Shapes of Hands
Chirology in practice is about spending time holding someone’s hands, listening to them, and helping them to understand some of the traits of being which are revealed in the forms and markings of their hands.
Your handshape shows your deepest element of expression. Quite simply, your hand’s shape shows if you are more earthy, watery, fiery or airy in your character and temperament.
The shape of your hands is only the foundation of a chirology analysis; interpretations should not be taken in isolation, as many other factors about a set of hands are considered. Analysis of the hands is reliant on a system of codeification. The principles and characteristics of the elements earth, water, fire and air provide chirology’s ‘language’.
Determine the shape of your hand by first evaluating the shape of your palm. Is it square or oblong? Then compare the length of your middle finger to the length of your palm. Are your fingers short, or nearly as long as your palm? If your palm is square and your fingers are ‘short’ (shorter than the length of your palm), you have an earth hand. If your palm is oblong and your fingers are ‘long’ (about as long as the length of your palm), you have a water hand. If your palm is oblong and your fingers are ‘short’, you have a fire hand. If your palm is square and your fingers are ‘long’, you have an air hand.
If you have an earth shaped hand your palm is square, and your fingers are short, shorter than the length of your palm, that is. Think about an “earthy” type person. What comes to mind? Solid as a rock, perhaps, or salt of the earth? This describes earth’s basic character. Earth people are stable and reliable, and are happiest as providers and supporters within an enduring traditional relationship. As partners and friends earthy types are loyal, and if betrayed, won’t forget, nor easily forgive. They may quietly and secretly harbour resentment, while neither those around them nor they themselves know what emotions churn within. This can cause havoc with their digestion. Earth’s tendency is to bury deeply, where neither they nor those close to them are able to access. Earthy types could express themselves through craft, sport or gardening. As parents they are nurturing and responsible. “Family first” is a motto, and sweet Sunday lunches secure the domestic harmony so fundamental for their well being. As lovers, earthy types are powerfully physical, sensual, gentle and kind. Regular, but somewhat routine sex (of the three times weekly in the missionary position variety) is vital for their well being. Earth likes punctuality, and is likely found working in a longstanding position – in food, farming, in civil service or government, or in insurance. Averse to risk, earth may appear lazy and/or lacking in initiative. They dislike change. Earthy people remain steadily simple and uncomplicated, perhaps dull, but safe, the type one wants to come home to.
Negative: Lazy, dull, lack of initiative, harbour resentment, self-satisfied.
Positive: Stable, loyal, sensual, reliable, nurturing.
Earth shaped hands have square palms and fingers that appear short in relation to the length of the palm.
If you have a water shaped hand, your palm is oblong, slender, and your fingers are almost, or as long as, your palm. You have some beautiful talents. In your aspirations toward elevation and refinement, your standards are high, both for yourself, and in your expectations of others. Water people have adaptable imaginations and immerse themselves in music, the arts and design. Water types help keep our world beautiful for they absolutely must have beauty around them. Their preferred environment is stylish, upmarket, and elegantly harmonious. Persevering in nature, they seem to get what they want, even if they resort to a bit of manipulation. Their families may find them oversensitive, and too easily hurt, or even egocentric and self absorbed, yet there can be no doubt as to Water’s level of caring. Water needs the containment of the family, for their very security. Watery types could become aware of their idealism, and of how easily they become despondent. Their challenge is to learn the spiritual lesson “enough is the moment unto itself”. Partners will have of water’s best only when they seduce with all the romance possible. Choose the music, open the wine, light the candles, play with exquisite lingerie, and delight is guaranteed. Take water for granted, and sex is rapidly reduced to being of lesser importance on their agenda. Friendships, platonic in nature, will always be very high on water’s priority list.
The natural behaviour of the water element gives clues as to the water person’s optimal vocational environment. Water is naturally cohesive and will flow downward to join and pool with more water. Water people will be of value to a public relations company, because they are concerned about how people feel emotionally. Water types like to connect with others. They need empathy between themselves and those around them. Discord is hurtful to them, and ugliness of the spoken word brings distaste and distress. As a social worker, psychologist or nurse, water types can excel as the compassionate counsellor. Water is the most sensitive element, and those with water shaped hands often have a level of intuitive perception that enables them to see through the surface to what lies beyond.
Negative: Manipulative, over sensitive, egocentric, idealistic, indecisive.
Positive: Imaginative, persevering, empathic, intuitive, emotionally attuned.
Water shaped hands have oblong palms and long fingers.
If you have a fire shaped hand, the palm of your hand is oblong, and your fingers are short, in relation to the length of your palm, that is.
Fire types have one resource constantly at their disposal – energy. Hopelessly unable to do nothing, and never the couch potato, the more active they are the better. Continual change and stimulus is essential, as fire cannot burn without fuel to consume. Fire types are predisposed to burning the candle at both ends, in their constant desire for peak experience. Fire, in nature, reaches ever upward and outward. Whether constructive or destructive, fire types live with intensity of purpose. Health wise, they are at risk of fevers and flu, of over stressing, and of hypertension. Meditation and creative expression are highly recommended. Their intimate relationships absolutely must be dynamic. Shared activities, and passionate sex – these are criteria for the foundation of the fire partnership. Watch that low boredom threshold though, commitment may not come that easily. Or, if Fire ends up on the receiving end of infidelity or rejection, the pride can be irreparably damaged, and ego mortally wounded. Fire has effective get up and go. They ring the changes, make the difference, lead the field. Management and strategy are Fire’s strong points. Fire is brave, often innovative or even transformative, in their chosen field, and they attract people too, as Fire radiates warmth and vitality. At worst, Fire is dictatorial, loud-mouthed, domineering or even cruel. At best Fire is enthusiastic, excited and spontaneous, wanting to know where is the action? and courageously willing to drink from life.
Negative: Domineering, impatient, demanding, destructive, obsessive.
Positive: Energetic, creative, transformative, warm, spontaneous.
Fire shaped hands have oblong shaped palms, with fingers that appear short in relation to the length of the palms.
If you have an air shaped hand, your actual palm is squarish, like that of the earth hand, however, your fingers are long, nearly as long as your palm. What best describes an airy person? Perhaps a “space case” or an “absent minded professor” type? What substance is there to the invisible, intangible and formless element air? When not communicating, Air types withdraw to desks, books and computers. They often need to talk, and this they do well, with plenty of gesticulation. Literary matters are likely fields of interest and talent. The media is a natural habitat, as are the corridors of schools and universities. Ever the objective researching scientist, air types seek to make sense of experience. Their very food consists of concepts and ideologies. Airy folks often forget to eat, and do those socks match? They may often be alone, having felt alienated from early childhood. Disappointed air then became preoccupied with observing and analysing. Air is in search of meaning, and excessive emotion makes little sense, yet air types can be nervy, high strung and fine-tuned, and worry might be their middle name. A critical nature predisposes them to stiffness of joints. It’s a case of head first, body please follow and keep up!
Unless they share the same intellectual interests, as a partner air may leave their beloved lonely. Intimacy needs emotion for sustenance but air can be detached, or even asexual. Air types who are alone for too long may find the voyeur emerges – they who watch, but do not participate. With the right partner, air’s visual orientation becomes their point of departure into bliss. No love in the dark for air! No one can straightjacket an air person – they feel hemmed in and trapped if restricted in any way. They need space, the independence to be unconventional, and at times, to be eccentric. Air people have wide perspective and are often knowledgeable and informative, always asking why? and what does it show?
Negative: Alienated, high strung, detached, eccentric, critical.
Positive: Communicative, observant, analytical, unconventional, independent.
Air shaped hands have square palms and long fingers.
People often want to know what work they are best suited to and a binary analysis of their skin texture with their basic hand shape can suggest their ideal working environment. While the hand shape describes their element of expression, the membrane between them and the outer world, their skin, indicates their element of impression; the ‘give’ and ‘take’ of their personality.
For example, fire-shaped hands suggest action orientation, but if combined with a ‘water’ skin texture, the bearer is likely be too idealistic and sensitive to carve out a successful career in the corporate environment. However, if the same fire-shaped hands feature an ‘air’ skin texture instead, the person is likely to have fewer expectations and to be able to disassociate from emotion, an ideal combination for thriving in a competitive environment.