming from outside family, probably from their world of job or public connections. In either case of where the extra line is, it indicates these people have high expectations for meeting their goals with support from outside themselves.

In some cases the Fate Line (aka "Saturn Line") replaces part of the Life Line as shown at the right. This palmistry marking indicates the owners often search for a sense of purpose in life. When they fail to find a higher purpose often, their career becomes their primary purpose in life. All their time and energy are devoted to their job. Their self-esteem and sense of purpose depend on what successes are achieved on the job or in the career.

Beginnings

The life line should start just on the front side of the palm. If it starts behind the palm then some excess is present, which if also seen in other lines can mean mental imbalance. People with this excess are usually extreme and subject to mental collapses. This is also true if the life line begins with a downward slope.

The be ginning of the life line shows how the soul connects to or enters the body. If the connection has been good, the line starts full, straight and continuous. If the line is bro ken in some way or is not straight and continuous, there has not been a good connection. When there has not been a good connection with the b o dy, the person is usually rather spaced out and not grounded in the body. His focus is geared more to the inner world rather than the physical world. Most like l y he will not become a professional athlete.

Another possible meaning for the above conditions is childbirth difficulties and/or illness at birth. This can be verified by checking the beginning of the heart line, which gives information about childbirth. Correlating information from different areas is very important for the palmist; it can make the difference in a reading when there is a firm confirmation. In general, a person whose life line does not start properly has difficulty accepting his role in life and manifesting in the world. If he is of a spiritual persuasion, this difficulty can be used to his advantage, for the troubles of life can help to turn his focus inwards.

Sometimes two or more lines come together to form the life line.See fig. 3.1a. This means that several life forces (rays of creation) are coming together to create a particular incarnation. It indicates a special incarnation but not necessarily an easy one.

The life line is male or yang, for it shows what is present in the positive, materialistic sense of how the life flows in the material world.

If the beginning of the life line has a downward slope, it is an indication of a malady, usually something from a past life of a serious nature. It is not an auspicious sign. See fig. 3.1b.

Course of Life Showing Splits, Breaks , Marks and Variations.

The life line and head line very often start tog e t h e r, run together and then split, with the life line arching downwards while the head line goes out into the fro n t i e r of the palm. Generally the area where the lines run together re p resents early childhood until early adulthood when a person leaves the family to be on his own . If his environment, sense of security and emotional and psychological development we re good, this joined line will be straight and continuous. Indications of difficulty in early childhood include chains, a thin or weak line, marks on the lines and slashes running across the life line (hatchworks). This difficulty can manifest as inhibited deve l o p ment, major illness, an accident or any detrimental event'by itself or in combination, depending upon the severity and number of mark i n g s.

Often you will see (or just have a sense of) an unstable line, which is a reflection of the environment the child grew up in. With an unstable line, trust of the world can be lacking. See fig. 3.1c. Correlate this with the shape of Jupiter and Mercury fingers. If they are undeveloped or bent then it is almost certain that the childhood was unstable.

Indication of a difficult childhood by the early part of the life line is always correct, no matter how much the subject insists it was normal. At some point during the reading the subject will always reveal the truth about his childhood. Very often people don’t even realise how unstable their childhoods were.

Slashes crossing the early part of the life line indicate major accidents, major illnesses, and possible physical or psychological abuse from the father, especially if the slashes originate from the mount of Mars.

The life line shows the general course of the life. The line can become thicker or thinner in places; this shows fluctuations in life force or periods of abundance and scarcity. An island means a period of weakness; the life force is split so the person is more vulnerable to influences and sensitive to changes. Weakness is indicated when you see an island on any line. See fig. 3.2d.

It is important to begin to understand that the lines are always a reflection of now. If there is an island in the middle of the life line, it can mean a period of weakness in midlife, and/or it can mean that the life-force energy will encounter a period of weakness whenever it flows. And this weakness will have to be compensated for by additional effort or perseverance. Extra energy will be needed to complete actions in life. Because the lines are constantly changing, when this weakness is gone, the island will disappear.

Small lines starting above the life line and ending exactly on the life line are an indication of an influx of divine energy. See fig. 3.2b. During this time, the person will receive an additional influx in the form of a spiritual experience, peak experience and/or increase in wealth. The most common influx is the spiritual experience. In a way, it can be thought of as a cosmic bonus, or what is in India called 'a boon'.

Small downward lines starting precisely on the life line mean a loss of energy, usually illness. See fig. 3.2c.

If the life line breaks or stops and another line starts before the break, it me a n s that the person will have a radical change in life direction. He may, for example, change from leading a secular life to a spiritual one, or vice ve rs a .See fi g. 3.2c.

A distinct gap in the life line means that for that period of time the person has no hold on the life force. See fig. 3.2d. Anything can happen. Death or spiritual enlightenment is very possible at that time. If the head line is strong, most likely the person won’t die. It is a very opportune time for the person to experience reality beyond the confines of body, mind, personality and destiny.

If the life line remains without breaks and marks, the course of the life will be smooth. If there are breaks and marks, there will be struggle and hardships.

See fig. 3.2a, .

Endings

The ending of the life line is important. When dow n wa rd lines at the end of the l i fe line are present, the person will lose energ y, usually through illness.See fi g. 3 . 3 a. If the life line is weak after the downward slash, the person should plan for his old age because he will not have full energy to take care of himself. If the line remains stro n g, he will re c over and be active again. If the life line has many branches at the end or is tasselled, it means the pers o n’s life will disintegrate. See fig. 3.3b.

And usually he will battle with this issue of disintegration throughout his life. He will start pro j e c t s, continue them for a while and then c o l l apse. You can only re c o m mend that such a person looks after himself and does not resort to dissipating activities such as taking drugs, for example. But this advice is difficult to fo l l ow since the tendency is karmic and must be played out.

The life line can end in the following ways:

-Strong and straight.
This shows that the person will be active until the end.
-With many tassels.
The life force will disintegrate and there may be hardships at the end. Tassels can be an indication of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
-Thin and fading. See fig. 3.3c.
This shows a general disappearance back into the void. Usually it is gentle and benign. The last years are not very active, but not necessarily senile.
Strong with downward illness lines.
This means illness in later years. The person will not be active and must betaken care of.

The area the arc of the life line covers shows the scope of the person’s consciousness. See fig. 3.4.The broader the arc, the broader his scope, horizon and outlook. Narrow life line areas usually mean narrow-minded people, although a person could simply be living a quiet life with no need for a broad outlook. Sometimes the area of the life line is broader in the active hand. This increase in area can be the result of the formation of a new life line. The greater area indicates an increase in the scope of consciousness of the person in this life, and is a very important aspect when present.

If the end of the life line goes into or towards the Moon area, it means the person will live and most probably die in a foreign country. How a person dies, and from what diseases, is determined by the strength and weakness of the head and heart line.

Often I see the end of the life line radically changing, going through a metamorphosis, with lines splitting and other lines merging to form a new ending. Sometimes a Saturn line merges with the life line to form a new ending. This happens more often than not, and shows that in many instances the end of the life is not fixed but is determined by something else unknown. In such cases, I tell the subject that his destiny is not fixed; his path in life can proceed in many different directions. At some point, choices will be made that determine the direction, though the choices will not necessarily be conscious ones on his part.

The subject of destiny is always a question. The changing ending of the life line can be evidence that destiny is not always fixed. However, it could be someone’s destiny to not have a fixed destiny. In cases where the life line is changing, people often ask me about their destiny and in which direction they should move.

Challenge and Influence Lines

Challenge and influence lines are an integral part of the life line and can't really be separated from it. Lines, usually originating from the mount of Mars, which cross the life line are called life challenge lines.See fig. 3.5.These lines mean that life presents challenges that cannot be avoided. If a person tries to avoid them, his level of suffering will increase until he begins to meet the challenge. To determine at what time in the life these challenges will appear is difficult, because these lines commonly appear and disappear. A challenge line means now and can cover a period of one to two years in the past or future. A challenge line also can mean that a challenge will be encountered at the particular age where it crosses the life line. The intuitive ability of the palmist decides which situation is prevalent. I approach challenge lines as mostly being n ow, because they disappear once the challenge is over. If a challenge line represented only challenges at a particular age, the line would not disappear.

When challenge lines cross throughout the life line, a person will never be at rest. A person without challenge lines can also be suffering with no rest but for different reasons.

Challenge lines indicate life lessons coming from seemingly external events.

When there are many, many lines crossing the life line, especially by the mount of Mars, it means psychic interference. The person usually feels exhausted and tired all the time. On a subconscious level, much energy is being used to counteract this psychic noise. Psychic interference can be compared to static on a radio programme. You can listen for a while, but it is annoying and you feel drained by it. This interference usually occurs as some sort of karmic debt, but it can be cleared up very successfully by meditation, pujas(prayer rituals) or some sort of exorcism.

When a line crosses the life line and intersects with the head line, it is a line of influence. See fig. 3.5. It means someone or something is having a profound effect upon the person. If it also crosses the heart line, it is an ever-greater influence, getting into the person's heart and soul. If this line contacts the Saturn line, someone or something is influencing the wealth of the person. Whether the influence is positive or negative needs to be determined. If the line goes into an island or a break of some sort, it is probably a negative influence.

What is the special significance of influence lines, because after all are not events and people constantly influencing us? Influence lines are significant because they show that a strong karmic influence is operating and having a major impact on the course and direction life take s. When an influence line runs into the heart line, for example, it shows that the major focus for the time it ap p e a rs on the palm is the further deve l o p ment of the heart. At this time it is good for the person to focus on the affa i rs of the heart and spiritual matters.

The length of the life line alone does not necessarily show how long a person will live. The other lines also play a major role. For example, short head lines on both hands, together with short or faint life lines, usually mean a short life. A person can live without a life line but not without a head line.As I have not examined the hands of recently dead people, I can’t say this is my direct observation. However, on an intuitive level this feels correct. I have seen instances of a short life line or no life line in people who have gone on to live very long lives.

Sometimes there is a small sister line running along the life line for some distance. This means added strength for the duration of the sister line.

Timings

The life line can be divided into several distinct areas – birth, early childhood, childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, adulthood, middle age, last years and end of life.See fig. 3.6.

I keep timings as general as I can – ten-year increments usually. However, this is my way. Another reader can use more precise timings, if that is what he desires.

The best system I've discovered is based on two landmarks. See fig. 3.7.The first is determined by drawing a straight line from the middle of the gap between the Jupiter and Saturn fingers to the life line. Where the line intersects the life line can be considered age 21.

The second landmark only applies when the life line and head line are joined together. As this is the case with the majority of hands, mostly it can be used. Ask the subject at which age he left his family to live on his own. Generally, where the two lines split is that age. Compare the landmarks and if they are close, use them. If not, take an average and make a general estimate. Also, just guess if someone asks; your guess will usually be right! You can divide the life line into childhood, early adulthood, adulthood, middle age and later years based on the period indicated by the landmark you have determined.

You must remember that lines are not dead or static but vibrant and changing. The lines are always a reflection of now. So what does time in an exact way mean in lines? I've recently watched the beginning of my life line restructure itself in such a dramatic way that I would now give myself a reading very different from the one I gave five years ago. The significance of this observation has led me to wonder about and question everything I know about palmistry.

Basically, I've come to realise that the lines are a reflection of now, this moment. Past, present, future and the eternal are in reality one, each modifying the other in ways we cannot understand. Can the future modify the past? From my observation of lines, I can accept the possibility of this notion.

HEAD LINE

'How We See the World '

The head line starts somewhere near the beginning of the life line and runs out across the palm, ending somewhere near, on the edge of, or in the Lunar mount itself. If the head line reaches Saturn, it is considered of normal length. It is very rare for the head line not to reach Saturn.

The head line represents the energy channel of the mental body. The head line has two basic categories, and in this respect is different from the life line which has only one. The heart line also has two basic categories.

Category 1 is determined at the beginning of the line, when the head line starts either with the life line or separate from it.

Category 2 is determined by how the head line runs across the frontier of the palm after it leaves the life line. The head line can run straight across the palm or it can dip into the lunar area.

Between the two categories there is much variation and each variation has a specific meaning.

Category 1

Head line and life line joined together (fig. 3.8a)

When the head line begins with the life line, it means that most if not all perceptions pass through the mind. The majority of people have this confluence and it is more prevalent in men. This joining of lines means there is attachment and desire to stay close to the life force, in the form of family and society.There is a dependency upon family, society and morality. The longer the lines run together, the greater the attachment.

When the head and life line run together for a long distance, it indicates resistance to growing up. This resistance can be traced back to trauma at birth and even before, to the point of reincarnating. People with long running lines don’t want to grow up, they want to remain children and as a result are immature for a long time. They did not even want to be born and take on another life. Such persons are very cautious and don't want to take risks. The key word for this category of head line is 'caution'. 'Weigh the facts and make a decision.' The mind is filtering the perceptions, wanting to figure things out before acting. Such caution is fear based. And the longer the lines run together, the greater the reluctance to grow up.

An example of such a type is a medical doctor I know, a man in his late 40s who is quite intelligent and perceptive. However, whenever I walked into his room, it was like being in the room of an 8-year-old boy. It was always a complete mess and cluttered with adult toys. When I looked at his hand I understood why - he had the longest running-together life and head line I'd ever seen. Almost halfway down his life line. This man has had problems growing up and taking real responsibility. He has got into trouble with his medical licence and generally behaves just like a little boy, especially with women.

The point where the head and life line split is usually the time when a person becomes independent on a psychological level and leaves the family home. A person could live separately from the family and still be totally dependent upon it. I discuss the situation with the subject to determine if this is the case. The joining of the head and life line is a very good indication that the personality of the subject is fear based. And since in the majority of hands the head and life line are joined, the majority of people are fear based. In the enneagram (an ancient Sufi teaching describing nine different personality types and their interrelationships) this corresponds to types 5, 6 and 7.

Head line separate from life line (fig. 3.8b)

When the head line is separate from the life line it means the person is independent, has the ability to organise and has a natural affinity for being alone, because he can feel complete when alone. T h e re is less interfe rence from the mind, so action can be more direct and more to the point. This results in spontaneity and the ability to perceive reality directly without using the mind.

This type of head line is more prevalent in women. The separation of the life line shows that the person has a certain amount of freedom from society, family and morality. He can be independent from the influence of parents, which gives more freedom of action. This is not to say that a person with the life and head line joined cannot act and do in the world. Many can and do so quite easily. However, the basic gestalt when the lines are separate is different because the mind is not filtering the life-force energy.

An individual with separate head and life lines has the ability to think and act clearly, but often a person with these lines is surprised to learn he has this ability. In this case other factors are strongly influencing the trait. The thumb, the strength of the heart line, and Jupiter also play a major role. Blocks can be present and the quality of the line will be hidden; however, there is always a possibility of accessing it, so it is important to discuss this with the individual.

The distance between head line and life line is important. The bigger the distance, the weaker the hold of society on the person and the more daring and risk taking he is.The optimum distance is about 1-2mm; this gives freedom but indicates the person is not reckless. Such a person is the adventurous type who jumps out of aeroplanes to take photographs.

When the distance is greater, re c k l e s s n e s , daredevilry and possibly antisocial behaviour are pre s e n t . Morality imposes no restraint, which is good because it means greater freedom is possible. However, often the person steps beyond boundaries and hurts people. So you must be careful when relating with such a person. I have not seen any studies on psychopaths, but it would be very interesting to know what type of head lines they have.

Sometimes the head and life line start and run for a short distance together before the head line suddenly jumps up and becomes independent. See fig. 3.9a. This is a good sign, showing that in this life steps are being taken to become more m a t u re, independent and conscious, although connection with family and society is still present.

Sometimes a head line begins in the mount of Jupiter. See fig. 3.9b.This is an indication of an exceptional mind, one that can be successful and influence groups of people. Often political leaders and company directors have this type of line. When it is very strong and straight, running down into the mount of Lunar, it is an indication of a very great person.

Often when the head line is separate, it also begins late. See fi g. 3.9c.This does not indicate mental disability; rather, it means that the person has entered into the e go at an age later than normal. This is a blessing, for it gives more experience, usually on an unconscious level, of what it means to live beyond mind and personality - in other word s, to be enlightened. It is very important to discuss this with the holder, because most people are not conscious that they have qualities of perception that are special. To confirm this, ask the person what is the earliest ag e he can re me m b e r. Often he can't remember anything before the age of five. This is also a good question to ask when you see a problem at the beginning of the life line. Often this person too can’t re member anything before five ye a rs of age. In this case it is because of repression, but in the former case it is because there was no ego p resent who re me m b e rs. A late-starting head line indicates that a person has been wo rking on himself in other live s. This denotes a person who is consciously trying to expand or raise his level of consciousness, usually by following a spiritual practice, by associating with a spiritual master or by doing good work.

When the head line begins below the life line in the mount of Mars, it is not a good sign. See fig. 3.9d. Mental problems and destructive thinking patterns are present and there is usually a history of mental illness in the family. Diseases of the central nervous system can also be indicated.

As with the life line, when the head line begins beyond the front edge of the palm it means excess. The person who possesses this feature usually has a very active mind, difficult to turn off. He is always difficult to relate to over a long period, and he can lose it mentally if external pressures become too much. This is especially true if the heart line also starts beyond the front edge of the palm. All the subjects I’ve seen with such beginnings have had mental collapses which entailed them being hospitalised for some time.

When the head and life line are separate, it is an indication the subject does not have a fear-based personality. If there are indications of anger, the person is anger based (numbers 1, 2 and 9 on the enneagram).

Positive mount of Mars

Before leaving this area of the palm, I want to discuss the positive (+) mount of Mars. See fi g. 3.10. This mount of Mars is located above the mount of Venus, below the life line and bordered, towards the centre of the palm, by the life line as well .

The (+) mount of Mars is associated with power. It is masculine. There is a correlation between the mount of Mars and the subject's relationship (or lack of one) with the father, and a correlation with the subject's direct relationship with power. This area gives information about aggression and past-life involvement with aggression. No marks or lines on the (+) mount of Mars is an indication of health around issues of power, and also an indication that the relationship with the father is good, unless other aspects indicate problems.

When marks are present on the (+) mount of Mars it shows that issues with power and with the father are present. When marks are present in both hands, an issue has been carried over from other lives. Lines on the mount of Mars in the passive hand mean past-life involvement with aggression. Usually the person was the aggressor, who did all sorts of nasty things, especially as a soldier. Funnily enough, I see this more often in women's hands than in men's.

Often the active hand contains fewer markings on the (+) mount of Mars. This shows that a person is resolving past-life karma, very often incarnating only for this purpose. As an aside, it is interesting to note that at the time of writing I am visiting a spiritual ashram wh e re almost every person has these m a rk i n g s, especially the wo men.

Lines coming up from the mount of Mars that cross the life line can have different me a n i n g s. First, they show that development with the father is deficient. The father usually is not available or is not giving love. Often the father has physically and/or sexually abused the child. Inquire gently about this, for it is a sensitive issue. With women, when these marks are present it shows they have problems with embodiment, with owning and sitting in their own power. They usually feel inadequate about themselves. In men, it usually shows as physical abuse and/or difficulties assuming the role of being a man. However, I only seem to discuss this point with women, and I don't know why.

Second, an upward slashing line from the mount of Mars can mean a major accident or a serious disease where the person almost dies. This is always a strong karmic event or, let's say, a debt to be paid.

C at e g o ry 2

Category 2 refers to the way the head line runs across the palm. There are many ways in which it can do this.

Head line running straight across the palm(fig. 3.8c)

A head line running straight across the palm indicates a mental channel that is using average intelligence. This channel of intelligence focuses mainly on the outer physical world. I define average intelligence as awareness of the world through the senses, relying mostly on logic. In this channel 2 plus 2 really equals 4. And the straighter the line, the more single-pointed the perceptions. Subjects with this line tackle the world like an arrow shooting at a target. They are well suited for organising and completing goals.

Ideas have a strong tendency to become set and fixed in this type of person's mind, he finds it difficult to change. The keeper of this line has to be really convinced before he changes his mind.

He wants to know how a conclusion has been arrived at and is not satisfied unless the steps involved are clearly shown. The longer the line, the more fixed the ideas can be. If the line runs right to the end of the palm, you can be sure that narrow-mindedness and stubbornness are present and the person is like a horse with blinkers. If the line is short, intensity is more likely to be present.

If this line starts in the mount of Jupiter and goes straight down like a rocket, you have a person who is quite special, usually influencing large groups of people either politically or spiritually. He may be found in business, but this is not as prevalent as the other cases.

When the head line runs straight across the palm I look to see if there is flexibility in other places, for example in the thumb. If the tip of the thumb bends back fairly easily, it shows flexibility of action. If the thumb is stiff, it shows inflexibility of action. I also bend back the tips of the fingers. If these are also stiff, we are talking serious inflexibility.

As an aside, if all the fingers are very flexible, it means the subject is too easily influenced and this will always be an issue in his life. A little firmness from Saturn is good to keep the balance. A person must have some idea of who he is in the world, what his boundaries are and what is good for him. Some firmness in Saturn gives these qualities.

Head line curving into the mount of Lunar (fig. 3.8d)

When the head line has a slight curve but does not go deeply into the Lunar mount, I consider it to be a channel of average intelligence. Most people have this line and I don't say much about it. Sometimes it's good to be just average, not special. All the mental abilities are present and can be used and enjoyed. Maybe there are no great talents, but so what? This is better than having a malfunctioning head line. Such a head line shows intuition and creativity, but the person is not as centred in the intuitive as he would be if he had a curving intuitive head line.

When the head line dips or curves into the lunar area, we have the intuitive head line. Sensitivity, creativity and intuition are its key attributes. The main focus of a person with this channel is the inner worlds. The deeper the dip into the lunar area, the stronger the attributes and the more deeply a person can enter into the collective unconscious - which can be compared to a sea of bottomless thoughts, dreams and ideas contained in the universal mind.

When the head line dips very deeply into the mount of Lunar and runs parallel, or almost parallel, with the life line, we have what is called 'the writer's line'. See fig. 3.11a. And most often this is true. The person is very creative, very sensitive and very expressive. Unfortunately most people with this type of line commit suicide! You can be certain that a person with a deeply dipping head line will suffer periodically from depression. There will be no external reason for the depression, even though he will identify one. It is just part of the internal package. In fact, depression is a factor with all types of intuitive head lines. It is important to discuss depression with all the types and to stress that during periods of depression they must make no important decisions or take major action. Learning meditation to witness the depression should be advised.

Depression is a high price to pay for creative and intuitive abilities. The more sensitive a person is, the more he is affected by the vast wasteland of the collective unconscious, which contains mostly old dreams, nightmares, bizarre thoughts and weird feelings. A sensitive person needs some protection from this or else he becomes a wreck.

With a dipping intuitive head line, the person is centred in the creative dream world. When used creatively, this deep centredness can be very positive and beautiful. On the negative side, a person centred in this world who has no reliable check on reality is going to suffer from both an inability to see reality clearly and self-delusion.

General characteristics

When the head line splits and branches, with one branch continuing straight while the other dips into the Lunar, it means a person has a channel in two worlds, the dream and the so-called physical, real world. See fig. 3.11b.This can be great because the person can balance the physical world with the inner world of imagination. Such people are usually good storytellers because they have the ability to enter the inner worlds and then return to the outer worlds and speak clearly about them. However, if development in Mercury has not been correct,

this balance is upset and there is stronger belief in the dream worlds and difficulty in distinguishing dreams from everyday awareness.

When the Mercury finger is bent and the head line is split, there is a 95 per cent certainty that there are problems in distinguishing dreams from re a l i t y. If yo u ask these people to describe an event that happened only five minutes ago, the story will be totally diffe rent from what actually happened. Everyone does this to s o me extent, but in this case there is a psychological need to present the story to t h e m s e l ves in a form they can accept and that corresponds with their image of t h e m s e l ve s. A bent finger of Mercury with a non-splitting, dipping head line can also show this quality of distorting the truth. Howe ve r, in this case the pers o n does it more or less consciously. He suffers from self-delusions and lies to cove r up his feelings of inadequacy. It is not easy to have a deeply dipping head line.

Sometimes the head line runs straight and then dips sharply into the lunar area. See fig. 3.11c.This shows a person who initially has a normal interest in the physical world and then switches his interest to the inner or spiritual world. Often a sudden experience turns his focus 180 degrees inwards.

At the end of the head line sometimes you will see small, separated lines branching off. This means late development of talents. See fig. 3.11c.

Lines starting on the head line and going up usually refer to a channel of interest and associated abilities. What the interest is depends on which mount the line points to: if towards Mercury, there is interest in writing, communication or business; if towards the Sun, a creative, artistic channel and interest are present. 'Interest' is the key word.

A strong head line means full force, full passion, and a strong mental body. A strong head line can overcome weakness in the life line. It is said that the head line rather than the life line indicates how long the life will be. (I mention this about the head line quite often, because people get scared when they see that their life line is broken or short. Death and fear of death are always an issue, whether expressed or not.) Short head lines in both hands can mean premature death. I have not verified this, as I have not made a point of looking at recently dead bodies. A strong, passionate head line is also associated with anger. Check the mount of Mars and the thumb. A person with a passionate head line needs an outlet, such as a sport, to vent pent-up energy and feelings.

Persons with short head lines are usually intense and lead action-packed lives. They may go out quickly, but they do so intensely. Whatever they need to do in this life, they do quickly, using up their life force. On occasions you may see on the passive hand (usually the left) a short head line and a diffused life line and on the active hand (usually the right) a normal life and head line. People with this combination have lived short past lives. Ask them what they feel about dying and death, and go from there.

When the head line is wavy, a person will tend to think in a wavering manner. See fig. 3.11d. Sometimes it is difficult for him to go straight from A to B; he must go via C, for example. He gets there but not directly. Also, he sometimes has difficulty seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. So doubt and frustration can be present. It is good for this person to step back and get an overview of what he is doing. Wavy head lines can also mean periods of confusion.

A pale or faint head line tells you the person has less force to work with, or is keeping it hidden, or is using it in a refined and ethereal way. Check the other aspects showing life force. Refined people usually have refined hands.There is a particular look to them.

When the head line becomes thinner it means less mental energy is present during that period. Thickenings in the head line mean the opposite. These are good periods for projects. Breaks in the head line are not good, especially if they occur early on. They signify mental defects or breakdown in the ability to function clearly. For example, the ability to concentrate, to sustain mental activity and attain goals is weak. Fogginess, confusion, anxiety, inability to make decisions and inability to learn can all be indicated. In particular, breaks early in the head line mean defects in the central nervous system, resulting in nervous disorders such as a tic or even epilepsy. In addition, if there are slashing lines coming from the mount of Mars, it can mean head injuries.See fig. 3.10.

Gaps in the head line are rare. Anything can happen during a gap - enlightenment, death, or nothing. However, the potential for 'tripping the light fantastic' is high at this time.

If there is a tassel at the end of the head line, it means dissipation of mental energy. See fi g. 3.12a.

Islands on the line always mean weak periods when full power is split.See fi g. 3 .1 2 b.

A triangle on the head line means an energy boost, but triangles are rare .S e e fi g. 3.12c.

Lots of small dots or markings on the head line mean some problem with the central nervous sys t e m .See fi g. 3.12e. Again, confusion and/or headaches and/or weakness and anxiety are present. These persons are likely to have nervous d i s e a s e s. Often I find I have to probe the subject to find out wh e re the problem is. Marks on both hands indicate genetic disease.

Branching at the end of the head line means multi - i n t e rests and is a good sign. If the head line becomes fainter and thinner, this can be a sign that someone is not utilizing his full mental potential. He is not putting his entire consciousness into the mental body. When there is an acutely dipping intuitive line, I can understand that the person doesn't want to be fully aware of all the muck in the collective unconscious, even though he will miss finding the lotus growing out of it. Often a person with a fading head line feels frustrated in the realisation of his potential, and it helps to point this out and discuss it. This applies to all fading lines. You must remember that a person having a reading wants to hear a specific message. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if the reading is incomplete. It's amazing how the important message comes out when it needs to.

Excess at the beginning and ending of lines is not good. A head line running right to the end of the palm accents the traits of that line. Usually it conveys fixations, stubbornness and the person's inability to see more than his own viewpoint. This can be an advantage however; extreme single-mindedness in Papaji's hand helped him to bring people to enlightenment.

When there are Xs between the life line and head line, it means litigation, land disputes and/or family disputes.

I don't know why, but I always try to see aspects, events and traits in a very general way. Sometimes, details are fascinating, but I am more interested in underlying, general themes. I have short fingers, so maybe that is why. Usually when I give a reading the person will say, 'I must tell you that I was with another reader (not a palmist) who told me in detail what you are talking about generally.' And often I am told that the points I make are the same as those made in an astrology reading. You don't have to follow my approach. You can gear your readings so that more emphasis is placed on knowing details.

H E A RT LINE

'H ow Do You Love ? '

The heart line begins under Mercury, runs across the palm and ends in one of the four areas listed below. It runs in the opposite direction to the head line and life line. The heart line is similar to the head line in that there are four basic types, determined by where the heart line ends:

-under Saturn finger

-between Saturn and Jupiter fingers

-on the base of the Jupiter finger

-in the middle of the mount of Jupiter

The heart line, like the thumb, can be set high or low. A high-set heart line shows a good separation between heart and head line. See fig. 3.13.This person tends to have a cheerful, sunny disposition. With a low-set heart line, the person tends to be depressed and gloomy. Because a low-set heart line is closer to the head line and the lines are running in opposite directions, there is interference. See fig. 3.14.This friction uses up energy, and the closeness of the mind also influences the heart. All this can make for a gloomy person who may well suffer from a ‘midlife crisis’. When the heart and head line are running close together, the mind becomes muddled with emotions, and emotions are distracted by thoughts. A good separation of the heart and head line is important for clear functioning of the emotional and mental body. Perhaps the person with a high-set heart line is happier, because he is more distanced from the mind.

Often you see lines running from the heart to the head line or from the head to the heart line. In the former it means the heart is influencing the head, and in the latter the head is influencing the heart. Either way, this is not a good sign.

A wide and deep heart line showing an intense red colour indicates strong energy and passion.

The best functioning heart line has no breaks, marks or islands. This heart line is very rare. Almost everyone has some breaks or weaknesses. In fact, the heart line always shows the most breaks and discontinuity.

The beginning of the heart line is very important because it shows the initial relationship with the mother. It tells if the person was a wanted child; how mu c h the mother loved the baby at the time of conception, during the first six months of p regnancy and at the time of birth. T h e re can also be indications of problems at birth and what the emotional and/or physical condition of the mother was during the birth. T h e re is much information to be gained from this one spot on the palm. If another person takes on the role of mother, as a nanny for example, this re g i s t e r s as a line coming into the heart line.

The child's initial relationship with the mother is so important because it sets the pace at which his emotional body will grow and determines how strong it will be. Most later problems associated with the heart - physically and emotionally- can be traced back to this early relationship with the mother.

The heart line should begin on the front of the palm. If it starts behind the palm, some emotional excess is present. This can also be an indication of possible serious genetic disease involving the auto-immune system.

A good start to the heart line is full and straight with no breaks or tassels. This means that the mother's love was present and the child was wanted and loved in at least the first six months of pre g n a n c y. In this instance, the person receives in full the power needed for the emotional body to grow. You would be surprised how rare it is to see a good heart line beginning.

When the beginning of the heart line is tasselled, it means the mother’s love was not ava i l able and the child was unwanted .See fig. 3.15a. If the line is thin and weak, it shows that not much care was given, even if the mother did love the baby. For example, she may have been sick and unable to provide for the child.

If the beginning of the heart line bulges (ap p e a rs thicker), it means that love was present but was possibly excessive or expressed in a neurotic way, or that the mother was not cap able of giving love because of either a physical condition or an emotional reason. See fi g. 3.15b. Any markings on the line at this point indicate an affliction or illness of mother or child, a problem with the mother- c h i l d re l a t i o n s h i p, and/or adverse environmental influences. Ask the subject questions in order to pinpoint the situation.

When the beginning of the heart line is distressed on both hands, it indicates the repeated choosing of an incarnation that does not result in the proper grow t h of the emotional body. But this is a karmic process that must be completed on its own accord. Nothing can be done to help. When it is seen in only one hand, usually the active hand, there is a possibility the fault can be corrected thro u g h discipline, wisdom or understanding. This point is true also for the other primary lines when they are distressed in both hands.

As an aside to this, I have noticed that the beginnings of my heart line and life line have improved significantly in recent ye a rs. They are both stronger and less tasselled and are generally in better shape. The only reason I can give for this is that as I have worked on myself, becoming more conscious, letting go of emotional and mental garbage, these lines have re s t r u c t u red themselves. T h e re is no doubt that my capacity to love, to remain open to love, and to accept a person more unconditionally has greatly increased, at least in the moment. So, it makes sense that the channels have changed. I used to think that the beginning of the heart line was fixed, since it is a past event. Howe ve r, this does not seem to be the case.

H e re is a physical example of the future influencing the past. Some t i mes wh e n I meditate I fall into the remembrance of some time in the past when I wa s regularly sitting in a particular place. I then find myself sending energy to that past time. I always wonder if the future could change the past, as suggested by m a ny of Kurt Vo n n e g u t 's books.

The best heart line is one that starts high, has no breaks, gaps or islands, and is strong and continuous. Somewhere near Saturn, it begins to curve upwards and then ends at the base of the Jupiter finger (but does not enter into it). Entering into the finger would again mean excess. This line shows that the person has a strong, emotional body and is cap able of love, both passionate and higher spiritual love. This person can be compassionate and love unconditionally. On the phys i c a l plane, the circulatory system is sound, as is the digestive system and eye s i g h t . T h e re is a direct correlation between the strength of the heart line and these physical organs. A weak heart line indicates problems with the circulatory system. These people usually die of stro kes and heart disease.

People with other types of heart lines can love unconditionally and be compassionate, but not as freely and effortlessly. To determine a person's degree of compassion, check the setting of the thumb. The lower the thumb the more giving and compassionate a person is.

An island on the heart line under Mercury means gastrointestinal we a k n e s s. An island under the Sun means eyesight problems and a pro b ability of injuries to the eye s. See fi g. 3.15d. A person might not be ill, but a potential weakness is t h e re. Whether symptoms appear depends on factors such as lifestyle and t e m p e r a me n t .

On the heart line you can find the most breaks and gaps. See fig. 3.15c. Ancillary lines are often seen running down towa rds the head line. See fi g. 3.17b. I guess affairs of the heart are the toughest and cause the most pain.

Little lines coming and going from the heart line can mean many love affairs- the heart energy is going out to someone. It is best when other lines do not cro s s them; this would mean trouble in re l a t i o n s h i p s.

B reaks and gaps and run-on lines all indicate we a k n e s s. These people are s e n s i t ive and can be easily hurt. They don't have the strength to ward off intense emotional input from others in the form of insults or criticism, and they cannot handle the ups and downs of re l a t i o n s h i p s.

On the physical level, a weak heart line indicates problems with the circulatory system. These people usually die of strokes and heart disease. Check where the heart line begins. If beyond the palm, and starting lower, it can me an diseases of the cardiovascular system. Check to see which line is weaker, the heart or the head. This indicates which types of disease a person is likely to get. Look for little marks running along the heart line. This is a good indication of circulatory we a k n e s s. If there are many little marks on the heart line and head line, it means that the immune system is weak and the person must take extra c a re. Most people want to know how and from what they will die.

The four types of heart line endings

1 Under Saturn (fig. 3.16a)

The heart line ending under Saturn is characterised by the need for relationship. T h e re is a basic longing to be with the other. Often persons

with this heart line need the other to see and experience God, and in general do not fe e l complete unless they are in re l a t i o n s h i p. People with this type of line can experience love and compassion, but they go through periods when they are not in touch with their fe e l i n g s, when they feel almost blank. They can be distant and have problems going deeply into love, more often staying on the sensual and practical side. Often these people are very sexual and passionate. In a relationship they need a lot of trust, and flower when they find some o n e they do trust.

It appears that a heart line ending under Saturn is not complete. It is better for the heart to rise out of Saturn. Further development of the emotional channel is needed. Very often, secondary sister lines and/or a Girdle of Venus will develop to handle the emotional channel’s need to rise to higher levels.

The heart line ending under Saturn is concerned mainly with ego gratification. E ven the person's compassion can originate from the need for ego gratification. The influence of Saturn is always to regulate, to be the wa t c h d og, the moral judge. It is concerned with the mind and duality, with trying to control and regulate the human condition. Saturn in excess is mostly a drag. It makes the person gloomy and re p ressed and keeps him fixed on self-gratification. If Saturn is weak, the person does not have a sufficient sense of himself, of what is right and wrong for him. Saturn provides the moral foundation the ego needs to stand on. Saturn is needed for earth grounding, patience, and sense of self and morality. Love needs to fly higher and go beyond these limitations, and this is the reason there is trouble with this type of heart line.

2 Between Saturn and Jupiter (fig. 3.16b)

A heart line that rises after Saturn and ends between Saturn and Jupiter indicates the person is cool in love. Type-2 heart lines are generally not ruled by passion and the person usually does not fall head over heels in love. This person may practise tantra and enjoy using the love/sex energy to reach higher states of consciousness. He may also enjoy sitting for hours with his partner and doing breathing exercises in some controlled way.To a certain degree, persons with this type of heart line exhibit signs of dispassion and coolness, and there is again some degree of selfishness or focus on self-gratification.

3 At the base of Ju p i t e r(fi g. 3.16c)

After Saturn the heart line begins to rise towards Jupiter. Jupiter represents higher spiritual ideals, and it is good when the heart line rises into it. This area of the heart line re p resents higher spiritual love. It brings love out of the realm of desire, enabling a person to love unconditionally and also to k n ow the love of one’s spiritual self, which has no address of you and me. Compassion towards others comes into play with this type of heart line as well. All heart lines that end after Saturn have these qualities. The easiest and clearest flowing channel is one ending at the base of the Jupiter finger. This is the full heart line, type 3. A full heart line shows true development of the soul, in that there has been a turning away from me re ego gratification. Some form of selflessness is present. A full heart line with a good low-set thumb is an excellent indication of a very loving and caring soul. Basically a type-3 heart line is complete; the major work on the heart is finished. The person can experience and give his all if needed and desired. Howe ve r, when there are weaknesses in the line, such as bre a k s, gaps and islands, there is still minor work to be done.

4 In the mount of Jupiter (fig. 3.16d)

The last type of heart line rises after Saturn and ends somewhere in the middle of the mount of Jupiter. This line has a special meaning. The mount of Jupiter is concerned with goals and ambitions. When the heart line ends here it is very important that love is infused into the person's goals and ambitions.The more prevalent the love, the more content the person feels. This means that in the pursuit of interests, projects and careers, the person’s main motivation should be love- doing something he loves and/or giving a service where love is involved. When the main motivation is love, he is most content. When it is not love but desire of money or power, the goal can still be achieved but is not as gratifying. A job should not be taken just for money, prestige or survival. If this line is in both hands, it is very important for the person to do service because this need is the primary consideration. This kind of heart line shows that there is a special ability to transmit love energy through a medium, be it massage or design or whatever. Often persons with this special talent are not aware that they have it. It is good to spend some time discussing this. Nanaguru, an Indian guru whose 'job' it is to transmit love, has this heart line in both hands; and re a l l y, it is the only interesting point in his hand, the rest is just average. It seems he is here only to transmit love and nothing else. The angle at which the heart line rises after Saturn can vary from slight to acute. Persons with an acute rising heart line are passionate, get excited easily and fall in love very quickly. At the end of the heart line there can be branches. See fig. 3.17a.When this occurs, a person is able to love and be loving to more than one person at a time. He can easily fall in love with many people. He mainly interacts through love. When love is not present, he is easily distracted and withdraws quickly. If love is not present, he is not interested, even if it means material losses or loss of friendships. Sometimes one branch goes to the mount of Jupiter while the other rises to the base of Jupiter. This means that service has only partial importance. Higher spiritual love or concern with the unfolding of the person's higher consciousness is at least as important. One branch can be stronger or they can be of equal size, width and strength. When branches are present in both hands and the service line is weaker, I would advise the person to withdraw from service and devote himself to his own enlightenment. Having this line in both hands indicates something carried over from other lives. At this stage the person needs to drop service and focus completely on self-realisation. A branch running down from the heart line to the beginning of the life line is not a good sign.See fig. 3.17d. It means loss of heart. There are problems and real difficulties in relationships with the opposite sex, and usually the person shows characteristics of the opposite sex. If it is in both hands, many books state that the person will die a sudden death. I have had no confirmation of this as yet, but I do use this information and pass it on to people. If there is no indication of loss at the end of the life line, it is as good a guess as any that death will be sudden. And funnily enough, people don't mind hearing this. Mostly they say. 'Yes, that feels right.' Little lines leaving the heart line again tell of losses of energy, but in this

Instance it usually means the person's heart goes out to someone, not necessarily in a detrimental way. Many small lines are, of course, a drain on the channel. And a large number of downward lines means too much sensitivity, the heart going out to others too readily, a tendency to be easily influenced. When these lines go down to the head line and join it, the heart is influencing the head. It means emotions are a factor in decision-making and need to be taken into consideration in order to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. When a line leaves the heart line, crosses with another line and forms an X, we are looking at relationships that don’t work out or are difficult and show a strong negative interaction. These situations are usually the result of karma and need to be played out. Once in a while I see a heart line that is discontinuous. See fig. 3.17c. It is shown by a series of slashes running together. This means the person feels love or has interest in something for a while and then the love or interest just stops. He can’t really be relied on and finds it difficult to feel content because of the many gaps.This discontinuity makes for unreliability of feelings, with often the holder going from one project to the next. This person needs a strong and caring maternal partner to help ground him. Many dots and marks on the heart line mean heart and circulation problems. When these dots and marks are seen on the head line as well, it means that the immune system is weak. Along the heart line there can be thickening and thinning of the line. Thick areas indicate juicy periods of love, and thin areas periods when love and relations are sparse. This does not necessarily mean a negative period, for it might be a period of meditation and inner journeys. Weakness in the lines always means increased sensitivity and vulnerability. Sometimes the head and heart line endings become thin and faint. Again, this shows the person is not applying full consciousness to the higher realms of heart and mind.

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